Here we go Steelers (with a girly twist)

Today's Girly Girl Challenge is Gimme that Bling.  No problem....I've got plenty of rhinestones :-)  Today is also the opening day of the NFL regular season and I am a HUUUUGE Steelers fan. I will be going to an epic football party with some great people today and needed something really great to show off on my nails.   I realize that most people would say that football and girly girl cannot go together, but I beg to differ.  Anything can be made girly by adding some jewels!

So, for this manicure I used the Steelers colors and added some red, blue, and gold rhinestones to represent the three stars on the Steelers logo.  I also chose to do two accent nails on each hand using Hit Polish Bumblebee. A beautiful yellow and black glitter indie polish.  She does make a Steelers polish, but since I already owned this one it works just fine!

Yellow-Sally Hansen HD Lite
Black-Milani Black Swift
Accent Nails-Spoiled Correction Tape & Hit Polish Bumblebee

These were a lot of fun to make and I think they look super cool and totally ready to drink some beer, eat some football food, and watch an awesome game! Let me leave you with my favorite Steelers cheer..

Chewin Tobacco Chewin Tobacco 

Spit Spit Spit

If you ain't a Steeler fan

You ain't shit!

Hehe! Will you be watching a game today?  Do you have a team you love?  

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to check out the other ladies bling today!

31 day Challenge Comparison, very picture heavy!

I thought it would be neat to see the comparison of the first time I did the 31 day challenge to this time, side by side.  In most ways it is evident that I have come a long way.  Both from my care of my nails to the level of artwork and stamping.  Nothing like some determination, practice, and hard work to get you to where you want to go.  I still have a long ways to go, but I think I am allowed to feel some pride :-) If you are a newbie to the nail game then I hope this can give you some inspiration too!! It really wasn't all that long ago that I did the challenge for the first time....less than 5 months ago.

For each of the collage pictures, you will see the first challenge on the left hand side and the recent challenge on the right side.  I started with putting text on each one and then realized that would take to freakin long.  Hope you enjoy!

My first attempt at stamping :-P

Day 6-Violet

Day 7-Black and White

Day 8-Metallic

Day9-Rainbow

Day 10-Gradient

Day 11-polka Dots

Day 12-Stripes

Day 13-Animal Print

Day 14-Flowers

Day 15-Delicate Print

Day 16-Tribal Print

Day 17-Glitter

Day 18-Half Moons.  The first time around I completely skipped this manicure and the second time, it isn't even worth showing. :-P

Day 19-Galaxies

Day 20-Water Marble (help!! I still can't get it!)

Day 21-Inspired by Color (I love me some greens!)

Day 22-Inspired by a Song

Day 23-Inspired by a movie

Day 24-Inspired by a book

Day 25-Inspired by fashion

Day 26-Inspired by a pattern

Day 27-Inspired by art

Day 28-Inspired by a flag

Day 29-Inspired by the supernatural

Day 30-Inspired by a tutorial

Day 31-Recreate your favorite challenge 

I have learned so many things over the past few months.  Just look at the difference in my cuticles!  And the shape of my nails.  Even the precision of my stamping and nail art.  This has given me such confidence to keep working hard and trying new things!  Thank you to all of the ladies who gave me inspiration and have taught me things just by being supportive and giving advice through the ever magical world of the interwebs!!  

Let me know what you think! Which one did you think I made the most improvements on?  Is there any you think I did better the first time around?  

Thanks for stopping by! XOXOXO

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?

Pop Up Video

Hello all! Hope everyone's labor day weekend was great.  I had a nice time with some neighbors at the pool drinking beer.  It was a good day! I ended up in bed by 8:30.  Jeez. The polish I have for you today is what I was wearing over the weekend.

As you know, my favorite indie polishes are made D & R Apothecary.  The lovely Rachel makes so many unique and inspired polishes but sometimes she can't think of a name.  She holds contests on her FB page to name some of these polishes.  Her husband and daughter chose the winner and that person wins the polish. She recently held a contest for two polishes, one of which was a multi-colored glitter polish that had colors reminiscent of the 80s.  I thought of the name Pop Up Video and I won!! I realize that the show Pop Up Video was on in the 90s, but many of the videos that they showcased were from the 80s.  Apparently this how has returned on VH1, but since I hate today's music I have no desire to watch it.   So, today I have a swatch of that polish for you! I just love it.  I didn't do anything special, just swatched it over a base coat of Misa Spaced Out.  I thought it made the colors of the glitter "pop" out.  hehe

If you haven't checked out D & R Apothecary you really need to.  They are closing the Bath and Beauty part of their shop and will only be doing nail polish.  The name of her polishes is Hit Polish.  Check it out.

