The Digit-al Dozen does Decades Day 5 - The 60s (but the 1660s!)

Hello everyone! Today brings the Digit-al Dozen Decades week to an end and I have loved every minute of it! Everyone's art has been so creative and the diverse interpretations have been awesome! I'm finishing with a curveball, born out of a school project that Scarlett did a while ago. I've had this idea on the back burner since then (fire pun - yay!), and seeing as the Great Fire of London happened in 1666, I bring you the 1660s!

I started with a base of Models Own Lemon Meringue, before sponging on OPI Yellopalooza, Barry M Gelly Mango, OPI The Drummer Is Hot and Dream Black to create the burning skyline effect. I then painted in the burning building silhouettes with Color Club Rebel Spirit, watered down with a little acetone in places, before finishing with Seche Vite.

So I'll admit this isn't the cheeriest topic to end the week on, but I am in love with how this came out (even if I did have to do it twice after I painted it upside down the first time - grrr!). Decade week has been a blast, and if you haven't checked out everyone else's manis for the week you are missing a treat! Follow the Inlinkz below to check out all the other ladies' work :)

Sam xx

An InLinkz Link-up

The Digit-al Dozen does Decades - Lava Lamps, but 1990s ones (bear with me!)...

Hello everyone! The title here warrants an explanation. There's nothing to say that I can't do the same decade twice, but I really didn't intend to. I had this idea which is pure 70s (as was my paisley mani on Monday) for lava lamps and really wanted to put it in. So seeing as I didn't own a lava lamp until 1995, I'm going to pretend (and hope that you'll all go along with me!) that these are those famous lava lamps from the 1990s! Shhhhhhh! ;)

My stiletto tips gave me a great starting point, and I started by painting them with I'm Never Amberrassed from OPI's Sheer Tints range. I then painted the base and the tips with Nail Essentials Silver Shimmer and a little Ciate Vintage topped with OPI Matte top coat. Once dry, I used LA Colors Moody Red for the "lava", and added detail in using Barry M Gelly Papaya and highlights with Models Own Lemon Meringue. Here's how they turned out :)

So there you have my 70s/90s mani, I have a new decade for you tomorrow and there may even be one from another century before the end of the week (if it comes off, that is!). 

Tomorrow will be a now rare two post day as its Scarlett's 8th birthday and I promised her that she could help me write a post (she also painted my nails), so stayed tuned for those and in the meantime check out all the other fabulous Digit-al Dozen manis via the links below! :)

Sam xx 

An InLinkz Link-up

FingerFood's Theme Buffet - Oriental

Hello everyone! HAving sat out last week, I'm back for the Oriental week of the Theme Buffet. This was suggested by Dawn from SassyLittleNails. I was really excited by this theme and was determined to step out of my Cherry Blossom comfort zone, so instead I bring you some Ming vase inspired nail art :)

Starting with a base of LA Colors French White, I painted on the outlines of the flowers, buds, leaves and other detail using Revlon Royal. I diluted it with a little acetone to get the "wash" effect. I filled in the flowers etc with OPI I Can Teal You Like Me from the Sheer Tints range and then, once dry, I added in the royal blue criss cross patterns with an ultra fine Sharpie. I gave the Sharpie a long time to fully dry before top coating with Seche Vite.

I must admit that I am in love with how these turned out! And using the Sharpie for the detail made life sooooo much easier!

Our theme for next week is something a little different. My daughter Scarlett is going to be 8 on the 15th May so our theme is "For Scarlett". She is already the biggest nail art fan girl so having a theme named after her is the highlight of her year so far! Whether its birthday related, inspired by something she likes (or that little girls like in general), or even just a scarlet mani, she is going to be beyond excited and I am so happy that the ladies in our challenge group are willing to get involved. Thanks gals! :)

Sam xx

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Tri Polish Tuesdays - April's Glitter Bomb!

Hello everyone! Today is the last day using April's Tri Polish Challenge colours of yellow, pink and blue. I've already done a couple of manis including all three colours so I settled for two today.

I decided that a ton of glitter with some negative space was the way forward (obviously!), so I freehanded sections of Orly Pink Waterfall and OPI Can't Find My Czechbook (you can probably tell fro my choice of polish that glitter wasn't originally in the plan - I wouldn't normally use Orly or OPI as base colours for glitter!). I outlined the sections in black and sat back thinking it just needed a little bit of something extra. I decided that was a coat of L-A Glitter Nails Peacock over the OPI. The I sat back again and decided that it needed some L-A Glitter Nails Grape over the Orly. Once I'd done that I was happy (mostly because there was nowhere else for me to add glitter!), and finished with Seche Vite.

Here's a quick pic before I added the Grape glitter:

So that wraps up the April installment of the Tri Polish Challenge. The colours for May are red, green and purple, so there's a whole new palette to play with kicking off next Tuesday!

