Scotch Tape Zebra Print Manicure

Hello everyone! I know, two posts in as many days, almost like the good old days eh?!

When I was on holiday with my family, we had a very restricted weight allowance for the flights, and so we ditched all the heavy beach gear in favour of lighter alternatives. This included picking up some cheap, light beach towels from Asda, and my, ever tasteful, father chose the most trashy-fabulous, attention grabbing, lurid print that was available - zebra print with a bright purple border. They were amazing. And chavvy. But mostly amazing. They inspired this manicure!

I started with a base of 3 coats of Natural Collections White and allowed to dry before stamping the zebra image from Konad M57 with Konad Special Polish in Black. If you're in the UK, and don't want to splash out for the Konad special Polish, I've heard that MUA Shade 2 - available for only £1 in Superdrug - is a fantastically opaque alternative, though I've yet to try it myself. I added a coat of Seche Vite to dry it all quickly, and ten minutes later added strips of scotch tape diagonally across each nail. I then painted the nail in Claire's Matte Purple (I LOVE mixing textures!) and pulled the tape away while still wet. ET VOILAAA! Trashy Towel Nails.

 

I love how the shiny and the matte finishes look together. The cameras playing tricks on your eyes, the purple is, in fact, a lot more violet and red toned in real life, my camera is in perfect, purple denial, turning it blue. The photos were also taken at dusk, so sorry they're a bit dark and blue. (gawd I need to build myself a light box!)

Let me know what you think everyone! :D

And We'll Lie Beside A Turquoise Sea.

Sorry for not being around much this week, I promise I still read all of your comments and emails, I just haven't got around to posting - anyone who blogs will know it can be rather time consuming! Here is a Bundlemonster Konadicure for you, though, using Rimmel's Sky High as a base. Sky High is a gorgeous blue turquoise, goes on beautifully and opaque after 2 coats - I wore it on my toes for 2 weeks sans topcoat, and it didn't chip once.



I stamped the swirly image from the new bundlemonster set of image plates, BM201, using Konad's special polish in White. I think it kind of looks like art-deco style ocean waves, like a sea-themed mosaic!

 

I used Rimmel 60 Seconds as a topcoat - DO NOT WANT. I did not get on with it at all. Firstly, it smeared my stamping, which wasn't noticeable to the naked eye, but macro shows EVERYTHING! Secondly, it turned the white, stamped image yellow. You can't tell too much from the photos, as they are taken in bright sunshine, but trust me, the topcoat stained my manicure. I have NO IDEA how this can be, it's a topcoat for goodness sake! It is supposed to provide a clear coat over whatever I choose to use as a base! I'm baffled! Won't be using it again - money well spent...not. It's crazy how much I love Sky High, but hate this topcoat.

In other news, I loaned my nail art skillz to a little girl's birthday party, which was an exhausting 2 hours - kids are sticky and demanding! They loved my Del Sol Colour Changers though! (A post to come on those soon , once I've acquired Ruby Slipper!) I'd definitely hire myself out again, I've already been asked to do a wedding party - exciting stuff!

I also went to Parklife festival in Manchester this weekend (the reason Ive been so lax on the posts!) which was amaaazing, all the DJs we saw were fierce, and the crowds went mental! Skrillex was a definite highlight for us all, and despite the rain (and camping out for a couple of hours in a tea and cake tent!) we had a hilarious (if not muddy) time!

Leanne on my shoulders (yes, I'm a beast) and Sara during Chase and Status! Note the rained on makeup hahaha

The only one in wellies - soooo sensible

yes, the sun actually came out for day 1! Snapped in the Wagamamas noodle station with the dancing tigers. RIP reflective aviators, you shall be sorely missed (replaced)

Hey, look at that! Some of my real life made it on here! :D

I hope you are all well!

Easter Manicure

I wanted to quickly show you what I was sporting on Easter Sunday, but first - I have reached 500 followers today! How cool is that?! Thank you so much to everyone who reads! If the 100 follower Giveaway wasn't already running, I would do something to celebrate - I'll rack my brains for something after it's ended!


For this Manicure I used a base of Models Own BlooBoo for all but the ring finger (Rimmel Lemon Drop)  and thumb (American Apparel  Coney Island). I then used Claire's Nail Art Pens and a dotting tool to create the nail art. If you have any questions about any colours, just pop it in the comments and I will let you know - there are too many to name!

 So we have an Easter Chick and an Easter Bunny, who has dropped some eggs off in the grass :D

I love Pastels and Creams, so this was a nice Mani for me to have on! I hope you all had a lovely day and you're not getting as fat as me from over indulgence!

Sorry for the rather sporadic posts, after this MASSIVE piece of work is handed in to Uni, I will be back on form :D

If you haven't already, enter my International 100 Follower Giveaway - PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pop your details in the Google Docs form! I can't accept entries that are added to the comments! Good Luuuuck!

Strawberry Picnic Nails

It was another lovely, bright sunny day yesterday, making me wish I was sat on the park having a picnic - this manicure would have to do instead!

ooooh I wish they had all come out as well as the index finger! The other two strawbs are looking a bit squished and deformed....Nails are SO tiny to draw on hahaha!

With Flash - Pesky Orange is very apt for this mani!

I made little picnic rug tips by taping them off and painting them white over a base of a shimmery Claire's polish. I then stamped with Barry M turquoise and MUA shade 16 from BundleMonster BM17. I stamped the shape of the strawberry (not the leaves) with Barry M Red off BM05. I tried stamping the Lemon image but was struggling to pick up a complete image (I think it was the Miss Sporty polish) so just freehanded them in the end, using Barry M Spring Green and Miss Sporty Taxi! I outlined using Claire's Black Nail Art Pen, and topped it off with Barry M 3-in-1 Topcoat.

