Vampy Crow

This is a post I've had in drafts for a while; I had picked up the Barielle VintageWines collex from Winners in the fall.  One of the colours that caught my eye was Remember Me, even though typically I'm not into these dark, vampy colours.  This is what I came up with!

Started with a base of three coats of Barielle Remember Me.  Two coats probably would have been good IRL or if I wasn't taking pix to share.

Added a coat of CrowsToes Morticia.  Topped with SV.

As there were several layers of polishes, base coats and topcoats here (7 at least), I waited about half an hour before stamping to make sure it was good and dry. 

Stamped using Big SdP R using Barry M gold foil.

Topped with SV.

This was one of those mani's that was way more cooler IRL than the pix depicts; I just wasn't able to capture it that well! 

Thanks for looking!

China Glaze Velvet Bow from 2011 Let It Snow Collection

I have a swap pal in the Netherlands...we're in the middle of getting polishes together for our 4th swap. She messaged me a week or so ago saying she's been looking for a classy looking brown/red polish...not to lean too red or too brown. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of these colours is my stash as I'm just not a fan of these dark, vampy colours on me....I made a couple suggestions like Essie Mack and Essie Masquerade Belle. Then I remembered I just picked up the China Glaze Let it Snow Collex and thought one of the polishes from it, Velvet Bow, may fit what she's looking for so I swatched it for her.



While this is appropriate for the fall weather we've been having, this isn't a colour I wear on a regular basis, especially on its own, so I started looking through my stash to see what I could layer it with....then I remembered picking up the CND 2011 Fall/Winter set that included 24K Sparkle and thought it may funky up Velvet Bow at bit. This is one coat.



It still looked kinda dark so I decided to stamp over top of it...and this is more my style of what I would wear if I had to wear a dark vampy colour!



Used CND Gold Chrome polish for stamping using fauxnad IP's SdP B10 (trailing rose and french tip roses) and SdP D19 (single rose on pinky and index). I funkied it up (is funkied a word? lol!) by placing the rose image upside down and right side up....I think if I was to redo this, I would place all images right side up like the thumb but don't mind how this looks at all. I shortened my nails recently and filed them more square than I usually do as I'm wanting to try some more funky french mani's so did a french tip with a band of roses on IP SdP B10 to practise my french tipped placement.



I so adore the old English roses feel of the cascading of the leaves on the image on the thumb. This pix you also get a better look at how the CND 24K Sparkle looks as it doesn't seem terribly noticeable in some of these pix. I wonder what it looks like on lighter colours? (Plots another mani!)



Do you think China Glaze Velvet Bow fits the description of a classy brown/red, not leaning too red or brown? If not, do you have another suggestion for my swap pal? Nothing too htf as I have to go searching for it!



Thanks in advance for your thoughts and thanks too for looking!

PS: I haven't forgotten that my Birthday Giveaway has ended....I've been busy verifying the number of eligible votes and everything else that goes along with hosting a give way and will announce the results soon!

This is Out of My Comfort Zone!

Borghese was on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart (well, a sale is $9.99 versus $13.99 regular price; even the sale price is still on the expensive side)...this is Palermo Plum C.


A little dark/vampy for me...at least my interpretation of dark/vampy..lol!




And of course had to stamp it! Used IP XL B, with China Glaze Emotion.

I've decided to do some experiementing with different topcoats/variations of how to use SV in my efforts to find something that will stop the dreaded SV shrinkage so I tried a non QD topcoat on top of my stamped image on my thumb before SV but it streaked the stamp as you may be able to see above.


I'd rather have a little shrinkage than a streaky stamped image...so I'm going to start experimenting until I find something that works for stamping and doesn't shrink...and provide the great shine and quick dry of SV!!!

Thx for looking!