Sam xx

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NAILS Mag April Challenge Day 23 - Bow

Hello everyone! Despite having the worst night's sleep ever (thanks to a fox that decided to sing us the song of its people from our driveway at 2am), I'm here bright and early with today's post. When I saw the prompt for today was "Bow" I wasn't overly thrilled. I've painted some freehand bows before that didn't turn out great, but I had some success with them at Christmas and was hoping to get away with not painting any more until this coming Christmas. Fortunately I was out shopping and had a bit of a Eureka moment - this happens all too often when I'm shopping, but usually causes more damage to my credit card than this one did ;)

When I got home (with a new shirt, no shoes), I started these nails with two coats of OPI Don't Bossanova Me Around. I painted a freehand French tip in Dream Cheeky Cherry and then extended it down the sides of the nail. I added a fine outline in black (very carefully!) and then topped with Seche Vite. Before the top coat dried, I added the acrylic bows to my stilettos and they were done!

These are impractical in so many ways - yet many of the best shoes are! They also fit the Bow prompt and I didn't even have to paint any! I have to say that they couldn't possibly have stayed on for very long, but I did love them!

Tomorrow's prompt is nice and simple - Pink. There is also a "Something Tropical" prompt for the GOT Polish Challenge so I might try and tie them together. Maybe I should go shopping for more ideas! ;)

Sam xx

NAILS Magazine April Challenge Day 22 - Earth Day

Hello everyone! I'm hopping on board the NAILS Magazine April challenge with 10 days lest to spare. With such a busy month I just haven't had the time, but today Scarlett went back to school (although with exam week coming up next week, her 7 year old stress levels are about to go through the roof! Not if I can help it though!), my first Digit-al Dozen week is done and I've managed to sort my nail room to the point where the surfaces of both my desks are visible, so today has been a success and I'm ready to start trying to get ahead again!!!

Apparently, today is Earth Day. In all honesty I'd never heard of it, it doesn't seem to be a big deal over here and let's just say that I'm not exactly good at keeping up with environmental concerns and developments (I know, my bad...), but I read the wiki and am now a lot more informed (about the day if nothing else).

I decided to do a mani using earthy colours, which is a step in a new direction for me anyway, so I stuck with one of my fluid designs (thanks for the name Deb! ;) and a few dots!

I started with three coats of OPI My Vampire Is Buff. Once dry, I started by adding some random freehand sections of OPI Taupe-less Beach. I outlined those with a striping brush using Color Club Rebel Spirit and Sinful Colors Exotic Green, and then finished by adding some small dots using OPI Don't Bossanova Me Around and more Rebel Spirit, before finishing with Seche Vite.

  

Although this will be a familiar design style from me, the colours are completely the opposite. I've noticed that I've started buying some neutrals, taupes and nudes recently, but I still love my brights and always seem to reach for them first! 

Tomorrow's theme in the NAILS Mag challenge is "Bow". I've had one of my bright ideas for this one - whether or not it works out is another matter entirely!!!

Sam xx

The Digit-al Dozen does Texture - Day 1

Hello everyone! I am so excited (and not just a little bit nervous) to bring you today's post as it is my first with The Digit-al Dozen! 

I was thrilled to be invited to join this group of talented nail artists, but I was so nervous when I saw that the first theme was Texture! In fairness though, it could've been "Animal Print Abstracts and Neons" (there's my comfort zone!) and I would've been just as nervous, so here goes!!!

Starting with a confession - I'm a gamer. I love my Xbox. While thinking about this theme I've been playing Fallout 3 which features Rivet City (pictured at the end of the post) as part of the post apocalyptic landscape. For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to try and recreate the rusty metal texture of the city wall (please note the use of the past tense - "thought" it was a good idea...).

I started with a base of Nail Essentials Silver Shimmer and then added in some guidelines for the panels with Ciate Vintage. I sponged along those lines with LA Colors Fiery Orange and Jessica Electric Teal to create the rusted effect and then redefined the lines with a little more Ciate Vintage. I dotted the rivets and screws with Silver Shimmer and Vintage and then sponged around a little more "rust" before finishing with OPI Matte Top Coat.

Finally, here's a picture of Rivet City:

 So, there's my first post for The Digital Dozen! I know its not exactly pretty nail art, but once I'd had the idea, I had to see it through and I'm actually pretty pleased with the results! 

I have four more Texture themed manis to show you this week, some a little more traditional than others ;) You can see all of today's other fabulous DD Texture manis by following the links below and I'll be back with another one for you tomorrow :)

Sam xx

An InLinkz Link-up

Matching your nails to your dress - who said that was a bright idea???

Hello everyone! So this weekend I am heading to the wedding of two lovely people. Even better, they are getting married on HMS Warrior in Portsmouth so we have a bit of a road trip and are staying in a hotel on the harbour so we can take full advantage of the party!

