Swatchfest Saturday!

Hello, Fireflies!

Today, I reach back into the vault and pull out some polish swatches!  Some were used for group challenges, some for nail art that didn't survive photographing, some were polishes I just *needed* to wear that moment.

Bleeding Boogie Nights

Hello, Fireflies!

I love rich, vampy shades of polish, and Deborah Lippmann Let It Bleed is perfect for this time of year!  It's such a deep, dark oxblood.

I like how the rose gold glitter of Ulta Boogie Nights looks sprinkled on just the top of the nail.  It's as if Edward shed some glitter on the blood pools he left behind.

If it redeems me at all, I read the Twilight Books, and only saw one..or two of the movies.  For free, on TV.  Just to see what the hype was all about, you know.

I think this combo takes on an ethereal quality when paired with a matte topcoat.  I like how it makes all the pieces of glitter stand out individually.

Pic Monkey, the picture editing tool I use, has some cool overlays for the season.  I do seem to like the idea of a messy vampire.

Bottle shot:  Deborah Lippmann Let It Bleed (True Blood) and Ulta Boogie Nights.

It wasn't Edward after all! My little firefly logo has gone vamp!

Are you into the vampire hype?

Saturday Swirly Stripes

Hello, Fireflies!

Just a little nail art for you today, based on a cute stripey pattern I saw on Fairly Charming's blog.

I started out with a Julep Joanna, a frosty, icy blue.  I like using these light, fairly unobtrusive colors for the base of a nail art instead of all the bare nails or sheer pinks I see so often.  I have way too many polishes to be going naked for all of these manicures.

These are probably the messiest stripes I've ever published on my blog.  I seem to have a problem replicating the shape of the original nail art.  Time to break out the compass, or something.  What a mess.  But the polish is pretty - a coral from Deborah Lippmann called Girls Just Want To Have Fun.

From coral to radiant orchid with Nails Inc Devonshire Row.  I must have been sorting through my mini bottles - two in a row? Weird.

When you want pseudo jeans, try jeggings.  Or Ginger + Liz Jeggings, which fit me much better.

I like how the other colors are sandwiched between different shades of blue.

Even though these are mostly trendy colors, this look feels somehow dated.  Doesn't it kinda look retro?

Bottle shot:  Julep Joanna, Deborah Lippmann Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Nails Inc Devonshire Row, and Ginger + Liz Jeggings.

Are you more likely to do adventurous nail/makeup/fashion looks on the weekend, or do the opposite and go as nekkid as you possibly can? I'll chill out with a bare face when we're at home, but I love playing with nail art on lazy days.

NCC - Where you can Say Anything

Hello, Fireflies!

Ok, so technically, there are only 4 challenges per month for the NCC.  I usually do my NCC challenges on Wednesdays, and there are 5 Wednesdays this month.. so, before I knew it, I had done a 5th Movie/Music/TV mani.

Yep, I'm *that* guy.

So, for your enjoyment, I present my 5th challenge for April, based on a song that was used in a movie.

A blank slate, with Revlon Spirit.

Flames..hmm.. 'the heat' stamped with Cheeky 52 and Nabi Red, with a bit of Julep Kyla dabbed on.

 A little sparkle from L'Oreal The True Diamond - 'the light'... 'the light, the heat'.

And a little dude holding a boom box.  If I could draw, he'd be wearing a trench coat.

And, finally, the eyes! "In your eyes, the light, the heat; your eyes, I am complete. In your eyes, I see the doorway to a thousand churches..."

Yeah, I wasn't even going to try drawing a thousand churches.

Here's basically the whole movie, Say Anything, set to the awesomeness that is Peter Gabriel's, "In Your Eyes," the song that broke every girl's heart watching this movie.

"I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen."

Bottle shot:  Revlon Spirit, Nabi Red, Julep Kyla, L'Oreal The True Diamond, and a Sharpie.

'Put googly eyes on your nails," my husband said.  "Put googly eyes on and it'll be like that movie.  It'll be fun," he said.

An InLinkz Link-up

Spring Renewal Nail Art Challenge - Good Egg!

Is it really spring?  I know some folks got snow this week! It's so weird - usually we have the A/C on 24/7 by this time here in Florida, but I'm loving that today is breezy, and I have the house open.  I'm feeling totally renewed, and excited for this, ahem, Spring Renewal Challenge!

First, let's pretend that I have a pix of my white nails, painted perfectly (we're imagining, so why not!) with Revlon Spirit.

I picked up some Washi tape that had chevrons printed on it, so I used them as a template and cut out chevrons for my nails.  Soon after, I got a small set of Nail Vinyls of chevrons, but it was too late for this mani.  Something you could get, though, if you want easy chevrons!

I tried to alternate between the yellow (Julep Nadia), pink (Julep Ellie) and blue (Joe Fresh Wave) but apparently, I can't do random patterns.  Also, Ellie fooled me with her pinkness in the bottle, but not so much on the nail.  April Fools!... a little late?

I took a dotting tool and some black to make some - and pardon me for getting a little technical here - dots.  In a chevron pattern.  Try to wrap your minds around that without hurting yourselves.

I think Orly Etoile may be the most subtle glitter I own.  Just a pinch of light purple sparkle.

Bottle shot:  Revlon Spirit, Joe Fresh Wave, Julep Nadia and Ellie, Wet 'n Wild Black Creme, and Orly Etoile.

This is probably as close to Easter Eggs as I'll get this year, except for candy ones.  My fave are the malted milk Robins' Eggs, but I have to have at least one Cadbury egg, and one Reese's Peanut Butter Egg, too.  What's your favorite egg?

