Essie Sand Tropez: Nude Nails 5 Ways or Nude Skittles feat Vivid Lacquer Plates

Hey polished prisoners,

It's that time again when I start falling back in love with nude polish!  I never really fell out of love with nude polish.  I own so many it's a mess, but this is also true of my love of nude lipsticks.  Nudes are versatile and when they are well done they can be subtle or in your face.  They are my go to color range for interviews or hiding my love of nails in plain sight.  I'm just gaga over nudes.  If you are a long time follower of my blog you'll know Essie Sand Tropez is my go to creme nude.   I'm using it today  create a little nude mani after being inspired by a post I saw on instagram.

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Top Coat:  CND Stickey & Sally Hanson Diamond Flash

Basecolor:  Essie Sand Tropez & Black Liquorice

Stamping Polish: Konad Special Polish in Black

Stamping Plates: Vivid Lacquer VL005, VL009, & VL0010

Accents:  Pueen Gold Round Studs & LA Splash Striper in Gold Glitter, Gold Flakies

I don't really have a hell of a lot to say about the results here other than why didn't I do this sooner?  No matter which design I picked from the whole to propagate over an entire mani it would work and look pretty.  I freehanded the cheetah print nail which is probably the one nail I'm a bit unsatisfied with.  For my index finger I chose to place random pieces of gold flakies I have lying around over Sand Tropez and then stamped over the finished product.  This nail is one of my favorites.  The graphic triangle is the result of a scotch tape mani.  Somehow there is a a lot of technique happening, but the results work well together because of the joined color scheme.  Pulling out the images across my Vivid Lacquer plates was easy.  Once again these plates are so awesome!  And again Anni's plates make me happy to be a stamper!

What do you think? I'll bet you never thought black and nude could be so bold!  I am so happy with how this came out I can't stop smiling.  I think this is totally inappropriate for a sedate day at work in a conservative office, but come on this is Lacquer Lockdown and I don't generally do mani's like that though if there is an interest I certainly could.  Do let me know if so.  Otherwise thanks for dropping by to read and I'll see you next post!

Hot Off The Stamping Press: Messy Mansion Holiday Plates!

Hey stamparellas,

You know I can't stand to miss a good plate release right?  I have so many of these little hot tickets that are releasing to put up on my blog it's nonsensical, but as usual my heart skips a beat when I see that Julia releases new plates.  If you don't know about Messy Mansion check out my Plates I Love feature it's chock full of my love and admiration for this lovely Aussie indie plate maker! Let me say I already ordered away as soon as I saw they released since I am totally in love with this brand!

These have actually been on the etching table for a while, but they finally released this week. It's a bit late for the Thanksgiving plate, but of course I had to have it anyway so next year I'll be all set ;)

The last plate MM29 in my opinion is the most sickening sickening plate I have seen from a creator in a while!  Still utterly blow away by this piece.  I got some big plans when that plate arrives.  In any event.  These plates are available now.  Get em here while they last. I hope the winter themed one makes it in time for me to create some lovely Christmas art.  I get plates from Julia pretty quickly though usually in about a week from when I place my order.  The plates retail for $7 USD and it's on $2.50 USD flat rate for world wide shipping.  Got I love your plates Julia!  Thanks so much for reading and see you next post!

Hot Off The Stamping Press: New Bunny Nails Plates

Stampaholics unite!

More hot and happening plates are coming off the presses from one of my favorite ladies in the nail art game - Bunny Nails!  Yup you might recall that she recently released HD-C and HD-D Halloween themed plates not that long ago and now she's back with a few more plates just in time for the upcoming holidays.  Oh be still my heart!  So let's see what she's got in store for us today shall we?

First up I'll show the holiday themed HD-E and HD-F plates.  As usual she knocks it out of the park with these creating something that every holiday lover will want to stamp with.  I know because I have her small HD set with holiday themes and they are so cute.  They feature reindeer, slices of pie, icicles, snowmen, you name it and they are absolute adorable!

Photo Credit

How cute right!?!  Lots of useful image here for the upcoming holidays.  The only thing that bothers me is her plates tend to release right before holidays like Thanksgiving so you are in a rush to get them so that you can use them before the season passes.  Clearly this will not be the case for Christmas and New Years.  I do see a few repeats from her smaller plate series the snowman, ski boots, Santa and a few others but I'd say only about 8 or so and only of the smaller images. 

Photo Credit

Ok now let's talk about the new BuNa plates.  I feel as though there were a few plates with this title when she originally released the small HD plates they were bonuses to the purchase.  This time she has come out with larger full nail images for everyday use i.e. no holiday themes like the historical releases of her plates. 

 

 Photo Credit

I am in love with BuNa-A the floral scene at the bottom is gorgeous!  Reminds me of some beautiful prints I saw a while ago in Papershelf.  Also love the antiquated border in the lower left hand corner.   However in terms of originality and highest factor of desirability I'm looking right at BuNa-B.  This plate has images unlike many I've seen.  It's getting harder to create original designs for stampers. I think this is in part because we have seen a huge boom in indie plate makers over the last 2 years and because buyers are increasing their selectivity.  We want new and innovative approaches to nail art and designs that fit within the desire.  I think BuNa-B is a prime example.  I'd also like a moment to point out this is the first time I've seen a plate put a proper cardiac normal sinus rhythm on a plate before.  The little hearts and stuff are cute but I am bothered tremendously when I don't see the waveforms marching out in a manner that I'm accustomed to.

