Summer dresses: Color Club Splitting Image & High Society

Hello ladies,

During last week's heat wave, many Philadelphia ladies decided to meld with the temperatures by putting on their brightest floral dresses. It seemed like the whole city was a connection of fabric flowers on the vine. I appreciated the local effort to maintain a sense of beauty even in the oppressive heat. What is a lady to do but keep her parasol aloft at such times?   

I began with taupe as a base and chose the Art Club striper You're Golden to section the nail diagonally. I layered the blue shimmer fractured polish Splitting Image towards the tip. I picked dried flowers in hot pink, nude pink and burgundy to bloom along the gold shimmer. I featured more hot pink flowers on my right hand and the peachy tones on my left. To highlight the centers of the flowers, I used turquoise and pastel or hot pink gems. I also placed pink, blue and natural tone pearls. 

My right hand with more hot pink flowers. 

A morning glory with either pollen dust or pixie dust. 

High Society is a taupe creme. I applied three coats for evenness and opacity. I wore this polish for a couple days without nail art and received compliments. It's a classic shade that is simple and stylish.

Splitting Image has a versatile formula. A thinner coating will produce standard cracking. Adding a little more creates fine striations that reminds me of distressed denim. I would recommend trying Splitting Image over a pale blue. The light cobalt tone is really lovely. I have been really enjoying experimenting with the Fractured Collection. As much as I enjoy the look of the stronger effect produced through traditional layering, it's fun to see the variations when painted as a diagonal or French manicure.

If you are in a warm climate, I hope this manicure inspires you to put on a pretty, summer frock and move amongst the flowers.

The Color Club and Art Club items mentioned in this post were provided for review. High Society is from the Rebel Debutante Collection and Splitting Image can be found in the Fractured Collection. These shades can be purchased at victoriasnailsupply.com. Color Club/Forsythe has been revamping their company site. You can explore the product lines at cosmeticgroup.com.

Would you like the chance to win six crackle nail polishes? Stop by the Let's Get Cracking! Color Club Fractured Giveaway! to enter.

Happy painting, ladies!

Dots and Damsels: Color Club Tattered in Gold and Ready to Royal

Hello ladies,

I love the idea of creating nail decorations that would be suited to a grand fete. I could imagine wearing this look while holding a lace fan.

Starting with a base of Ready to Royal, I painted a cross formation with an Art Club gold glitter striper. I filled in the squares in an alternating pattern with gold fractured polish. I chose the deep pink foil striper in Malmsy to define the cross and layered gold glitter over top.

In the dark purple squares, I added a variety of pink and fuschia pearls and gems along with gold jewels. In the center of the cross, I placed lavender roses.

This is my first time working with 3-D roses. As they have a springy quality, nail glue is definitely required for adhesion. While I am still experimenting with technique, I believe brush-on nail glue plus two coats of a sealer or thicker style topcoat should encourage these pretty flowers to remain as positioned. Topcoat alone is insufficient to hold them.

Ready to Royal is a dark purple that reminds me of a black mirror. It has a glassy finish combined with a depth of color that is quite mesmerizing. I have worn this shade a few times without nail art and I also love it as a backdrop for design. Two coats bring even color and perfect opacity.

One of my favorites from the Fractured Collection, Tattered in Gold reminds me of jewelry.

I hope you enjoyed my dots and damsels manicure!

Tattered in Gold and Ready to Royal were sent to me for review. These shades can be purchased at victoriasnailsupply.com.

Stop by the Let's Get Cracking! Color Club Fractured Collection Giveaway! for a chance to win all six polishes.

Happy painting, ladies!

Naughty Kitty: Color Club Yum Gum and Smash Hit

Hello ladies,

I wanted to create a fun, boudoir style manicure. I had a little help from a naughty kitty. Neon pink and black crackled French tips provide a stylish backdrop for a bit of mischief and delight. 

From image plate D26, I stamped the retro cats using black Konad special polish. I created a funky French with the fractured polish, Smash Hit. Rainbow crystal bows adorn the center. The French line sparkles with Art Club silver glitter. Kitty used her tail to steal a pearl.   

Yum Gum is a bold and pretty neon. The scent of bubble gum is subtle and pleasant. I appreciated the ease in application. Three coats over a whitening base brought perfect opacity.

