Liberty: Diamond Cosmetics Seafoam Spray

Hello ladies,

I hope American readers are having a stellar 4th of July! One of my favorite national treasures, the Statue of Liberty, is the focal point of today's patriotic manicure. She is a welcoming presence on our shores. Such a wonderful gift from the ancestors of our friends in France!

For the base color, I chose Diamond Cosmetics Seafoam Spray. I wanted a green with an aquatic feel that would also represent the patina on the Statue of Liberty. From image plate D08, I stamped the face and crown of Liberty in green Konad special polish. Because a patriotic US manicure cannot be wholly green, I added red, silver and blue stars from Art Club. The thin line French was created with Hologram, an Art Club striper. 

I adore Sweet Peas!

A pretty yellow lily.

A giant yellow lily!

I am showing three coats of Seafoam Spray worn over Diamond Cosmetics Super Base. As this shade has been sitting with my untried polishes, my bottle could have benefitted from a couple drops of  thinner. I wish I had worn Seafoam Spray ages ago! The color is beautiful! It's a pale mint green stirred with gold micro shimmer. Subtle on the nail, the shimmer adds both depth and sheen. If you are a lover of green polish, I recommend adding this color to your wish list.

Do you ladies have a favorite US monument or landmark? Whether you reside here or abroad, I am curious about places that call to you or seem like the heart or representation of America.

Seafoam Spray was provided for consideration. To purchase in the US, visit diamondcosmetics.com. International residents can find this shade at boozyshop.nl.

I purchased the D series image plates at chez-delaney.com.

Happy painting, ladies!

Dragon's Pearl: Diamond Cosmetics 18K Gold

Hello ladies,

I wanted to create a tattoo style manicure. I imagined a dragon returning to his cave with a new pearl. Dragons, much like the keeper of this blog, adore treasure. In the dragon's world, even the Moon has been formed from a jewel. A bit of whimsy for you...when I met my friend Drew for dinner, I noticed he was wearing a Chinese dragon tee shirt that coordinated with my manicure. Magic is afoot. 

From image plate D25, I stamped the dragons in black Konad special polish. I accented the dragon's tail with miniature pearls from Born Pretty Store. I placed a ruby Moon in the sky. The tips were defined with an Art Club striper in Black Hologram. Preferring the thin line French to remain matte, I decided not to add a second layer of topcoat.

Diamond Cosmetics 18K Gold is a rich metallic. This warm toned gold is perfect for summer leading into fall. The formula is easily opaque in two thin coats. A careful application is required to avoid brushstrokes, but these lessen in appearance as the polish dries. The color glows on the nails like jewelry.  

I hope you enjoyed this treasure of a polish. Have you had any dragon sightings lately?

The polish was sent to me for review. US residents can purchase 18K Gold at diamondcosmetics.com. For international shipping, visit boozyshop.nl. 

I purchased image plate D25 from chez-delaney.com. The D series is a site exclusive.

Happy painting, ladies!

Shabby Chic: Color Club Clean Break and Pretty in Platinum

Hello ladies,

I decided to bring the Shabby Chic style to my nails. Today's manicure features roses and cameos on a silky grey background. I was imagining a tray of earrings and brooches sitting atop an old, whitewashed dresser. Jewels and pearls imbue a feeling of elegance to timeworn heirlooms.

I began by painting Color Club Pretty in Platinum as a base. With a Kolinsky Sable Brush size 00 from the art supply store, I mapped a fine, arching line with white polish. I then filled in the tips with Clean Break fractured polish. If you decide to use a crackle formula to create a funky french, I highly recommend having a guideline in place. Clean Break is on the thick side and it would be tricky to achieve the proper French tip. I tested this polish over the entire nail and I found traditional application to be simple. Clean Break offers well defined crackling. 

On the nails of my middle fingers, I adhered pale pink cameos with nail glue. I purchased these in a lot from ebay and I wish they were readily available! I would use them with abandon. I bordered the cameos with large pearls and gems. The grey and cream colored roses with pink and green accents are Art Club Petite Fleurs. These decals come on an adhesive backing with gold beads. I decided to build on the color palette from the roses to create an assemblage of finery by adding pearls of various sizes, and pink, green and crystal rhinestones. I first sealed the roses with topcoat and then placed the gems and pearls and added a final layer of topcoat. I varied the design a bit on each hand. 

Echinacea, purple coneflower.

Floral fireworks!

My right hand with smaller jewel clusters. 

Pretty in Platinum is a soft, grey pearl. This polish is completely opaque in two coats. It has a beautiful sheen and an easy to use formula. I recommend this polish to grey lovers.

What do you ladies think? Do you like the crackle tips and the vintage look?

Items in this post were sent to me for review. Clean Break is part of the Color Club Fractured Collection. Pretty in Platinum is from the Untamed Luxury Collection. Both are available for purchase at victoriasnailsupply.com. I bought the Art Club Petite Fleurs at Sally Beauty.

