Moroccan Tile Nial Art

Hello loves!

Tonight's late night mani was inspired be the oh-so-fabulous Jessica of @lalalovenailart.  I've had the pleasure of meeting Jessica in person and she is just awesome :)  She created this look back in August and I've kept it lingering in the back of my mind as a must-do.  I finally got around to it last week...

 Colors Used - She Nail Polish - Dirty Red, Salon Perfect - Oil Slick, Acrylic Paint, Mentality Matte Top Coat

Jessica got inspired by some Moroccan tile she saw on the internet when she did her mani and I loved it.  I ended up choosing a color palette that gave this look a darker, more Gothic tone... but it still works right? ;)

I started with 2 coats each of my base colors and then with acrylic paint, I free-handed my pattern.  Using top coat and a dotting tool I applied my studs and then everything got topped with Mentality Polish Matte Top Coat.

I think I love this one <3

I hope you (in the States) have an amazing Thanksgiving!  I plan on gaining 10 pounds lol.

Until next time!

Stef <3

Painting the Roses Red

Hello dolls!

I have a quick post for you this evening (I have to go start dinner for the hubs haha).  I bought a set of cheap acrylic paints at Wal-Mart last week in the hopes of advancing my nail art skills because I feel like it's time for me to challenge myself a little bit more.  I need to step out of my cutesy comfort zone ;)  So, I decided to try a floral design over french tips...

 Colors Used: Daisy Nail Lacquer - White Diamond, Orly - Beverly Hills Plum, Acrylic Paint

I started with a basic french tip (white tips, pink base).  I then took a thin nail art striper and painted black branches.  After the paint set I continued with that same thin striper and painted the green leaves; first with the darker green, then the light.

For the roses, I took out a detail brush and painted dark red blobs.  I tried my hand and definition with red orange and pink.  I top coated and was done.

Ta-da!

I think what I love most about acrylic paint is that it dries incredibly fast!  I can wait to continue my education in actual art hahaha :P  Oh and thank you all for the lovely comments on my bubble mani!  I haven't had a chance to reply but it seriously made my week.  Love to you all!!

Until next time!

Stef <3

The Spellbondage Collection

Good evening lovlies!

Two posts in one day... wowza!!  I'm feeling inspired and I finally have a little free time, so I'm playing catch up haha.  Tonight I wanted to share a new collection from Spellbound Nails...

Ashley sent me some unbelievably gorgeous polishes for review!  These are from her new Spellbondage Collection.  I had a fabulous time tossing around name ideas with her and I love the tongue in cheek  approach that she took :)

Black Leather Thigh High

This is a stunning black jelly with a mix of blue, black and green glitters.  I pared it with some gold spikes that Ashley sent along for fun ;)  Shown is 3 thin coats with topcoat.

 Red Hot

This is a fabulous bright red jelly with a mix of red, gold and orange glitters.  I took this mani on a girls trip to wine country last weekend because this polish is just soooo pretty!  I paired it with some Fingr's nail stickers that I happened to have stashed away :P  Shown is 3 thin coats with topcoat.

Too Sexy for Blue

My personal fave, this polish is a gourgeous blue jelly with a mix of blue, gold and silver holo glitters.  I'm thinkin' I need to get myself a big bottle of this beauty because I want to wear it all the time!  It's absolutely stunning in the sunlight; perfect for summer :D  I paired it with a simple corset accent nail that I thought was fitting ;) Shown is 3 thin coats with top coat.

The Spellbondage Collection is available in individual bottles ($8) along with full ($23) and mini ($13) sets.  they can be purchased from the Spelbound Nails shop.

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was provided to me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.

Back to Basics

Hello lovelies!

I've got a quick post for you today.  I'm getting my feet wet (or would it be nails wet?) with nail art again and decided to go back to basics.  I did a simple skittlette in a red, white and black theme.  I chose to use Shimmer Polish's "Cindy" again (*disclaimer)...

 Colors Used: Shimmer Polish - Cindy, Rimmel - Black Satin, Daisy Nail Lacquer - White Diamond

Cindy really is an impressive and fabulous red glitter.  I layered 2 coats of it over a red base on both my index finger and pinky.  I then sponged it over black  on my middle finger to get a glittering  ombre look.

I then did some simple polka dots on my ring finger using a medium sized dotting tool.  I topped it off with Duri's Miracote Fast Dry Top Coat.

For reals... if you are a lover of glitter polishes... RUN over to Shimmer Polish and get yourself some goodness haha.

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was provided to me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.

Love Letter feat. Shimmer Polish's Mary

Hello dolls!

Today I have my first Valentine themed post to share :)  I saw this adorable envelope design on Instagram by @deliahrae and I was immediately inspired!  I also knew just the polish to pair it with; I love when manis just fall into place haha (*disclaimer)...

