Thanksgiving Gone Flannel!

Hello dolls!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!  I have a quick post to share with you today.  I haven't had a tone of time to spend on my nails this week, so I decided to keep my mani simple...

 Colors Used: OPI - Christmas Gone Plaid, Sally Hansen - White On, Acrylic Paint, OPI - Matte Top Coat

I simultaneously love and hate this mani lol.  I'm obsessed with this nail color right now; it's just perfect.  It applies like butter!

 I started with 2 coats of my base colors, with white for my accent color.  I painted 3 vertical green  stripes (center and both sides) with Christmas Gone Plaid and once it set I then painted 3 horizontal white stripes with acrylic paint.  To get the flannel look, I used a detail brush and went back with my green polish to apply diagonal lines in alternating boxes.  Doing this with nail polish was difficult, not gonna to lie.  I would recommend using acrylic paint for small detail work like this. But, alas.  

I topped my accent nail with OPI's Matte Top Coat and the rest of my nails with a Salon top coat I get from my local nail supply store

A little messy, but I'll take it!

Well, I'm off to go watch some Supernatural with the hubs before we head over to my parents house for family craziness lol.  Have a happy and blessed day :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

Matchy Matchy Dotticure

Hello lovies!

Happy Friday to you all :)  For today's post I have a dotticure that I did about a week ago.  I had recently broken the corner off of my middle nail and had to do some serious filing (sad day).  To cheer myself up, I decided to paint my nails to match my purse.

I am obsessed with the design on this purse!  I stalked the Fossil store for months hoping for some good fortune (i.e. a sale haha).  I randomly found it marked down significantly at a Ross and snatched it up :D

Colors Used: Julep - Gunta, OPI - The "It" Color and Amazon... Amazoff,  Revlon - Bordeaux, Love & Beauty - Strawberry, Wet n' Wild - Club Havana, Rimmel - Steel Grey

I used a LOT of polishes for this mani.  My poor nail station looked like a storm hit it by the time I finished lol.

 This mani was super simple to create.  I used 2 coats of Gunta as my base and then went thru with a large dotting tool and randomly placed my dots.  I tried to do an even mix of overlapping and open space on each nail. 

It's at times like this (when I really love a design) that I hear Thor's voice in my head... "Another!".

Thankfully my nails tend to recover quickly from trauma (I know... I'm so dramatic lol), so they're back to a presentable length.  I'll have another edition of "Sunday's Are For Swatching" up this weekend :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

A Summery Gradient

Hello lovelies!

I hope your weekend is going well :)  Today I have a simple gradient to share with you.  I did this a few weeks ago and never got around to posting it... oops!

 Colors Used: Colors Club - Flamingo, China Glaze - Son of a Peach, OPI - I Just Can't Cope-Acabana, Spellbound Nails - Pishsalver (Drink Me)

I just love gradients!  I have to resist doing them all the time lol.  There are some really great tutorials on the interwebs for gradient nail art.  I find what works best for me is a good make-up sponge (I prefer the triangles from Target) and being sure to blend the colors; not only overlapping the polishes when applying on the sponge but slightly shifting the sponges position up or down the nail as I dab :)

I started with a white base and let it dry.  Sponging over polish that is still tacky is a nightmare, trust me haha.  I then layered my 3 colors on a sponge and went to work.  I usually go over each nail 3 times to reach full opacity.  After clean-up (the worst part of doing this nail art, even if I tape off my cuticles :\) I applies my oh so favorite white glitter polish from Spellbound Nails, "Drink Me"

Woohoo!

Enjoy your weekend dolls, I know I plan too ;)

Until next time!

Stef <3

Stairway to Princess Jess!

Hello lovelies!

I have a new-to-me indie to share with you today... Drip Drop Nail Paint!  I discovered this brand via Instagram and had to give it a try...

 Colors Used: Drip Drop Nail Paint - Princess Jess and Stairway to Heaven, Orly - Pointe Blanche, OPI - Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

I had seen swatches of Stairway to Heaven (a white crelly with pink and gold glitter) on IG and fell in love with it (I'm a sucker for white crellys!), so I went to Jessica's shop to purchase it.  While there I scrolled by Princess Jess (a pink creme with gold glitter) and immediately knew I had to pair them in a mani.... soooooo I bought them both lol.

The formula is great with both polishes!  2 coats of Stairway to Heaven over white on my middle finger and 2 coats of Princess Jess on my index and pinky.

 

 I decided a zig-zaggy accent would be most fitting for an accent nail.  I used guides from Nail Vinyls and brushed OPI's gold satin polish (from the Gwen Stefani Collection) over white.  Everything was top coated with a fast-drying topcoat I purchased at a nail supply store in a huge bottle (I have no idea what brand it is because there is just a label from the store on the front lol, but it's seriously the best topcoat I've ever used!)

