2014 Nail Art Trend Alert: Lace

Hey lacquer ladies,

I wanted to fire off this post about lace as it seems everyone these days is losing their minds over these delicate bits of cloth transposed onto their nails as art.  I myself am a huge fan of lace nail art and I've often admired my fellow freehand nail art blogging friends who have been able to recreate favorite patterns of lace on their nails as well.  One of the reasons I'm so excited for all the lace plates that have been making their way around is that now I can create the same looks but best of all with precision and reproducibility.  I also wanted to make everyone aware that if you are looking for lace patterned plates there are a host of options out there.  I tried to list everything out in order of when they hit the market so let's get started...

Pueen Cosmetics

 Photo credit: Colores de Carol

It turns out Pueen in all their Love Elements glory got the jump on this whole lace thing doing a few sweet versions for those who love lace and apparently love.  These represent a great value for anyone looking to pick up a good set and also get some lace along the way!  This set generally retails for $18.99 and can be found at a variety of stores thus shipping depends on where you order.

Bunny Nails

This plate represents one of the first full size nail lace designs, and launched in Nov/Dec of 2013.  This plate was part of the Bunny Nails Everyday nail art series, and as usual with everything she does these plates are quietly and beautifully making a statement about her creativity and attention to detail.  This plate retails for 17.99 with free worldwide shipping.

Emily de Molly

I honestly forgot about this plate amongst all of the lace which is a shame because these patterns are exquisite.  These EdM plates launched in Dec/January just a little after the Bunny Nails plates.  I also think EDM02 has a lace-quese pattern but because it wasn't as fine and detailed as these I didn't include it.  EdM plates are available at Messy Mansion and retail for $7 USD + $2.50 shipping worldwide. 

Loja BBF

The initial release of 20 plates featured this stunning plate followed by the one below which I announced yesterday.  When they first hit the scene the surge of interested customers was insane! A lot of ladies were queuing up to get their hands on these patterns.



With the second release little has changed, and ladies are still clamoring for the goods.  These plates retail for $7 USD and $10 shipping to US from Brazil.

Messy Mansion

This plate was announced several weeks ago and has been causing a tremendous uproar on many of the stamping groups I'm in.  My thought is it was around this time and the release of the Loja BBF plates several months prior that the true buildup and demand for lace nail art started taking off.  This plate retails for $7 USD + 2.50 worldwide shipping.

Vivid Lacquer

It's been around 2 months since these plates were announced and the pre-sale went live.  This plate was also announced around the same time as the Messy Mansion plate.  Definitely a mark of the demand for lace in the nail art community.  I can't wait for mine to arrive in a few more weeks!

Daschica Beauty

I am not entirely sure when this plate released.  There are a ton of abstract type plates that are borderline IMO for what we would call lace however I know that this plate was released prior to the last set of 25 plates I announced roughly 3 weeks ago.  So I placed it in the timeline around the same as Messy Mansion and Vivid Lacquer.  Infinity plates retail for 4.99 Euro and shipping is based on amount and destination address.

MoYou London

As you recall I announced these plates on Wednesday as part of the Bridal Collection which released today for sale.  As you can see these two plates feature a host of lace for the most eager lace loving enthusiast.  In standard MoYou style they are available in both the XL and standard sized variety.  These plates retail for 4.99 Euro plus shipping.



So what do you think ladies - lace in or out or just a pass? As you can see there is a lot more out there than what one may have initially thought.   Lol in all honesty until I sat down to write this post I'd forgotten how many options I had myself, and who knows how many more options we will have in the future as this trend continues to take off.  In fact given how many brands of plates out there I wouldn't be surprised if I missed some. There are 3 more plates releasing from the MoYou Bridal Collection in 1 week, and may get some more lace then as well! I really hope this post was helpful for those looking around for lace stamping plates and wondering what your options were.  Thanks for reading and see you next post...

