Polished for Days Dance It Out

Some of the more creative polishes lately have been coming from Polish Pick Up (in my humble opinion, anyway).  I haven't been doing a lot of polish buying for a few reasons; one, I have a ginormous stash already and there's only so many polishes you can store/wear and know I will be downsizing in a few years.  In fact, the great destash has already started (and thank you to anyone who has bought from my blog sale!). I'm saving for two special occasions; one will be coming up this September (my 25th Anniversary) and the other in about 5 years, or sooner depending on several factors (hopefully Freedom 55!). Plus somewhere in there, I need to plan a 50th Bday surprise for the hubs; whatever that might be! Lastly, and perhaps the biggest reason, is that I haven't seen a whole lot of polishes that aren't close to something I already have and I don't need 189175657590 polishes in the same range/finish, etc. so am being a bit more selective of what I have been buying.  I'm not disciplined enough to go on a no buy so have bought here and there but it does seem that the majority of any money I've been spending on polish has been from the monthly Polish Pick Ups.  This is one I bought from November 2017, Polished for Days Dance It Out; here's what I came up with!

Started with a base of two coats of Polished for Days Dance It Out, no top coat.

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

Decided to stamp with Esmaltes da Kelly Edwiges so (hopefully) bring out the pink flakes seen in the base using an image from UberChic UC 6-01.  I picked this image so that the base still could be seen underneath the stamping.

While I didn't mind this, I was looking for a bit more bang, so shadow stamped using same image with FunkyFingers Dark Knight.  My double stamping still needs some work but overall, not too bad of a job!

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top to finish.

March's Polish Pick Up theme is books; the store is open for orders on March 2nd and I have a few added to my wish list already.  Like I said; no discipline!

Thanks for looking!

Great Lakes Lacquer Glass On Fire

Great Lakes Lacquer Glass on Fire is oh, so appropriately named--the polish is like glass and it glows a fire from within!  It is super stunning; a favourite polish to be sure!  I tried to use an image that you could still see the gorgeous base through yet have some interesting stamping; here's what I came up with!

Started with a base of two coats of Great Lakes Lacquer Glass on Fire, one of the offerings from January 2018 Polish Pick Up. 

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

Gradient stamped using Esmaltes da Kelly Maria, Painted Polish Stamped in Rose and FunkyFingers Gesso using an image from Sugar Bubbles SB 051.



Sugar Bubbles SB 051

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top to finish.

Thanks for looking!

Digit-al Dozen Does Mythic Creatures; Day 4

These whimsical fairies are for day 4 of the Digit-al Dozen mythical creatures challenge!

I haven't worn purple in a while so decided on a purple gradient; started with a base of two coats of Morgan Taylor P.S. I Love You, no top coat.

After waiting about 10 minutes for the base to dry and after applying liquid latex, did a sponged gradient using Morgan Taylor P.S. I Love You, Beyond 18 Jewel and Morgan Taylor Best Face Forward.  Note, Morgan Taylor Best Face Forward pleasantly surprised me with this awesome blue shimmer; I thought it was a deep purple creme!  It provided some nice interest in the gradient!

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

Stamped using images from Marianne Nails n.58 using FunkyFingers Gesso.

Added some extra fairy dust by finishing with Out the Door Northern Lights Silver.

Here's the other ladies Day 4 mani's!

An InLinkz Link-up

I'm not entirely sure if I'll have time to do a day 5 mani; I've had a super busy work week, plus have developed either the cold or the flu and energy levels aren't there; hopefully, I'll be back with a day 5 otherwise, I'm sorry I didn't finish.

Thanks for looking!

Digit-al Dozen Does Mythic Creatures; Day 3

I'm running late for Day 3's mythic creature challenge, but here it is!  Hopefully you can make out this mythic creature as the image was a big one as you can see!  It was tricky to stamp as well as necessitating some acrobatic finger poses but hopefully your eyes 'drag on' this mythical creature!  (How was that for a clue!) Here's what I came up with!

Started with a base of one coat of Barielle Irish Eyes, no top coat.

Added a very thin coat of CND Creative Play Express Ur Em-Oceans, no top coat.