I have been having a great time experimenting with the Fractured Collection. Painting Smash Hit across my tips created a lacy effect, and complemented the naughty kitty.

You will be seeing more of the Color Club Fractured Collection this week. The kitty might have a little something in mind.

Color Club Yum Gum and Smash Hit were sent to me for review. These polishes can be purchased at victoriasnailsupply.com.

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

Happy painting, ladies!

Fentiman's Rose Lemonade: BB Couture Aphrodite

Hello ladies,

Today I am bringing you a whimsical manicure inspired by my favorite beverage, Fentiman's Rose Lemonade. I am often seen walking through the garden with a parasol in one hand and a bottle of Rose Lemonade in another. I believe a proper manicure was in order.

I began with a base of BB Couture Aphrodite because it would not surprise me if the Goddess of Love is drinking Rose Lemonade at this very moment, while inspiring scenes of beauty and romance. I painted a stripe at the nail line with Art Club Gold Glitter. From Born Pretty Store, I chose rose and lemon fimo to create a funky French. I love how the placement of the rose blossoms and lemon wedges looks like little bows! With a variety of pink and yellow gems and pearls, I formed jeweled dots to reflect the natural carbonation in Fentiman's Rose Lemonade. 

Apologies the roses were not blooming with their usual grandeur and Pennsylvania does not offer the best climate for lemon trees. My bottle of Rose Lemonade certainly embodies both flavors on its own. 

My right hand.

Aphrodite is hot pink with a cooling, frosty finish. Pale pink shimmer is stirred throughout. I am showing three coats. Easy to apply, Aphrodite is certain to delight pink lovers. 

Have you sampled any varieties of Fentiman's sodas or ever enjoyed a rose flavored beverage? I admit to regularly bringing an extra bottle of Rose Lemonade to share when meeting a friend. Only my recycle bin will truly tell the tale of how many bottles I enjoy weekly. What is your favorite drink of the summer? 

Mention of Fentiman's Rose Lemonade was done purely out of love. Discover more about the full range of sodas at drinkfentimans.com and in the UK at fentimans.com.  

Aphrodite was sent to me for review. Part of the BB Couture A Touch of Greece Collection/Ladies, Aphrodite can be purchased at overallbeauty.com. 

Would you like a chance to win the entire A Touch of Greece Collection/Ladies along with six eye shadows from Overall Beauty Minerals, an owl pendant and two serums from The Skin Society? Head over to the You're A Goddess: Giveaway! to enter. Hurry, because the giveaway closes at the end of the day, last time zone worldwide, July 9th!

Happy painting, ladies!

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!

Queen's Bounty: Color Club Broken Tokens

Hello ladies,

When I created this manicure, I was thinking about pearls, diamonds and silver pieces spilling out of a black velvet bag. I imagined jewel encrusted brooches and golden pendants, a bounty for a queen.

I began with a basic black mini polish from Color Club. I drew a diagonal line with an Art Club striper in Gold Hologram. I varied the angle of the line on each hand. With silver crackling polish, I filled in half the nail. On the left hand, I added Broken Tokens to the lower half; on the right, towards the top of the nail. Decals, silver and gold gems and pearls were chosen from the Pretty Shiny Things Kit.  

The Art Club Gold Hologram striper makes exquisite rainbows. 

Butterfly bush

My right hand showing varied placement of striper lines and silver polish.

Daisy flower ring on my right hand. 

A baby praying mantis!

Like a prayer.

Reaching a foot to its mouth like a human baby. So sweet!

A baby bunny! She has natural eyebrow markings! Adorable!

Bye, bye bunny!

Broken Tokens is my first crackling polish since the Cover Girl line from many Halloweens past. The formula is easy to work with. I prefer layering on a thick coat for bolder fault lines. The shimmer is elegant in Broken Tokens. I highly recommend adding this color to your collection. 

I hope you enjoyed my experiment with the Fractured polish. I am looking forward to trying the rest of the collection. Perhaps the next shades I have for review Smash Hit (black) and Clean Break (white) will attract more garden friends. If you like mantids, check out the baby praying mantis I met last summer. Have you ladies seen any baby animals recently?  

Items mentioned in this post were sent for review. Broken Tokens, part of the Fractured Collection, is available for purchase at victoriasnailsupply.com. They also sell the Art Club Pretty Shiny Things Kit.

Happy painting, ladies!