Girly Girl Challenge-Day 1

Spur of the moment thing.....doing another challenge.  Thankfully I am only doing it once a week.  It looks like a lot of fun and gives me an excuse to be girly :-P  This challenge was created by Lindsey at the Neverland Nail Blog

Day 1 (or week one) is Think Pink.  My favorite pink that I own is Milani Pink Out Loud.  It is such a bright and shimmery dark pink that always looks great! I also decided to use one of my own polishes from the Princess Bride Collection called As You Wish.  I'm glad that I did this, because it gave me a chance to see what I need to change about the polish....it needs more concentration of glitter! I was having a hard time picking it up as you will see.  The glitter is a little sparse.  Even still, I think the mani is pretty and oh so girly!

Base- As You Wish by ME
Accent and diagonal french-Milani Pink Out Loud
Striper-It's So Easy white
Stamp-BM317 using Spoiled Correction Tape

Thanks for stopping by! Let me know what you think :)

There are other ladies participating, but I do not have the linky's code yet.  I promise to get it soon! I do know that The Cute-icle Chronicles is participating so you can check her out to start with!

Llama Nails & the Princess Bride

For starters I wanted to let you know that I have started a new group called Llama Nails on Facebook.  Courtney from the Cuticle Chronicles and myself will be the admins and we would love everyone to join in on the fun!!  We will be doing manis on Wednesdays.  We have not set a starting date yet but we will be beginning with the ABC's of polish.  Let me know if you want to join! We would love to have you :-)  Just don't bring any drama......that's what the llama is for.  We save the drama for the llama.

This is our mascot....isn't she cute and you want to paint her nails?! 

Now, my big news.  Announcing this may be a little premature, but I am so excited I can't contain it any longer.  I have decided to make indie polish to sell!!  (you are all clapping I know)  

When I first got into nail art I knew nothing about indie polishes.  After a few months I was introduced through swatches to indie sellers like Dollish Polish, 365 Days of Color, and Vivid Colors.  I love glitter and all things homemade so naturally I was intrigued.  It took me a while to buy one and when I did I fell in love.  What I love about indie polishes is the thought behind them. The personalization of it all.  I love that all of my geeky loves are put into color and glitter to parade around on my nails. Most of my current stash is from D & R Apothecary and I am a loyal follower and buyer of her polishes. But being the DOER that I am, I wanted to try this out.  I wanted to create polishes that show my love for color and design and all things nerd. So I spent a few months doing some research and I kept coming up with these ideas for 'collections' of polishes. I talked to my husband about it and he thought it was a great idea! He gave me the go ahead to buy the materials I needed  and a whole new child was born :-P  

I have created my first set of polishes all based on The Princess Bride.  We are still in the experimenting phase, but I wanted to share with you what I have planned and what I have created thus far. I am pretty geeked if I do say so and so far my husband and neighbors have given me some thumbs up so I am feeling very confident.  I would love to know what you think as well and if you would want to buy any of these.  Let your friends know, tell your neighbors. Hey, tell your friends neighbors.  Tell your Aunt Susie's cousins brothers wife.  Just send them over and have them take a look.  I apologize if the pictures aren't that great.  I need to figure out how to photograph polish better.  

The first polish I made was called 'Hello, My name is Indigo'. (get it?)  It didn't work out quite right, so I am in the process of tweaking it and making it perfect. No pictures of that yet.

The second one is called Princess Buttercup.  A yellow glitter polish with yellow flowers. 

Who doesn't love and hate Princess Buttercup? With her holier than thou attitude but ever lasting 

love for dear Wesley!

I think this would love just lovely over a cream base

The next polish is called As You Wish.  A pink base shimmery base with matte pink hearts and turqouise hex glitter. 

                                                                        

As You Wish really means I love you.  I chose the turquoise to represent Wesley's beautiful eyes that looks like the sea after a storm. 

 

Maybe over a dark pink base or even white

Next, we have Iocane Powder.  A white pearl base with irridescent fine glitter and burgundy bar glitter.

My favorite scene in the movie.  The red bar glitter is representative of the wine that Vizzini and the Man in Black drink during their battle of wits.  Nothin beats the line.  "Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line! HAHHAHAHA!" and then he dies.

I think this would look great by itself or even over black.  I also think this looks better with one coat instead of two.  It almost is too thick with two. 

And last we have The Dread Pirate Roberts.  Although I just came up with a catchier name as I was writing this....the Mani in Black. hehe. A black base with silvery black and black hex glitters. 

The best character in the movie.  When Wesley becomes the Dread Pirate Roberts and is so dashing and courageous. I love me some Cary Elwes <3

I love the way the mica used in this polish gives it an almost grainy look.  It reminds me a bit of stone.  This would be great over silver or grey. 

Well, I hope you are as excited as I am! I can't wait to get them up for sale and for people to try them out! 

Please let me know what you think.  I love you guys :-) Oh, and help me come up with a name to call my polish! So far I have come up with Mayberry Nails (there is a story behind that) or maybe even Llama Nails! Any and all suggestions are welcome