Sharing My ROAK

My fellow Canadian nail pal, nailXchange, spent a few months in various countries in Europe.  Her and I met up a few days before she left Canada last year for a swap that we had in progress (maybe even the night before? I can't remember now - it was half a year ago!).  Anyway, when we parted ways, she mentioned that she'd send me polishes that she thought I might like.  I told her no, she didn't have to, but she insisted.   

If you follow her blog, you'll know she has found some absolutely amazing polish finds in her travels.  (If you're not following, I'd suggest you check it out as she does beautiful stamping.)  I was thrilled that not once, but TWICE, she sent me packages while she was away.  The polishes have been sitting at my nail station, patiently waiting while I figured how out to use them  (it took so long cause I'm not really that great in visualizing how the layering of polishes will turn outand what goes well over that...I'm just not that creative as you can tell from the layering combinations I do, if that makes sense! Most of the time, I need to do test swatches just to make sure the end result is somewhat decent! lol). 

So not too long ago, I decided to use one of the new Mash plates for a mani; this is what I came up with.

Started with a base of two coats of Essie Raspberry.  This pix has no topcoat.

Layered gradient with Glamour glitter nail polish.  I'm sure it has a name but nothing I could really pick out specifically to be a name as I don't read Polish.  I called it Glamour Raspberry Glitter in my notes, lol!

Bottle pix of 'Glamour Raspberry Glitter'.

Closer to the tips for a futher gradient look, added Midie 08, which is a holographic glitter in various sizes in a clear base.  Topped with SV.

Stamped using white Konad special polish using Mash-46.

I wasn't terribly thrilled with the bare spot left on the middle finger where I didn't line the image up too well, so I isolated one of the flowers from the plate and stamped it at the base to cover.

Topped with SV.  As usual, its still not too creative in the polish layering but the two polishes accented Essie Raspberry well....at least, I thought so!

Here's bottle shots of the first package I received.

Bottle shots of the second.

Close up of three of them.  The middle one, I'm dying to use but haven't quite figured out what base to use and haven't had time to do any sample swatching.  It and the far left bottle just seem so unique and unlike anything I have in my stash. 

Thanks again nailXchange for your amazing packages!  :)  You really shouldn't have, but I love them all and appreciate your thoughtfulness!  I hope to use the other polishes soon...if only I can come up with something creative enough to do them justice!

Thanks for looking!

PS:  I just remembered nailXchange is having a giveaway; if you are interested in checking it out, please go here!