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...

My Heart Skips A Beat

Heartbeats...  I was at work and didn't have access to the internet when I did this, so I didn't know what a real EKG looked like - I see that my person is dying/ dead.  If I do it again I'll make them have a normal heartbeat!

I used Shellac Base, Purple Purple, Silver VIP Status, Cream Puff, Gotcha, Top Coat.

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.

Brights!

Bright colorful nail art!

A girl I work with asked for tie-dye and that's what I came up with; I wanted to try some bright lightening style nails, and I wanted to make a puzzle - unfortunately, the red in the center blends with the orange on the right in all my photos.

Tie-Dye:  OPI Fly, Need Sunglasses?, Don't Know, Beets Me, Did It On 'Em, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Lightening: OPI Fly (blue), Don't Know, Beets Me (pink), Need Sunglasses? (yellow), Black Onyx, Orly Dazzle, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Puzzle: OPI Unfor-Greta-Bly Blue, Danke-Shiny Red, Suzi & The 7 Dusseldorfs, Deutsch You Want Me Baby?, Seche Vite Top Coat.

More Girly Art!

Had some free time, so I tried some more girly nails for the bride tomorrow - more conservative.  I started with a French, because in my experience even the wildest brides tend to get French or natural for the wedding.

The bright one is supposed to be a butterfly wing; I saw it on Pinterest but it didn't turn out quite as nice as I remember.

Butterfly:  OPI It's A Girl, Hawaiian Orchid, Black Onyx, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Wing:  OPI Pompei Purple, Black Onyx, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Poppy French:  Essie Blanc, Mademoiselle  OPI Color So Hot It Berns, Half A Cent-Cherry, Black Onyx, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Purple Flower French: Essie Blanc, Mademoiselle, OPI Honk If You Love OPI, Suzi & The 7 Dusseldorfs, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Music French:  Essie Blanc, Mademoiselle, OPI Black Onyx, Seche Vite Top Coat.

Girly Nails

First up:  a client wanted "lace" over her French manicure to match her homecoming gown.

I used OPI Black Onyx; the remainder of the service was done by another technician so I'm not sure what else was used.


I had some free time later, and was trying to think of conservative art for a bride I'm doing this weekend...  Not sure if she'll like them!

Clearly, I need to start photographing in natural light - it looks so much better that way!

Flowers:  OPI Princesses Rule, A Grape Fit, Suzi and The 7 Dusseldorfs, Seche Vite Top Coat.
Pink & Black:  OPI Pink Friday, Glitzerland (on right), Black Onyx, Lucerne-Tainly Look Marvelous (on left), Seche Vite Top Coat.

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.

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.

Graffiti is not about clean lines, pretty colors and beautiful blends. Graffiti is my life's turbulence exploded on a wall.

Graffiti nail!  I stayed after work today to practice doing acrylic, and my model agreed to let me polish her nails however I wanted with the polishes she chose.

They are her polishes, two from China Glaze and three from... a brand I fail to recall, but the bottles were extremely similar to China Glaze.

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).

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.

Simple flower pedi.

CND Base and Top Coat, Essie Red Nouveau and Splash of Grenadine.

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!

And she was fair as the rose in May...

I was looking for Valentine nail styles.  This was all (almost real nail art!) my sister could sit still through.  ;)

Orly Rubberized Base Coat, Pointe Blanche, Purple Crush, and 3-in-1 Top Coat.

DS Temptation and DS Bold

I know, it's not really nail art.  I bought Temptation on a whim (I mean, more of a whim than the rest of the colors I buy) because I just adored it in the bottle.  I was so glittery and gorgeous!  I went back and saw Bold advertised together, so picked that up too.  I finally wore them yesterday.

Sadly, this started chipping today, and I proceeded to help it along until it was completely gone.  I bet it's a great toe color though!

Orly Rubberized Base Coat and 3-in-1 Top Coat, OPI DS Bold and DS Temptation.

Another French

Sister wanted a colored French too...

I used Orly Rubberized Base and 3-in-1 Top Coat, OPI Meet Me On The Star Ferry, Hawaiian Orchid, Peru-B-Ruby.

Rainbow French

My other sister stopped by and talked me into a manicure - she loved my very favorite French, and decided she wanted a French with five colors.  (I don't ask questions with her, just go with it.)

I used Orly Rubberized Base Coat and 3-in-1 Top Coat, OPI Yodel Me On My Cell, Animal-istic, OPI Ink, Finger Paints Meet Me At The Met, China Glaze Icicle.

Flower Toes

I needed to do my toes...  I almost did just a plain color, then decided to put some flowers on.

I used CND Base and Top, OPI Pink Before You Leap, Road House Blues, Orly Pointe Blanche.

Meep-Meep-Meep and Gone Gonzo

Another sister manicure, with more glittery brights!

Orly Base and Top, OPI Meep-Meep-Meep and Gone Gonzo (accent nail).