Natalie's Koi Fish

These nails are inspired by this look from Natalie over at heartNAT. It's been pinned on my "nail art inspiration" board over on Pinterest for a while now. I don't have the same polishes she used, and I don't have the fancy koi fish image plate she has, but it's still pretty cool. :)

 The polishes I used were:

Base of Orly Decades of Dysfunction. Then I sponged on - L'Oreal Macaroon Me Madly, China Glaze Flirty Tankini & Passion For Petals, & Zoya Ziv.

Then 1 coat of Essie Shine of the Times for an extra "fish-scale" vibe.

Then stamped M.A.S.H 39 with Konad black

More about → Natalie's Koi Fish

Shimmer Polish - Irene + Born Pretty Rhinestone Picker Upper Thingy

Check out Cindy's Etsy shop, website, or facebook for more information on purchasing. Or you can always email her directly with your paypal address and the colors you would like to purchase:

shimmer484(at)gmail(dot)com

The minute I realized that Cindy sent me Irene, I knew I would be recreating this look from Wacky Laki. I loved her idea from the first glance I had of it.

 Here is a bottle shot of Irene and a simple swatch of one coat layered over Zoya Farah.

 I used the same image plate as Anutka, Mash40. The square studs are from this stud wheel sold at Born Pretty. I just put them in this different container. The white pencil thing is actually pretty awesome. It's a rhinestone picker-upper-thingy. It's center is a waxy material, so it gives you just enough grab onto the rhinestones to position them and it releases easily.

 

 The handy dandy rhinestone picker upper thingy is sold here at Born Pretty for $1.99 (for 2 pencils)

They came like this and I just used a standard pencil sharpener that I had in my office to get the point pictured above.

Here is a quick and poor quality (sorry) video to demonstrate just how easily it works.

It works just as well on large rhinestones or decorative items like these big bows. 

(Also a Born Pretty product 10pcs for $3.99)

More about → Shimmer Polish - Irene + Born Pretty Rhinestone Picker Upper Thingy

Disney Princess French - Belle Inspired

A random throw back to my Disney Princess Inspired french tip nail art design series. 

I wanted to try out Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

I started with Duri Rejuvacote as my base coat.

Then applied Barielle Lemondrops as a french tip. Freehand or use tape, whatever you prefer.

Then I mixed up some acrylic paint to be just a little darker yellow. I painted this on like the draping of her ball gown. Overlapping the french tip a bit.

Then I used Konad white polish and Mash-36. It has a rose image with a long stem, but I just used the bud portion of the image. 

I wanted to make it a red rose to fit the movie better, but it didn't turn out. It just looked like red blobs and not roses, so white roses it is!

More about → Disney Princess French - Belle Inspired

French Spiderman

Another superhero inspired french, I'll try to keep coming up with designs and make this a mini series. I'm enjoying it!

 

Spiderman

 

Tutorial:

1. Tape off your tips and paint them a dark red. I used Color Club Red-ical Gypsy.

 

2. Stamp the spiderwebs from BM13 along the french. It's ok if it extends onto the nail bed, spiderwebs are naturally messy. I used China Glaze Millennium to stamp.

3. Stamp the spider from MASH38 onto an accent nail.

I used Konad Special polish in black to stamp.

4. Apply a thick coat of Seche Vite topcoat and while it's still wet, attach some royal blue rhinestones.

 

More about → French Spiderman

Pink Mash Up

This is a cute and simple stamping combination I did the other day and it got a lot of compliments! I hope you enjoy it too!

2 coats of China Glaze Traffic Jam, then stamped MASH 41 grid image with China Glaze Emotion, then accent nail of the bow from Konad m59 and China Glaze Millennium. I topped the center of the bow with a clear rhinestone.

See ya!

More about → Pink Mash Up

Shimmer Polish - Rochelle

More Shimmer Polish!

Check out Cindy's Etsy shop, website, or facebook for more information on purchasing. Or you can always email her directly with your paypal address and the colors you would like to purchase: 

shimmer484(at)gmail(dot)com

 

Here I layered one coat of Shimmer Polish Rochelle over Essie Very Structured because I felt it had a very earthy/fall look to it.

 Here I stamp a M.A.S.H-35 fleur de lis with China Glaze 2030 as an accent.

 

More about → Shimmer Polish - Rochelle

Biker Chic

These are completely and utterly out of my comfort zone. I love cutesy and bright colors, but this manicure is edgy and fierce. Check it out.

This is 2 coats of China Glaze Electrify from the Hunger Games collection. I then stamped with Konad Special Black and the flames are from MASH48 and the skull is from BM211.

Here are some pics of Electrify by itself.

More about → Biker Chic

Another Bright Leopard

A similar look to yesterday's, but here I made 2 accent nails.

I used the same colors too. Wet N Wild Fashionista Lisa, Color Club Wicked Sweet, and Wet N Wild Nerd Alert: Screech. Same stamping of Konad Special Black and Mash 40.

For my right hand I just switched out which colors were the accent nails.

I'm so very happy with how this turned out! I just love it!

More about → Another Bright Leopard

Rainbow Leopard

A neon rainbow gradient topped with leopard print! 

I used a lot of shades from the Wet N Wild Saved by the Nail collection. I first painted white and let it dry. Then I did each nail's gradient until the color was saturated enough. I then stamped using Konad Special Black and Mash 40 image plate.

Prior to the stamping so you can best see the gradient.

From pinky to thumb the colors are:

WnW Fashionista Lisa, Color Club Wicked Sweet, WnW Nerd Alert: Screech, WnW Pin 'Em Slater, WnW Straight A Jesse, WnW Pom Pom Kelly.

I got some random black fuzz and a cat hair in my gradient....

Oh well, I was planning on stamping with black so no stress!

What do you think?

More about → Rainbow Leopard

Typical Teal

I've been heavy handed with the teal manicures lately..... I just can't resist using teal. Deal with it :)

I did a sponged gradient with China Glaze For Audrey and Silky Polish Twill Sea. Then I stamped using China Glaze 2030 and Mash 38.

Soooo pretty. 

More about → Typical Teal

Essie Penny Talk Stamps

This is the only polish I really wanted from Essie's Mirror Metallic collection. I have something similar to all of the others, but I thought a copper colored polish could be useful if it's stamp-able.

Here are some swatches, and then later a look I created utilizing it as a stamping polish.

 Here I painted 2 coats like normal, then I used my previously mentioned method of sponging on the final coat. This helps to even out any noticeable brushstrokes.

So here I painted my nails with Zoya Skylar then stamped just one accent nail using an image from M.A.S.H. 44.

This image makes me think of those Caesar leaf headband things....

More about → Essie Penny Talk Stamps