I got some compliments on this, it was lovely to wear on a hot summery day! I cracked out the Raybans today and it felt sooooo good!

Let me know what you think, kids!

xxx

Spring has Sprung!

I went to the shop and bought myself some daffodils (buying yourself flowers? I don't think I've ever looked so lonely...ha!) and the sun is shining through the window! I've done a celebratory Spring Manicure Inspired by the British countryside - flower boxes in the windows of kitsch little cottages and Apple trees on the meadows! I may also enter this into That's SO Fresh's Spring Mani contest, we'll see if I have the confidence haha!

There's that pesky orange again...

 I used so many polishes for this haha, here goes, pinky to thumb :-

• Lilac is American Apparel L'Espirit, flower stalks are Clarie's Matte Violet and MUA shade 16
• Blue Sky is Models Own Blooboo, grass is American Apprarel Office, Pale Sun is Rimmel Lemon Drop, Tree leaves is a blobby mix between Barry M 290 Green and Claire's Jade Green. tree trunk is Barry M Mushroom, and the Apples are Barry M Red 292.
• Pale yellow is Rimmel Lemon Drop, flower stalks are Miss Sporty Taxi! and Bloom Goldie
• Mint green is American Apparel Office, flower stalks are Barry M Green 290 and Claire's Jade Green
• Baby doll pink is American Apparely Coney Island, the flower stalks are MUA shade 3 and Bloom Flamingo Sands.
• All the little daisies were created using Claire's Nail Art Pen in White (thought you could just as easily use a dotting tool, cocktail stick, or even a straightened out bobby pin) and the centre of the daisies is Miss Sporty Taxi!.

PHEW!!!
I don't yet have any brushes or tools, so I used a bobby pin and cocktail stick to draw the details on the ring finger and daisy stalks, as well as the White Nail Art Pen for the picket fence! The contrast between the green grass and blue sky is more pronounced IRL, I wonder why it didn't translate in the photo hhhmm.
I also totally forgot it was St Patrick's Day today (dickhead) and thought it was tomorrow, so I will post pics up tomorrow! I'll give you a hint......Guinness. Haha! Happy Birthday to my Nanny too, sharing a birthday with a Saint's day is pretty apt fort his Wonderful Lady.

I hope you will all do the Irish proud and drink copious amounts of beer - We Brits know how to celebrate.

xxx

DANGER, DANGER!

Haha! Today is a bit of an outrageous one...

I don't really know why I'm holding an orange. It looks like I'm trying to warn you of the dangers of Satsumas. I'm not. I like them.

I don't really know what gave me the idea for this one, I think I was just looking at Miss Sporty Taxi! and thought "hey, it's like a "warning sign" yellow". And so ensued the birth of the danger fingers.

This is my favie finger, the one that turned out best!

I started with 2 coats of Rimmel Tip Whitener (note: dont use this to paint your whole nails, the brush is tiny and it takes foooreeevvveeerrrrrr, pain in the arse.) followed by two coats of Miss Sporty Taxi! which is exactly that; the colour of a New York cab with a very subtle shimmer - you literally can't even see it IRL, never mind in the pictures! I then used scotch tape cut into strips and did each black side separately using Claire's Black. On the Left hand, I used a Black Striper instead, just to compare the two techniques, but it was, overall, more messy and slooow. I then added the "!" freehand, using Claire's Nail Art Pen in Black. Added a topcoat, and voilaaaaa!

After I did the first triangle side of black, I took a couple of photos (in the dim with the flash, mind) as I quite liked the effect I got - I think I'll repeat this at a later date but with some different colours: -

I hadn't done any clean up at this point...obvs!

So there's your Manicure for today! I had fun doing this one.


A quick FIFTY FIT update for you, seen as it officially started yesterday: I've been eating lean proteins and salad today, I'll have some rice with the chicken for my dinner, then I'm snacking on fruit, low fat yoghurts and olives (God, I bloody love olives). I've given up chocolate for Lent, so it won't get in the way of the challenge! Me and my housemate went to a spinning class earlier today aswell and we worked SO HARD - she was sick afterwards, poor love! I never sweat so much doing anything more than I sweat when I go to a spin class!! Good news, I also lost 4.5lbs last week on weight watchers - it was a happy weigh in day!
lots of love!
xxx

Here comes the Bride?!?!!

...No don't congratulate me on my upcoming nuptuals just yet, I've got to find a boyfriend (victim) first! Todays manicure came out exactly how I imagined it, yet only when it was on my nails did I realise how bridal it looks!! I still think its pretty, and at least now I know I can do my own nails for my wedding day....ha!
 I started with 3 coats of Collection 2000 French Pink which is a sheer, light pink perfect for french manicures. It's a bit streaky in two coats, but the third evens it out. It says 5 days wear on the bottle, but ive never been patient enough to keep a manicure on that long to find out if it really works!!! Here she is on her own:

Shiny no?! I didnt need a topcoat with this polish, its dead shiny by itself, but i applied one anyway before using the full nail daisy image on BundleMonster's BM16, and adding silver dots to the centre of the flowers:

 

I stamped with Rimmels French White (which is a bit sheer for stamping to be honest) and used Claire's Silver Nail Art Pen for the flower centres. Very subtle and girly. Would love it if I had some Rhinestones to add.
This is my most recent manicure, and my nails have really grown since I've started this blog - theyre usually quite weak and I have a tendency to piggle at them. Taking pictures of your nails everyday sure is an incentive to keep them in good condition though! I've also started using Lush's Lemony Flutter again, which is great for the cuticles, and is keeping my nails strong I think. It also smells HAMAZING.
I think I'm getting better at photographing my nails - I hope you enjoyed this manicure, let me know what you think! Is there anything you'd like to see from me in the coming days/weeks?