Heaven... I'm in heaven!

I meant to post these earlier in the week, but I had to bring extra work home and so blogging was put on the back burner.  My photo vault is getting crowded; I really need to go on a blogging binge or something haha :)

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

OPI Sheer Tints

Hello dolls!

A very happy Saturday to you all!  I finally have an opportunity to sit down and post a mani that I did last week, using the new OPI Sheer tints :)

I stumbled across these beauties while on a blogger meet-up a couple of weeks ago and I had to have them all!  From L to R we have "I Am Never Amberrassed", "Be Magentale With Me", "Don't Violet Me Down" & "I Can Teal You Like Me"...

 Colors Used; OPI Sheer Tints, Spellbound Nails - Pishsalver (Drink Me)

I decided to try out the "watercolor" technique that I've seen being done with these polishes.  First thing I need to mention is that these polishes are thick like gel/jelly.  When I first was playing with them I tried to use a sponge... and ended up with cotton-candy like fly-away strings coming off of my nail beds.  It was a mess lol.  So then I went back to the drawing board...

I started with a white base and then used a nail art brush to start blotching on the colors.  I would soak my brush in acetone and then dip it into the polish on my palette; this allowed for a thinner consistency and easier layering/application.  I did end up with lots of bubble doing it this way tho (and I was about ready to hurl these polishes at a wall!! lol), so I pulled out Spellbound Nails' Pishsalver white glitter topper.  It was a vast improvement!

 So Springy!

Over all I feel like I can have a lot of fun with these polishes, but they are work.  I'll have to play with them some more in the future.  Has anyone else tried these polishes?  What's your experience been?

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

Inspired by the Evil Queen

Hiya, lovies!

I have a quick post for you today.  My inspiration was The Evil Queen (who's name is actually Queen Grimhilde) from Disney's Snow White...

 Colors Used: Rimmel - Black Satin, OPI - It Color and Stay the Night, Mentality - Tempest, Daisy Nail Lacquer - White Diamond, Maybeline - Carbon Frost

I wanted to go for something a little more dark/sinister rather than cartoonish...

I free-handed the crown and apple and then used stamping plate SH02 for the skull and cross bones.

I wish the detail of the apple popped more but c'est la vie!

It's almost the weekend!!  Anyone else excited?  :P

Until next time!

Stef <3

This & That

Good morning, dolls!

Today's mani is a mixture of colors and textures.  I'm trying really really hard to get thru the untried polishes I've managed to pile up.  A lot of them are Julep's, which is a little bit surprising.  I didn't realize I had been neglecting them so :\  Anywhosy, onto the mani!

 Colors Used:  Julep Dianna, China Glaze - Of Coarse!, Orly - Dazzle, OPI - Save Me

I was hesitant when I put the bottles of polish next to eachother.  I wasn't sure if what I envisioned in my head as the color scheme would really work out well.  I'm glad I was wrong :)

 

 Dianna and Of Coarse! were 2 coaters each.  For my middle finger I did one coat of Dazzle as the base and then 2 coats of Save Me (From OPI's Niki Minaj Collection).  I still don't know if I'm sold on this glitter polish.  Stripe glitters just aren't that apealing to me.  I like them just fine if they are mixed with round/hex glitters like Hard Candy's Black Tie Optional.  But by itself... yuck!  *sigh*

I bought the stinkin' polish so I'm determined to make it work lol.

I alomost forgot to mention the stud!  This square stud is one that I got in a wheel from Claire's.  I just pressed it on immediately after applying my stripe with a striping brush.

Well, that's all I've got for you today!  I hope you all have a wonderful and happy Friday :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

Mint Manis For Talia Joy

Hello there, dearies!

Just a quick post in honor of a very special girl.  Talia Joy was a 13 yrs old.  She was battling nueroblastoma and preleukemia.  On Tuesday morning she went home to heaven.  Nail Polish Wars came up with the idea of creating/posting mint manis in memory of this incredibly talented individual who touched millions of people in her short here.  Here is my contribution...

 Colors Used: Bongo - Mint Chip Madness, Essie - Mint Candy Apple, Sally Hansen - Mint Sorbet and Sour Apple (Sugar Coat), Sephora by OPI - Read My Palm

I decided to pull 5 minty polish out of my hoard and then applied them at what I thought was random but kind of became an ombre... kind of haha.

More after the jump...

Recreate Your Favorite

Hello, dolls!

