Showing posts with label Summer Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer Challenge. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Hothouse Flowers

I haven't done a mani for the summer challenge in a while.  But as it is almost over, I thought I should do one!    Today's theme was hothouse flowers.  I assume hothouse is another word for greenhouse.  I know, stupid American :-P  When I saw this topic, I pictured brightly colored flowers.  So I chose some bright colors and free handed some petals.  These will most likely be the only flowers I can keep alive...well until I take them off.  But I like these so much, I may keep them on for more than a day or two!  I started with two colored bases.  Then on two of the coral nails I did a gradient with the purple.  I then free handed the yellow petals on each nail.  I added some dots for a contrasting and complete look.

Coral-Sinful Colors Hazard
Purple-Wet N Wild On a Trip
Flower-It's So Easy Yellow Striper



I really am quite proud of the work I did.  I only wish I could free hand with my left hand better.  Practice makes perfect!

Thanks for stopping by! What are your favorite flowers?

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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Day 1-Red Splatter


If you don't know this already, I am an awesome multi-tasker.  I have had many years of experience at it....9 years of teaching, 4 years of momming.  Now apparently, a few months of nailing and I can make one mani work for two challenges.  I know you're impressed, who wouldn't be? My talents are endless :-P  For today's challenge I was able to make my first day of the 31 day challenge and the Summer Challenge work together.  The summer challenge was summer splatter.  I have never done splatter.  I still don't think I have.  The first day of the 31 day challenge was red.  I love red. Red reminds me of passion...especially a dark red. It makes me feel all sensual and 'go out and watch Magic Mike' frisky.   I have very few red polishes though.  I think red is one of those colors that doesn't have as many shades to it as the other colors.  I wonder why that is?  Well, my mani tonight is hardly frisky or sensual, it just is what it is.  I didn't have the patience (or willingness to clean up all that mess) to do a real splatter.  So instead I used a toothpick to drag blobs of polish on my nails to make it look splattery.  That's totally a word.


Base-Wet n Wild Burgundy Frost
Splatters-Sally Hansen HD Lite & Wet N Wild Red Red


Thanks for looking! I appreciate your comments.  But before you leave, check out some of the other marvelous girls who are also participating in the 31 day challenge.


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Go for the Gold

I have Olympic medals planned for next week on my 52 week challenge, but the Summer Challenge was having the same challenge today so I decided to do it early.  Or, I may do it again next week. Who knows.  Anyway, I recently bought this gorgeous Ultra Pro called Gladiator and just had to use it for today's challenge. Yes, I know Gladiators are from Rome and the Olympics originated in Greece.  Still, they both competed in an arena.  Potato, Potato. :-P
Once again, I went into this with one plan and ended with something completely different.  I actually wanted to show silver, gold, and bronze but just couldn't make it work.  So instead I chose to go with the design of this years medal, which looks like this....


I love the off patterned lines and thought this was a great idea to put on my nails.  How do I put gold on gold was the tricky part.  Thankfully I have an It's So Easy Gold striper that is only a few shades off of my base color and it worked great!  Just different enough to stand out but not so different that you can't tell it is gold! 





I feel a bit guilty as I have not watched any of the Olympics this year.  I love the Olympics, I just haven't had time.  I am more of a fan of the Winter Olympics but still I love watching them...especially the swimming.  I did watch a snippet on the Today show about Race Walking.  Who knew this was a sport?  It looks a lot like a deranged form of mall walking.  I am sure it is exhilirating and hard. But it looks weird.  

Well, thanks for stopping by and checking me out.  I appreciate all of your comments!  


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Saturday, July 14, 2012

My Babies Birthstones

This week's Sunday Summer Challenge is Precious Gems.  I thought, ooooo girly stuff!  I wanted to do something with the gem amber but couldn't quite figure it out.  There are a lot of gorgeous gems out there, I even learned a little about gems through a Colored Gem Tutorial that was suggested to us by Emily Esqueleta Blasphemy who happens to be a gemologist. Check out her blog here :-) After a lot of thought I decided to go the birthstones route.  I don't talk a lot about my children on here because doing nail art is something that is for me, and it's good to have interests outside of your children.  But there is no doubt that my children are great inspirations to me.  My daughter is 4 and was born in April and my son is 10 1/2 months and was born in August.  Both have beautiful birthsto
nes.  April is Diamond and August is Peridot, a beautiful greenish yellow gem.  How lucky that those colors look so good together! I used a lot of polishes for this mani and I am still not sure how much I like it.  It has a lot of texture which I am not a big fan of.  But I think it looks pretty.  What do you think? 

