Stripes

This is a manicure by my daughter.  She was over a few weeks ago for when her University was on reading week.  We went shopping and found a great little shop which when you entered was amazing, It had Golden Rose nail lacquer and some other brands too, and the price was great.  I bought some black and white nail strippers (which I gave to her to take back).

Well, today I had this lovely email from her with a photo of her nails using the pens. I just had to share with you all.  This looks Kreally neat (she obviously cleaned up or this is a few days old).

Items Used

Black and White stripper pens

LB31DC - Duo Chrome Manicure

I have just gone back to work and did not have time to do a new manicure. So I cheated I'm afraid, I used my last manicure (the blue ombre-gradient). I polished over it with a VERY old duo chrome I bought yonks ago from QVC from Special FX, anyone remember them or own them? I think it worked fairly well.

You can just abut make out the duo chrome effect, it is a blue with magenta/purple running through it.

Items Used

My last manicure

Special FX - Chameleon

Blue Ombre (+ Gradient)

Laid-Back 31DC Day 7 - Ombre or Skittle

This is my first entry of the LB 31DC, I only joined the group so have missed the first 6. (I hope to make these up somehow).
Anyway the theme today was ombre or skittle.  I chose Ombre but with a twist! I did an ombre gradient.  I think it turned out pretty much ok.

The above photo is just of the ombre.  I have a helmer draw full of blue nail polish, I adore blue, so this was quite easy to do with so much polish to choose from!

The photo's below are of the ombre gradient manicure.  It is quite subtle and quite hard to capture. It looks much better IRL.

Items Used:

OPI Nail Envy

Seche Vite

Barry M - Matt White (Used for the palest nails)

From the lightest to darkest:

China Glaze - Moody Blue

Barry M - Pure Turquoise

LA Girl Disco - Funkedelic

LA Girl Disco - Deejay

China Glaze - First Mate

Changing Blog Layout and Look so.....

..... please bear with me. I apologise in advance if my blog doesn't look quite right in the next couple of weeks. I am planning on changing the overall look of it so it could look a bit messed up at times. Please keep coming back though, I hope not to take too long in attaining the look I want. Thanks.

British Bloggers Feb 20

1. Jammiedodger77  2. Pie's Eyes  3. Emma's Little Corner  4. Char at So You Beauty  5. Never Mind Suzi  6. Katy @ Platypus Nails  7. Enigmatic Rambles  8. Emma  9. Glowstars  10. Crumpet  11. Lou at Painted Nails & Baking Scales  12. Nails by Kaylz  13. Rose Tint My Nails  14. Kerruticles  15. Danielle at Totally Nailed  16. Wendy's Delights  17. PKBMUM  18. Horcrux Nails

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Tickle me with a Feather! and Black or White?

First of all these pics are taken again with my new camera which I still cannot master, but I must use it! These photos were taken by a window in natural light indoors in a light background.  My skin tone is a little lighter but the lacquer colour is correct.

I am also posting some photos taken about two hours later (4.30pm GMT London).  In the same place but with a black background. I know there is a natural light difference so I will do this experiment again and see which I prefer or you as a reader.  I still need to play around with the focus and light and everything else, but what do you think? White background or black background?

Now to the manicure......

I have seen a lot of feather nail art and I was inspired by loads.  I can't possibly name you all, but if you have done feather nail art I owe you this inspiration.  My favourite is the ring finger.  I have also re-shaped my nails back to square.  I did not have the courage to file them all one length to match the short middle finger, it will have to catch up and then I will get them all the same.

These first three photos are taken in the pale background of my window.

The following are taken with a black background, same place but about 2 hours later.

Items Used:

OPI Nail Envy

Seche Vite

China Glaze - Sugar High -Pink

PIA - 17 - Orange

Acrylic Paint - Pink and Orange

Glitter Nail Pen - Pink

Inspired - Valentine's Manicure 002

12 February 2013
I did this manicure last Tuesday.  It is now Monday 18th Feb.  Apart from a little tip wear, I have to say that this manicure has lasted really well.  I have also only lost one bead from my right dominant hand. I work at a school and I am the dishwasher so I am really surprised.  This is No 3 from the PIA range I bought a few weeks ago from fragrancedircet.
Inspired by Robin Moses here.

Items Used:

OPI Nail Envy
Seche Vite
PIA - 03 - Vivid Pink
Sinful Color - Black on Black (Polka Dots)
Acrylic Paint - White
Mini Beads - Silver
Dotting Tool

Inspired - Valentine's Manicure 001

9 February 2013
This was my manicure before valentines day. It was inspired by Kelsie's Nail Files here.  Mine's a bit messy, sorry, done late at night.  But overall I think it looked great.  I have to also mention the lacquer I used here.  I was looking for some more nail polish bargains at fragrancedirect when I came across this new brand (new to me anyway) PIA.  The bottles look exactly like OPI and even the logo etc on the front of the bottle is very OPIesque.  The shades looked great (28 in all) and the price was good also.  Before I knew it, I had them all my basket and paid for them.  I was very pleasantly surprised when the package arrived.  I have to say also that these applied beautifully and were almost opaque in one coat, I applied two for this manicure.

Have you heard/bought PIA lacquer?  If so what is your opinion on them?

Unfortunately these don't have names only numbers, such a shame. 

Items Used:

OPI Nail EnvyItems
Seche Vite
PIA - 09 - Red
PIA - 11 - Light Pink
Acrylic Paint - Black
Bronze Nail art pen

Ikat fail and success

5 February 2013

I thought I would have a go at doing the Ikat design on my nails.  It looks so easy.  Even the several tutorials I saw on this pattern were so easy, surely I could do the pattern. 

So I choose my two colours and painted my nails.  Even on their own they looked lovely, I should leave them.  

But nope, I had to do the Ikat design, it is easy right? Wrong.  My design looked nothing like the design :o(   What a fail!!

So I took it all off and had another go, and hey presto I got it right.  I am not sure how I got the above design and then the proper Ikat design below, but I did and not bad for a second go.

Items Used:
OPI Nail Envy
Seche Vite
LA Girl Disco - Hustle
Milani - Bare to Wear
Acrylic Paint - Black and White

Puzzle Fail

2 February 2013
I had a go at doing the jigsaw puzzle manicure, and I think it was a slight fail.  Not to mention the awful state of my nails when I did them.  The actual puzzle was fine when I initially did the colours but I made the mistake of outlining with black but not the way I should have! Can you tell where I went wrong? I should have well left alone.  Oh well live and learn, and I will do better next time.

Items Used:
OPI Nail Envy
Seche Vite
Black Acrylic paint
Two shades of Pink I can't remember!

Mini Acrylic Beads

I have been meaning to post about these fantastic beads I bought from eBay from this seller here. Please bare in mind that the seller is away for the Chinese new year until the 18th of February, but do take a look if you can after.  I personally think it is a great buy.  I filled up two large wheels (one for myself and one for my daughter) and look, I still have LOADS left.  Here there are 12 of the 13 colours I purchased (one not shown is the orange).  They are just slightly smaller than the gold/silver ones you get from eBay and other stores, but only just.  I have used then in my second valentine manicure which I will show soon.

I would highly recommend seller as they arrived really quickly.