An InLinkz Link-up

Two posts today!  Click HERE if you want to see my Hot. Pink. Cabana Boy.

Irish Flowers - #GetLuckyNAC

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's challenge is to be Ireland-inspired.  I found this website of Irish flowers, and fell in love with the look of the Carline Thistle, a flower most frequently found in central and western Ireland, in dunes, rock ledges and sea-cliffs.  (The picture is copyrighted, so please visit the website to see a picture of it, if you'd like.)

I started with Aly's Dream Polish Dark Emerald (18), a gorgeous deep green scattered holo.

I mixed a little white with Julep Nadia, a golden yellow with a slight shimmer to make the long, thin petals of the thistle.

Julep Karen is a really pretty apricot shimmer - and I think it's scented.  Either that, or it's the best smelling nail polish I've ever smelled.  I wish every time I painted flowers on my nails they actually smelled like flowers! 

I used Julep Monica for the fuchsia details in the center, and mixed Karen and Nadia together for some of the lowlit petals

If this looks a little weird, move a little farther away from your screen.  This is one of those 'Monet' paintings - it looks better with a little distance!

Bottle shot:  Aly's Dream Polish Dark Emerald (18), Milani White On The Spot, and Julep Nadia, Karen, and Monica.

Someday, I'd like to visit Ireland.  What things make you think of Ireland?

An InLinkz Link-up

Shamrocks in Untried Greens

Hello, Fireflies!

Time to get out some untried green polishes, because it's almost St. Paddy's Day! And, because:

I saw this cute shamrock nail art from QTPlace and decided to do a little twist on it for today.  I started with alternating greens in Finger Paints Go Van Gogh! and Pop Jade Metal.

Shamrocks galore!

I probably could have used some judicious editing here.  All kinds of greens, topped with glitter and holo?  Well, it's not like this holiday is known for subtlety, y'all.

Bottle shot:  Finger Paints Go Van Gogh!, Pop Jade Metal, SpaRitual Introspective, Julep Adrianna, LynBDesigns The Credible Hulk, and China Glaze This is Tree-Mendous.

Ever have a moment where you couldn't decide which shade to use, so you just used them all? Yeah.

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Blue and Grey and Dots and Studs #NailArtForNubs

Hello, Fireflies!

If you missed it, I had a post go live earlier today.  Click HERE to see my review of February's Beauty Box 5!

But now, for my #NailArtForNubs!  Today's look was inspired by Raggio di Luna dots and square studs nail art.  She does some of the most creative nail art, and I really love her style.

I started off with Paula Dorf Stormy, a light grey creme.  I picked up a few Paula Dorf polishes in a blog sale, and I've loved each one so far! Great formula.

On top, for a little sparkle, I layered NailNation 3000 Dancing In The Sky, a light grey holo.  I love how it adds a slight blue tinge.

I had some trouble lining up the dots in the center.  I tried to put a marker in the center (like on my thumb) with Julep Josephine, and then build the diamond on top of it.  This worked better for some nails than others.  Probably because some of my nails are wonkier than others!

Also, geometry is important, kids.  Stay in school.

I used Julep Char for the next set of dots, sweeping to one side..

And I used Julep Something Blue to make the dots that swept to the other side.

The original nail art used square studs, but I'm so in love with these triangle studs I just got, I had to use them instead.  I love a good stud.

Topcoat is essential for keeping a stud in its place.  All studs should be properly, um, restrained.  Use your imagination.

Bottle shot:  Paula Dorf Stormy, NailNation 3000 Dancing In The Sky, and Julep Josephine, Char, and Something Blue.

Hopefully, you're seeing through this series that even nubs are a playground for studs.. and nail art! No need to hide your hands because of short nails!

An InLinkz Link-up

Red Rainbow

Hello, Fireflies!

I have a very simple nail art for you today, just a glitter with a creamy accent.

This gorgeous black jelly with holo rainbow circle glitters is Jindie Nails Midnight Rainbow. I wish it were a tad more opaque - next time, I will probably use one layer of black creme underneath.

I thought that the dark red of Julep Anisa went really well with the glowing red circle glitters. I don't wear red very often, but I love blood reds like this one.

ETA (3/4) - Oops, forgot I had this pix of both hands! Nubbins!

Bottle shot:  Jindie Nails Midnight Rainbow, and Julep Anisa

Are you still loving the circle glitters, too? Or is the red cream more to your taste?

Darling Stripes - #NailArtForNubs

(If you missed it, my Beauty Box 5 January box review went live this morning.  You can find it HERE.)

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's nail art was inspired by geometric nail art by The Nailasaurus.  Nobody does nub nail art like Sammy.  I really love the shape of her nails, and her art is always so clean.  Mine is definitely the lazy girl version!

I started the look with Cameo Colors Lacquer Darling Nikki, a purple holo with red glitters.  I really thought it was a red polish at first!  It's pretty unique in my stash, and I really like it.

If I had used tape, this part would be cleaner, but that's why this is the lazy girl version.  This is Julep Anisa, a blood-red creme. 

This part is where Sammy's nail art looks so awesome - because her nails look so perfectly square at the bottom, the stripes look so much sharper.  No matter how hard I try, I can't square mine off.  I don't like the pointy edges, for one.  Pointy things = owie.

Sephora by OPI Break a Leg Warmer is a pretty grey that I love with both the purple and the red, and I think really brings all the colors together.

Bottle Shot:  Cameo Colors Lacquer Darling Nikki, Sephora by OPI Break a Leg Warmer, and Julep Anisa.

I love stripes in nail art! What do you think of this version?

(If you missed it, my Beauty Box 5 January box review went live this morning.  You can find it HERE.)

An InLinkz Link-up