as a base coat I used Sally Hansen Brilliant Blush and on the ring finger Sally Hansen Ivy League
For the tips I used Sally Hansen Silver Sweep and Spoiled Show Me the Money and striped with the Ivy League
I then globbed on glitter flakes from Studio M called Covered in Diamonds (how appropo)
I stamped with BM-315 using the Silver Shimmer and BM-317 using Milani Black Swift
I then added a small rhinestone





I love the little bows and I love my children :-)

If you want to know your birthstones....or someone you love, here is  a chart


 Thanks for looking!
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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

She Sells Sea Shells Down by the Sea Shore

Tonights mani kills two birds with one stone.  That's an awful saying right? Who the hell was out killing birds with stones? Was it with a slingshot? It's a disturbing image.   Oh well, the point is I was able to do one manicure that covered both my Summer Challenge and my It's So Easy Nail Contest.  Friday's challenge is sea shells and the Nail Contest is Summer designs.  So voila! Two birds. One stone. This one took me an extra long time to do and it doesnt use any stamps just free hand baby.  Being that I am a beginner, I am proud of the work I did.  It's not professional or anything fancy like that, but I like it.  And it probably won't win me any awards, but it's purty :) What do you think?








As always your comments are appreciated! Thanks for looking
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Friday, June 29, 2012

Campfire Dreams


Today's Summer Challenge was Under the Stars. I call it Campfire Dreams because it reminds me of camping when I was a kid.  My parents would take us to this place called Letchworth State Park in upstate NY and I always remember how bright the stars were because we were so far away from the city. Although I was in love with this moon on the stamp, I don't love the execution.  I wouldn't call this a complete fail, but I don't love it. I do love the color (I am realizing that that is my favorite part of this). I had just bought this beautiful blue from Milani and it was perfect for imitating the night sky.  
Base coat is Milani Sail Away
I used a silver Kiss nail striper for the lines
Star Stamp is m34 and the moon is BM 316 using Spoiled Correction Tape

I like the right hand best :)

I originally had planned to do galaxy nails, but I had already done that.  I do love these nails though so I thought I would share

Hope you enjoy, and as always, check out the other ladies who participate in the challenge


List of girls taking part in Summer Challenge - maybe not every day, but definitely participating

Debbie @ The Crumpet - http://thecrumpet.blogspot.co.uk/
Alyssa at Fancy Phalanges - http://fancyphalanges.blogspot.com/
Lucie @ Lucy's Stash www.lucysstash.com
Vic @ Glowstars http://glowstars.net
Rychelle @ Colorsplash Nails- http://colorsplashnails.blogspot.com/
Missy the Manicured Maniac @ http://melissahenderson95.blogspot.com/
Nayade @ Toxic Vanity http://www.toxicvanity.com
Noniq @ Noniq Diary http://noniq.blogspot.com







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Saturday, June 23, 2012

Picnic Nails

Todays summer challenge is picnic nails. I originally wanted to just do red checkered picnic blankets with ants, but it seemed so cliche. So then I decided to add the hot dogs. Not my best by far but I think they are cutesy. I truly like the hot dogs :)  I learned another lesson today with the stamping though....using a cheap stamp and cheap nail polish is not a good idea.  As I say, stamp and learn. Since I'm not crazy about these I don't have a lot to say.  So here it is...
my ants look a little freaky


I hope you like mustard and relish on your dogs :-)



If you are interested in seeing some other gorgeous manicures check out some of the blogs of the other ladies who are participating in the summer challenge.  There is so much talent out there!


List of girls taking part in Summer Challenge - maybe not every day, but definitely participating

Debbie @ The Crumpet - http://thecrumpet.blogspot.co.uk/
Alyssa at Fancy Phalanges - http://fancyphalanges.blogspot.com/
Lucie @ Lucy's Stash www.lucysstash.com
Vic @ Glowstars http://glowstars.net
Rychelle @ Colorsplash Nails- http://colorsplashnails.blogspot.com/
Missy the Manicured Maniac @ http://melissahenderson95.blogspot.com/
Nayade @ Toxic Vanity http://www.toxicvanity.com




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