A Couple Fails

I'm sure we all have them; nail fails....these are a couple of mani's that just didn't float my boat but thought I would share anyway. 

DS Shimmer should fix everything...and while it saved this mani somewhat, it still was a fail to me.  Started with a base of two coats of Quo by Orly Social Butterfly.  This is two coats; no topcoat.  I was disappointed from the get go with this polish; I was sooo hoping that the beautiful shimmer in the bottle would show up on my nails, but it never.  If you click on the pix, you can see the shimmer in the bottle and that was really what I was hoping to see on my nails, but nope.

Then it dried matte-like....and while I'm generally a fan of matte, I wasn't into this AT ALL.  Maybe because I was still missing the shimmer....

The failures continue....stamped using Konad special polish in royal purple using an image from DRK-A which would have been OK except my stamping *skill* (and I say that loosely!), alluded me and had a mis-stamp of some sort on most fingers.  Look quickly and then look away!

The thumb was particularly bad but my strategic camera pix placement hid most of it! I tried to save the mani with OPI DS Shimmer (which is the first pix), because, let's face it, DS Shimmer makes everything awesome.  It helped a little, but still, fail to me.

Another mani I had high hopes for, but was less than thrilled with the results.  Boring, mis-stamped...*sigh*

Started with a base of two coats of NYX Girls Muted Lavender; no top coat.

I've seen lots of mani's stamped successfully with Color Club Wild at Heart, so I thought I'd try it myself; but no holo shimmer in the stamping and stamping fail on several fingers again.  The plate used was Pueen 18. 

Finished with SV which is the first pix shown.  Let's say it all together now.....F A I  L.

Well, I guess they can't all be winners...and don't I know it.  The only good thing about fails, is that it's just polish...easily removed and there's a new canvass for the next mani...which hopefully isn't a fail!

Have a great weekend!

Edit:  I thought I'd share this too....for those of you who are like me and don't have access to Color Club nail polishes and were looking for the 2013 Halo Hues, Nail Polish Canada now has them in stock!  While I was able to get the 2012 collex at a local retail store, Designer Cosmetics, I've called them umpteen times since they've been released, so often I'm sure they were sick of hearing from me and they have never been in stock (not to mention that this would only help out those in the GTA anyway)....but they are now available at Nail Polish Canada!

 



Happy 2013!!

After a month of wearing mainly green, white, red and gold, I was feeling like something different for my next mani when I got around to doing my nails on New Year's Day.  So after sorting through my stash, decided on purple; this is what I came up with.....and what I've been wearing the for last three days!



Started with a base of two coats of Ulta Tutu Cute; this pix has no topcoat.



Added NYX Girls Silver Glitter, no topcoat.



Layered a little Maybelline Color Show Sequins Lavender Sparks, no topcoat, then waited about 15 minutes for the various layers to dry before stamping.





Stamped with Konad white special polish using Sugar Bubbles special 01.



Topped with SV.



I wish you a healthy and prosperous 2013...let's hope it's a fantastic year!!!

Thanks for looking!

Santa Claus the Night Before Christmas

It's the night before Christmas; Santa Claus is at the North Pole getting ready to deliver all the gifts all over the world!  Here he is before leaving for a busy night!

Started with a base of OPI Bride's Bouquet, two coats then sponged a gradient using NYX Girls Dark Gray and FingerPaints Black Expressionism.

Stamped using QA 19 (house), W220 (Santa), D01 (sleigh) and HD05 (reindeer); then hand painted in North Pole on pinky.

Added some snow using XL B.

Touched up the dots with a dotter.

Added SV.

For those who have followed my blog since last year, you may have already seen this, but for those who
have not, I thought I'd rerun Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Twas the night before Christmas,



when all through the house



Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,



In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.



The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.



And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,



Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow


Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.



With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!



On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!



To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.


And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,



And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.


The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.




He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.


And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,



"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

From my family to yours, have a Merry Christmas!

A Quick Christmas Mani

Back to doing a holiday mani....a quick one I came up with.



Started with a base of two coats of Color Blast by Orly Raging Vine.  This is two coats; no topcoat.



Added NYX Girls Emerald Forest for some glitter french tips....for some reason, I'm kinda into these funky french glitter type of mani's right now....



Neither one of these has top coat on top.



Stamped with Konad white stamping polish using SdP 83.



Added a few red dots for the holly berries. 



(Topped with SV, which is the first pix.)

Just before I took it off, I had a recently received bottle of Lush Lacquer Ho Ho Holidays sitting out and thought I'd layer a coat on just to see how it looked.




Have a great weekend! 

Thanks for looking!