Added KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

For the scales, stamped using image from Vivid Lacquer VL022 using CND Gold Chrome.

There's another image on VL022 that has the filled in scales, so I stamped on top using Hit The Bottle Electric Indigo and Hit The Bottle I Blue It All On Polish, trying for a multichrome dragon scale look.  The idea here was also to shadow stamp (even though this plate came out before shadow stamping so the images don't line up that well) but to also have a hint of the base polishes peeking through.  

 Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

 Stamped using another image on the same VL022 plate using Funky Fingers Dark Knight.

 

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

 Thought that if I matted it, the base and outline might show up a little better, so added a coat of OPi Matte.

Here's the other ladies Day 3 mani's!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for looking!

Digit-al Dozen Does Mythical Creatures; Day 2

Continuing with mythical creatures challenge for Digit-al Dozen week, today's mani has these cute little unicorns with bubble accents (which make no sense in how they relate to unicorns except I thought they were cute!).  Here's what I came up with!

Started with a stamper smooshy base of a bunch of brights:  KBShimmer Sarong Place Sarong Time, KBShimmer Leggo My Mango, KBShimmer In Yacht Water, Girly Bits It's Hoop To Be Square, Girly Bits Get Indie Flow and Nicole by OPI Hit The Lights.  In case you think it's a little subdued if you are familiar with all those polishes, it's because I did the first stamp on my right hand, then used the remnants of the stamp on the left for a more pastel look.

Wanted to add magical fairy dust to these unicorn nails, so added a coat of Sally Hansen Diamonds, then topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

Added images from B. Loves Plates B.00 Rainbows and Unicorns.

Stamped using Funky Fingers Dark Knight.

 Finished with a coat of KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

Here's the other ladies day 2 mani's!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for looking!

Digit-al Dozen Does Mythical Creatures; Day 1

It's Digit-al Dozen week and this month's challenge is Mythical Creatures.  When I sat down to do this mani, I knew the image I wanted to use and the plan was that this would be Lock Ness Monster-ish for mythical creatures.  When I actually looked at the image, it was cuter than the pictures I've seen of the Lock Ness Monster but I still wanted to use it so this is more Caribbean Sea Monster than Lock Ness Monster.  But maybe this guy has been seen off the shore of Jamaica or Bahama's, who knows!  Here's what I came up with!

Started with a base of two coats of OPI The I's Have It.

Did a sponged gradient using OPI The I's Have It, Morgan Taylor Don't Touch Me, I'm Radioactive and Morgan Taylor Deja Blue.

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

Made stamper decals using images from Apipila Super Place A.  Image outline is Painted Polish Stamped in Greenery, and filled in with MdU 11 and 13.

Added CND Creative Play Express Ur Em-oceans at the tips to mimic glistening water.

Stamped thumb using Infinity 75 (sun) and Infinity 52 using Funky Fingers Dark Knight.

Stamped on ring using same image from Infinity 52.

Topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top to finish.

Here's the other ladies Day 1 mani's!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for looking!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!  Whether you are spending time with the one that you love, or your Valentine is you, whatever you are doing, have a great day! 

I know the day can be just another day to a lot of people, but the holiday lover in me likes to do mani's for all the holidays so here is a final Valentine's Day mani!  Again, not very traditional but hopefully you like it! Here's what I came up with!

Started with a base of Different Dimension (Blue) Da Ba Dee, OPI The I's Have It and Rimmel Blue Eyed Girl.  Two coats except the Different Dimension which is three.

After wrapping the tips again on the glitter, added a coat of KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

I had made stamper decals using accent nail polishes with images from XY-J27 (middle) and MJ JR-1 (thumb); stamped them directly on the nail.  Stamped image from MoYou Festive Collection-20 on thumb. And yes, the image was small enough and placed that I did manage to stamp the "s" in Valentine's but it's not obvious due to hand placement but it's there!  

XY-J27

MoYou Festive Collection-20

Did gradient stamping using Moyra SP05 and Funky Fingers Gesso using image from XY-B07 (acrylic plate) for index and ring.

Finished with a coat of KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

Thanks for looking!