Messy Mansion Neon Coral Jelly Sandwich Ocean Nail Art

Hey stamperistas,

Welcome to my version of the sea ;)  The coral is neon and the sea life blooms in shades of pastel.  Its pretty and whimsical and just really damn fun!  I can't even tell you where I got the idea for this mani because it all started with the basecoat.  I just wanted to create a jelly sandwich.  Initially I had been thinking of doing something sheer and dramatic then I decided to take my Leadlight Lacquer plates for a cruise again (you can read the review here) and the rest as they say is history.  For those that are like, "What happened to your lovely square shaped nails?" and don't follow me on Instagram - the short version is I had two devastating breaks in as many days and decided to try out some tips and a different shape.

Green Thing feat CrowsToes I Make The Path and Leo Dreams of Spring

Hey polished prisoners,

Happy Saturday!  I hope everyone had a good week.  It's been hectic on my end but fun! I am a very blessed lady.    I have to keep this in mind when times get tough or I feel like things are spinning out of hand.   Well living the dream and dreaming the dream are certainly two different things lol!  I would be wise to remember that.  Nevertheless I am still blessed.  Blessed in the friends I have and the gifts I have been given.  One friend in particular Lauri of CrowsToes I have been very blessed to make.  I've learned a lot from her sense of humor, and strength and dedication to working hard for herself and her family.  She's a bit of a role model on top of being an amazing soul!  In any case I told her about some types of polishes I was dreaming of and the lovely lady whipped them up for me!  Totally unexpected and totally amazing!  One of which is featured here.

The Leo Dreams of Spring...lol I named it.  It's supposed to be a polish based around my birthday month August.  It features bits of green to represent the peridot birthstone, purples for royalty, and gold cause I likes to bling bling  in a clear base ;)  When I first saw this I just stared at it and stared at it.  Shall I embarrass myself a bit and tell you a secret? I keep my CTs right on a shelf by my bed. They are my absolute favorite brand of polish and the only ones I treat this way (weirdo). Eh but you have to do what makes you happy.  I paired TLDOS with I Make The Path (this is probably undoubtedly one of my favorite CT colors of all time!) for this mani.

Mani-logue (in order of layering)

Base color:  Essie Mojito

Gradient:  Orly Satin Hues Satin Hope

Subtle sheen:  Lilacquer Selkie

Glitter:  CrowsToes I Make The Path and The Leo Dreams of Spring

Stamping polish:  Konad Special Polish in Black

Stamping plate:  Dash 3

So basically this mani is a feast of my favorites!  Y'all know I don't have anything but hype to say when it comes to my Essie's.  Mojito in particular from last spring was like crack to me.  Orly's Satin Hues will always have my undying love and I believe I have finally got them all I'm not even close to getting all of them but I'm still stalking like a mofo.    Lilacquer is a new brand on the blog, but I have adored this brand from the start because of the initial Japanese themed collection - did you know that a Selkie is a mythical sea creature in Japan? Yeah reading way to much manga.  And of course I love my Dashica plates.  The plate I'm using today is from the Dash set I won in the recent like and share FB contest.  I was thrilled and will talk more about these plates later.  And clearly I have already gushed above about CT's.    I know some ladies think that CTs are on the thicker spectrum of things, but I've never had a problem with them nor have I had to thin them down.  Personally I feel handing all polishes, particularly glitters, require a certain lightness of hand in order to not overwhelm your base color unless that's your goal.

 In any case I hope you enjoyed my little mani! You can find CrowsToes in all of their feathered glory either at Llarowe or Overall Beauty.  Lilacquer can also be found on Etsy and finally Dashica plates can be found here.  Happy polishing lacqueristas!

Making CrowsMas I Mean Christmas...

Hello polished prisoners,

I have been gone far too long I know it!  Life has been kicking my ass! Yup literally and figuratively I suddenly very poignantly understand the phrase "everything that matters just breaks in two".  Well I can only push forward the same as ever polishing my nails and hoping for the best.  Well striving for my best...so it's basically almost Christmas around these parts.  I wanted to do a 7 days of  CrowsToes Christmas but I'm thinking of doing something a more gurilla style to pay homage instead.  So let's start the show...