 Photo Credit

So thoughts? Are there any you absolutely have to have or do you think you'll hold out for a bit?  If I could I would snatch up all 4 right now!  I want those holiday plates pretty badly lolol.  In any case you can find the new plates here on Bunny Nails.  They retail for $17.99 and have free shipping worldwide shipping.  I will be throwing myself upon the mercies of the upcoming holidays to ahem increase my stash.  Lol my wishlist is once again swelling.  Randomly more than anything at the moment I'm wanting a carbonated water maker.  I keep forgetting the name of it but every time I go into Target or Bed, Bath, & Beyond I keep staring wondering when the price will go down.  Gah!  In any case thanks for reading and I'll see you next post!

Plates I Love!: Messy Mansion Nail Art Edition (Pic Heavy)

Happy Friday Stamp Tramps ;)

Welcome to my new feature called - Plates I Love!  I will be featuring brands of stamping plates that I have tested out myself and can attest to the quality of and know for a fact that the creators are well...creative.  These will be two part features - in the first segment I'll talk about the brand and show you some fabulous nail art creation and in the 2nd I'll be interviewing the creator (click here for the interview).  I think it'll be kinda awesome to get personal insight into the process of their designs.  So let's start the show!

The first brand I'm featuring is Messy Mansion an Australian based company created by the wonderful Julia McGowan who I discovered through my AIS group!  I will always have a weak and sentimental place for Australia, a country I lived in for half a year while studying abroad, so of course when I heard of these plates I had to snag them up! Julia is seriously seriously seriously talented and to date has some of the most innovative plates I have EVER seen.  This is saying something for a lady who owns, no joke, hundreds and hundreds of stamping plates from all over the world (my inventory is coming soon).  Today I used several of her plates to create a special manicure to go along with this feature and I'll be showing you some of her other plates later as well.

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Topcoat: OPI Natural Nail Base Coat/Poshe Fast Drying Topcoat

French tip bases: Orly Satin Hues Satin Joy and Satin Reflection

Overcoat: PolishedbyKPT Green Awakening

Accent: Liquid Sky Lacquer Solar Plum

Stamping polishes: Konad Special Polish in Black Gold

Stamping Plates: Messy Mansion MM20 and MM06

Blurred to capture holo and green flecks - the shade of it all!

Let's pause here for a moment so that I can show you some of the plates Julia created which started my fanatical obsession with her awesome products so below are a few of the plates Julia has created thus far...

The following are coming soon!

The 411:

Stalk Messy Mansion here 

Enrich your nail art soul and collection here or here

Plates are $7 AUD with $2.50 AUD shipping worldwide  
 

So now you know what's so hot about Mrs. McGowan aka Messy Mansion.  The images on her plates are massive as in they fit my wide and long nail beds like a dream and the engravings on these plates are genuinely some of the most fantastical and imaginative artistry I have seen come out of a stamping plate company.  In addition the quality and etching of the plates is flawless!  You will hear me utter not one word against this brand.  You will see me run falling screaming and tumbling to get my hands on a preorder for her plates, and try desperately to create nail art that is worthy of their beauty.  Yup full of hype today but every word I say is true and more!

 

Shade

A little about today's mani starting with Liquid Sky Lacquer Solar Plum because I don't want you to be an idiot like I was - it's a UV changing polish not a thermal which means unless you are sitting in a tanning bed or out in the direct sunlight this bad boy won't shift.  Don't be ridiculous like me and email the seller and then have her politely explain that a full spectrum lamp just won't cut the mustard.  Lol I love you Carolyn! I also used PolishedbyKPT to give the iridescent green effect you see over all of my nails except the accent and I really love how that turned out!

 Sun

So thoughts? I wonder if it was too much to show a mani and her plates together in one feature?  I could use so feedback so let me know what you think! Do you prefer to just see the plates and have me talk about the brand or to see nail art and then split from there with a separate post about the plates and the brand?

I realized after I did this mani that it has been entirely too long since I have done a bling mani! How is that even possible? I mean I used to live for the bling bling.  Lol well tis the season coming for all of that so hopefully I can get a bit in during these holiday months.  I totally adore this nail art.  It's completely over the top and impractical, but it's so shiny and pretty I can't stop staring.

Finally, I'm always for supporting creativity and ingenuity in the stamping and polish world.  I love all of my plates, but my indie ones have a special place in my heart for being unique and cool.   Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow for the interview with Julia.  I promise it will be worth your while and I'll see you next post! 

PolishTBH Anniversary Collection Review

Lovely lacquer ladies,

I had an honor bestowed on me these days! You know I am fairly humble when it comes to blogging and my nail art too.  It's because I look around and everywhere I see ladies with some crazy and amazing talent.  It's hard even think I match up so when a polishmaker takes the time to send me some of their products or ask me for opinions I take it really seriously, and I'm also extremely touched to be chosen.  Today I have that privilege as I'll be sharing a very special collection with you from PolishTBH from Chrissy's one year anniversary collection.  Just a warning this post is pretty pic heavy!