I had decided what to wear about a week ago, had nails planned and everything (go me with the forward planning). Decided, that is, until today, when I completely changed my mind and found another dress. Obviously that meant different nails too. It also meant spending several hours painting both hands (therefore about 20 minutes on my left hand, but about 90 to do my right!). My neck is now completely stiff/sore so I'm glad I won't be even looking at a bottle of polish until at least Sunday (except for painting Scarlett's nails in the morning).

I started with a black base and waited for it to dry. I then painted in the base colour for the flowers in Color Club She's Sooo Glam and the base for the leaves with OPI My Vampire is Buff. I added detail to the flowers with a fine detail brush using Barry M Gelly Blood Orange, Ciate Mistress and Jessica Imperial Rouge. I finished the leaves with LA Colors Solar Gold, Jessica Bittersweet and Color Club Rebel Spirit, before finishing with Seche Vite.

Here's where we'll be tomorrow, can't wait!

 

And here's a quick pic of the fabric of my dress - the colours aren't showing very true, but I can assure you that I have matched them perfectly lol! ;)

So there probably won't be a post tomorrow, but I'm guessing I'll be posting a few pics on IG, so if you're interested, you can follow me here!

Sam xx

A stamping obsession - it all starts right here...

Hello everyone! I am tying my Mother's Day nails for FingerFood's Theme Buffet together with my full and frank confession about stamping. Its a vintage floral that my Mum loves and has asked for as her next mani (she will happily let me paint her nails in any colour/pattern combo - despite being at the top end of her seventies!).

I have been painting my nails for years, been down with the whole nail art "thing" for a couple of years and blogging consistently for over a year now, but I have always resisted stamping, despite how much I loved looking at the awesome stamped creation of some of my nail buddies (some named and shamed in this recent post). I had a full set of BM plates that were okay but I've always been more into the idea of honing my freehand skills (at this point, I'm going to mention that this will not change), and got caught up in the idea that stamping is kinda cheating (I know, don't all shout at me at once!).

Anyway, I'm a sucker for a good gimmick and I saw the MoYou London plates and the packaging and immediately fell in love. Then I looked at the images and they caught my interest unlike any other plate had before. Finally I saw this mani by Canadian Nail Fanatic and that was it! I was on that site ordering plates and counting the minutes until they turned up. Yesterday they did - Pro XL plates 03 and 06:

I immediately went for a floral design in the top right corner of the 06 plate as I knew that I Could play with some jelly polishes and my OPI sheer tints. Here's how it came out stamped with Konad black:

I smudged the thumb a bit, but I'm not one for doing things over and figured that most of that would get covered up by the colour. I them added the OPI sheer tints and watered down a few other colours with acetone to add some depth. I Can Teal You Like Me with Color Club Bright Night, Don't Violet Me Down with LA Colors Edgy and I'm Never Amberrassed with a very watered down Barry M Gelly Mango. I used Sinful Colors Exotic Green for the leafy bits and finished with Seche Vite.

So I know it needs improvement, but I am very happy with my first attempt at this leaded light, painted porcelain effect. Plus I have a ton of lovely stamping images to play with to get the technique right.

Sorry to all those I doubted about stamping, I am officially a convert :)

Sam xx

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GOT Polish Challenge and NAILS Mag April Challenge - Pastel

Hello everyone! Today I painted my nails while watching "Frozen" with Scarlett which may be responsible for some of the colour choices. I'm not really a fan of pastel colours, or Disney films if I'm honest, but I'm enjoying this one so far, and its the quietest that Scarlett has been for about a week in one sitting, so I'm happy with that! Luckily, the NAILS Mag challenge prompt for today is also Pastel (serendipity, yay!) so its a buy one, get one free today too :D

I started with a base of Color Club Take Me To Your Chateau (I adore this as its opaque in one coat!), and then added curves of graduated dots in Nail Essentials Silver Shimmer. Once dry I added smaller dots inside the silver of OPI Gargantuan Green Grape, and Models Own Lilac Dream and Lemon Meringue before finishing with Seche Vite.

Quite a simple design for me, and I toyed with the idea of adding more to it, but I think it works fine as it is so I'll leave it there :)

I have had the chance for a bit of a catch up this morning and am making good progress with my first Digit-al Dozen manis which will be coming at you from the 14th April - I can't wait to show you all some of them. It'll also explain why my fingers have spent a lot of this morning stuck together with nail glue, and why I am therefore now missing sections of skin from a couple of fingers... 

My MoYou plates also arrived today and I haven't even had the chance to play with them yet - how's that for self control?! If I get a chance later today, that's next on my agenda, so hopefully I'll have some manis featuring those too...

Sam xx

An InLinkz Link-up