13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge:Something You've Never Tried - Negative Space Mosaic

Nothing to Disclose

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Today is the last day of the 13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge. It's just a shortened version of Crumpet's Nail Tarts January 31 Day Challenge for those of us too busy for the full one. I quite enjoyed posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout January instead of the more strenuous every single day posting.

13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge

The prompt for the last day is "Something You've Never Tried" so I went with Negative Space. I'm not a fan of them on myself because my nails are too yellow naturally. Add in the extra staining from swatching all the time and it ain't pretty.  They're less stained near my cuticle so that's where I've placed the "negative space."

I did lay down a base coat first, and then I used Kiko 339 for the blue and just free-handed the frame and "mosaic" lines. Probably not a technique I'll be trying again - I'll just admire them from afar. But I had fun with it!


Be sure to check out the other great manis from the other nail artists in the links below!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Red Dog Designs: Wine Time - Swatches and Review

Press Sample 

*These products are Cruelty Free 

♥

Today I have a brand new polish from Red Dog Designs to show you called Wine Time. Now THIS is Marsala for sure. Pantone Color of the Year 2015? Check. Valentine's Day? Check. Meet me after the jump for swatches and my review. Launching tomorrow, January 30, 2015.

Red Dog Designs 

Wine Time

Zoya Naturel Satin Collection 2015 - Swatches and Review

Press Sample 

*These products are Cruelty Free 

♥

Tonight I have the new Zoya Naturel Satins Collection for 2015 to show you. I'm a big fan of their Naturel Collection and their Naturel 2 Collection but unfortunately I'm not as much in love with the Satins. After the jump, I'll tell you about formula, application and finish in detail.

Zoya Naturel Satin Collection 2015

13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge: Recreate Your Old Mani - Simple Dotticure

Nothing to Disclose 

♥

Today we continue the 13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge. It's just a shortened version of Crumpet's Nail Tarts January 31 Day Challenge for those of us too busy for the full one. We will be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout January.

 

13 DAYS OF JANUARY NAIL ART CHALLENGE

This prompt is "Recreate Your Old Mani" and since this simple dotticure is oddly one of my most popular manicures and since it's well...simple, I ran with it! I'm not sure why, after over 2 years it's still one of the most popular ones unless it's because it IS simple. And it's using 2 drugstore brands.

For this mani I used Sinful Colors 24/7 and Milani Hipster Plum. Without top coat above.

And with top coat below...

The original was my birthday mani from 2012 and I used Sinful Colors Neon Fusion, which I couldn't locate quickly, hence the 24/7. I even tried to use the same pose!

Side-by-side...

Be sure to check out the other great manis from the other nail artists in the links below!

♥

An InLinkz Link-up

If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!

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Colors by Llarowe Valentine's Day Trio

Press Sample 

*These products are Cruelty Free 

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I'm back! Today I have a new Valentine's Day Trio from Colors by Llarowe to show you. These will be launching Sunday, February 1, 2015.

Colors by Llarowe

Valentine's Day Trio

Continued after the jump...

13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge: Complement and Contrast

Post contains items sent for review
and items purchased by me

♥

Today we continue the 13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge. It's just a shortened version of Crumpet's Nail Tarts January 31 Day Challenge for those of us too busy for the full one. We will be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout January.

13 DAYS OF JANUARY NAIL ART CHALLENGE

This prompt is "Complement and Contrast." LOL I hope I interpreted this theme right. I chose two complementary colors, which naturally contrast anyway and then added further contrast with black and white.

For this I put down a plain white creme base, used Nail Vinyls Lightning Bolt vinyls (sent for review) and then did a gradient with Barry M Guava, Pipe Dream Polish VIP Pass and plain black creme.


Be sure to check out the other great manis from the other nail artists in the links below!

♥

An InLinkz Link-up

*Nail Vinyls Lightning Bolt vinyls were sent for review

If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!

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Black Cat Lacquer: Mystic Minerals Collection - Swatches and Review

Press Sample 

*These products are Cruelty Free 

♥

Happy Sunday! Today I have a whopper of a post for you. Black Cat Lacquer Mystic Minerals Collection. There are 10 polishes and of course I just couldn't NOT post a kajillion photos. Well okay, slightly less than a kajillion. Hope you did your scrolly finger exercises! It's totally worth it though.