I discovered this brand thanks to Mimi of MakeupWithdrawal.  Because of her swatches I've clicked "add to cart" more times than I can count, and that's how I discovered the awesome splendor of the PolishTBH Diagon Alley Collection and the amazing cuticle oils she makes.  See my Harry Potter inspired nail art here.  I have a few more coming down the pipes so stay tuned, but today I'm just totally blown away.  I have three unique beauties for the 1 year bash and each one is somewhat a homage to the incredibly talented and still shockingly sexy (yes I said it) Britney Spears.

First up is Teal the World Ends.  The name is a a play on the song Til the World Ends.  This is a teal creally-ish polish sprinkled with white and black matte bar and hex glitter with holographic teal hexes interspersed throughout with spare holographic microglitter.  You want to know the greatest part about this polish (even though Chrissy has hit on two out of my four polish turn-ons right now) it's a THERMAL!!!  This little pretty transitions from the deep teal color to a pale blue when warm.  I honestly own nothing like this in my collection and I have a lot of thermals!  Opaque in two coats and stealing my heart in transition.  Thin coats with time to dry in between works best to minimize glitter drag.

 Warm

The gradient here is Essie Sweet Talker and stamped with Essie

No Place Like Chrome using Dashica SdP 47 and Fab Ur Nails Fun 2 plates

Transitioning

Almost to my nadir

Cold (or the natural state of my nails)

Brithday Tutu.  Is a pink gelee glitter topper packed with iridescent pink hexes and microglitter.  This one was a bit tough for me because I couldn't figure out what kind of base to pair with it.  Ultimately I think it worked best in a jelly sandwich layered to show off its beauty.  Pictured here layered between and over Colorama Espuma.  A little goes a long way with this one as the base was thicker than I expected.   It's necessary to be patient between coats otherwise you may not achieve the seemingly delicate effect I got here. I love how this one turned out the best!

I stamped over this polish using Color Club Eternal Beauty and Konad Special White for the Ballerina.  I used Konad plates M63 and S8

Finally I think I saved my favorite from the collection for last! Fantasy Anniversary Edition made me gasp when I took it out of the wrapping.  Liquid fire in a bottle! Almost too hot to maintain eye contact with.  This is one of those complex polishes that will flash fire at every angle that you move your nails.  Fantasy is a brownish-blackened jelly polish crammed with gold holographic hexes and microglitter.  Opaque in 3 thin precise coats.  Fantasy you are my everything.  I could not take it off nor did I dare create art over top of it!

So now you have my honest thoughts on this collection.  I think if you could only afford a couple you must definitely get Teal the World Ends and Fantasy Anniversary Edition.  Although in all honesty I think Birthday Tutu is the most versatile of all three.  Chrissy said TtWE will likely be her last thermal polish, which I think is a shame, so don't hesitate to pick it up!  The Anniversary Collection has already released.  You can purchase PolishTBH  here.  And while you're over there seriously consider trying the cuticle oils.  I loved the mini I got when I purchased the Diagon Alley collection so much that I immediately went back and bought 2 in the full size! Thank for reading and stay tuned for some awesome follow up nail art!

In case you didn't get it above these polishes were sent to me for review.  My opinions however are entirely my own!

Halloween 2013: Spiderwebs and Cherons feat Vivid Lacquer Image Plates

Happy Friday fellow lacqueristas,

Today I've got some uber cute nails to show you!  I decided to try out a few of my newer Vivid Lacquer stamping plates, and let me say I'm loving everything about them!  I wanted to try and create some fun nail art that was pretty and Halloween themed without heading down the pathway of gore.  Lol that's not to say I won't be heading down that pathway ever but I am more of a glamourous and pretty type. That had me reaching for my Vivid Lacquer plates which feature just enough fiendishness combined with pretty to satisfy my tastes.

I'm not sure if you knew but Anni recently created a Autumn/Halloween themed plate.  What I love the most about it are two images in particular!  One is a huge spiderweb.  It could easily stretch across all 4 of my digits if I stamped it serially.  The other is a graveyard image that has yet to be used but it will be shortly.   This is a cute and versatile plate that has the potential to create about 5-10 or more Halloween mani's if you got creative.   I'm not sure if it's currently available, but you can get it here.

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Topcoat: CND Stickey/Poshe Fast Drying Topcoat

Base Colors: Essie Fear or Desire and Orly Goth

Stamping Polishes:  Essie No Place Like Chrome, China Glaze Passion, Konad Special Polish in Black Gold

Stamping Plates:  Vivid Lacquer VL010 & VL013

So what do you think? I haven't done a trigger finger mani in a long time so it's funny that when I once again pick it up it's with Essie yet again.  Lol what can I say I am a die-hard Essie girl!  In any case I am so in love with how this turned out.  As you can see I mutated the chevrons a touch to make them more interesting then I connected the gap with a black striper brush.  I hope you like it and stay tuned for more awesome Halloween nail art as the month progresses! 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!

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...