Day 10 Re-create Your Favorite Nails!

OK, this challenge day was set aside for us to either try a re-do of the ones that we had done previously to try and get a better swatch OR to try out our variation of someone elses' design.

I decided to combine several days.

Day 3: Favorite Season,
Day 6: Polka Dots,
Day 7: Flowers

I think this manicure looked like a 1970's, Flower Child-like china pattern.  I loved the slighty imperfect look of the flowers and the huge centers.  It reminds me of those wood, unfinished craft mirrors you find at Hobby Lobby and such.

Anywho, this is the one that I entered in the final day's challenge.  It isn't ultra fancy, but then, neither am I.

See ya next Challenge y'all!

Day 9 French Tip Variant

OK, this one I had planned out a LONG time...before I even started the challenge.

I love blue and this polish just happens to match the color of the rhinestones, which was what I was hoping for, but hadn't really looked at my stash of nail polish to see if I could pull it off without a major drugstore search.  Wala!  Apparently this is a color that really draws me because I have 4 similar blues that I had to swatch and try.  This one finally won out.

Recipe:
SC Snow Me White

SH Sea Breeze

KISS rhinestone nail decals

This one got a lot of complements...

Day 8 Galaxy Nails

Ok, I had to do this one several times as a test before I got the right tools together to help me.  I am still not *completely* satisfied...would be a lot easier with dotting tools that with just a brush.

Recipe:
OPI DS Fantasy
SC Snow Me White
SC Let's Meet
SH Delightful Dawn

Not too bad.  I will have to try to do these on a regular basis.  :D

Day 7 Flowers!

OK, this one I branched out a little.  Ok, a lot.  LOL!

Recipe:
ChG Mahogany Magic
ChG Naked (new Breast Cancer awareness one)
SC Snow Me White
accent: ChG I Herd That
Flower decals courtesy of KISS nail decals.

I have had people say it looks like Neopolitan Ice Cream.  I think it looks like those Coconut Nougats from Brachs.  Still, apparently it made several people hungry!  LOL! 

Day 6 Polka Dots

I LOVE THIS LOOK!

I needed to give my fingernails a break, so I did my toes!  I hope that is okay.  I think I have cute toes.  :D

Recipe: 

SC Snow Me White x1: to cover any staining or whatnot to the nail...as can happen with toes...

Julep Isla--base x 1  (for that touch of shimmer)

Random Dots made with LACs: Daisy, Electra, Mint, Aquatic, Absolute, and SPAT!

I wanted to have a nice, crispy white back ground so that the shimmer of the Julep polish really stands out.  This step is not a requirement...but if you are like me and end up with stained toes sometimes, this is a good way to fix that fast if you don't have the time to correct the staining before painting.

Thursday Sept 20th, 2012

Day 5 Gradient Nails

SO far, this one has been the most difficult for me to get right.  I finally got it together somewhat and this doesn't look too bad.  I call this combo: A touch of warmth in winter...not sure why...it's just what it looked like to me.

Recipe:

Base Coats: OPI Significant Other Color; SH Mint Sorbet

Gradients: OPI Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not; SH Sea Breeze

Not the most inspired start...but it's not bad...not a design that I would do on a regular basis...

Wednesday Sept 19th, 2012

Day 4 Saran Wrap Nails

After testing several colors for opacity, this two just seemed to work best.  I used the dob-off method rather than the dob-on method...at lot less messy.  My son loves it!

Recipe: 

SC Ruby Ruby

SC Envy (overlay)

This color combo would be great for Christmas time...

Tuesday Sept 18, 2012

Day 3 Favorite Season

Late spring/ early summer story.

Pinky: first flush of spring (sap is rising :grin:)
Ring: first sprouts
Middle: sky full of stars

Index: first blooms
Thumb: height of summer

I love when my nails tell a story...when I have time, I do this. 

I used Kleancolor - Daisy, Kiss nail art decals 2012 edition & metal enamel hearts.  I thought the yellow of "Daisy" really represented a nice sunny day.

Monday Sept 17, 2012

Day 2 Favorite Animal: Horse

Day 2 challenge nail

Favorite animal: Horse - my favorite animal that isn't cliche but is also not easy to represent in nail art. (was going to choose dogs but the only way I know how to draw a dog didn't translate well to nail art)...and besides that...I'd have wanted to do poodles and, well, my talents don't go that far yet.

Recipe:

SC:
-Innocent & Exotic Green for the "grass"
-Slate for the grey horse on the middle finger
-Nirvana for the brown horse on the ring finger
-Snow Me White for face white
-Black on Black for eyes

LA COLORS:
-Dark Brown for the bay horse on the ring finger

JULEP:
-Isla for the grey horse on the thumb

COVER GIRL:
-Copper-cino for the chestnut horse on the index finger 

Sunday Sept 16th, 2012

Day 1 Favorite Color

OK, I know my favorite color is Silver...but this is the nail color combo that I use THE MOST, so it is my entry for the Day 1 of the 10 Day Nail Art challenge...it is classy and sophisticated enough for pretty much ANY occasion...yet fun enough to make people double-take.  I keep coming back to this color combo time after time, so I figured that this color represents me most.

I call this combo "Goldstone".
Formula:
1. Essie - Angora Cardi x 2
2. OPI - Text Me - Text You x 3-4
3. Seche Vite - Top Coat x 1

Super tame but I've gotten tons of complements on it.  I have used the Text Me on other nail colors and it just doesn't seem to complement other colors...I think the color needs to have a gold-tone to it to begin with but yet dark enough to allow the micro glitter to show.

Do not be surprised if I branch out more as this challenge goes on...I am still stuck in "conservative" nail polish land...but that is slowly changing as I find more and more neat polishes...and the world of Indi polish is drawing me further out of my polish shell...

Here is the link to my entry on her FB wall.  :D
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=357553407666591&set=pb.333558020066130.-2207520000.1347763143&type=1&theater

Saturday Sept 15, 2012

Day before thoughts...

Today is the last day before the challenge and I am all excited and nervous at the same time.  I have been playing with different ideas and I am doing another run on my "favorite animal" nail art...hopefully with real nail brushes this will come out a whole lot better this time.  Need to practice the others over the next few days.  Whoo hoo!  I also had another HUGE haul today...I will have to make up a list of what I have...

Gearing UP...

My first blog!  Bear with me while I learn how to use this thing!

This is the blog to Erica's Nails and More:
http://ericasnailsandmore.blogspot.com/2012/08/ericas-nails-and-more-nail-art.html

The event page on FB is here:
https://www.facebook.com/ical/event.php?eid=376293189110899

Her Facebook page is here:
https://www.facebook.com/EricasNailsAndMore

This lady, Erica MCCabe, is having a nail art challenge starting September 15th.  If she has 20 entrants, she will have a prize at the end of the challenge.  Please be sure and go to her page (or whereever she designates) to vote for my designs!  If I get a link between now and then (or I have links when she posts my designs), I will post them on each days blog.

I decided to post her email here so that I can have direct access to emailing her my photos.
ericamccabe28@gmail.com

Let's hope I can come up with some great designs...this will be my first challenge and I hope I am up to it.  :D  Please keep watching as I add my entries to let me know what you think.