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

poppies

Another great decal from RLR Creations (www.etsy.com/shop/RLRCreationsNailArt)It is a little big for my short nails but it is still fun.  Again I still need practice with water decals.  It sat in the water a little too long and the red from the poppies started to bleed.

It looks like water color though, so I am okay with it.  I added a polka dot nail and an abstract one.  To finish off the whole look I went with a matte finish.  I like it.  Something very feminine and 1950s about it.  Like I need to be wearing a white dress with a bright red wide belt and some great red wedges. And going to a garden party.

Sally Hansen - White On
Essie - A List
Sinful Colors - Exotic Green

ruby red

I went to a bridal shower yesterday.  I also made the dessert and chocolate truffles.  I didn't have time to repaint my nails before the mid-day shower (I took my polish off before making anything).  I just had time for a quick nail-protein-hardener-etc clear coat before leaving.  When I got to the party, I kept on getting asked what special paint job I did for the shower.  A few really didn't understand why I didn't have time to do some elaborate paint job and make everything for dessert.  I guess that is what happens when you always have crazy/special/painted nails.  I draw the line at losing sleep so I can paint my nails.  Plus, I hate waking up in the morning with fabric indents on my nails.

This was a quick paint job.  Just a sparkly red (almost magenta) on four nails.  Then a simple basic red on the middle with a matte top coat.  Looking at it now, I wish I had switched the paints around.  The bright glitter polish would really pop if it was just the accent finger.

OPI - Got the Blues for Red, You Only Live Twice

military coat

I was just pulling colors and found these five that all are in the same hue/family.  They are a little dark but with the addition of the gold studs, the overall paint job has some life to it.

Then top it all off with a matte top coat, and it makes it look like different wool military coat with gold buttons.  I wish I had done the arrow stripes on the index finger instead of the studs.  But that might have been too coat/military.

Sinful Colors - Smokin, Mesmerize, Jungle Trail, Rain Storm, In The Mist

purple

Quick confession - I totally smudged the thumb and a bit of the middle finger.  I still took photos and am posting them.  Why? Because the purple glitter jelly polish is rather forgiving.  I also tried forgoing a base color and had to use three coats of the jelly polish.  I just didn't feel like waiting for that much polish to dry again.

Without a base color, the purple glitter polish has a very princess quality to it.  I don't know how to describe it.  It is very light but packs a glitter punch.  For the accent nail I went with a solid purple polish with a matte top coat.  Simple and easy.  The matte finish makes the glitter nails pop all that more.

Sinful Colors - I Love You, Amthyst

easter eggs

I wasn't sure what paint job I wanted to do for Easter.  That is until I drove past the local park and saw a bunch of kids getting ready to do an Easter egg hunt.  Light bulb.  Easter egg nails.  Super easy and won't be sad when I have to take them off Monday.  Just picked through all my colors and got out all the pastels that didn't have a glitter or shine to them.  And then I went a little crazy.  I like some of them but really dislike the pinky.  I also went with a matte top coat since most decorated eggs do not have a nice shiny finish (something about being super toxic).

Sinful Colors - Innocent, Why Not, Unicorn, Rise and Shine, Feeling Great, Easy Going, Amethyst
OPI - Do You Lilac It?
Wet & Wild - Sunny Side Up
Sally Hansen - Mint Sorbet, Sun Kissed

march polish days - vintage

March's Polish Day challenge theme is 'Vintage'.  This is a great theme but super open to interpretation.  Vintage can be an old classic polish, from a past era (think 70's inspired nails), maybe a lace polish, etc etc.  I came up with a bunch of ideas which I am guessing I will use this month.

*more after the jump*

matte skulls

I have been looking at the skulls stamp design since I got the plate set.  I like it but I wish it was reversed.  The stamped color in the above photo is the black.  Having such a large solid stamp design leaves lots of extra stamp on the rest of the finger.  It would just be easier if the stamp was just the skull and bones patter instead of the back ground.

Having such a solid stamp makes stamping really hard.  Above is the best I could get.  So much fresh paint gives a lot of run and no clean edges.  I did got with a matte top coat because skulls are already so flashy and it just looks good with the matte.

Sinful Colors - Black On Black
Sally Hansen - White On
Nails Inc - Westminster Bridge (matte top coat)
plate - Cheeky CH49

Any tips with such a polish filled stamp?  Do you know of any stamping plates that have the skull and bones as the stamp, not the background?

spring

I know it isn't technically spring yet but the cherry trees are in full blossom at the park across the street from my house.  I can see them from my living room and they just look like spring.  All the rest of the trees are still in winter mode so these blossoms are a refreshing site.  But the more I look at this paint job the more it reminds me of Valentine's candy hearts.

I went with pastels with a matte top coat.  Why a matte finish?  Because the fog has been coming in and even though the day was glorious and sunny, the fog calms everything down.  It is still bright out but there is a muted quality to everything.  Plus, when the paint job gets a little stale in a day or two, I can spruce it up with a normal top coat.

Sinful Colors - Unicorn (yellow), Easy Going (pink)
Sally Hansen - Air (blue), Mint Sorbet (green/teal)
OPI - Do You Lilac It? (purple)

Is it too soon to do a spring themed paint job?  What inspires you to use matte top coat?

modern family - back in my gloria days

I splurged on two new polishes.  I will admit 'Modern Family' is one of my favorite shows on tv.  Back when they first announced Nicole and 'Modern Family' were teaming up, I knew I wanted to get some of those polishes.  I have been hunting for them at all the stores that sell Nicole.  No one has them.  Until yesterday, I finally found three of the colors at Rite Aid.  I got two of them.  They were not two of my top picks from the collection, but they were there and I finally found them.

I ended up with a Gloria and a Mitch polish.  The above paint job has the 'Modern Family' polish on the pinky and middle finger (and thumb but it didn't make it into the photos).  It's an odd purple.  It has a gold-ish, pink-ish base but still works with a silver blue type polish.

To add a bit of zing to this paint job I added a homemade jelly top coat to my pointer finger and went with a matte fuchsia on the ring finger.  I like the over all result.

Nicole - Back in My Gloria Days
Sinful Colors - Dream On
Nails Inc - Westminster Bridge (matte top coat)

Have you been able to find any of the Nicole 'Modern Family' collection polishes?  Did you get any?  Where did you find them?

holiday challenge - santa clause is coming to town

Day four of the holiday challenge is 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town'.  The first place my mind went is to the song of the same title.  Particularly a few lines:

He's making a list,
Checking it twice;
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice.

Santa Claus is coming to town

These lines inspired my left hand:

And then some other lines:

With little tin horns and little toy drums

Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums

Santa Claus is coming to town

These lines inspired my right hand:

matte & gloss

The blue ocean/swirl paint job lasted till the pumpkin pie was done and 1 episode of Park & Recreation.  I wasn't feeling the blue nails anymore.  I knew I wanted to use the same stamping plate and use a matte finish somehow.  Looking through my polishes, OPI Lincoln Park After Dark was calling to me.  I have not used it in a long time, I would say over two years.  All nails got two coats of the color.  All fingers except the middle got two coats of matte finish top coat, with the middle finger getting normal top coat.

right - gloss

left - matte

middle - gloss

rest - matte