Egyptian Eye of Horus

Hello my ladies! I am so sorry I have been away for almost a week!  I had the greatest manicure using Glitter Goblin and I was never able to get around to photographing it, let alone blog.  I have recently discovered that my daughter has ADHD and have been doing everything I can to help her and to keep her out of trouble.  Being a former teacher the signs were pretty obvious but after doing a lot of research the bells really started to go off. It has been exhausting, but it is working :-)  We have less fights and she just seems happier.  I am so glad I figured it out before she heads off to school next year.  I know its never going to be easy but its better and it feels good to know! If you have children and ever need advice in this area feel free to ask.  I have taught many children over 9 years with a plethora of learning disabilities and disorders. I am a great listener and counselor.  I'm not just nails you know :-P

Anyway, onto the nails.  I really had no idea what I was going to do for E.  I even posted in the Llama Nails group hoping to get some suggestions and I did.  Some great ideas came my way, but none of them felt right.  I finally decided that I was going to do eyes, but was stumped on how to do them (cause I felt like doing something pretty instead of cheeky or fun) Then all of a sudden a light bulb went off and I thought of the Eye of Horus.  The history behind the eye of Horus, as with most Egyptian history, is simply too complicated to explain here so instead if you want to know more click on the Eye of Horus link. Then I realized, oh snap, Egypt starts with E also! I love everything Egyptian.  I am pretty sure I was an Ancient Egyptian in a former life. I love the crazy mixed up insestuous lineage of the Pharoahs, the beauty and colors of their fashion, architecture, and art.  I even love the mystery of the tombs and the aestetics of the heiroglyphic written language.  I have been wanting to do Egyptian nails for a while now and its funny how I completely forgot that when it came time for week E.  

For this manicure I started with a black base on all nails but the accent nail.  I did my accent nail in gold and free hand painted the Eye of Horus (which looks good on my left hand, but the right leaves something to be desired) I then painted the tips of each of the other nails gold and free hand painted a intricate Egyptian inspired pattern into it with a teal color.  I can totally see Cleopatra or Nefrititi wearing these nails.  They are definitely fit for a Queen.  

Base-Milani Black Swift
Accent Base-Loreal Amazon's Flash over Milani Gold Dust
Eye-It's so Easy black striper using a very small brush
Tips-Amazon Flash & Its' So Easy teal striper using small brush

I was super nervous about doing the tiny intricate design on my tips, but I think they turned out pretty awesome. I was unable to duplicate that design on the right hand...seriously how do girls do it! But it still matches.  So pretty cool. don't ya think?  

Thanks for stopping by!  Don't forget to check out the other awesome E mani's.  There is even another Egyptian mani by Jackie at MeMa's Manis :-)

Pet Semetary

This post has two agendas.  #1 promote another of my Halloween Llama Lacquers.  #2 Do a manicure for the Crumpet's Nail Tarts Halloween Challenge.  I seriously can't remember the last manicure I did for this group.  BTW....this is the group that did the Summer Challenge, previously named Purple Crumpet Fairy Challenge.  It's kinda like Prince, the artist formerly known as Prince.

Anywho.   Today's challenge was black cats. I was tempted to use my one cat stamp, but as I just used it I simply couldn't do it.  Instead I decided to make a zombie cat.  I'm a little obsessed with zombies at the moment if you didn't know.  Been watching season 2 of The Walking Dead on netflix and watching the Resident Evil movies.  I have also been planning a zombie party that is going to be epic.  So I've got zombies on the brains. BRAAAAAAIIIIINNNNNSSSSSS.  Again, I digress.  One of my Llama Lacquers polishes is called Pet Semetary (yes, I know how to spell. In the book, that is what the sign at the cemetery read) It is a silvery based polish with grey, green, and brown glitters.  All the colors a rotting animal corpse would contain.  Nice visual I know.  I put this over a metallic green on all nails but the ring finger.  This I put over a matte grey.  I then hand painted a lovely little black zombie cat.  He looks a little like a rabbit I'm afraid.  I tried to make his one ear look like it had been chewed but instead it looks more like a drooping rabbit ear.  Ah well, what can you do.  It's a cat.

Bases-Sinful Colors Moss Have & NYC Sidewalkers on the accent nail
Glitter-Llama Lacquers Pet Semetary

Here is just the Pet Semetary on my right hand

I really dig (hehe) this polish and it is just perfect for a fall halloween manicure.  I hope you like it too! Make sure to check out my other polishes at Llama Lacquers on etsy.  

Also, here is what the rest of the Halloween Challenge looks like.  I am going to try to do as many as I can. It's getting harder and harder these days to do a bunch of manicures, but I will try.

As always, thanks a bunch for stopping by. Check out the other beautiful black cats that some lovely ladies did.  

