Mani Monday: Midnight Leopard & Handpainted Tortoiseshell

Dear Nail Diary,

Double post!
I did both my mom's (as she's been bugging me) and my own over the weekend.  I've been practicing making prints with my new nail art tools.  I'll start with mine...
I'm not really a fan of animal print, but I really like the effect of this mani.

Neon Criss-Cross

Dear Nail Diary,

I haven't been feeling up to doing my nails for a while, but I'm finally getting back.  Not sure where the idea for this came from, it certainly wasn't what I was intending, but I like it nonetheless.

After applying my base coat I painted two coats of Barry M - White.  Once dry, I sponged on some neons (Manic Panic - Electric Banana, Nails Inc - Kensington Park Road & Sloane Street, China Glaze - I'm With The Lifeguard and Essie - Action) in random gradients.  I sealed them with SV and waited for it to dry.  I then applied nail tape in a criss-cross pattern across each nail and painted on a think coat of Barry M - Black over the top.  I immediately removed the tape and allowed it to set a little before I applied a final coat of SV.

It's quite pretty, however I think I'll take the plunge next time and use the neons as a base over the entire nail.

=:x

Nail Accessories Haul

Dear Nail Diary,

Just received my goodies from America!  I'm still awaiting my Butter London haul, but I thought I'd show you what I have to keep me occupied until then.

Bundle Monster is my favourite place to get cheap nail art stuffs.  They sell other stuff too like beauty products and jewellery.  You can get them from Amazon too, but I have found it cheaper to buy directly from their website - even with customs charges!  They have a sale on currently for a Mystery Surprise Nail Art Kit - $4.99 instead of $15.99!  All kits are picked at random and this is what I received in mine...

Sugar Sprinkle Gardens

Dear Nail Diary,

This is sort of inspired by my bathroom.  We have these new matching lilac accessories which contrast nicely with my favourite soap from Shoples.  I love their Beside The Sea soap and it gave me the idea for this mani.

After applying my base coat, I alternated two coats of Chelsea Physic Garden and Chelsea Manor Gardens. Not content with this on it's own, I added a coat of Grosvenor Gardens on my party nail.

 I finished off painting my tips with Park Lane and Fitzroy Square and then SV topcoat.  It's a Nails Inc extravaganza, before my haul for this month from Butter London comes.  I haven't tried any from them before, but these were on sale, so I'll see what I think.  I also have some nail accessory goodies from America coming, which I shall share when they get here.

=:x

Sunshine

Dear Nail Diary,

It may be a teensy bit grey outside my window, but at least my nails look sunshiney.  I told you I felt a yellow phase coming on.

Random Pick

Dear Nail Diary,

My nails are still in treatment, but I couldn't stand the bare look any longer.  I had no inspiration, so I just decided to do a random pick and whatever I picked up would be painted on my nails.

Two coats of Nails Inc - Kings Road.  I've been dying to try my new O.P.I - The Living Daylights, so I added a coat of that and sealed it with Seche Vite.  Hopefully I'll have some better inspiration soon.  I feel a yellow phase coming on.  At least my cuticles are looking better. :)

=:x

Cool Art Deco - TbT

Dear Nail Diary,

I'm not feeling so good, so I thought I'd take advantage of Throwback Thursday and post an old design.

It's using my favourite design medium - tape.
The design itself is one I adapted to my own tastes from this article.  There are some cool tutorials including the one I used for this, which is the 3rd one down about Chevrons.  I made the lines thinner and changed the colour palette so it had an Art Deco feel to it.
Hopefully I'll feel up to posting something new soon.  My nails are in treatment right now, so they might be in better condition for the next post.

P.S. I think my squovals will be back.

=:x

Watermelon Gradient Tutorial

Dear Nail Diary,

This mani was inspired by my dirty laundry, if you can believe it!  There's a pile of things waiting to be washed in the bathroom and a green t-shirt and coral PJs caught my attention.  It looked like a cool colour combo and kind of reminded me of watermelon candy.

I've made a picture walkthrough below, and you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.

Things You'll Need:

• Base Coat
• Green Nail Polish
• Makeup Sponge
• Coral or Red Nail Polish
• Small Dotting Tool
• Dark Brown Nail Polish
• Angled Brush
• Acetone or Nail Polish Remover
• Top Coat

Gold Shards

Dear Nail Diary,

I'm on a matte kick at the moment, everything just seems to look better.  I think it's because the rest of me is so shiny in this heat, I don't want my nails to be too.  Does that make sense?

I randomly picked up the Rimmel Pearly Queen.  I fell in love with it instantly when I bought it, but I had any inspiration to use it recently.  With the matte coat on it looks gold-like, however it's iridescent and changes colour from a pearly white, to a lilac, to a greeny-gold shimmer.  I applied two coats and one coat of the gorgeous China Glaze Luxe & Lush, from the Hunger Games - Capitol Colours Collection.  It looked good as it was, but as I said I've been on a matte kick, so out came the O.P.I. Matte Top Coat.  The finished look is not something I would have picked out for myself.  I was worried that the iridescent shards in the China Glaze would be overkill with the Rimmel, but it's really quite subtle.

=:x

Wedgwood Mani

Dear Nail Diary,

It's Mani Monday and today's is inspired by the Wedgwood pottery my Gran had.  Also as I now live in the Potteries (specifically Burslem where Josiah Wedgwood was born) what better way to officially start my nail blog?  I apologise for the sorry state of my cuticles, but I've been letting my care routine slide.  On to the mani...

Wedgwood Inspired Mani

I've been looking for a reason to use my recent haul of Nails Inc. polishes and while updating my swatch collection I came across Little George Street, which is a gorgeous powder blue colour.  After applying my base coat I painted two coats, then allowed it to dry.  I then painted Barry M - White onto Pueen plate 44 and sealed it with OPI Matte Top Coat to complete the pottery look.  Pueen Plates tend to be quite big, so there was a bit of clean up involved, however I'm pleased with the end result.

=:x