Nail Fail - Stained Glass Glitter Nails

Wow.  These nails did not turn out even remotely as I had imaged they would.  It took an average amount of time, but I think the fail of it was due to the harsh/brightness of the colors.  I think I would have liked it better if the glitters were of a softer tone.  Also because the separation between each of the colors wasn't as clean as I would have liked, I added the black lines which makes it even more harsh on the eyes.  One might say it's edgy.  And maybe it is.  But it's not what I had envisioned for this design.  So it goes into the category of Nail Fails.  Maybe when I get more glitter polishes I'll try it again.

I used:
Color Club - Chelsey Girl under Color Club - Sexy Siren; Color Club - Puccilicious under Color Club - Tru Passion; Color Club Limelight under Color Club - Object of Envy; Color Club - Almost Famous under Color Club - Sultry Diva; OPI - The Thrill of Brazil under Color Club - The Art of Seduction; Rimmel - Black Satin applied with a detail nail art brush.  Topped off with a coat of Revlon - Quick Dry Top Coat.
yeesh.  think I used enough polishes?  lol..

NOTD: BACK TO THE 70s [BM 203]

I think this pattern is 70s.  If someone can correct me, please leave a comment.  But it feels 70s to me.
I'm sure the colors I used didn't help.  lol..
The base color I used was OPI's Up Front and Personal.  Then with Bundle Monster image plate 203 I used Cover Girl's Spiced Tea.  I'm not sure where you can get the cover girl color from b/c I randomly got it at a dollar store in Halifax.
This isn't my fave NOTD.  I don't think it even lasted the whole day before I took it off.  lol..  Oh well.  You win some you lose some.

NOTD: BACK TO THE 80s PINK/YELLOW LAZER STRIPE

I love this manicure on so many levels.  I love the colors both individually and together.  I love that it feels fun and 80s - which was totally unintended but lovingly embraced.  And I love the simplicity of the simple angular stripe.

To create this manicure I first used OPI's Wing It.  Then used painters tape to mask off the yellow area.  First I used Color Club's Almost Famous.  Then after doing one hand I topped that off with Sally Hansen HD Lite to give the yellow it's shimmery finish.
Love this manicure so much!

Oh what the heck.  I filmed a quick how-to on this.  why don't I post it.  I'm not going to post it on my Youtube channel though b/c it's so basic.  But since I filmed it (no editing though) I may as well as show it to you.  :)
If you are interested in seeing the taping process, watch and learn.  lol...  j/k
Dang Blogger.  Doesn't like to upload my videos.  oh well.  it was just a simple taping tutorial.  nothing special.  I've got lots of video tutorials that use taping on my Youtube channel if you're curious.  (you will have to search way back though.)

NOTD: BRIGHT SUMMER FRENCH FUN

Here's another day of catching up on old NOTDs.  Can you tell this one is from the middle of the summer?  Hello bright nail polish!

I was originally going to do a different color combination on each nail but I got too much into my groove of painting one nail orange.. then moved onto the next before I realized I was only supposed to have one nail with an orange base color.  So one color scheme it is.

The colors used here are Color Club's Almost Famous and Color Club's Wham Pow.

NOTD: Rainbow Zebra

Well this was a fun one.
I'm so bad at actually posting my NOTDs.  This one was from early last month.  I'll be catching up on a few more NOTDs in the next couple days.  As well as at least one 'Nail Fail' design.

This NOTD used Konad stamping plate M57.  (which you can purchase from www.wowsocool.com  - use coupon code: wowsocool20 for 20% off your purchase.  code expires September 30, 2011.



The colors used were:
Color Club - Twiggie
Color Club - Almost Famous
Color Club - Laser Pink
Color Club - Wham Pow!
Color Club - Puccilicious
Finished off with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri anti-chip top coat.

NOTD: Wavy Gradient - warm and cool.

Here's an old NOTD.  It was basically the trial and error version of the BM Wavy Gradient tutorial.  I also tried it with warm tones.  I think it looks just as great in the red/orange/yellow color scheme.  :)

This NOTD was from July.