 Colors Used Shimmer Polish - Mary, Daisy Nail Lacquer - Diamond White, Sinful Colors Nail Art - Time Off, Savina - Hearts, China Glaze - Fairy Dust

Cute right??  I absolutely love the way this turned out!  I started with my base colors of red and white.  I then applied 2 coats of Shimmer's Mary to my nails (minus my ring finger).  Mary is a mix of red, silver and black glitters in a red jelly base.  Just gorgeous!

I then created my envelope with my Sinful Colors black striper, which was surprisingly simple.  I don't have heart shaped loose glitter, but I do have a Savina polish that I bough a couple of years ago which is a clear base full of heart glitters.  The shape of these particular hearts aren't ideal, but they'll do in a pinch lol.  I dug one out and sealed my love letter :)

Love love love!

Mary has become one of my favorite Shimmer's in my collection, she's truly a beauty!  You can find this polish and many other stunners in the Shimmer Polish shop on Etsy.

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was provided to me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.

Spellbound Nails - Victorian Romance Collection

Hello lovies!

Usually I prefer doing swatch posts on Sunday's, but I just can't resist sharing these beauties with you!  I ordered these polishes mid last week and received them in the mail yesterday. I immediately had to swatch them,  I'm so in love..

The theme of this collection is inspired by Victorian style Valentine's Day cards. Yellowing paper, lace, cherubs, soft colors... adorable right??  In this collection Ashley (maker of Spellbound Nails) has also added the option of Valentine scents (rose, wine, chocolate and strawberry)!  We all know how crazy I am about scented polishes, so I had to try them all lol.

 Cheeks Tinted Red

First up is a gorgeous bright red with subtle scattered holo shimmer.  This is a very pigmented red that is on the thicker side, but application was easy like buttah!  The holo glitter in this polish is beautiful in direct sunlight and so very subtle indoors.  I would definitely categorize this as a "work appropriate while still being fun" polish.  I had rose added to the polish and it is fabulous; floral and powdery :)  This is just one coat with top coat.  It's unlike any red polish I own, I love it!

 Parchment & Lace

This polish ended up being one of my very favorites in this collection!  It's a parchment-yellow crelly base with a mix of red, white, baby blue, and pastel pink glitters.  Application was very smooth with even glitter disbursement.  It's such a great formula for a crelly!  I had chocolate added to this one and it reminded me so much of a chocolate Tootsie Pop; I wanted to eat my fingers lol.  This built up nicely in 3 thin coats.  I used a trick I learned a while back and topped it with a base coat and THEN a top coat to make the glitter super smooth at the finish.

 Love & Devotion

This is a glitter topper mixed with red, white, and pastel pink glitters.  The formula of this polish is thick, but it is packed to the brim with glitter!  No fishing necessary, I used the dab and drag method and easily achieved an even spread of glitter.  I had rose added to this polish as well and again, powdery floral goodness :)  I applied a base coat and then top coat to smooth out the glitter.

 I'm All Aflutter

My second favorite polish in this collection... just look at it!!  Gaahhh!!!  It could be that I'm REALLY into the color blue right now... eeehhh... nope, this one is just a stunner!  This is a baby blue crelly with purple and pastel pink glitters mixed in.  It's surprisingly pigmented for a crelly and the application was a breeze.  The consistency is a little thick so I recommend thin even coats.  I had wine added to this polish and it smelled ah-mazing!!  If grape and cranberry had a baby... yep this would be it!  This is 2 coats topped with base and top coats. 

My Own Sweet Valentine

 

 Last but not least a pretty glow-in-the-dark!  A soft pink color with a golden shimmer, this polish has a thin formula that is easy to build upon.  I applied 4 thin coats to cover my visible nail line and then applied top coat.  I had strawberry added to this polish and the scent reminded me of a strawberry Ring Pop (can you tell I like lollipops? hahaha).  

The glow pigment in this polish is a mix of blue, green, and peach.  I didn't have an opportunity to charge this GITD polish so I am using one of Spellbound Nails' images from her Etsy shop...

Eeeeee!!  I can't wait to try this out myself!!!

I am so in love with this collection!  I seriously want to wear every shade at once... in fact that may just happen at some point before Valentine's Day lol.  These and so many more beautiful polishes can be found in Spellbound Nails' Etsy and Store Envy shops :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was purchased at discount by me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product

Shimmer Polish - Celine

Good morning, lovelies!

I woke up at about 4 o'clock this morning and felt compelled to start editing photos and pick up blogging again.  I've been a little uninspired and very exhausted this past month.  It's kind of taken the wind out of my blogging sails :\  I'm trying my best to fight it because I love nail art so much *sigh*.  Enough of that... Onto nails!!

Today I have another beautiful Shimmer Polish to share with you.  Her name?  Celine :)  (*disclaimer)...

 Colors Used:  Mentality - Tempest, Shimmer Polish - Celine

I went gaga when I unwrapped this one!  Celine is a mix of gold and holo glitters in a 

cranberry-jelly-base.  The sparkle of this polish in the sun... holy cannoli!!