So I'm almost positive that it's still May somewhere right now.  At least for the next hour?  Well I'm just going to go with my delusions lol.  This is my final mani for the Hobby Polish Blogger challenge.  We were supposed to recreate our favorite and I decided I'd take a stab at The Bubbly Brunette's fashion inspired mani :)

 Colors Used: Rimmel - Black Satin, OPI - My Boyfriend Scales Walls

I really, really love this look.  I loved the nail art Madame Brunette did originally and it was my first choice for recreation.  When I finally took a look at all of the other ladies fabulous mani's, this one just kept popping out at me.  I couldn't resist!

I did 2 coats of Black Satin as my base color.  I then used a double-sided dotting tool for the design.  I love love love it!  You should check out the fierce Prada fashion that inspired this....

Two cheers for fashion!

I really enjoyed doing this challenge along with getting to know some wonderfully fantastic bloggers :D  There will be another Hobby Polish Blogger sponsored challenge for the months of June and July.  Best believe I'll be participating!

Until next time!

Stef <3

May TPC - Day 2

Good morning, lovelies!

It's Day 2 of the TPC and I decided to finally attempt a nautical mani.  I used my red,blue and grey polishes.  I also threw in a freebie color; white...

 Colors Used: Julep - Taylor (blue) and January (red), OPI - Skull & Glossbones (grey)

I like this one!  Lol...

I started with my base colors, Taylor and January being opaque in 2 coats while Skull and Glossbones took 3.  I taped of sections of the grey and painted blue over them to achieve some staright-ish stripes haha.  The anchor was free-handed...

I'm anchored!

I'm excited for next weeks TPC manis, I'm going nerd :D  I just hope what I envision and the execution are copacetic!  Be sure to check out the other ladies beautiful creations below...

Until next time!

Stef <3 

Sour Solitaire

Good day, dear hearts!

Today's manicure is one that I did while playing with some new textured polishes that I bought over the weekend.  I have been striving for a really fantastic ombre for a long time now.  I thought I'd give it  a whirl with textures...

 

Colors Used: OPI - Solitaire, Sally Hansen - Sour Apple

Solitaire is from OPI's newest sand collection, The Bond Girls.  Sour Apple was just recently realeased in SH's Sugar Coated collection...

I really am in love with both of these polishes!  Alone, Solitaire is just elegant.  She is frosty and glittery all at the same time.  Sour Apple is the complete opposite with it's creamy minty color and matte finish.  I wish the ombre popped more in the pictures as it did in real life.  I loved rocking this mani :)

I know textured polish isn't for everybodybut I've definitely got the bug lol.

Guess what?  I finally got some inspiration for the TPC this month and it's not patriotic!  Yayyyy!!  Lol stay tuned :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

Neon Racer

Good evening, all!

I meant to post this morning but then... I had to file taxes.  I'm still upset about it.  But that's alright.  Anywhosy, this is a quick mani I did to test out a new neon polish I bought over the weekend...

Colors Used: OPI - My Boyfriend Scales Walls, China Glaze - Rose Among Thorns

First let me apologies for the state of my nails.  I am currently rocking what my fellow nail lovers like to call "nubbins".  They're not as terrible as they could be, I still have a bit of free edge.  But I broke my index nail last week and had to shave down the rest to match.  I'm still a little sad about it :(

For this mani I did 2 coats of  BF Scales Walls and then 2 coats of Rose on my middle and ring fingers.  I had a little difficulty getting the coats to be even with Rose.  The formula is very reminiscent of a stain.  But  i'm certainly going to work with this polish again.  I love the color!  Lastly I added the racing stripes.

I did clean-up in a bit of a hurry... whatevs!

I have some more fun mani's waiting to be posted so stay tuned :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

Late Night Halloween Nails :D

Good afternoon all :)

In case you missed yesterdays post, I am having another giveaway!  You should go check it out.  And while you're at it, you should go tell a friend ;)

Today's mani was done a couple of nights ago when I couldn't sleep.  My new husband and I are having a very tough time sleeping in the same bed together, he moves around a lot and I like to sprawl out lol.  Needless to say, I've been reluctant to climb into bed :\  So I busted out my polishes and kep myself occupied for an hour haha...

 Colors Used (L to R): Confetti - Lonesome Dove, Revlon - Posh, Wet n Wild - Nerd Alert Screech, O.P.I. - Just Tea-Sing!, Wet n Wild - Straight A Jesse, Sally Hansen - Mellow Yellow, Sally Hansen - White On, Rimmel - Black Satin

Phew!  So many colors!

The Frankenstein and mummy were inspired by pics I saw when I Googled Halloween nail art images.  There were A Lot of them...

Sooo... it's 20 day's 'til Halloween and this may be a little premature, but I think I've outdone myself and I had to post it lol.

I suppose that's all for now :)

Until next time!

Stef <3