Moyra Embellished Abstract Nail Art

Hiya stamperistas,

Get ready for it cause today I'm changing up the game ;)  No really seriously I am! For the first time in forever not counting dotticures I'm throwing some freehand into my stamping.  Freehand embellishments anyway in the form of gel polish.  That's right everything is about to get all crazy up in this place.  I'm taking my new Moyra plates out for a spin so let's do this thing!

Sweaters, Swirls and Snoopy Winter Nail Art

Hey lacqueritas,

I/m keeping it chill and cool today.  Lol actually I'm keeping it cool and chill for the rest of the year not that there's much of it left.  Anyway I've been wearing these nails for a couple of days now.  A kind of pink on pink swirling winter nail art.  I wouldn't necessarily classify it as Christmas per say just cozy.  Anyhoo here's what I came up with...

MoYou London 31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 13 Childhood

Happy Sunday lacqueristas,

I don't have an AIS post today as likely I won't be able to get to it with the daily MoYou London challenge eating up a majority of my time these days.  Whine moan and complain right? Lol nope! I've pretty much hit my stride minus the post for day 14 because that one was a doozy, but otherwise I'm feeling good kinda floating through these challenges now.  Today I've got Day 13 nail art for you.  The theme was Childhood.  Ah the nostalgia ;)

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Topcoat: CND Stickey and Sally Hansen Diamond Flash Topcoat

Base colors: Lilacquer Selkie, IMN Northern Lights in Silver, Orly Tennis Ball Neon, Ablaze, Hot Tropics, and Tropical Pop, Essie Shake Your $$$ Maker, Color Club Endless Summer

Stamping polish: Mundo de Unas #2

Stamping Plates: MoYou London Pro XL 04, Princess 09 and 10 

For this challenge I decided to create a mani with elements of things I loved as a child. And what I loved when I was a child was simple - Lisa Frank, Minnie Mouse, strawberries, anything bright colored, and stars.  I still love all of these things which is kind of surprising though I no longer collect Lisa Frank items.  When I think about it my mother always said I was her most difficult child - a picky eater, sickly, and finicky about everything.  Lol lord things have so not changed! I guess we are who we are from the moment we are born until we die and if we are lucky we learn enough to change some of our poorer bad habits ;)  



So how about you ladies are their things that you still love as a child that stuck with you as an adult?  Did you like the mani?  I think it was fun and bright!  I hope you liked my day 13 post and are enjoying the warm weather, if you have it, this weekend.   Thanks for reading and I'll see you next post...

MoYou London 31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 4 Fantasy

Hey lacqueristas,

As I said Day 4 of this nail art challenge is delayed.  I was able to get my post up to Instagram in time for the deadline, but the post had to wait until I finished my Elevation Polish post which I had been working on for some time.  I'm dreading the challenge for Day 5 which is shadows.  Let me take a moment to ask how does one interpret this theme?  Ugh I'm a scientist not an artist damnit (lol you may be inclined to disagree but it's true).  Alas...in any case let's get onto the day 4.

The theme this time was Fantasy.  Woot right up my alley!  So glad I went ahead and bought a few of the Fairytale Collection plates.  The truth is I wanted them all immediately, but I had to pull back a little and be sensible about buying up ALL the plates.  Plus I have to keep a little back for my other plate addictions.  Because MoYou releases plates every week I just compile a never ending ever growing wishlist.  Lol.  In any case I decided to break out the Fairy plates and create some art.

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Topcoat: Glitter A-Peel / Sally Hansen Diamond Flash

Base color: Pahlish Your Bright Shadow
Topper: IMN Northern Lights in Gold

Stamping polish: Mundo de Unas # 33

Stamping plates: Fairytale Collection Plate 01 and 05

I chose Pahlish Your Bright Shadow because I have been staring at this polish since I ordered it along with the Elevation Polish duo.  The truth is I've been a long time fan of this brand.  Her polishes are gorgeous, and this one is no exception!  Creating this design was all about the lady in the dress, but the dress didn't fit completely on my nails however what did was stunning.  I'm a bit disappointed with my ring finger.  For some reason the fairy on the mushroom ended up looking a little flat.  If I'd had the proper time I would have gone ahead and redone it, but this goes to show you how exacting I am about my nail art.  If the vision falls short I redo it until I'm 100% satisfied. Honesty I have a feeling I will repeat this manicure at some point.

So what do you think? Did anyone else do nails for this challenge? Alright thanks for reading and stay tuned for the 5th installment.  Thanks for reading and see you next post...

New Year's Nail Art!

Happy New Year Lacquer Ladies,

Welcome to the 2014 on Lacquer Lockdown.  I actually did 3 different nail art manis for the New Year and then as is usual  didn't get a chance to post up even one until this late time slot, but they say better late than never!  I hope all my followers will be happy to keep tuning into my nail art looks for this year as well and that everyone had a great day to kick off the start of 2014! I tried to challenge myself this year by using a variety of my plates to create individual looks so each new year mani is created around a different brand of stamping plates.  First up MoYou London...

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Topcoat: CND Stickey and Poshe Fast Drying Topcoat

Orly Black Vinyl,  Wet N' Wild A Blank Canvas, and INM Northern Lights in Silver

Stamping polish: Essie No Place Like Chrome and Konad Special Polish in Black

Stamping Plates: MoYou London Festive Collection 05

I wanted to do a tuxedo suit style nail art for dog years now!  I have no idea why I waited this long.  I will tell you though this was the trickiest image to stamp.  I tried over 4 times before I could get the placement and the complete image dead center the way I wanted with the coverage I wanted.  What a mess!  I'm still not entirely pleased with how that nail in particular turned out but practice makes perfect.  I added some black studs to the tuxedo to create a little 3D effect that I found fairly cute.