I started with my burgundy base color.  I then applied 1 coat (yes, just 1!!) of Celine to my ring finger.  The thing I have loved most about working with Shimmer polishes is that the glitter is so compacted, you don't need to work hard to get it to apply beautifully.  I top coated and swiftly applied my owl.

Easy-peasy!

This is definitely one of those "on-the-go" mani's.  Glitters are great for sprucing up any manicure in my opinion ;)  Celine (and other oh-so-wonderful Shimmer's) can be found here on Etsy.

 Well, now that I've gotten a lot of editing done, posting should be a cinch right?  Lol we shall see...

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was provided to me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.

Playing with Nail Vinyls!

Good morning, dolls!

So remember last time when I said I had goodies to share with you?  Yea, this be one of  'em!  I've recently gotten swept up in the world of Instagram.  Lots of bloggers and indie makers utilize it to promote their product and work.  I've discovered sooo many fabulous indie's thru IG, including "Nail Vinyls" (*disclaimer)...

 Colors Used: Zoya - Blaze, China Glaze - Glistening Snow

I purchased a few different designs of vinyls to try and at $3/sheet of 100... it's a steal! 

I started with 2 coats each of Blaze (cranberry holo yumminess!) and Glistening Snow.  Because these vinyls are essentially removable stickers, I needed to wait for the polish to completely dry.  So I slap on a coat of OPI Rapi-Dri top coat, some cuticle oil and lotion.  Then I headed off to bed...

I woke up in the morning, all excited to try out my new design and... well, the stickers wouldn't stick :(  I was so devestated!  I've heard nothing but fabulous things about this product.  Then I had a thought.  What if the vinyls don't like my top coat?  I quickly went over my accent nail with a little bit of remover until I could feel the grit of the glitter and then tried the vinyls again.  Success!!  Lol.

Lastly I applied some holo hex glitter that I had sitting around and re-topcoated :)

 I win!  :P

I am really pleased with the way that this turned out, I just love chevron designs!  I definitely recommend giving Nail Vinyls a try :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was purchased by me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.

Santa's Coming!

Good evening, dearies!

With less than 30 mins until it's officially Christmas (in California), I thought I would share a mani I did a few days ago using Shimmer Polish's "Cindy" (*disclaimer)...

 Colors Used: Shimmer Polish - Cindy, Konad - White, Sinful Colors Nail Art - Time Off, Avon - Gold Glimmer

I started with 2 coats of Cindy over a red base.  Cindy is a compacted red glitter polish in a red jelly base.  It applied with perfection!  I think the thing I love most about Shimmer's are that they dry with little to know bumps/lumps/grit after top coating.

I then did a simple Santa Suit on my ring finger using Konad White.  I know that this polish is made for stamping but... well, I just suck at stamping lol.  It's absolutely great for nail arting over glitters so that is it's new purpose in my collection ;)  I added a belt using a Sinful Colors striper and the gold with a nail art brush.  I top coated with OPI Rapi-Dri.

Eeeeee I love it!!

Merry Christmas errbody :D

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was provided to me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.

China Glaze X

Hello lovelies!

I have a wuick post for you today.  I stumbled across a new-to-me beauty why dusty hunting at my local nail supply store.  The gorgeous China Glaze X...

This in from CG's 2007 X Collection.  It is a red shimmer in a black jelly type base.  I am sooooo very much in love!!

This is 2 easy coats with no top coat!   It dries ridiculously shiny!!

I decided to add a gradient of CG's Glistening Snow and it definitely made the mani pop :)

Sooooo I kinda sorta broke a nail while opening nail mail last week lol.  Expect some nail art from the vault and just bear with me ;)  My nails grow relativelt quickly so all shall be back to nubby goodness soon!

Until next time!

Stef <3

Shining Bright Tonight

Hello, lovelies!

I have a new indie brand that I am currently head-over-heels for and I want to share it with you! (*disclaimer)...

Colors Used: Julep -Demi, Spellbound Nails - Carnival Lights, Sinful Colors Nail Art - Time Off

For reals...  I LOOOOOVE Spellbound Nails!!  I stumbled across Spellbound Nails back in May when I purchased the Alice in Wonderland duo set.  I was blown away by the quality of the polishes and I haven't looked back!  I really do feel like Ashley puts out an amazing product...

I started with a dark red base, Julep's Demi.  I then applied one coat of Carnival Lights.  From what I can see, Carnival Lights is a mix of red, pink/fuchsia, black and silver holo glitters (beautiful!).  I then used my Sinful Colors black striper and painted my "V" french tip.  I topped it off with Color Club Clear :)

Oh the excitement !!!!!!!

I'm sorry I've been MIA this week.  I'm hoping things will calm down and I can get back to my regular blogger programing haha.  I have sooooo many pretties I want to share with you :D

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was purchased by me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.