'B'ows and zom'B'ies

Bows and Zombies.  Those two things absolutely go together, right?  I made the decision that they do after trying to come up with something unique for week two of the ABC's of nails for my Llama Lacquers group.  I have had zombies on the brain for a few days as I am planning a zombie party for Halloween.  I could think of nothing but zombie zombie zombie. Zombie does not start with B.  Someone suggested doing Braaaaaaaiiiinnns and I love that idea, but I couldn't figure out how.  So I decided I wanted to do bows. Yes, not anywhere in the realm of zombiedom, but I made it work.  I figure some girl zombies have bows in their hair.  I mean, they don't choose when they turn into zombies.  It could be on prom night, or out on a date, or even their wedding for crying out loud.  So my nails are a tribute to those poor zombie girls who got all dressed up and never made it to their fancy ball.  Forced to roam in search of brains and human flesh, still adorned with their beautiful bows on their heads :-P

I started with a french manicure using a zombie flesh colored polish by Essie and then topped it with my very own indie polish Rick Grimes, Zombie Killer.  I also used this on the accent nail.  The zombie skin effect is awesome!  I just love how it looks all rotting but sparkly at the same time! I then freehanded some bows on the tips of each nail.  I added some sparkly red to look like blood dripping from the bow. Poor zombie girl.  

Base & Tips-Essie High Spirits topped with Llama Lacquers Rick Grimes, Zombie Killer
Bow-It's So Easy Striper Black
Blood- LA Colors striper red glitter

I left the right hand unzombified so you could see the awesomeness that is my new polish.  If you haven't already done so, please go check out my polishes on etsy.  Llama Lacquers

I hope you liked me zombie BOW nails.  I sure had fun making them.  There are so many more Halloween themed mani's coming in the next month, I just can't wait.  Do you love Hallween as much as I do?  

Thanks for stopping by and I appreciate all your comments.  Make sure to check out the other 'B'eautiful manicures by the other ladies. 

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?

Day 30 & 31-Final Days

So this is it!  I completed the 31 day challenge in 31 days straight! I am quite proud of myself...if that's ok :-) The first time I did the challenge it took me about two months.  I may have fallen a little behind this past week, but I did it! WOOHOO! You can cheer for me if you want, I don't mind.

For day 30 it was Inspired by a Tutorial.  Let me tell you there are some great tutorials out there!  I watched about a million on youtube and just couldn't decide. So much talent out there! In the end, I chose to go with my favorite video tutorial girl Raquel at Love4Nails. She has so many unique, creative, and artistic designs that I think are amazing.  I hope to be as good as her someday.  I chose to recreate one of her flower designs again.  I went with different colors, but the idea is still the same.  They started out ok, but I had a hard time getting the flowers right.  I think I need to remember that my nails aren't nearly as long as hers and I must accommodate for my short nails next time.

Base-Sally Hansen Brilliant Blush
Diagonal French-Essie Mojito Madness
Flowers-LA Colors Art Deco Pink striper & Spoiled Correction Tape
Leaves-NYC Big Money Frost

I wonder if I had stuck with her colors they would have looked nicer.  Also, she uses acrylic paints instead of polish.  I have so much polish it seems silly to buy something else to paint with :-P If you want to see her tutorial, check it out here.

Day 31 was to recreate your favorite mani from the challenge.  Someone in the group suggested that we recreate someone else's mani that we liked.  I thought this was such a sweet and kind suggestion! Problem is....which to choose! Such wonderful work was done and it was so hard to pick! After looking over the pictures so many times I kept being drawn to one in particular.  It was a simple but pretty manicure done by Carina Martins at Polish it All.  On Day 5 she did a blue manicure that I fell in love with.  It was a beautiful teal blue base and on one accent nail she made scalloped clouds in one corner.  She did such a nice job! Here is her original one

Go to her post to see more pictures!

I did an ok job recreating this mani.  I couldn't quite get the scallops right, but in the end I thought they looked quite pretty.  I did add a little something because I love using my D & R Apothecary polishes. So I added one called Cloudy Skies over the non-accent nails.  Pretty appropo don't you think!

Base-Spoiled Toadally Amazing
Scallops-Funky Fingers Mrs. Mint & Sinful Colors Rise and Shine
Glitter-D & R Apothecary Cloudy Skies

Well, I can't believe it is over!   I think either the Bollywood or the Violet Day were my favorites.  What would you say was yours? 

I will be starting a few new things over the next weeks or so.  I've got the Princess Bride, a Time Warp contest,  the ABC's, and a possible giveaway!  Make sure to come back tomorrow and you may just find out what some of those things may be!!  

Thank you so much for all of your support and wonderful comments throughout this challenge.  You are more than appreciated! This whole adventure wouldn't be nearly as much fun without my beautiful followers!

Ok, now go check out some other awesome manis!

Day 23-JAWS!!!!!

