dip-n-dots

Dots!  The hardest part about this paint job was finding three polishes that work well together.

No explanation really needed, just three colors, flip flop on one of the accent nails.  Add some dots, done.  This would be a great paint job in black, white, and silver.  Very New Year's Eve-ish.

Sally Hansen - Mint Sorbet
Wet & Wild - I Need A Refresh-Mint
OPI - Do You Lilac It?

happy thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  Hope everyone has a great day with family and/or friends.

Hope that all your turkeys turn out perfectly and there are no accidents with a deep fryer.

And that no marshmallows catch fire when trying to heat up the sweet potatoes.

China Glaze - Sugar Plums
Sinful Colors - Lets Meet, Exotic Green

stud-ly

Studs in a line.  That sentence has so many different interpretations, yikes.

I love these micro studs.  They are very tiny yet easy to work with.  They are also relatively flat so they don't stick up to much on the nail.  They work with everything.  I went with a grey & silver theme for this paint job.  Just a silver accent nail & darker grey base color on the rest.  Dot on some silver studs, a clear top coat, done.  Very easy as long as you have a steady hand to apply the studs.

Sinful Colors - Smokin
Sally Hansen - Celeb City

purple

Grey polish might be the trend this fall, but I do love a light purple polish.  I have a bunch of purple polishes.  I will do some grey paint jobs, but for now, I'll stick with purple.

This style of paint job I have done tons of times before.  It is quick and easy.  Apply your color base (1-3 coats depending on the polish coverage).  Let dry a bit.  Apply the glitter jelly polish in a line right at the tip of the nail.  Then brush from the middle of the nail down to fan out the jelly polish.  Apply a top coat & let dry.  Easy.

OPI - You're Such A BudaPest
Sinful Colors - Ice Dream

matte purple

I have found a new favorite - matte top coat over glitter polish!  Sounds odd I know.  But there is something about taking away the overall shine that lets the glitter shine bright.  Nothing fancy about this paint job, just a glitter gradient tip.  But top it with the matte finish and it becomes really subtle and fun.

The only real difference with this paint job is a matte top coat is not quick drying, not at all.

OPI - You're Such A BudaPest, Polka.com

simple

A simple paint job that is impossible to photograph.  This polish (not the glitter halo polish) does not photograph at all.  I tried all different lights and three different cameras.  Nada!

It does look great in the photos though.  It is one of those colors that changes when viewed from different angles.  Then, to make it even more confusing, it looks totally different on than it does in the bottle.  But I do like it.  Then add a full halo and halo gradient nail and BAM, simple paint job.

Sinful Colors - Let Me Go
Urban Outfitters - Afterhours

bow tie

I have always wanted to try a bow tie decal but the thick and/or 3D ones always seemed too odd for me.  Like they would catch on everything.  But then I got some vinyl decals, perfect! They lay flat on the nail.

Another paint job where I wish I had swapped the colors.  The grey of the bow tie looked a bit darker on the sheet.  I added a rhinestone in the middle for some pop.  I like the look but I need to find a better color for under the grey bow tie.

Nicole - Stand By Your Manny
MAC - Ming Blue

purple profile

Another great decal from makeitstickdesigns.com.  The reverse of the polish would have been better.  The white decal would have really popped on the darker purple.  But I was going for a dark paint job.

I love these decals.  I have said it before, but I will say it again, they are super easy to use and apply.  They peel off the sheet very easy with tweezers.  They hold their shape so no fussing once they go on the nail.  Just pat down the sides if your nails have a little curve to them.  A coat or two of top coat and that is it.  They make tons and tons of different decals.  Plus, most of them can come in a crazy amount of colors.  Each sheet also comes with a variety of sizes which is perfect for different size nails.

OPI - Vant To Bite My Neck?, Do You Lilac It?

flip flop

Another gradient with silver.  I like it, especially the silver with a polish that has no sparkle.  With the silver on the tips it really accentuates the length of my nails.

Then add a quick row of dots in the two polish colors.  Nothing fancy but I like the look.  This would also be great with a pure black and white look.  Very geometric and simple.

Wet & Wild - On A Trip
Sally Hansen - Celeb City

pretty pretty princess

Princess nails.  Maybe not a real modern princess but these are sparkly and on the pink side.  Plus the base color is Princesses Rule!.

A very easy paint job.  Just a base coat (or three) on the non accent nail.  Then toss on some pink halo polish on the accent nail and a bit on the tips.

Tons and tons of glitter!!  But micro glitter so it shines in all lights.  I realize I do this look a lot (glitter tips) but I really like it.  It works with almost any color polish.  It is also great for a thinner polish because the glitter tips help hid the nail tip.

OPI - Princesses Rule!
Urban Outfitters - After Hours

feathers

I tried a real feather paint job a while ago and it was awful.  It just looked bad (think one of the Pintrest Fail memes).  But I have two great bags of feathers that I see every time I open the drawer to get out my stamping plates.

This time I took my time.  I did just the feathers first, the the normal nails once the feathers were dry.  I also went with a clear base color.  It looks a little odd but it works.  I really like the blue feather nail.  It is very clearly a feather.  Now I have gotten better with the feathers, I think I can try one over a colored base polish.

I thought a full paint job of just feathers would be a bit much, especially with the bright (aka fake) feathers).  So I book-ended it with a bright pink.  I like it.  Very simple.

**UPDATED**
The yellow and purple feathers lasted all of 12 hour.  I still liked the blue, so I cleaned up the two naked nails and painted it the same pink polish on the thumb and pinky.

I really like it.  It would have looked awesome with a pink jelly glitter polish under the feather, or even a very light pink.  But overall, this one feather nail paint job looks better than more feathers.
OPI - Koala Beary