MoYou London 31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 11 Cupcakes

Hey lacquer ladies,

I love a good cupcake!  One might in fact say I'm a cupcake snob after all to score major points iwth me the cake has to be as good as the frosting and vice versa.  This is tougher than it seems for a lot of cupcake makers, and over time I have ultimately realized that French style cupcakes are my favorite.  Ahem in any case with so much interest in cupcakes clearly I was excited and hungry lol for Day 11 and its theme of Cupcakes.

Mani-louge

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

Gradient: Sinful Colors Baby Blue and Wet N' Wild Teal Slowly and See

Topper: CND Effects Gold Sparkle

Stamping Polish:  Konad Special Polish in Purple and Color Club Eternal Beauty

Stamping plates; MoYou London Pro 01 & 07, Princess 08, and Festive 03

When I poured through my plates for this challenge I realized that I had a LOT of images with cupcakes so for me it wasn't even about finding a plate that had one or two it was about pulling together the cupcakes in a way that added definitive whimsy and sweetness that I think is the appeal of the cupcake anyway.  I decided to also stick with pastels for this one because in my mind cupcakes always seem to head in that direction - doily's, pastels, and little squealing girls.  Lol..seriously you know what I mean.  Recently I've realized that I'm starting to pile up a lot of technique again in my mani's. For instance this mani features gradients, double stamping, and decal method.  I think I will scale back for some of the more difficult challenges i.e. ones that I have trouble creating the concept to make my life easier ;)



What do you think? This was another mani that I was ultimately very happy with.  Even though I didn't plan it it felt like all the elements that remind me of cupcakes came together perfectly in this mani.  So this is day 11 I'm about halfway through the challenge now with real time being day 15. It's definitely feeling a bit more natural, but still draining.  I think the worst part is that I'm getting a bit of burnout.  I wasn't very happy with that TV challenge and in between I decided to do something entirely unrelated to MoYou and it really made all the difference! You'll be seeing that soon.  In any case thanks for reading and see you next post...

MoYou London 31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 10 Geometric

Varnished vixens,

Put on some sunglasses because this next mani is going to sear your retina.  The closer we get to summer the more I want every neon on Earth.  OPI, essie, and a profusion of indies are doing a great job sucking me in.  However Orly beat every single one of them to the punch.  Of course I'm talking about their Baked Collection for Summer 2014 which I've had since March, but then I discovered these tiny polishes at Bed Bath and Beyond called Color Burst by Orly that are even more spectacular! I feel like Orly is a hidden gem brand.  It doesn't get nearly the press or fanfare it deserves when you consider how intense the pigmentation of their products are combined with nearly flawless formulas.  Flawless formula and neons rarely go together but this is so NOT the case with these Color Bursts.  I used six to create some insanely bright geometric nail art for day 10 of this challenge.

Mani-louge

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

Base colors: Orly Color Burst Peach Pastel Neon, Bright Blue Neon, Tennis Ball Neon, True Neon Pink. Florescent Fuchsia Neon, and Fruity Pink Neon

Stamping polish: Mundo de Unas #30

Stamping plates: MoYou London Artist 01 and 09

So do you like it?   I feel like I crushed this one lol!  I'm so happy with how this turned out it was another mani that I deeply regretted having to take off, but with the challenge being daily I can't really let the nail art linger so I can enjoy it.  I have to say looking at these make me so happy because I wasn't exactly thrilled with the nail art I created for today (day 14's) challenge.  Sometimes it's nice when you have a fail to go and look at the mani's that made you smile.  Alas moving on moving on.  I hope my readers are enjoying the ride.  I'm not particularly loving it but things are moving along.  Lol. Thanks for reading and see you next post..

Hot Off The Stamping Press: MoYou London Bridal Collection!

Holy smokes lacqueristas,

It's a 3-fer today here on the blog!  Why because it's pouring plates again and you know I like to swoop in and do my part to fill you with fantasies of the new plates you need to add to your collection ;)  MoYou London has decided to release another collection this time aimed at all those bridezillas and romantics out there.  Sadly I'm not one, but I'm always excited to see more plates particularly with new innovated images.  So let's get into shall we?