I am going to be honest up front. I have never seen Jaws all the way through. Crazy, I know.  I have seen parts here and there, but to be quite frank....I'm scared.  Giant man eating shark. Enough said.  But I wanted to so something fun and a little bit dark so I chose to be inspired by this movie anyway.  I also have fallen waaaay behind on my 52 week challenge (I figure I have done a manicure every single day, the nail gods will forgive me) and yesterdays theme for that was Under the Sea.  Voila, I combined the two and you get Jaws nails.  I really am loving these 'inspired by' themes as I get to do fun free hand nail art.  It is really helping me get better and learn techniques to a steady hand.  I still suck at free hand on my right hand, but I'll get there.

For these nails, I used NYC Cashmere Creme for my ocean/sky base.  I then used Orly Grave Mistake to draw in the letters and the dripping blood. This is a PERFECT color for blood.  I can't wait to use it for all of my halloween manis in October!  The thumb is Wet n Wild Caribbean Frost.  Jaws himself is NYC Sidewalk and I used It's So Easy black and white stripers to do the details.  For my swimmer, I first used the white striper and then went over it in Sally Hansen Sorbet to give them a more natural skin color. On my right hand I got lazy and decided to stamp a shark on my thumb.  I used Sally Hansen Silver Sweep with plate m27.  

My thumb was giving me trouble....the polish shifted :-(

Do you have a favorite ocean themed movie? Since Jaws is not my favorite I would have to say that U-571 is the best ocean movie....plus it's a WWII movie. Double score.

Come back tomorrow for a book themed mani that I haven't decided on yet. :-P It will probably have trees though!

Thanks for stopping by, and go check out the other lovely ladies who are participating

Day 22-Wicked Nails

No, I did not become a Bostonian all of a sudden.  I am not going around calling things wicked.  Although I do think that is an awesome saying. She's wicked smart. This hot dog is wicked tasty.  Her manicure is wicked good.  I digress....this manicure is called Wicked because it is inspired by the musical Wicked, particularly the song Defying Gravity.  You could say that it is my most favorite musical.  I saw it in Ft. Lauderdale about 7 or 8 years ago and was blown away! When Elpheba sings Defying Gravity at the end of the first act I just melted (haha).  If you don't know, this musical tells how Elpheba (the wicked witch) and Glinda go off to college and hate each other but grow to become best friends.  And when they find out that the Wizard of Oz is a phony, Elpheba becomes a scapegoat and is labeled a Wicked Witch.  It is a great story with some amazing music.  No one can sing it like Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenowith either! They both just blow my mind everytime they sing.  (I included the song down at the bottom for your listening pleasure if you want)

So for this manicure i used the playbill picture as my accent nail and then created glittery french manis on the other nails.  I think it's pretty cool looking.  What do you think?

Base-NYC Luxury Lime Creme
Elpheba and Tips-Kiss Striping Paint Black
Glitter-Spoiled Show Me the Money

I didn't do a nose cause I was afraid I was going to ruin it :-P

The original playbill

Thanks again for checking me out! Come back tomorrow for some movie nails with an ocean twist :-)

Don't forget the other ladies!

Day 14-Flowers

Let me start by saying that I am in love with these nails.  I am so glad that I did tomorrow's challenge nails first, so I can keep these on for two days :-P  I got my inspiration from a youtube video by LOVE4NAILS who does some amazing free hand nail art.  This video was actually of her painting her dominant hand....which i chose not to do this time around.  Anyway, I changed up a few things, but all in all it's pretty much the same manicure.  I used all striping paints, something I have never done before.  Let me know what you think!

Base-Sally Hansen Diamond Blush
Stripers-Kiss White, Kiss Black, It's So Easy Glitter Pink, It's So Easy Glitter Gold

Thanks for looking and hopefully reading! Don't forget to check out the other ladies participating :-) 

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

Wedding Date

So very true :-P

Today, is day two of the 52 week challenge and the challenge was Argyle.  I think we all picture old men in golf socks or old socks when we hear Argyle.  But not me.  I think of the Wedding Date with Debra Messing and the ever so lovely Dermot Mulroney.  Everybody say yummmmmyyyy!  If you love a good and stupid romantic comedy check it out.  Anyway, there is a scene where Debra's character Kat is going to her sisters bachelorette shower and it is a golf themed shower at a local London Pub. So the girls dress in short skirts and Argyle socks.  I just happened to love her outfit and her socks!  Now for the life of me I can't find a good picture of those darn socks, but I found a much more enjoyable picture where you can see the tops of her socks :-)

As you can see the socks are a lovely pink and brown (if you can tear your eyes away from the boy)  I designed my Argyle nails in honor of those socks since they got to touch Dermot.  These are my favorite nails thus far.  I hope you like them.  BTW, no stamping 

Base is Sally Hansen Diamond Brillant Blush
Pink is Wet N Wild Tickled Pink
Brown is Spoiled Nirvana
Shiny Brown is Spoiled I'm Ba'Roque
and the White is Spoiled Correction Tape

I am proud that this is all free hand :)

On, one last note I discovered this Sally Hansen Diamond Brillant Blush which is the base for all my fingers but the ring finger.  I love it because it allows me to do french manicures where my nail bed looks almost nude.  It covers the yellow that has become my real nails.  Thank you Sally Hansen!