Catch Up

So...  it's been a while.  What can I say, I keep busy!

I don't remember the polishes on these...  I know the dot flowers in the middle are from the 007 OPI collection...

Butterfly, Skull, and More Tips

Some tips inspired by magazines:

On the butterfly tip:  OPI Did It On 'Em, A Roll In The Hague, Black Onyx, Alpine Snow, Don't Know... Beets Me, Topcoat.
Biker Girl: OPI A Roll In The Hague, Need Sunglasses?, Don't Know... Beets Me, Black Onyx, Alpine Snow, Topcoat.
Pink Flower: OPI Don't Know... Beets Me, Alpine Snow, Topcoat.
Skull: OPI Nein! Nein! Nein! OK Fine, Black Onyx, Alpine Snow, Pink Friday, Topcoat.
Kitty: OPI Suzi Says Feng Shui, Alpine Snow, Monsooner Or Later, Black Onyx, Topcoat.
Light Pink Flower: OPI Shorts Story, My Very First Knockwurst, Black Onyx, Topcoat.

Halloween Art

Been spending much more time doing art at work recently!  I have a couple Halloween theme nails:

For the French, which doesn't have to be Halloween at all:  OPI Shorts Story, Black Onyx, Seche Vite Top Coat.

For the web:  OPI Black Onyx, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.

Back To School!

And now that everyone has been back to school for a few weeks, I finally did some back to school themed nails:

And for whatever reason, I associate grade school with argyle:

For the pencil:  Essie Blanc, OPI Need Sunglasses?, Dulce De Leche, It's Totally Fort Worth It, Pink Friday, Black Onyx, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Ruler French:  OPI Need Sunglasses, Black Onyx, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Bus:  OPI No Room For The Blues, Need Sunglasses?, Black Onyx, It's Totally Fort Worth It, Quarter  Of A Cent-Cherry, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Crayons: OPI Jade Is The New Black, No Room For The Blues, A Roll In The Hague, Color So Hot It Berns, Pamplona Purple, Black Onyx, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Chalkboard: OPI It's My Year, Dulce De Leche, Quarter Of A Cent-Cherry, Suzi Loves Cowboys, Jade Is The New Black, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Argyle:  OPI Ski Teal We Drop, No Room For The Blues, Jade Is The New Black, Seche Vite Top Coat.

The Proposal!

No, I'm not getting married.  But I saw some adorable nails in a magazine, and had to do my version:

Fancy date, above.  It's hard to tell, but the little red spot on her belt and over his pocket are rhinestones.  I realized later that her necklace is about as large as her fist would be, but that's the kinda thing girls are supposed to be into, right?

And the shiny ring!  With a necklace as large as hers, the ring probably got laughed at, but I like happily-ever-after, so maybe it came with a kick-ass vacation/honeymoon.

On the Guy:  OPI Black Onyx, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.
On the Girl:  OPI Dulce De Leche, Black Onyx, Kyoto Pearl, Seche Vite Top Coat.
For the Ring:  OPI Cha Ching Cherry, Glitzerland, Seche Vite Top Coat.

Memory is funny. Once you hit a vein the problem is not how to remember but how to control the flow.

Fall is almost here!  I mean, it was 80 degrees today, but that's downright chilly compared to the almost-100 degree days we've been having.  And it was cloudy besides, and school started yesterday, so that's like fall...

I finally got a few of OPI's Germany Collection!

I used:  Lippmann Collection Rehydrating Base Coat and On A Clear Day Top Coat, OPI Deutsch You Want Me Baby (base color) and Deutsch You Want Me Baby + Don't Talk Bach To Me mixed equally as the leaf veins.

The Princess Pat Pedicure

New pedicure, using a bunch of rich colors that I love:

All the colors remind me of the "Rigabamboo" camp song I learned as a child.  Red and gold and purple too!

CND Rubberized Base Coat, Stickey Top Coat, OPI An Affair In Red Square, Black Onyx, Orly Pure White Tip, Tokidoki Stellina (gold glitter), Savana (purple glitter).

Nails Magazine Butterfly Cover Look

I saw this magazine cover while I was at work:

I thought, "Oh, those are cute!  Let's do that!"  So I did:

I used Lippmann Collection Dehydrating Base Coat, OPI DS Extravagance, Kyoto Pearl, CND Speedey Topcoat.  Butterfly drawn with white acrylic paint.

Starfish On A Beach

I skipped nail art on my last pedi, so this time I went a little brighter than normal.

I used CND Stickey Base Coat and Shiny Top Coat, Essie Coat Azure, OPI The "It" Color, FingerPaints Blank Canvas Cream.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

I never bothered to topcoat the stamping on my hands from my last post, so they were already starting to chip.  (Also, I work in a nail spa, so it's tough for me to make it last more than a day.)
But then I ran across Kayla's blog and contest, (congrats Kayla!) and I thought it was a perfect excuse to do some real art!  (Even though I work in a nail spa and will ruin them tomorrow.)

CND Sticky Base Coat, Urban Outfitters blue glitter (tips, polish is unnamed), OPI Gone Gonzo, Black Onyx, And This Little Piggy, I Want To Be A-Lone Star, Hawaiian Orchid, The "It" Color, No Room For The Blues, Claire's Flame, Orly Blue Collar.

Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there.