Happy painting, ladies!

Garter toss: BB Couture Selene

Hello ladies,

June is a bridal month and weekends seem to be ornamented with bridesmaids and wedding bouquets in Rittenhouse Square. I created a garter toss manicure to go with all the satin, flowers and ribbons being paraded about.  

With Konad white special polish, I stamped the lace ribbon from Bundle Monster plate BM210. I accented the center line with pearls from Born Pretty Store and pastel pink and hot pink jewels. The design made gem placement simple; I counted the circles in the weave of the lace to find the exact center for the large pearl. When using gems to embellish a design, I love experimenting with size and color. 

Since I have been enjoying thin line French lately, I painted a sparkling stripe with Art Club crystal glitter. If you decide to work with this technique, I recommend painting the French after you add topcoat. I find that sealing the edge can subtly distort the line. I haven't had any issues with the Art Club glitter striper lines chipping or flaking, even without topcoat.    

I befriended a tiny pollinator.

Yarrow blooms like a patch of sunlight.

A coordinating petunia.

BB Couture Selene is a new favorite pink! Its glossy, jelly formula is stirred with silver and diaphanous green glitter. So lovely! I am wearing four coats here, but three would suffice for most ladies with active length nails. If you are looking for a pretty pink for summer, put Selene on your wish list. It is worth adding to your collection.

I hope you enjoyed my garter toss manicure! It would be a fun look to wear to a bridal shower or wedding.

Selene was sent to me for review. This polish is part of the A Touch of Greece/Ladies Collection, available for purchase at overallbeauty.com.

Happy painting, ladies!

Gemini: BB Couture Nike

Hello ladies,

With the sun in Gemini, I was thinking about twin symbols. I decided to create a mirror image look with a motif of reflective elements. 

Using Konad pastel blue special polish, I stamped the French floral design from Bundle Monster plate BM 212. I alternated the jewel placement every other nail with a shifting of fuschia and blue. I painted a thin line French with an Art Club striper in turquoise glitter. The finished manicure reminds me of Art Nouveau. 

A gorgeous purple foil, Nike has winning shimmer. Two coats will bring opacity, but three displays a true richness of color. Nike is a must have for those who love purple!  

I hope you enjoyed my bejeweled, mirror image floral. 

Nike was sent to me for review. This shade is part of the A Touch of Greece Collection/Ladies, available for purchase at overallbeauty.com.

Happy painting, ladies! 

Astrological Portrait: Diamond Cosmetics Deep Blue Sea

Hello ladies,

In love with stargazing, I have longed to create an astrological portrait manicure. You will find all twelve signs of the zodiac represented in a sparkling blue heaven of color.

From image plate H32, I stamped the zodiac signs using a franken of Konad silver polish and China Glaze Millennium. If my right thumb were lined up with my left pinky, you would find the symbols have been aligned in the proper order. My thumb nails each show two astrological signs.

To create the starry tips, I alternated silver hologram stars from the Art Club Holiday gem wheel and rainbow jewels. The thin line French was formed using an Art Club striper in Crystal Glitter. 

There are various accents. I highlighted the clothing of the Twins, the skirt of the Virgin, and the stream from the Water Bearer with the Crystal Glitter striper. The Crab has silver moon legs and silver beads at the base of the main body. The Virgin wears a triangular gem on her dress. A Moon makes The Scorpion's tail. The Sea Goat has a pearl in his tail fin. The Water Bearer is beneath a silver crescent. Silver beads embellish the spiral of The Fish.  

The base color, Diamond Cosmetics Deep Blue Sea, is indeed blue despite any trickery from your monitor. I took pictures today amidst sun showers. The flowers are glistening with raindrops. 

A pink rose after the rain

Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo. 

Virgo, Leo, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus & Aries (on thumb).

Right hand: (Thumb) Libra & Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. 

The purple iris petals look like fabric for a ball gown.

My right hand. 

A flower ring as bright as the sun.

A gorgeous jelly polish flecked with turquoise glitter, Deep Blue Sea is the must have from the Diamond Cosmetics Caribbean Collection. Opaque in two coats, the color was easy to apply. I decided to wear this over a whitening base coat to make the blue really pop. The color is so lovely, I have worn it a couple times in the past two weeks. As with any jelly formula, I recommend wrapping the tips.

I hope you enjoyed the astrological portrait manicure. Let me know your Sun sign or any bit of your chart you choose to share in the comments. I am always curious. I am a Virgo with a Scorpio Moon and Leo Rising.

Deep Blue Sea was sent to me for review. US residents can purchase this shade at diamondcosmetics.com. International residents, look to boozyshop.nl for availability.

Image plate H32 was provided for my consideration. To view the full line of nail art stamping supplies, stop by chez-delaney.com.

Happy painting, ladies!