31 Day Challenge – Tutorial + Recreate a Manicure You <3

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Because today is the last day for a lot of you, I thought I would reflect on this month-long challenge today, since I’ll probably be too exhausted tomorrow!  I am really glad I decided to participate.  I did a challenge for every day, although on some days I was too embarrassed to submit it to the group link.  When I look at the early challenges versus now, it’s amazing how far I’ve come with my creativity and technical skills.  I’m really proud of how far I’ve come but I’d like to keep growing!

The problem I’m having now is, I don’t know quite what to do with myself without someone telling me what to do!  I started this blog at the beginning of the challenge, so I’ve never really been on my own, so to speak.  What sort of “feel” do I want to have?  Do I want to swatch lots of colors and comment on the formula, pigmentation, etc., or do I want to focus more on nail art?  I think that, even as I type this, I know that the answer is “do whatever makes you happy.”  There is always someone out there that is going to be smarter, better, more creative than you.  I know that I’m not going to add anything mind blowing, but I’ll have fun, and if no one ever visits this corner of the internet, at least I will know that I had a good time and I preserved the art for a time.

That’s the lovely thing about nail art, it is fleeting.  You will have to remove it at some point and start afresh.

Anyway, inspired by a tutorial day 31 was created using this video.  I laid down a base of OPI Step Right UP.  Then, I used Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Green With Envy, Ulta Cream of the Crop, and Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Grey Area (for the stem).  These were so cute and fun, and really quite easy.

 

For Day 31, to create a manicure that I love (with a link), I chose a fishtail manicure that I saw here that included a tutorial.  Never done these, and I love them!  I used Sally Hansen Lacey Lilac, Violet Voltage, and Posh Plum with Essie Penny Talk.

 

 

I had a great time, made some new friends, and learned a lot!  I hope I can find another awesome group challenge to get into soon!

 





31 Day Challenge – Supernatural

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Oh, how I wish it were Halloween.  My husband and I were married on Halloween, and it’s my favorite holiday.  In anticipation of the big day, I went with some cute pumpkin carvings!  If had more skill, I would have made them a little “spookier” with glow effects and all that, but I think a black outline is pretty cute too.  For these I used China Glaze Riveting and Electrify (on ring finger).  The black is a Sally Hansen art pen.

 

See you tomorrow!



31 Day Challenge – Flag

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Hello!  Getting a little burned out here, how is everyone else doing?  Today’s challenge was to represent a flag.  I wanted to try something that resonated with me, so  I decided to try the Gadsden flag, the oldest recorded flag in the United States, flown January 4, 1776.  This flag is so quintessentially American.  The rattlesnake is indigenous to the eastern seaboard and it’s words “Don’t Tread on Me” still resonates with me as an American ideal.  This flag was presented by Col. Christopher Gadsden to the commander-in-chief of the US Navy to fly as his personal standard.

I used Finger Paints Art Nouv-Yellow and Sally Hansen black art pen for the details.  See you tomorrow!



31 Day Challenge – Art

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Inspired by art, but I’m not an artist! However, I’ve always loved comic book art. The strong lines, the bold colors. I wanted to recreate it, but like on a micro scale. I came up with a dot matrix that you often see in blown up versions of art by Roy Lichenstein

Pinkie: Sally Hansen Mellow Yellow

Ring: Sally Hansen Blue Me Away

Middle: Sally Hansen Green With Envy + Sinful Colors Exotic Green

Index: OPI Alpine Snow and Sephora OPI Break a Leg-warmer

Thumb: Orly Sweet Tart

 



31 Day Challenge- Pattern

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Ugh, well, this one seemed pretty easy but I had a harder time than expected.  I’m kind of posting this only so that I will have a post for the day.  This is a Burberry pattern that I hadn’t done before.  Got lots of compliments on it but they weren’t looking closely.  I used Essie Sand Tropez and Kiss nail art pots.  For the red I used Orly Sweet Tart.

 



31 Day Challenge – Inspired by Fashion

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Ok so, I’m the most unfashionable girl in the world.  I can usually be found in a t-shirt and jeans or if I’m at work, I’m wearing scrubs.  Also, the “plus” clothes here are basically old lady mumus so there isn’t a lot of fashionable things I can do with my wardrobe!  However, I love the idea of fashion, and I think if i had a little more time and a little more money, maybe I could be stylish.  Maybe.

Here is what I based my manicure on today.  This is part of Chanel’s 2013 Resort collection

 

And here is my interpretation:

 

I used OPI Alpine Snow, OPI Roadhouse Blues, and China Glaze Electric Beat.  hope you like!

 

 



31 Day Challenge – Inspired by a Book

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Hello!  I originally wanted to do a Gone With the Wind manicure, my favorite book in all of creation, but alas I just could not do it justice and ended up being a lot more like the movie images than the book.  So instead, I decided I wanted to do Carrie because I had not tried the drip technique I’ve seen other people do with polish.  I did not follow a tutorial – I basically just got a big dollop of polish for the drop, then carried a thin line up to the top.  I think it looks smashing, although if I did it again, I would definitely add a BUCKET (teehee)!

I used Essie Sand Topez and Nicole by OPI Girl Talk

 

Not terribly artsy but I love it.  Extra dark red for extra animal blood….!



31 Day Challenge – Inspired by a Movie

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Hello!  I’m very excited about this post.  I’ve been thinking about it for a bit, and panicking a bit because the last few challenges just have not gone very well.  It couldn’t be too intricate because I just don’t have those skills yet (see previous post), but I wanted to do something that was really ‘me.’  I looked through my movie cabinet and saw The Nightmare Before Christmas and viola!  I at least had a jumping off point to start working with.

Now, I’m sure someone’s done this movie before, but I’m pretty stoked about the ideas I came up with and how I put them together.  I had so much darn fun with this.

 

 

Here are the scenes/polishes:

Thumb: Jack’s suit with Essie Licorice and Sally Hansen white art pen
Index: Hill against the moon with Licorice and Ulta Cream of the Crop
Middle: Sally’s dress with Essie Sand Topez and Loreal Grecian Goddess
Ring: Jack with OPI Alpine Snow and Sally Hansen black art pen
Pinkie: Zero with Licorice and white art pen

Woot woot!  See you tomorrow!

 



31 Day Challenge – Inspired by a song

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Hi everyone. I’m not even going to add this to the weblinks because I just can’t get it right. It is supposed to be Lady Gaga’s Highway Unicorn, but I had a couple of issues. I think I need to read up on nail art, because 1) you can always see my brushstrokes and 2) the consistency of the polish on the nail does not dry opaque as I have seen elsewear. I know some people use acrylic paint. Does anyone have any hints or suggestions? The unicorn is pretty fug but I think I could have gotten the rainbow to look better, just not sure how. Tape off method maybe?

Anyway, here is Essie Bikini So Teeny with Orly Hot Shot, Sally Hansen Green with Envy, Finger Paints Art Nouv-Yellow, and Sally Hansen Lacey Lilac.  I topped it with a coat of China Glaze Luxe and Lush.

 



31 Day Challenge – Inspired By…Color

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Now we’re getting to the hard stuff!  A little more artistic expression is required here, so hopefully I can continue to keep up.  This challenge is to create a manicure that’s inspired by a color – not really sure what that means buuut, I decided to create a manicure inspired by a color name.  My little trees on a green field are supposed to represent forest green!  I used Sinful Colors Exotic Green and Revlon Rain Forest.

 

See you tomorrow!