NOTD: Gemmed Funky French + Tutorial

I do wish I'd used slightly smaller rhinestones for this look, but other than that it turned out mostly as planned.  And while the tips & ring finger may look like a dark blurple, they're really Wet n Wild Black Creme topped with Savvy French Rose Opal Frost:  

Here's the tutorial:

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

NOTD: Purple w/ Pink Flowers Matte

Missed these couple of matte pics when I was doing the last post:

I think that when I matte-ified it, I went around the rhinestones, so that they could still be shiny.  Might have looked cool if I'd matted them too though.

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

NOTD: Purple with Pink Flowers Drag Marble + Tutorial

Hope everyone had a good thanksgiving =) I had 2, one Thursday at Grandma's house & another yesterday at my brother's.  And still a whole 2 days until I have to go back to work!

Drag marbling is to me a great example of low investment high payout, because it's so easy & can be so impressive.  This one I used OPI Vampsterdam as the base color, and the flowers are done with China Glaze Mistletoe Me!  With the rhinestone in the middle I didn't have to worry as much about bald patches caused by dragging from the center:

Here's the tutorial:



Thanks for reading.

~Colette

NOTD: Black & Silver Circles Nail Art + Tutorial

Whew! Time flies when you're ... well, I wish I'd been having fun but really I was sick for almost 2 weeks & absolutely drained tired by the time I dragged myself home from work.

This design started out with a base color of Savvy Chrome, which while it doesn't dry to an actual chrome finish, it is a very nice silver & does not have any issues with brush strokes:

On top of that I added some broken concentric circles with black acrylic & a clear rhinestone in the middle:

Here are my favorite nails:

And here is the tutorial:



Thanks for reading =)

~Colette

NOTD: 4th of July Rhinestone French + Tutorial

Happy 4th to all my American readers!  It's about to get hot hot HOT here again into the 90's, so as soon as I post this I think I'll be turning on the a/c =)  Nothing too special planned, but any day I don't have to go to work is a good day as far as I'm concerned.

This ended up to be my only holiday-themed mani for the 4th... time just got away from me.  I had a pink idea that I was going to do in red white & blue, but since I didn't get to it I think I'll do it in pink like I originally planned.  This was really pretty simple & didn't take as long as I thought it would, even with having to place all the rhinestones.  Base color is Wet n Wild French White with a couple layers of China Glaze White Cap on top, then I used regular slow-drying top coat to adhere the rhinestones:

Here's the tutorial:

Thanks for reading.  I know there seemed to be a lot of celebrating last night, but if you're celebrating tonight also remember to keep it safe!

~Colette

NOTD: Maybelline Gray-T-Glamour + bm03 Pink Flowers

Trying not to fall behind!  LOL I don't know why it's so hard for me some days ... this was my mani on Monday - Maybelline Gray-T-Glamour stamped with China Glaze Emotion & Bundle Monster image plate bm03 & a rhinestone on top:

 

Thanks for reading =)

 

~Colette

All The Cool Kids Are Doing It ...

Peer pressure ... that's my excuse.  Well, that & the fact that it's an absurdly great deal!  I'm talking about  Bundle Monster of course =)  In addition to the 21 plates that are making the rounds of the blogosphere, I also gave in to some rhinestone & other little nail art bits in wheels.  There was some duplication - I ended up with a ton of little red & pink beads for example - but seriously at the same $17 & change price as the plates for 10 wheels & what they say is over 14,000 pieces, I am in no way complaining:

So, I'm pretty well set for glittery bits for a while LOL.  I think I'm going to get some large-size labels & see how it works for backing on the plates, since they are so thin & sharp.

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

NOTD: Icing Lady Lucky

This was my NOTD on Wednesday, St. Patrick's Day.  Icing's Lady Lucky is actually a matte polish:

It's not extremely matte, kind of more on the satin side, but of course I still had to add a glossy topcoat, in addition to a few rhinestones in a shamrock design:

This & a bright green shirt was about the extent of my celebration LOL.  Thanks for reading =)

~Colette

NOTD: Christmas Trees + Tutorial

This turned out a little sloppier than I expected, but still a fun little design for the holidays. I wish I'd done the ornaments a little smaller ... I think say that every time I do dots LOL, when am I going to learn my lesson?

But I've gotten a lot of compliments the past couple days wearing this so maybe I am being too self-critical again.

I used OPI Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees Suede as the base color, the tree is done with Sally Hansen Emerald City, and the ornaments are done with OPI Dreaming of Red & Dazzled by Gold. Originally I was going to leave this mani with no topcoat, but then I changed my mind, so the first couple pics are comparison shots for you - index & middle no topcoat, ring & pinky with topcoat:


My hands kind of look like they're floating or photoshopped in on the picture with the snow background. Kind of weird but I think I like it ... I should give my mom credit because she is the one behind the camera when both my hands are in the shot =)

Here is the tutorial:



I so far always have had more things to say after the tutorial, so I'm glad I have my blog to ramble on after the fact LOL. I suppose I could write myself a script, but how exactly as I supposed to read that while I'm looking at my nails? I usually just jot a few thoughts & key points down, like the correct names for all the polishes, and fly by the seat of my pants =) It's getting a little less nerve-wracking, but I still get a little nervous feeling hoping I won't verbally stumble around too much or totally screw up the mani LOL.

Thanks for reading.

~Colette

NOTD: Barielle Glammed Out Garnet w/ Spiderweb French Tip

OK, mouthful of a title much, LOL? But that's what it is.

Sometimes I'll try something new, and it turns out so well that I immediately want to do another version. Sometimes round 2 is better ... sometimes not so much. My hands were not as steady tonight, so I'm not quite as happy with this as with the totally Halloween-colored mani, but it's still pretty good & I did get to use some rhinestones this time.

I started off with a base color of Barielle's Glammed Out Garnet, from the All Lacquered Up collection:

I unfortunately don't have any drugstores nearby that sell this brand, but the Barielle website has buy 2 polishes get 1 free, free shipping over $50.00, and you get a discount code as soon as you become a member, so I don't exactly mind shopping there. Aaand if you click the link above or on the right sidebar, you do happen to help our yours truly =)

On to the nail art. I used China Glaze Devotion for my webs, and added a rhinestone both for added bling & to cover the tip of my nail which ended up a little bare without it. Like I said, not my favorite ever, but still cool:

One of these days I'd also like to do this technique the original way & make flowers instead of webs. So much nail art, so little time =) Thanks for reading.

~Colette