Black Cat Lacquer

Mystic Minerals Collection

There's a LOT so I'll try to be brief. Key word is TRY.

Continued after the jump...

13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge: Blobbicure

Press Samples/Purchased Polishes

♥

It's me again, Margaret! Are you tired of me yet today?

Today we continue the 13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge. It's just a shortened version of Crumpet's Nail Tarts January 31 Day Challenge for those of us too busy for the full one. We will be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout January.

13 DAYS OF JANUARY NAIL ART CHALLENGE

This prompt is Blobbicure. Okay so I will admit that I actually had NO idea what a blobbicure was. I actually got it mixed up with another of Debbie's "mani names" - "splodging" (which is what I call a sponge mani.)

So I did THIS first...

I used a plain white base with a variety of polishes and for the life of me I can't remember what all of them were. The ones I remember are Elevation Polish Mount Ventoux (yellow) (sent for review) and Pipe Dream Polish VIP Pass (violet purple) (purchased by me) - there are some acrylics mixed in and the blue was a Nails Inc. Polish. I used a triangular makeup sponge to create the effect.

And then I was informed that it is NOT a "blobbicure." Okay FINE. What is a blobbicure? So I was pointed toward a few examples and I gave it a shot.

Yeah I know. I wasn't happy with it either. I don't really care for them to start with and then not having an end result I can get behind made it worse.

For this one I used a base of Zoya Marney with Zoya Aubrey and Zoya Taylor (all sent for review.)


So I tried again using my favorite polish for 2014 (Fancy Gloss Frozen Berries - purchased by me) and Pipe Dream Polish VIP Pass, which I'm obsessed with (purchased by me)...

Still not thrilled with the result but certainly thrilled "blobbicure day" is OVER!

Be sure to check out the links below to see the other great manis! 

(And better examples of a "blobbicure.")

♥

An InLinkz Link-up

If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!

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Darling Diva Polish: Bad Pick Up Lines Collection for Valentine's Day 2015

Press Sample 

*These products are Cruelty Free

♥

Hi guys! Today I have a new collection from Darling Diva Polish for Valentine's Day called The Bad Pick Up Lines Collection. And wait until you see the names!

This collection is launching TONIGHT (Jan 23, 2015) at Darling Diva's Shop!

Darling Diva Polish

Bad Pick Up Lines Collection

for Valentine's Day 2015

As you can see, I'm sporting shorties for now, but even so, the polishes are still stunning! AND even with no sun.

Continued after the jump...

Chaos and Crocodiles: Operation Vegas LE

Press Sample 

*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

Well after this week I have to say I was questioning whether FRIDAY would ever get here! Nothing tragic happened and in the grand scheme of things I am so blessed, but some weeks just basically suck scissors and this was one of them for some reason! So to celebrate Friday I have for you probably my favorite polish from Chaos and Crocodiles I've tried so far. Operation Vegas LE.

Chaos and Crocodiles

Operation Vegas LE

Continued after the jump...

Chaos & Crocodiles: Secret Agent Collection Part 2

Press Sample 

*These products are Cruelty Free 

♥

Hi guys! I'm back with the last half of the swatches and review of the Chaos & Crocodiles Secret Agent Collection! There are TEN of them so I split them into 2 posts - more manageable for me and less fally-offy of your scrolling finger. That way you get photos in artificial lighting, shade and sun.

These last 5 are: Night Vision, Protocol, Security Breach, Sleeper Cell and Subterfuge.

If you missed Part 1, click here!

Chaos & Crocodiles

Secret Agent Collection Part 2

Continued after the jump...

Different Dimension Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler 2.0 - Swatches and Review

Press Sample 

*These products are Cruelty Free 

♥

Today I have another new polish from Different Dimension launching January 23, 2015 - this one is Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler 2.0 to celebrate Mardi Gras!

Different Dimension

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler 2.0

Continued after the jump...

13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge: Rainbow Nails!

Nothing to Disclose

♥

Today we continue the 13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge. It's just a shortened version of Crumpet's Nail Tarts January 31 Day Challenge for those of us too busy for the full one. We will be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout January.

