RIP, Dr. Spock

I did these nails as a tribute mani to Leonard Nimoy...aka, Dr. Spock from the Star Trek franchise, who passed away on Friday.

Started with a base of two coats Zoya Robyn (blue), OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls (white) and Maybelline Gemey Paris (one).  I top coated all but the dark nails with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.

Did galaxy nails (or my lame interpretation of same!) using assortment of polishes that were sponged on in the hopes of making a galaxy.

Added a layer of NYX Silver Glitter, which in hindsight is too dense for this type of scenery, but hindsight is 20-20 as the saying goes.

Using a chevron nail vinyl, made a collar for the uniform using Funky Fingers Dark Knight.  Added images using assortment of plates; Sugar Bubbles 014 (Spock image on ring), MJ XVIII (RIP on ring), MJ X (thumb), Pet'la LE Space (index, middle, and pinky) using black Konad special polish and Mundo de Unas 11.   

Pet'la LE Space

Top coated with KBShimmer Clearly on Top to finish.

It is very obvious to me that Star Trek fans need more images for stamping plates!!  There was very little to pick from; we at least need 'Star Trek' and an image of The Enterprise.  Some of the other characters would be great too...and better 'LLAP' wording.  

Thanks for looking!

Hold Onto Your Seat If You're A Purple Lover!

Purple lovers rejoice!  This one's for you!

I picked these polishes no no other reason that I hadn't worn purple for a while and thought they would go nicely together!  I started by choosing Emily de Molly Cosmic Forces, this is three coats.  Then picked a purple creme that I thought would go well with it; FingerPaints Picturesque Purple, two coats then top coated with KBShimmer Clearly on Top.  I would have liked more of the big circle glitters on my nails but only one came out in six coats total.  

Stamped using Mundo de Unas #1 (white) with an image from UberChic 1-03.  I had a hard time getting this image to stamp; I tried Funky Fingers Gesso and it would not stamp at all so I had to switch to Mundo de Unas.  Even with Mundo de Unas, the plate had to be wiped each and every time after stamping or the image would not pick up at all.  I'm surmising this is because the etching depth and image lines are fine.  I'm not sure if the plates are just finicky by nature or if I got poorly etched plates because I've used four images from these as I write this post and all are the same.  What is also odd is that everyone else is giving these plates such glowing reviews but no one is saying if they are wiping their plate after each image and if they will only work with certain polishes.  Yes, they do stamp but if you have to wipe after each and every stamp and they work with only certain polishes, they are more finicky that I like myself.  Has anyone else experienced this?  Maybe I just got poor plates or could be that I have higher expectations from a plate.  ??  (Edited Feb 22, 2015:  I tried numerous stampers, scrapers and polishes last night on this image; Magno, squishy from Messy Mansion, firm rectangular from Messy Mansion, FAB, MoYou squishy) and they are all the same; the etching is so fine/shallow that you can only get one stamp and you have to clean up or it will not pick up. Not one stamper would pick it up a second time and some wouldn't pick it up the fully the first).   

UberChic 1-03

While the stamping on itself was nice enough, I like a little more interest.  Added NYX Silver to the centers of the flowers.  I love the look of the glitter in the jelly polishes so purposely didn't want to do much stamping on them and opted to leave the ring finger with the base alone.

Hmm, again didn't mind the look of this, but thought the ring just looked too bare.  I made a wavy line using tape and wave scissors; I really wants several rows of waves and then the silver glitter on top but the tape wasn't the best for making these waves and I don't have waves nail vinyls at the time I did these (I do have some now thanks to the package I received for a Canuck Swap I was in!).  So just left the silver glitter at the tips for interest and to tie in that finger with the rest.  Then top coated to finish to KBShimmer Clearly on Top.  

Some of the silver glitter spread on the ring finger but I actually think it added to the look!  Sometimes oops works!

You can also see that this particular image is way too big for my nails.  So I stamped it in an assortment of ways to compensate for this; I myself really like the partial whimsy images on the pinky and index.  Thank goodness or otherwise a useless image for anyone with smaller nails!

I love the look of this; probably one of my favourite mani's in a while!  You can probably tell by the number of pictures I've posted of it

Have a great weekend and thanks for looking!

And if you have these UberChic plates, are yours finicky too?  Please let me know!

Ho Ho Ho!

When I was looking through my holiday plate images over the weekend, I came across a string of Ho Ho Ho's and thought they might be cute for a funky french; this is what I came up with!

Decided I wanted to go with a natural nail look; started with two coats of  L'Oreal Wishful Pinking.  While I topped with top coat, I can't recall if this pix is with it or without.

