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 and Moustaches

I don't even remember what day I did these.  It's been so busy!

Both were client requests, and the manicure was actually done by another technician who doesn't do nail art.  She (client) had a picture on her phone that she asked me to replicate.  I changed the spider and bats, and we added the hat.
I used OPI Black Onyx, plus a little gray the client had for her toes, and CND Speedy Top Coat.

I have no idea when moustaches became so cool.  I see them on pinterest, on nails, drawn on skin.  Really, I just don't get it.  But whatever, I still charge for it!  The pedicure is with OPI Need Sunglasses? and then at the last second the client asked if I could do the 'staches.  I didn't have a reference for them, and obviously I haven't been paying enough attention to the trend, but she was very happy with them.  OPI Black Onyx and Top Coat.

Tigers

 Something exciting happened in the world of sports.  I haven't got any idea what it is, but it kept being posted on facebook, and I got requests for Tiger nails.

Top:  Essie Blanc, Mademoiselle, acrylic paint (blue and black), CND Speedy Topcoat.
Bottom:  Shellac Base Coat, Black Pool, Negligee, Top Coat, transfer foil, OPI A Roll In The Hague, Alpine Snow.

Halloween Art Take Two

I love Halloween, so I tried a bit of nail art early.  One of my favorite clients always gets a fullset of art, so I was trying to think of something to put on her next time (did spiderwebs  with spiders in black over orange last time).

I might do the purple with bats, partly because I don't know what else I would put with the eyes!

Eyes:  OPI Black Onyx, Did It On "Em, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.

Bat:  OPI It's My Year, Black Onyx, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.

Now I'm trying to decide on the best way to display them at the store; I'm getting quite a collection!

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.

Care For Some Vino?

Wine themed nails!  These were all in a magazine I was flipping through, so I thought I'd give them a try.

There actually is a glass around the wine in the second nail, but it's in white, and I couldn't get a visible shot of it on the nude background!


For the French:  OPI, So Many Clowns So Little Time, Kyoto Pearl, Honk If You Love OPI, (glitter and rhinestones) Seche Vite Top Coat.
For the bottle: OPI Heart Throb, Honk If You Love OPI, Got The Blues For Red, Jade Is The New Red, San Tan-Tonio, Black Onyx, Essie Blanc, Seche Vite Top Coat.
For the grapes:  OPI San Tan-Tonio, Jade Is The New Red, Honk If You Love OPI, Got The Blues For Red, Seche Vite Top Coat.
For the glass:  OPI Kyoto Pearl, Jade Is The New Red, Black Onyx, Got The Blues For Red, Honk If You Love OPI, 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.

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.

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).

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.

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!)

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.

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.

I'm inclined to think that a military background wouldn't hurt anyone.

My cousin was visiting last week, and when he saw my nail art, he suggested I do military nails.  (He's in the Airforce.)  I spent a lot more time than I anticipated on these, and saved the easy stuff for my right hand.

From index:  Coast Guard, Marines, Army, Air Force, Navy.  I had to simplify the designs a bit, especially the Navy.

On my right hand I tried several variations of camo - I think I like the middle finger version best.  It was done by painting the base tan, then making a "c" all over with each color, lightest to darkest.


I used Orly Rubberized Base Coat and 3-in-1 Top Coat, Dazzle, Pointe Blanche, OPI Black Onyx, Get In The Expresso Lane, Don't Mess With OPI, Dating A Royal, The "It" Color, Finger Paints Scenery Greenery, Sally Hansen Cherry Red, Pure Ice Jaguar, and an unnamed gold glittery polish from Urban Outfitters.



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At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year.

My sister informed me tonight that I need to get someone else to take the pictures....  As if I didn't know! The ones my five year old daughter took are better than mine.  :-/  Next to my baby toe we have holly or mistletoe, then a gift/bow, a white tree, a snowman, and candy canes.  The rest were mixing and testing new colors.


I used Lippman Collection Hydrating Base Coat and On A Clear Day Topcoat, Fingerpaints Scenery Greenery, Sally Hansen Cherry Red, OPI Black Onyx, China Glaze Velvet Bow and Ring in The Red, Orly French Tip, Venique Twinkling Glitter.

If someone offers you a breath mint, accept it.

I finally broke down and painted my hands again.  I'm still working at the spa, and I think I've decided to go to school this winter instead of trying to get a professional job.

I used Lippmann Collection Hydrating Base Coat and On A Clear Day Top Coat, Orly French Tip, China Glaze Ring In The Red.

When I see a dolphin, I know it's just as smart as I am.

With the combination of Big Bang Theory, Two And A Half Men, Lover over my shoulder, and assorted other distractions, I have absolutely no commentary to accompany the following photo.  Enjoy!

I used Lippmann Collection Hydrating Base Coat and On A Clear Day Top Coat, A Perfect 10 Missy, Orly French Tip and Royal Navy, Avon Lagoon, OPI Teal The Cows Come Home and Black Onyx.

No crime is so great as daring to excel.

I meant to do this in September, when the new season of Dexter aired, but I got busy and distracted.

Not that Dexter would ever leave a bloody fingerprint, but everything blood-related makes me think of him.

Lippmann Collection Rehydrating Base Coat and On A Clear Day Top Coat, Essie Blanc, OPI From A To Z-Urich.