Meet Kate. She was single, but now is getting hitched up so currently unavailable to mingle :)  She's a little bit sassy, a lot sweet, and is focused on her wedding game.  Let's see what she brings to the table...

Favorite images here are the "I do"  with the crosshatch and the silhouetted couple.  I find most of the other images somewhat similar to other images I have in my collection.  The linked rings and diamonds is a 1st for me though.

The XL version of of the plate above minus a few of the smaller scenes. I have to admit I love the tuxedo :)

Finally a plate with everything I love!  Lace lace lace lace lace!!! These plates are gonna fly off the proverbial shelves.  There have been so many ladies buzzing about the lace plates released recently I can't see anyone passing on them even if you aren't particularly interested in this collection.

And same as above but an XL version.  I'll take this one too! Lol.

So ultimately I have mixed feelings about this collection in general.  Don't get me wrong.  MoYou London is one of my favorite plate makers and they literally offer something for everyone!  However, I'm not big on the hubbub that is the traditional American styled wedding, and even less on the whole romance lovey dovey thing.  Quiet, low key, and with excellent food and liquor is the way to go for me.  That said some ladies want it all and this collection will pander to that sentiment.  One other thing that causes me to be a little hesitant with this collection are the themes which I've seen already on so many other plates - cupids, roses, hearts, more roses, more diamonds, tuxedos.  Sorry, but that's truly how I feel. To be honest I was really hoping MoYou would take this collection in a totally non-traditional direction showing us brides all over the world.  I know ladies are still gonna eat these plates up though.

So MoYou has already let us know the next 3 plates for this collection will be releasing next Friday and if you are savvy enough you can see the plates I have posted aren't even in numerical order so we know more plates are coming.  Now what do you ladies think?  These plates will be available on the MoYou London website on Friday.  As usual they retail for 4.99 Euros.  If you haven't used the code "Tamira10" will save you 10% off your next order.  Happy stamping ladies and see you next post...

Hot Off The Stamping Press: New Loja BBF Plates!

Hey stamping addicts,

You know I love announcing new plates when they release, and of course I always try to stay on top of when the brands I love are coming out with something new.  So today is like a double hit of pleasure for me! You may recall my love affair with the Brazilian based brand Loja BBF and the subsequent review I wrote for her plates (read here and here).  Well she has released 5 more plates that are hot off the presses and ready for our greedy little eyes to gaze upon and that I'm going to share with you today.

As you can see there is going to be a little something for everyone in these next five plates.  Heavy on lace and detailing once again that places Cris's designs in a very unique category. What I love is how lace is making some kind of crazy launch on the nail art scene these days.  Everyone is getting into it and I couldn't be more thrilled.  Of course if you know your plates then you'll realize Cris already had some lace designs in the prior 20 plates so this is more of an expansion on a great theme.

The detailing on this plate is exquisite.  I mean truly of this world.  For an advanced stamper like myself I see some many possibilities written into the use of these plates.  Ugh I almost can't stand it!

There are going to be a lot of happy tattoo loving mama's around this joint!  Lol this plate is pretty much aimed at them especially the lower row.  I'm in love with that outer floral abstract and the roses in the lower left hand corner. I've not seen them designed quite like these on any of the other plates I own to date.

Pirate themes, chevrons, ankhs and skulls.  Plus let me take a moment and say are those mountains? You know I'm thrilled to see them especially for all the nail art I do involving Elevation Polish.  Yes! Love this plate.  Scope the dream catcher which is gaining popularity these days and the butterfly begging to be done in leadlight technique ;)



Ending on a high note! Everything about this plate is win.  The abstracts, the topographical map the anchors.  I love it!  Ugh I need this one badly!