Using a new glitter application method discovered recently thanks to Simply Nailogical, which is putting the glitter on a latex free sponge and then applying it so the glitter gets absorbed into the sponge and glitter only goes on the nail versus the clear base, applied NYX Silver glitter at tips.  

Using same sponge method, applied Elevation Polish SBP: Flurries.  In hindsight, I should have went with less is more as this is a little chunkier than I would have liked.

Top coated with KBShimmer Clearly on Top. Really loving the look of this, with and without the added Elevation Polish glitter.  It would be a great base for so many mani's...or even just like this!

Stamped using BFF Natal using red Konad special polish.

BFF Natal

Top coated again.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get a great pix of the Ho Ho Ho part really well; it is one of those mani's that looks so much better in real life.  I tried a pix with flash but it still wasn't the best.

None the less, I liked how this turned out! 

Thanks for looking!

Digit-al Dozen Does Thankfulness; Day 1

Welcome back to Digit-al Dozen Challenge week!  This month, our theme is Thankfulness; each of the ladies are going to share what they are thankful for.  Today, I'm thankful for my family!  No, I don't have 10 children as I count on my nails (and two husbands by the look of it!), but rather this mani represents family in general including extended family such as parents, silbings, grandparents as well as other extended family (although I do have to admit I do have a couple relatives that I can live without and know I will never see again as long as I live...but that's another story).  But overall for the most part, I'm thankful for the family that I have.  Those who know me well will now that my childhood was far from perfect or idyllic but it was what it was and shaped me into the person I am today. I'm thankful for the life I had as a child including spending so much time with my grandparents and exposure to a large circle of aunts, uncles and cousins.  I'm thankful for the man I married (although that thankfulness will vary day to day, week to week, year to year...I'm sure anyone who is married can relate to this!) as well as the three children brought into this world who I am very proud of. They are far from perfect either, but I'm even thankful for that; they have taught me to be patient and to enjoy life in the moment and to appreciate life as it is and not to sweat the small stuff (although my husband still has to learn this!)  But overall, I have a blessed life; while there has been ups and downs my whole life, I still have to think that life could have been a whole lot worse and many, many more have had harder childhoods or adult lives so again, I'm thankful for the one I've lived.....or rather, am living!

Here's what I came up with for Day 1!

Started with a base of skittles; polishes used starting from thumb and going clockwise are Sally Hansen Insta-dri Fast Fuchsia, Maybelline Color Show Sweet Clementine, Wet nWild Mega Last On A Trip, Revlon Sassy and Sally Hansen Insta-dri Lightening; all two coats, no topcoat.

For some added base interest, added a layer of NYX Crystal, topped with KBShimmer Clearly on Top. 

Stamped using Marianne Nails n.01.

Marianne Nails n.01

Added images from MJ JR-24 and JR-30 using black Konad special polish.



MJ JR-30






Added KBShimmer Clearly on Top to finish.  Unfortunately, my stamping on the thumb wasn't the best and I had hand painted in some of the body on the far right; THEN it smeared when I top coated it.  Tried to touch it up a bit but not the best job.  (Ahem, am thankful for polish remover and clean up brushes!)



While this was OK, I thought the mani didn't translate that well for pix so decided to matte it using OPI matte.  I think this was a better choice to finish it as you could see the glitter interest a little better!



Can I also add that I'm thankful that there are plate makers out there that make incredible images like this?  I know these family related images are ones that I've wanted for a long time for Family Day mani's, etc.  So great that those who do nail art stamping have so many options to create fabulous theme nails!

Here's what the other ladies have to be thankful for on Day 1!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks for looking!

Mistletoe Tips!

Believe it or not, this mani has been sitting in archives for almost a year! These are the nails I was wearing on Boxing Day last year, just never got around to sharing on the blog.   I personally love these kind of funky french mani's but they don't always seem to be terribly popular when I blog about them.  None the less, I love how these turned out!

Started with a base of two coats of OPI Bride's Bouquet (no pix as I've shared many times before).  Added a light coat of NYX Silver Glitter at the tips.



Added Essence Nail Art Twins Julia over the silver glitter for more interest.



Stamped using Fauxnad E03 using Sally Hansen Jumpin' Jade.



Apparently fishing out glitter is nothing new to me, as last year I fished out glitter from Lush Lacquer Ho Ho Holidays for the berry accents.






Bottle shot of Lush Lacquer Ho Ho Holidays.



Topped with SV to finish.



Hope you are having a fantastic weekend....and although I know it's a busy time of year, please be sure to check back soon for some exciting giveaway news!

Thanks for looking!