Oooh, I know it's been forever!  I have missed my nails!  Since my last post I've moved, changed work locations and doubled my work hours - so it's been busy!
But I was in the drug store, waiting for my daughter to see the doctor, and walked around to get sunscreen, a Mother's Day card, and some odds n ends, when I stumbled upon a nail stamping kit.  It was only $10, so I couldn't resist!

I think they turned out pretty cute!  It took me a few practice tries (on bare nails), and I found the the thicker the polish, the better it stamps.  I found an old Sally Hansen that should have been thrown out ages ago, and it worked great.  Now I have a reason to save my gooey bottles!


CND Base and Top Coat, OPI I Want To Be A-Lone Star (feet), Hawaiian Orchid (hands), Sally Hansen Precious Glow (all stamps).

I like to think of thoughts as living blossoms borne by the human tree.

Two nights ago I decided to go out at the last minute, and I realized I'd just removed my toenail polish!  I can't go out with bare toes (even if my shoes were close-toed), so I quickly whipped on OPI DS Temptation and went without a top coat.

Today, I added cherry blossoms with Honk If You Love OPI and Steady As She Rose.  Orly Rubberized Base Coat and 3-in-1 Top Coat.
(Like the texture on the background?  It's the dashboard of my Lover's car, cos this was another hurried set.)

If I be worthy, I live for my God to teach the heathen, even though they may despise me.

Here is my St. Patrick's Day mani.  I wasn't able to post it yesterday because I worked at the spa until 6, then went immediately out to do promotions for Jameson Whiskey until midnight...  It was a long day!

Several similar designs as I did on my client, with the green and glitter french.  I used CND Base and Top Coat, Orly Pretty Edgy, OPI Fresh Frog Of Bel Air, Black Onyx, Urban Outfitters unnamed gold, MK 24 Karat.  The rainbow was a variety of Essie and Orly polishes I used at work; I don't have the names and don't own them.  Topped with OPI Gel Color Top Coat to make them last through 13 hours of work.

St. Patrick's Day Mani - Client

I was at work today and got a request for a full set of festive nail art.  My spa is in an area where everyone seems to be a business professional or stay-at-home-mom, so art is not a common request, except the occasional kid wanting one or two nails...
So I didn't have my brushes or any art tools with me...  I did the entire thing with the polish brushes, my clean up brush, and toothpicks.

She wanted something different on every finger, and did have a pinterest page for reference.
Used a bunch of OPI and Essie colors, as well as some others that she brought in.

When you go in search of honey you must expect to be stung by bees.

It felt like spring today!
To be fair, this winter has been so mild, it's felt like spring a lot...

The green and yellow together reminds me for some reason of Ninja Turtles...

I used Yellow Stopper Base Coat, OPI No Room For The Blues, Don't Mess With OPI, The "It" Color, Black Onyx, Ulta Moody Blues, Essie Red Nouveau, Splash of Grenadine, Claire's Flame, Orly French White and 3-in-1 Top Coat.

We are the yin and the yang of the creative process.

A (relatively) quick and simple mani.  I tried to make the rainbow zebra last a few more days, but ended up ruining it at work.  :(  I purposely put more white than black because my nails were pretty stained from the rainbow, so I wanted to keep it light(ish) while they grow out a bit.

I used Orly Rubberized Base Coat, 3-in-1 Top Coat, Pointe Blanche, OPI Black Onyx, Save Me.
On my right ring finger you can see where the black smudged onto my topcoat brush and stained a bit...  Also, a lot of bubbles in these last few sets.  My top is getting old and low, so I have to dip several times to cover a nail, which appears to be the issue.  (Yes, I have another, but I feel wasteful if I throw it out too soon!)

Rainbow Zebra from Algae Veronica

I met my new favorite person, Algae Veronica, the other day when she got a pedicure from me at my spa.  Thrilled to meet another nail artist, we swapped URLs, and when I got home I immediately went to her blog...  and read all the way back to the first post.  She has some great video tutorials, and I adored the rainbow zebra one.  I had some spare time tonight, and decided to try it on myself!

I used Orly Rubberized Base Coat, 3-in-1 Top Coat (2 coats this time), LA Colors 565 (purple), Claire's Flames, OPI Black Onyx, Dating A Royal, Don't Mess With OPI, The "It" Color, OPI Red.

One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste.

Just a simple strawberry pedi this time...

I used Orly Rubberized Base Coat and 3-in-1 Top Coat, OPI An Affair In Red Square, Jade Is The New Black, Eiffel For This Color.

Genius and virtue are to be more often found clothed in gray than in peacock bright.

Ah, I've missed having my nails colored...  where have I been that I haven't posted in almost a month!?  I stayed up past my bedtime last night for this:

I smudged my right index finger repeatedly, and moisturized with a shimmery lotion before taking the photo.

I used CND Stickey Base Coat and Speedey Top Coat, Orly Royal Navy, Crayola Green Apple and Blueberry, Sally Hansen Nail Prisms and Manhattan (color names are unreadable; both are iridescent green), MK 24 Karat, OPI Warm & Fozzie, The "It" Color, Teal The Cows Come Home.

Love is a game that two can play and both win.

Valentine inspired mani!  My lover actually suggested I do my absolute favorite mani (the only one he's ever seen repeated!) with colors.  Of course he's out of the country, and it will be ruined before he gets back.

Orly Rubberized Base Coat and 3-in-1 Top Coat, Pure Ice Vineyard, OPI Divine Swine.

Happy Valentine's Day!