I love this plate and have to say this is another winner MoYou!  Right now I can say without a shred of embarrassment I have 36 plates on my wishlist just hanging out for the opportune moment to strike.  Ok maybe I'm a little embarrassed, but you guys haven't even seen my MoYou stash have you?  It's massive lolol.   In any case I have lots more nail art around the bend and of course another Plates I Love feature soon, as well as an awesome review of 2 new plates from the genius plate maker herself little miss Bunny Nails.  Thanks for reading and see you next post!

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: Ghoulish Glam

Happy Saturday polished prisoners,


This week has been a mother...ah let's just leave it there.  Suffice to say I'm so thankful it's the weekend as I'm exhausted and I get a one day reprieve from the shade of it all ;) Man oh man I have been so psyched up for the manicure I'm about to show you since I saw the announcement for the Bundle Monster Fright Night Competition!  I literally thought I have to do something that leaves me gagging (um in delight not because it's gross I don't do gross...) - lol.  You can vote for my entry HERE.  Oh my a shameless plug but I do need your votes to win! In any case this was such a labor of love and evolved so slowly every nail took me forever, but it was worth it.  Now onto the art...

Mani-louge

Thumb: Base: Orly Liquid Vinyl stamped with Konad Special Polish in Light Green, Light Purple and Purple

Index: Base: OPI What's With The Catittude? sponged with Orly Velvet Rope and Sinful Colors Daddy's Girl and Orly Liquid Vinyl, freehand accents: Cm Nail Art Brush in Black stamped with China Glaze Millennium

Middle: Base: INM Northern Lights in Gold with OPI I Have A Herring Problem sponged with Sinful Colors Daddy's Girl and Orly Liquid Vinyl; Floral vines: Cm Nail Art Brush in Black and stamped with Konad Special Polish in Black.  Rhinestones: 1-3mm rhinestones in various colors

Ring: Base: Essie To Buy Or Not To Buy; Gradient: Sinful Colors Daddy's Girl and Orly Liquid Vinyl; Stamped: Konad Special Polish in Yellow and White; Accents (dots): Essie Blanc

Pinkie: Base: Essie Navigate Her sponged with China Glaze Near Dark and Orly It's Not Rocket Science and Liquid Vinyl; Freehand accents: Cm Nail Art Brush in Black stamped with freehand accents: Cm Nail Art Brush in Black stamped with Konad Special Polish in White

Stamping Plates: BM14, BM211, BM223, and BM305 

That mani-louge is something else right?  So many polishes and plates and tiny detail work.  I can't remember the last time or if I have ever done such a complicated mani before.  Every single nail was thought out and thought out again.  I wanted to create something pretty and a little spooky and of course extremely unique.  I couldn't even figure out the colorway for this mani which I usually always do before I start.  I just made it up as I went along which I have to say at least to me is so much harder to do.

Notice how I "snuck" some bling into this jazz hehe!

So what do you think? Once again if you like it please vote for me over on the Bundle Monster Facebook page under the Fright Night Contest here.  I'm pretty happy with the results though in all honesty I doubt I'll do a tutorial for this manicure as it'd be over 30mins long even condensed down :/  Totally worth it though since I cannot stop staring at my nails! How am I ever going to be able to take this off?  In any case thanks for reading and I'll see you next post! Toodles...

LDTTWC Day 2 - It's Vintage Darling!

Hey polished prisoners,

This was supposed to go up this weekend, but things happened.  Alas here we are now! I realized that I neglected to describe what this challenge is all about so let me rectify that now.  The Let's Do The Time Warp Challenge is sponsored by Neverland Nail Blog in conjunction with Nail Polish Canada, and is dedicated to a love of all things nostalgic.  There are two challenges per week for 4 weeks going according to Lindsey's schedule, and it's pretty much a my pace kinda challenge as long as I get the posts up within a week of Lindsey's.  It's pretty chill so I feel I can manage this one better than something as demanding at the 31 day nail art challenge.  Now today's theme is all about using something vintage as inspiration for a mani.  Whenever I think of vintage one thing pop's into my head - jewelry.  Yup!  I love vintage jewelry particularly things from the Victorian mourning period and Art deco pieces, but one of my favorite pieces has to be a vintage owl brooch that my grandmother owns.  I used it as inspiration for this challenge.

Mani-louge

Base: Revlon Quick Dry Base (I'm not loving this at all)

Top-Coat: IMN Out the Door (also still not loving this one either)

Base Color: Butter London Trustafarian

Owl Detailing: Nail Art Pen and Brush (no name), Cm Nail Art Brush in Black, Orly Liquid Vinyl, Dandy Nails Look Around, 2mm rhinestones in various colors, and 3mm black pearls

Indoors- shimmer shimmer.

Did you know I could freehand?  Lol it's been a minute since I've done it and I'm rusty.  I definitely want to gain more skills so I'm thinking of freehanding from now on at least once a week to improve myself.  Freehand Fridays????? Well in any case this is another challenge that almost killed me.  My perfectionistic tendencies and type A personality were out in full force - cringe.

I love the bejewled owl the most and the owl on my index finger the most.  So here we are day 2 coming to belated finish.  Stay tuned for the next one which should be out quicker!  Thanks for reading and toodles...