What do you you ladies think? I see several plates that must be mine as in all of them lol. How about you any favorites?  I'm so enamored with this brand.  You can purchase Loja BBF plates and let's not forget the stellar polishes via email at lojabbf@gmail.com.  Cris ships internationally.  Plates retail for $7 USD + $10 for shipping.  Stay tuned for the second review of my replacement plates for this brand as well as the last 2 plates of the original 20 later this week.  Happy stamping dolls!  Thanks for reading and see you next post...

MoYou London 31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 9 Superhero

Hey lacqueristas,

Something about man in a cape with a skintight suit really gets me going! What can I say I love comic books particularly of the Marvel genre.  I've been dying to do some nails for the latest Captain America which I have already seen and Spiderman which I haven't.  Alas this challenge is eating up all my free mani time.  In any case I was pumped for the day 9 challenge.  The theme was Superhero which allowed me to finally break out  my Comic Collection plates and play.

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Topcoat: CND Stickey and Poshe Fast Drying Top Coat

Base colors: Wet N' Wild French Creme and Orly Satin Majestic Satin topped with IMN Northern Lights

Stamping polishes: Mundo de Unas #30, Konad Special Polish in Red, China Glaze Millennium

Stamping plates: MoYou London Comic Collection  03 & 05

I knew in advance I wanted to capture a panel per nail. Maybe a crime scene or a call for help or a spectacular fight.  You may recall several months ago when I attempted something similar with my World of Wars mani that I used to enter a prior MoYou contest.  I felt very frustrated then because the mani took me an incredibly long time to put together and I kept changing things until I felt I got it just right.  This time I knew I was going to have the scenes play out in red, yellow, blues and whites with a strong reliance on the decal method.



I really love how these turned out, but what do you think? One thing the scenic plates make me wish for is larger nails.  Lol it's so hard to cut the scenes down.  I had to do the same thing with the Birth of Venus mani to fit it on my nails and I consider myself to have pretty long and wide nail beds.  In any event I felt like the superhero challenge was relatively smooth sailing.  Thanks for reading and see you next post!

MoYou London 31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 8 Food

Yo lacquer ladies,

It's Monday night.  I try not to niche label things, but Monday is really the worst day in the world lol.  I can only feel mounting dread on the rare Sundays I'm off because I know Monday means the end of my pleasantries.  One such pleasantry this weekend included some excellent sushi and is going to provide a nice segue into Day 8 of the MoYou London 31 day nail art challenge.  Hehe.  I know so smooth right? :/  In any case the theme was food.  I threw in some onigiri and sushi cause those are some of my favorite go to foods in the world.

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Topcoat: CND Stickey and Poshe Fast Drying Topcoat

Base colors: PolishMeToGo Honey My Dew (pinkie and index) and Yell Oh Mint (middle and ring)

Stamping polish: Sally Hansen Fast Fuschia and Mundo de Unas #2

Stamping plate: MoYou London Pro 01 and Suki 03

Everything about this mani was frantic.  I came home and fell asleep exhausted from the hustle and bustle of the day and then I woke up and it was 10 PM. Eeep! <--- a sound I emanated realizing what happened. I grabbed two polishes that have been in the dish beside my bed for the last 2 months.  PolishMeToGo's Honey My Dew and Yell Oh Mint.  When I'm thinking of using a polish it gets put in that dish and then when I think I have a mani that will work with it I pull it out.  The colors were perfect the formulas were perfect and best of all these suckers dried in nano seconds.  Thank goodness I already picked out the plates.  I added the plaid on a whim and went with it and I think it added a little element of awesome to this mani.



What do you ladies think?  Honestly, you can see I don't plan my manis really ever.  I always end up changing my mind or playing with the stamps and realizing I don't like what I stamped down or conversely it would look better if I added x, y, z.  Yup.  My creative process is mostly like this a bit of willy and nilly mixed all together with experience.  Welp that's day 8.  I'm hungry now so I'm going to scrounge up so food lol.  Thanks for reading and see you next post...  Btw if you haven't entered my contest yet get the lead out! It ends March 17th at midnight!