To Everything, Teal, Teal, Teal, There Is A Season, Teal, Teal, Teal...

Hello, Fireflies!

Well, to everything there is a season, and the season of the Tri-Polish and Golden Oldie Crumpet Challenges has come to an end.  Today is the last Tri-Polish challenge, and it is also the beginning of the new Crumpet challenge, the 52 Week Pick 'n Mix challenge!

To celebrate, I have two manis, and two linkups.

For the Tri-Polish challenge, it seems only fitting that I only get in two of the colors - grey, and teal.  I've always been an underachiever.  The polishes are so pretty, though, maybe you won't mind.  I started with Different Dimension Have A Grape Day, which is a thermal polish... but I couldn't capture it. 

This design is inspired by Bianca Fredrich.  Her acrylic creations are so elegant.  I improvised on my nubbins.

The French Tips are done with Different Dimension Gasoline Rainbows, a  gorgeous charcoal grey holo with a rainbow holo, and then I used a black striper and added a little rhinestone.

Bottle shot:  Different Dimension Have a Grape Day and Gasoline Rainbows, and a black striper.

The first prompt for the the Pick 'n Mix challenge was to do a 2-color gradient, and include a teal.

I started with 2 coats of China Glaze Wait 'n Sea, and then did the gradient with China Glaze X-Ta-Sea on the tips.

Kinda looks like I used three colors, doesn't it?  That's just the sheerness of the purple, letting the teal bleed through.

There has been a resurgence of the popularity of China Glaze Fairy Dust in some of the polish communities, so I couldn't resist Fairy Dusting All The Things! It was so sparkly in person, I couldn't even capture how gorgeous. 

Bottle shot:  China Glaze Wait 'n Sea, X-Ta-Sea, and Fairy Dust.

I hope this was a good send off for the previous Crumpet challenges, and a good intro to the new one! I hope you'll continue to join me in finding new colors, combinations, and patterns in exploring nail art!

As always, I encourage you to share your creations on my Facebook page!

Mangled Spider? Nailed it!

Hello, Fireflies!

I absolutely love the gorgeous acrylic designs on Bianca Fredrich's Facebook page, and I picked one to inspire me for today's Tri-polish Challenge.  Unfortunately, it didn't come out so much like I wanted, and looks more like I mangled a spider and then drowned it in glitter.

I suppose there are worst ways to go.

I started this look with Sally Hansen Salon I Lilac You.  Yes, I Lilac You very much!

Orly Sparkling Garbage is still my 'if I had to pick one polish to take to a desert island' polish.  I love it, and it goes with so many things.  It's just stunning.  These pictures don't do it justice.

Here's where the malfunction starts.  First of all, there's just not enough contrast with the silver.

Second of all..

Yeah, Jackie doesn't know what to make of it, either.

Bottle shot:  Sally Hansen Salon I Lilac You, Orly Sparkling Garbage, and a silver striper.

Have you ever had a Jackie Chan makeup moment?

Bonita Glitter Dotticure

Hello, Fireflies!

I found a new-to-me brand of polish last time I was at Ross.  I'd heard of Bonita, but hadn't ever tried it before.  All of them came in those clear packs with no names on them, much like the Color Club repackaged polishes.  I guess they don't think that our cheap polish needs a name, poor things.

This poor no-name is an aqua-teal color.  I was pretty impressed by the quality of these polishes.  And, I know the bottles are kinda weirdly shaped, but I dig 'em.

I thought this glitter was so pretty, and perfect for this challenge because it reflects both lilac and teal.

I couldn't resist a little dotticure for good measure. 

Here's the bottle shot, but no names!  Don't these just look like they were made to go together?

I love it when a collection is released and the polishes compliment each other so nicely. When you buy makeup or polish, are you ever surprised that they go together, or do you purposely buy makeup in sets, or do you go for the chaotic approach?

An InLinkz Link-up

Majestically Holo S-TRI-pes

Hello, Fireflies!

Ready for some TRI polish challenge goodness?  I'm loving this month's colors.

I started with a lovely subtle lilac holo, Enchanted Polish Majestic.

Then, I took a striping brush and made stripes of different thicknesses with Colors by Llarowe Thriller, a bright teal holo.

I love having a silver striper - it makes adding a little silver detail so much easier.

Topcoat, and the look is finished! 

I love how saturated the teal is, especially in contrast to the muted lilac and the pale silver.

I forgot the bottle shot, but, look, both hands!

I love stripey nails.

An InLinkz Link-up

TRI - Deco

Hello, Fireflies!

