Smurfs on the train..

In honor of the movie being released I couldn't help but do some smurfette nails.

Do you like?

Check out Katy Perry's Smurf nails:
http://twitpic.com/5vb42c

Check out Melissa's at the Daily Nail:
Handpainted gorg!
http://daily-nail.blogspot.com/2011/07/blast-from-past-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.html

Have a smurfy day!!!

Venom

Along with the Cheetos the Cheetah manicure I did, I couldn't help but do a snake print one.

I found this print on an awesome bag I couldn't afford... second best thing, put it on my nails of course!

Click image to view larger.

Click image to view larger

I love the way my thumb came out, I may have to redo do this mani in some more "swampy" colors and just use the thumb pattern on all my nails.

I'm going through some douchrome love so I'll be putting you all through that in the next couple posts. With all this dearness in the midwest, some rainbow flashing colors seem perfect.

Love and chip-free nail polish to you all!

It's alive...

I just wanted to share this franken'd polish I mixed up lately.

Click image to view larger.

It's the perfect nude for my skintone, it reminds me of the Zoya touch series that just came out but does it have this much gold flash to it? Anyone know if there is a polish on the market close to this?

Love and chip-free nail polish to you all!!!

Ice Cream, U's cream...

I've had this nail design on my mind for a while, luckily WnW is running a contest so I figured I would attempt it.

Click on image to view larger.

I used WnW craze Rustic for the cone and stamped on Barielle Unraveled Rust with my fishnet stamping plate.

Thumb: Strawberry

Pointer: Mint Chocolate Chip

Middle: SUPERMAN!

Index: Peach

Pinky: Lemon Sorbet

Hope this post didn't make you too hungry.

He's nothing but a Cheetah.

I do have one guilty pleasure, for all my slick modern outward appearance,

deep inside I love animal prints.

I think it was bred into by my parents, who both own silk/polyester leopard shirts. I don't think I had any say in this biologically ingrained need. I only let this deep embed secret rear at it's head on special occasions. Inspired by all these gorgeous leopard print designs like Melissa's at The Daily Nail (See them here.), I decided to try my hand at a cheetah print instead. 

See here how I accomplished this:

I used my CND Stickey basecoat, 2 coats of Finger Paints White (Sorry sticker fell off not sure the exact name, all I know is it's "white"). I then used facial "wedge" sponges with Essence Colour&Go Sundancer and China Glaze Papaya Punch to create the gradient background. 

I stamped the Bundle Monster Plate BM-225 cheetah print on with Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Black Out. A coat of Seche Vite and I was out the door.

I really love this for the beach. It's super bright and obnoxious, but in a good way. 

Love and chip-free nail polish to you all!

No Diving

I haven't been sketching any nail designs lately because I'm too damn inspired by everyday life... it happens. What's a girl to do...

So I went from swimming in a pool and seeing this....

To this.

I used WnW Garden Hose as the base, 1 coat of China Glaze Fairy Dust, then Artclub white for the stripes.

When I got in the pool, I matched the aqua colored water, its was a perfect summer manicure.

Love and chip-free nail polish to you all!

Stroke of Genius

I'm usually a minimalist in many things.

My design work tends to air on the side of simplicity, why wouldn't my "nail designs".

I'm in love with the simplicity of this design, and very happy with the "frankened" nail color I used as the base. It's a fluorescent neon coral, it was asking for a stark black design.

My favorite nail, I think the grainy texture of the brush stroke is just sooo cool.

Love and chip-free polish to all of you!

...if a woodchuck, could chuck...

I know, I know your thinking WOOD GRAIN? Having to design and research for the wood industry and industrial woodworking for the past 4 years has given me an appreciation of the natural beauty in wood. Can't help it.

So here's how I accomplished today's manicure.

I started with basecoat, I've been using CND sticky lately and it's wonderful. Followed by two thin coats of China Glaze Going My Way?.

I printed a black and white wood grain pattern about the size each nail on a laser printer. Cut each nail sized strip out and let it sit in a glass of rubbing alcohol.

Once throughly soaked, placed the strip of paper on throughly a dried nail, pressing firmly then lifting gently to reveal the transfer onto the nail (see manicure "french poetry").

One coat of Seche Vite and I was out the door.

Gotta saying this is definitely one of my favorite manicures I've done of all time.

Yay for trees! BTW I used recycled paper.

Love and chip-free nail polish to you all!

It's not you, it's me...

I really wanted to love this polish.

I picked this “black poppy” nail polish up last night at PacSun. Who knew they carried polish? right?

It called to me from the counter, lured me in with it’s holographic shimmer. I was mesmerized. I knew I had to have it, my life would not be complete. Like all first meetings, you start dreaming of your future together. What kind of magical artwork will I create with you, my beautiful Preciousss...