Mani-louge 

Base coat/topcoat: CND Stickey & Poshe Fast Drying Topcoat

Base color: OPI Big Apple Red and IMN Northern Lights in Silver

Glitter accents: CrowsToes Making Christmas

Stamping polishes: China Glaze Passion and Millennium and Konad Special White

Stamping plates: Sugar Bubbles Special 01 & Special 02

CrowsToes Making Christmas is a sinful mix of green, red, and silver microglitters.  It spreads like a mother..ahem it spreads awesomely ;) Let me tell you something.  I am in a lusty like relationship with my CrowsToes polishes.  People who complain about the formula or the density of these polishes have surely not let their beauty touch their souls, aside from which I have never had any such problems, but oh well maybe I'm biased by all the the brilliance.  Lauri is a freaking genius! There hasn't been a single polish that I've seen by her that hasn't sparked a covetous grinch like desire within me.  Also for the sake of full disclosure I purchased all of these polishes myself so I have zip to gain from singing their praises.

Sugar Bubbles.  Tamira why have you not mentioned this brand before? Eh cause its a new and happening Brazilian indie plate maker who recently stole all of my freaking heart.  Love at first stamp? You betcha.  I will throw a quick review together tomorrow of what I got from her so far but for now you can check my nail art supplies tab for the downlow.

So here we are Making Christmas with Crowstoes.  I love everything about this mani but all good things must end as I have so much more to show you.  CrowsToes polishes can be purchased at either Llarowe or Overall Beauty, and Sugar Bubble can be found here.  Thanks for reading and toodles!

Halloween 2012: Devils Ahead...

Hello polished prisoners,

Mwhahaha another Halloween installment here!  It's been a bit dead these days I apologize for it its a combination of wi-fi loss, my own icky cold, and now a hurricane (Sandy) hitting DC.  Seriously it's crazy! Everything has been ripped off of the shelves and the schools are closed even the metro shut down!  Well its great for polishing up my nails so here we are.  This is another Bundle Monster one.  I've been wanting to use this plate since I got them but held off until now.

Mani-louge

Base/Topcoat: CND Stickey & Poshe

Thumb, middle, & ring: Sephora Pantone Universe Tangerine Tango Creme & CrowsToes Hell Hath No Fury (find it here or here)

Index & Pinkie: Sinful Colors Cloud 9 & Sephora Pantone Universe Tangerine Tango Glitter

Detailing: Wet N' Wild Black Creme

Stamping polish: Konad Special Polish in Black Pearl

Stamping Plate: Bundle Monster BM305

So let's talk about a few things here - CrowsToes Halloween collection is seriously giving me chills!  HHNF - first of all did any of you see Rosanne in She-Devil that late 80's movie?  Oh lawd I think about it every time I see devils.  So funny!  HHNF is so perfect and just the right combo of purple and orange-red yumminess for this mani.  I also have to say thank you to Lauri who sent them to me as a ROAK.  Seriously YOU rock lady!  Kindness has always been my weak point and this lady has continued to maintain her kindness and grace even when her family has been going through such difficult times.  She is a treasure and her polishes make me drool!  My friends in the blog-o-sphere can attest to that! But hey when you're working it you're working it and Lauri is always fierce!

Sephora's Pantone Universe 2012 - I've had these for a while and I have no idea why I never used them they've just been hanging out.  Opaque in three coats for the creme and drying to a near squishy like jelly finish. What's not to love?  I'm not sure of the availability of these anymore but the determined lacquerista should be able to make it happen if she wants them.

So thoughts, comments, mindless adoration? Lol kidding!  I'm having fun with these Halloween mani's.  I wish I had been able to do more curse the luck!  Oh well there is always next year ;)  Let me also take this time to say thank you thank you thank you to everyone who voted for me in the Bundle Monster Contest!!!  I didn't make it into the top 15 but it was really fun creating the look.  Also for those that didn't know it I won that inaugural entry for Leah Anne's new website and blog LLarrowe! Woot! Thank you for those too who always encourage me and give me the faith to continue on!  Perhaps they really do like me??? **Gazes into the distance with a faint look of surprise** Okay enough sillies.  See you next post and thanks for reading!

Llarowe Style: Under Da Sea..

Hello polished prisoners,

So why am I posting up marine/ocean oriented nail art in the heart of Halloween season? Well Llarowe, a small business that specializes in selling all manner of nail polishes lemmings including many highly coveted indie brands, is launching a blog! The kicker here is the inaugural post is going to be a guest post from whomever creates a manicure featuring products carried by Llarowe.  Pretty great huh? I created this mani in the hopes that I might be chosen :) Now let's get onto the art...