Welcome to a new month of TRI-Polish Tuesdays! This month's colors are Lilac, Teal, and Grey/Silver.
I decided to do a technique for creating an Art-deco style graphic that I saw on Pshiiit.  It makes this neat pattern a lot easier to do, though I will admit to having some trouble lining up the striping tape.

I started with Cover Girl ShowStopper, a nice smooth silver.  When that dried, I applied the tape according to the diagram on Pshiit.

I wasn't talented enough to take pictures of the process.  I did want to show you that it's kind of a mess when you pull off the tape, though.  Don't be discouraged! A lot of nail art looks a hot mess until you put topcoat on.

I found that it's easier to do this one nail at a time.  Paint the nail bed portion first, and then the tip.  Quickly, before the polish starts to set, take off the tape with a pair of tweezers.

I used Rimmel Salon Pro Purple Rain and Pop Beauty Brave for the lilac and teal.

I love this look, and it can be done with so many different colors!

Bottle shot:  Cover Girl ShowStopper, Rimmel Salon Pro Purple Rain. and Pop Beauty Brave.

What do you think about this Art Deco type look?

An InLinkz Link-up

I TRI-ed to Do Another Needle Marble...

Hello, Fireflies!

The end of another month, the end of another set of Tri-Polish challenges.  Let's finish this month with an awesome, awesome blue - Lilypad Lacquer Sherbet, said to be a dupe for Enchanted Water For Unicorns.  I don't know for sure, because that's one I could never get my hands on.  I'm happy with this, though, it's so beautiful, pigmented, and bright.

I keep trying to do those darn marbled nail arts.  Neither with nor without water seems to work for me.  I was going for a look inspired by a needle drag mani by I Can Do That.  Mine is called, I Tried To Do That, but No.  *sigh*

What do you do with a mess? Slap on some more polish! I added dots with Butter London Old Blighty, a creamy brick red, and my trusty white and black stripers.

I think it looks kinda aquatic, with bubbles or something.

Like I say, when it doubt, add dots.  If it looks abstract enough, no one can tell you screwed up.

Bottle shot:  Lilypad Lacquer Sherbet, Butter London Old Blighty, and nail art stripers in yellow, white, and black.

Any helpful hints for doing marbled nails?  I seem to be perpetually blocked with that technique! Is there some makeup or nail art technique you are just hopelessly fumbling with?

An InLinkz Link-up

Red Keyhole

Hello, Fireflies!

Welcome to another TRI-Polish Tuesday, where I can't follow rules and only use two colors.  If it helps, I did use rhinestones, though.

I was inspired by a nail art from Sloteazzy, though hers is more structured.  I started with Sally Hansen Barracuda, a lovely baby blue creme.

I really like the uniqueness of Orly FX Milky Way.  I love milky glitters anyway, but the blue with the pops of red and accents of white is just so different.

Using tape, I made the 'keyhole' with OPI Over and Over A-Gwen, and then topped it with a red pearl rhinestone.

To make this more wearable, you could always just use a dotting tool for the red pearl.  I can't keep those things on very long, myself, but they're fun for a look.

Bottle shot:  Sally Hansen Barracuda, Orly FX Milky Way, OPI Over And Over A-Gwen.

Without the glitter, I doubt I would have thought to put that baby blue together with that tomato red.  What's your favorite unexpected color combination?

An InLinkz Link-up

TRI Tropical Flowers

Hello, Fireflies!

It's time for another installment of the TRI-polish challenge, and today, I'm going tropical.  I started with a polish I received in my Memebox Blue, so it's a Korean-style brand named Dearberry that I've not heard of before.  Dearberry 33 is beautiful, though, and it didn't stain.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

The inspiration for this nail art came from one of those collections where the originator wasn't named.  I've linked it in my Pinterest, and, per usual, if you know the creator, I'd love to credit and link them here.  I stamped the outline of the flower with Revlon Spirit, using Red Angel plate 119.

I wanted the flowers to have a juicy, shiny quality, so I outlined with a red striper, and then filled in with the flakie goodness of Models Own Red Sea.

The nice thing about striper polish, is that it's usually pretty opaque, so even yellow pops.  I also used a white striper to make more dots and redefine the outline of the flower.  Can't even tell it was stamped now, can ya.  I just look like a painting *genius*. Geeeeenius.

Off we go, to a tropical paradise... with a polish that came from Korea, and stripers probably made in China, and Models Own is from the UK. Hmm.

Bottle shot:  Dearberry 33, Revlon Spirit, Models Own Red Sea, and stripers in red, yellow, and white.

If you could go on a tropical vacation, where would you go?

An InLinkz Link-up