13 DAYS OF JANUARY NAIL ART CHALLENGE

This prompt is RAINBOW! So while I didn't do a traditional "rainbow" on my nails, I did stick with a pretty basic interpretation of it.

For this I stuck with all acrylic paints except for the holo top coat which is a no-named holo micro-glitter topper from Claire's.



Be sure to check out the other great manis from the other nail artists in the links below!

An InLinkz Link-up

♥

If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!

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13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge: Artwork

Nothing to Disclose

♥

Today we continue the 13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge. It's just a shortened version of Crumpet's Nail Tarts January 31 Day Challenge for those of us too busy for the full one. We will be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout January.

13 Days of January Nail Art Challenge

This prompt is "Artwork" - so I did something similar to one of my own paintings this time.

For this I started with a base of Nails Inc. Tavistock Street (grey) and everything else are shades mixed using acrylic paints.

If you follow on Instagram, you saw this LOL! THIS is what it looked like "before"

This was the one of the paintings it was (very) loosely based on. The other that was more like it - especially in color scheme - I sold before I thought to get a photo..

Be sure to check out the other great manis from the other nail artists in the links below!

An InLinkz Link-up

If you enjoyed this post, please take a second to "like" it! Thanks!

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DIFFERENT dimension: Valentine's Day Collection 2015 - Swatches and Review

Press Sample 

*These products are Cruelty Free 

♥

Are you ready for Valentine's Day? Well I can't say that I'm looking forward to it, but you can't deny it's just around the corner! And DIFFERENT dimension has a great quad-collection to help you get your nails VDay ready.

DIFFERENT dimension

Valentine's Day Collection 2015

So I bet you can guess right off what my favorite is going to be but I bet I surprise you with my number two!!!

Let's see.

Continued after the jump...

Doggie Beach Day!

♥

Hi guys! A different sort of post today - my DOGGIES! 

Murphy is a chill dude. He's not fussed by much - but Twinks is pretty high strung and she was DEPRESSED. At first I thought she was sick but she wasn't. It took me a while to figure it out because I never really considered S.A.D. affecting dogs before but she was truly and utterly depressed. 

It's been cold and nasty here lately and while the cold doesn't bother Murphy much, it does bother Twinks. But heaven forbid one be in or out without the other! I actually heard my mother coming out of my mouth repeatedly. "IN OR OUT!" 

They love it outside so much and being stuck in the house with me 24/7 was really getting her down. 

Today was gorgeous - sun was shining and it was about 68 degrees (F) with lower-than-normal humidity and very light winds. While I couldn't take them to the "pretty" beach - you know, the people beach - because they can't be off-leash there, I could take them to their favorite "on the water" spot. 

Off we went...

Already happier! Almost there...

Murphy was actually PRANCING!

That's Twinkie's "herd dog" stance - I told her it was time to go so she set off to herd Murphy back to the car.

Satisfaction!

They wore themselves out and are now sacked out in the sun in the back yard.

Bliss.

HAPPY SATURDAY!

♥

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Nail of the Day: Elevation Polish SBP Fireflies in a Dark Meadow

Nothing to Disclose

*This product is Cruelty Free 

♥

I have just a really quick Nail of the Day for you...no mucking about, just photos!

If you're not familiar, SBP stands for Small Batch Prototype and they are available in very limited quantities on the 7th and 22nd of each month during re-stocks. (Information in the link.)

Elevation Polish SBP Fireflies in a Dark Meadow

The sun was trying, but it couldn't quite make it.
Three light coats with no top coat for all photos. Perfect formula!

Artificial lighting...

And this is Murphy finally getting to nap outside - it's been so cold this is the first day it was near 60 and both dogs took full advantage. He was photo-bombing me but I cropped him out, so he gets a shot all his own.

Elevation Polish releases new collections on the 7th of each month and re-stocks on the 7th and 22nd of each month, along with OOAK (One of a Kinds, which I'm never fast enough to grab) and SBPs, which this is. The time on the 7th is 9 PM CST and the 22nd the shop opens at 9 AM CST. So if you want this one, get your fingers ready for 9 AM Central on the 22nd, which is a Thursday.

♥

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