On the ride home, I thought about others that may compare to you... OPI Private Jet, Color Club’s Revvvolution... but I knew you were special, you were different...

Racing up my 3rd floor walk up, I kicked off shoes threw my purse on the floor... I had to have you.

And then, the moment of truth... you’re a dud. Like most men in my life, you didn’t live up to the hype. Pretty on the outside, crappy on the inside.

While this black holo from PacSun is tempting, it applies like mud and is extremely streaky. It’s a one coater, I tried two coats but it gooped up and got too thick and I removed it. It dries matte which you would think would be cool, but then the streaks in the polish don’t settle out.

I covered all this “black poopy-ness” with a coat of China Glaze Fairy Dust, then  one coat of Seche Vite.

I wanted to love you so, maybe it’s me, not you...

I will still keep the polish, and use it for some jewelry projects, we’ll still be friends. But real polish love, it’s not meant to be.

Anyone else stop by PacSun and was fooled like myself?


UPDATE! Beauty Secrets Polish thinner was purchased, a couple drops in the bottle worked magically but texture of dried polish is still "sandy". STAY TUNED for a dupe comparison with Color Club Revvvolution.

Celestial

In my nail blog lurking, I've discovered many of you share my love of beading and cabochons.

To pay homage to this love of jewelry making I wanted to show you one of my latest nail art/jewelry hybrid projects.

While you can see some of the pure gorgeousness that this bracelet is in this picture, in real life, IT'S AMAZING!

I love the light blue/purple silver holo, it matches dark washed jeans perfectly. Making it a very functional piece for a t-shirt and jeans kinda girl, like me.

Honestly I can't remember the exact mix of polishes I used, but if you interested in recreating it I can dig them up for you.

The best part of the bracelet, is that it was part of a kit at Target. Once again if you want the details, I'll be happy to pass them along.

Love and chip-free polish to you all!

French Poetry

Getting the swing of this blog thing, bare with me fair readers. Any tips on photography would be greatly appreciated.

So today we have FRENCH POETRY, I feel inspired by France and Paris lately, maybe something is telling me I need to go on vacation to the french riveria.

So here was the sketch:

I once again started with basecoat, two coats of China Glaze Heaven.

I typed up some wording and printed it out on a laser printer, soaked the small nail sized strips in some rubbing alcohol and placed them on my throughly dried nails pressing down firmly.

Gently, I lifted the paper, leaving the toner left on my nail.

I love this technique and I will be using it a lot in the future, STAY TUNED.

I could have stopped here, oh yes I could have, but I needed some shimmer and stamping awesomeness.

I pulled out one of my favorite stamping polishes, China Glaze Avalanche and BM plate 09 and 15 to add some floral goodness. Bundle Monster Nail Art Nailart Polish Stamp Stamping Manicure Image Plates Accessories Set Kit 21pc

I know, I know, my middle figure is going through some personal issues and will be grown out and back to normal soon.

Ever tried toner transferred nails? Your thoughts?

Love and chip-free nail polish to you all!

French Boudoir

Yes not only do I sketch out nail designs on paper I give them names.

This one seemed to be the red light district version of your standard french manicure so... 

FRENCH BOUDOIR seemed to fit so much better.

I started with a basecoat, two coats of China Glaze Heaven. My "goto" neutral for french manicures.

Once everything was throughly dry I used bundlemonster stamping plate m57.

I don't use konad polishes, I hear they are amazing... and blah blah blah... but this girl tries to save money, and in saving money I use Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme wear in "Black Out". It's tricky but I've been able to use most polishes with high pigment content for stamping just took time to figure it out how to do it.

So with the stamping plate, I stamped the fishnet pattern from nailbed to 1/2 the length of my nail, then on the same m57 plate I used the lace pattern right below were the fishnet pattern ended.

I topped everything off with a coat of Seche Vite. 

Here is the sketch and the result, your thoughts?

I

loved the way these turned out, perfect for a little black dress and a night out.

Sneak Peek for the next manicure....

That's all for today,

Love and chip-free polish to you all.

Just a little explanation and introduction is needed...

I've jumped in.

After months of lusting over pretty nail polish pictures and denying myself the ability to share my artwork, I've started a nail blog.

Oh but not your average nail blog. One where I can show "my process" of drawing and brainstorming out my nail art on paper before attempting it on my nails.

What I can promise is my creativity in expressing my design talents in the form of nail and jewelry art. My two hobbies and after work passions. Also the occasional misspelled word and some imperfect grammar, but how many of you are actually reading posts anyway, right?

I hope you enjoy and I look forward to comments and suggestions from the nail community that I feel like I'm already a member of.

Here's a sneak peek of my first post;

Wishing you love and chip-free nails.