KALEIDOSCOPE NAILS - Nail Art Tutorial

Hello everyone!

Happy Wednesday!

I'm so excited for this week to be over already.  Haven't been getting enough sleep.

Well with all that whining done and out of the way, here's another nail tutorial for you.

It's all free hand - aka. no stamping - for those of you who don't have Konad or Bundle Monster plates.

It's super duper simple.  it's just dots.  

Also, if you don't have a 'proper' dotting tool, just use things from around the house - ie. tooth pick, bobbi pins, dressmaker's needles.  a really pointy pencil, or an old ball point pen.  the possibilities are endless.  it just needs to be small and rounded/pointed - but of course, not sharp.  let's not hurt our selves for the sake of nail art.  (we can leave that to the other realms of fashion/beauty)

Hope you enjoy! 

Also - FYI.  

I have recently adjusted my camera so I can now film much closer to my nails.  (as close as you see them in the above thumnail.)  I'm very excited!  I know how hard it is sometimes for you to see what I'm doing because previously my camera was so far away.  But I've made an adjustment and now my new tutorials will be much easier to see!  whoot whoot!

The only thing is that the new camera angle/view will be delayed by about 3-5 tutorials that I've already pre-filmed.  Once those are all posted new ones will be coming your way with a much improved zoom.

zoom zoom!  lol...

Revlon- Quick Dry Base Coat (eventhough I said Rimmel... I meant Revlon)
OPI - Yodel Me On My Cell
Dotting Tool - from ebay
Sally Hansen Xreme Wear - White On
China Glaze - Lemon Fizz
China Glaze - Refresh Mint
China Glaze - Bahamian Escape
OPI - The Thrill of Brazil
Revlon- Quick Dry Top Coat

Have Fun! and Good Luck!

Wavy Gradient - Bundle Monster Tutorial [BM209]

Here's a fun and easy way to get a gradient fading effect with stamping.

Hope you enjoy this fun gradient by stamping tutorial!

MATERIALS USED:
BM Image plate 209
Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat
Sally Hansen - White On
Color Club - Power Play
Sally Hansen - Pacific Blue
Essie - Going Incognito
Sally Hansen - Insta Dry Anti Chip Top Coat
Konad Scraper
Konad Stamper
{{konad products available at www.wowsocool.com.
current coupon code for 20% off: wowsocool20

HAUL: American Apparel Nail Lacquer - First Impression

I was in the mall a few days ago with a friend and we were right by American Apparel.  This is not a store that I shop at.  I do not like their advertisements, I don't like their prices, and their clothes are not particularly my style.  However, all that being said, I have been hemming and hawing over their polishes since they first came out.

I have a list of colors in their nail polish line that I'd love to try.  At the top of that list is Butter as seen here on All Lacquered Up's swatch.
Of course that is the one color this particular store didn't have.  They thought that they might have had some in the back.  But alas, that pale yellow nail polish was not to be mine that day.  But since I was there and the polishes were 3 for $18 I figured I'd still buy a few and try them out.

I love the packaging.  I love the shape of the bottles.  the logo on the front is nice and the handle is smooth black plastic.  The brush is on the longer side (due to the shape of the bottle) but the bristles are very flexible and fan out very nicely to make application a total dream (so far).

Here are the three colors I got:

Yup.  It's official.  I'm in LOVE.  Although I've only tried L'Esprit so far (and only did a test swatch of Army Jacket on my friend) the formulas are AWESOME!!  I wore L'Esprit yesterday and even though it was a creamy lavender, it applied like a dream and was opaque in ONE COAT!  I was astounded after the first nail.  It was of medium thickness and it dried nicely.  

{{The wicked opacity makes me very interested to see how well they'd work with stamping}}

I'm so excited to try the other two.

There are definitely others that I need to go back for - Butter and Office, i'm looking at you.

Do you own American Apparel Nail Lacquers?  Do you have any colors you'd recommend that are 'Must Haves'?