Mani-Logue

Base: OPI Natural Nail Base Coat

Index, Thumb, & Ring: OPI What's With The

Catitude?, Sally Hansen X-treme Wear Blue Me Away, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Freeze!, A-England Avalon, Layla Hologram Effect 05 Jade Groove, CrowsToes Tangled Web & I Make The Path

Middle & Pinkie: Essie Navigate Her, Revlon Posh, Spoiled Deeper Dive, China Glaze Blue Iguana, Layla Hologram Effect 07 Ocean Rush,

Dollish Polish Slippery When Wet & Go Luigi!

Stamping Polishes: Konad Special Polish in Pastel Purple, White, Purple, and Pastel Blue, Essie As Good As Gold, and China Glaze Millenium

Accents: LA Colors Gold Glitter, Essie Blanc, Orly It's Not Rocket Science

Stamping plate: LeaLac LLC5

Look at all the holo goodness from CrowsToes and Dollish Polish.

Leah Anne the lady behind this company is such a sweetheart! We've shared a mutual health burden that led us to some shared sympathy and laughter. Honestly, I'm uber excited to see both her blog and new website!  Anyhoo, I created this mani using one of the adorable 10 small stamping plates offered by LeaLac a subsidiary of Llarowe and several polishes i.e. CrowsToes, Dollish Polish and A-England, also carried by Llarowe (click links above to view). I chose this plate because it's probably one of the most unique plates I've seen of the many I own, and it's been calling out for a good mani for a bit now.  And after this mani yeah um I need ALL the plates now!

In case you were wondering what my mani looked like prior to stamping ;)

I could seriously eat this little octopus up! So freaking cute!!!

So what do you think? Another insane mani-logue huh? Hehe I must be channeling a mad person lol! But the results are worth it don't you think? Okie dokie that's it for now. Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you next post! Toodles...

CrowsToes, Fanservice Nails, Lights & A Gun - What?!?

Happy Saturday lacquer ladies,

I hope you aren't sizzling like sausages on this 105 weather day like I am today, but at least it's a good day for multi-tasking in the AC with of course you guessed it - polish!  I recently discovered the delectable phenomenon of trigger finger mani's on Nailed IT's blog and knew that I had to recreate a similar look.  Of course I wanted to do leopard, but I've had a lot of feline inspired nail art up lately. But what could be as delicious as a spotted compatriot of the night? Perhaps a finely feathered friend smothered in a decadent jelly sandwich?  I also wanted something that was dark versus bright which led me to one Ianto Jones of Fanservice Nails and the following result.

One hot pistol?

I want to say a few things quickly because there's a lot going on here.  First, I've already raved about Essie's Poppy Razzi collection.  It's sickening - nuff said.

The polishes were calling (left to right): Fanservice Nails Ianto Jones, Essie's Lights, CrowsToes Thing.

Second, Fan Service Nails.  Holy crap ladies - I have struck indie paydirt on this company!  When I first ordered one my polishes arrived damaged in transit - boo :(  I sent along an email and the situation was rectified at lightening speed.  This is my first time taking one of my FSN polishes for a cruise and I am so impressed! Ianto Jones is a glossy finish ONE COATER deep grey polish loaded with holographic microglitter.  I just don't have words ladies - this polish is just so good I am in awe!

Look at the holographic yumminess in Ianto Jones.  This polish is a rockstar especially when seen in direct sunlight!

Third, CrowsToes.  Please y'all know this biatch is fierce!  I don't even have to say a word.  Lauri is so talented every polish I have by her is gold and I have a lot (missing three to complete the collection).  She is being stocked by both Kim at Overall Beauty and Leah Ann at Llarowe but she also has her own store over on BigCartel.  Thing, is without a trace of irony, one of the prettiest things I've ever seen and a gorgeous glistening glitterbomb to boot.

This is indirect sunlight.  You can still see all of the holographic shimmer in Ianto but Thing also really pops into play even in the shade.

Have you recovered from my polish gush yet? I have no self control, but in summation - yay for trigger accent mani's, jelly neons, and indie wonders! There are a lot of indie companies rocking my socks off right now, and I'm pretty pleased these days to have picked up some fine gems. And finally, I'm happy I get to share all my polish passion with you without feeling like a freak.  Albeit, I readily admit my flag is always raised lol! Thanks for reading and see you next post!