52wkCrumpet22: Orange, yellow and red

This is week 22 of Crumpet's 52 week challenge! The "rules" are very flexible and you have all week to accomplish the mani. As always, must be done on your own nails, using the colours suggested (or parts thereof).
This week's prompt: houndstooth, and orange-yellow-red (either each alone or combined). I chose the colour combo. After some – not much but some – deliberation I have decided to flex the rules just a tad more. I am working a lot with gel and gel nail art through my course and lessons. Depending on how my weeks go, I may sometimes use gel polish for the Crumpie mani, but still follow the prompt. It is that or stop. Don't want to stop.

I just removed the vineyard mani after nine days. Still looked very good, almost perfect still. So, I am late with this as well. I am working off the same base of Luxio nude that I had on (the grapes were normal polish and paint). The three prompt colours were drawn using a quilt blanket technique. The blanket was drawn in the colour, then a mix of the two other colours were painted over the blanket. So, on the yellow blanket there is a wash of both red and orange. Very light but enough to give the nails depth. I added some tone-in-tone glitter as well.

I dabbed stone-like drops on the remaining two fingers in the three colours (and some white). The idea I was going off of was from a fellow colleague but she was able to create much more height as she mixed in acrylic powder. Don't have that. I finished with some of my fab Swarovski rhinestones!

I am using (i.e. goofing around with) my new Foldio lightbox which is totally fab!! Works off a battery and I can take it outside or inside and it folds flat. Love it!! I like the whole summery-ness of this and the depth in the three main nails. Soft, but the colouring is there.

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My Ripponburn ladies 3:15

Ina

When I arrived today everyone was seated by the back window in a circle. I thought they were all listening to someone ! But no, they were just enjoying the sun - was a beautiful day. Nine ladies today, and I think we had some repeat manis even though I encourage them to do something different!

Janice

Janice was back and I had brought three different liquid sands for her. Nails have to go fast with Janice and the sand option is great. Dries fast and you don't need a top coat. She loves blue so this time we tried a dusty blue. Just one coat.

Thelma

Gladys

After Thelma had her mani she insisted that Gladys have the exact one!! Gladys almost always lets me do whatever I want, but Thelma was very insistent!! Then she left the room and didn't even watch - too funny!!

Doris

Joan

And Doris was back, too. She chose a rather ho-hum shade of pink but I didn't care! It was nice for her to be back with the girls. When Miss Joan heard this, she was all set for that pink, too. I refused! She got a brighter pink with some alternating accents in the grey sand. Nothing boring for Joan!!

Margaret

In fact, Margaret chose the Revlon as well but told me secretly she thought it was a bit boring. I said, got that right! So she had the Gladys mani from last time: green on green!

Lilian wanted something bright that no one else had, and Dorothy chose a pretty metallic. I accidentally pushed a button on Dot's chair and I thought she was going to run us over!! I tell you, those automatic wheelchairs are a death trap!!

Ina

This brings us to Ina! She got a blinged up mani from her one choice as she had to wait so long for her turn. Her daughter was visiting all the way from Holland - such a wonderful surprise and experience for her. I actually had a cuppa break this arvo and ate some delicious chocolate cake!!! Yum as.

Mani breakdown:
all had Seche Clear as a base, two coats of base polish and Out the Door as a top coat. After pics then an almond oil cuticle wash.

Janice: Zoya Nyx
Thelma & Gladys: Layla Fuchsia Sky topped with Nostalgic Lacquer Gluttony
Doris: Revlon Innocent
Joan: OPI I Think in Pink, accents in Zoya Nyx
Margaret: CND Mint Convertible topped with China Glaze Pine-ing for Glitter
Dorothy: Layla Golden Bronze
Lilian: Thai flower pot orange and yellow
Ina: Color Club Model Behaviour in ruffian with China Glaze Mahoganie

Vineyard grapes on Luxio gel base

We were invited to a 25th anniversary vineyard party (the Mr's employer) and I decided to rock a grape vine mani. Also, I was super happy that my new shipment of 100% gel Luxio arrived - such a great product. Am totally happy with it and my clients love it.

The base for the mani is two coats of Luxio Delicate (usually my base for French), and then top coated with the gloss top coat. I like the sheer look to the background. Delicate is nude but with a light pink tinge.

I started with the leaves, fatter than normal as grape vine leaves, in acrylic paints. I mixed green, black and silver to give the leaves a shimmer. I highlighted them with a lighter tone of the same (mixed in white) and then with a tad of white. Then I drew curly vine-y branches in black acrylic.

For the grapes I used a two tone mix of purple polish (OPI A Grape Fit and China Glaze Rendezvous with You). I drew them on with a brush. Then I highlighted them with A Grape Fit, followed by white acrylic paint. I outlined a couple of the grapes in black to give them a hand painted look.

When done, and dry, I top coated with Poshé for a super shine to match the gel gloss top coat. Whew. Then I did my right hand. I really like the look and am quite happy with the result. A couple of people even noticed – but not as many as I had hoped!! Tja, they were all too busy drinking wine!

52wkCrumpet21: Geometric, and blue-yellow-green

This is week 21 of Crumpet's 52 week challenge! The "rules" are very flexible and you have all week to accomplish the mani. As always, must be done on your own nails, using the colours suggested (or parts thereof).
This week's prompt: geometric and blue-yellow-green (either each alone or combined). I chose both and combined the colours geometrically.

I started with a two coat base of a Thailand indie in bright blue. A good summery blue, not too dark and it pops in the sun.

Using a fine brush – this is all freehand, no tape – I first drew yellow rectangles and thingies on my left hand in OPI Need Sunglasses. I went over a couple of times for coverage. Then, for my right hand, I did the same in mirror design using OPI Jade is the New Black. I don't have a bright summery green (imagine! I have so much green!!). But most of my shades are darker or holographic or in some way unsuited.

Then I added geometric accents to the nails using the other colour, i.e. green on the yellow, and yellow on the green. I waited a bit then top coated (didn't want to smear).

I like that the mani is basically bright blue with just smidgens of colour. I am very early this week. Hoping to redo my nails for a wine function the end of the week. Have the ambitious idea of drawing grapes - but may shelf that if time runs out! Bye girls x.

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52wkCrumpet20: hearts and purple

This is week twenty of Crumpet's 52 week challenge! The "rules" are very flexible and you have all week to accomplish the mani. As always, must be done on your own nails, using the colours suggested (or parts thereof).
This week's prompt: hearts and purple (either each alone or combined). I chose both as it is Valentine week and I like purple. I also wanted to try out some of new Neiru techniques, though in normal polish vs gel.

This is an alternating accents mani. The four accents were done in the galaxy marbling technique. The remaining six nails were painted in the beautiful OPI A Grape Fit. Two coats on the purple.

For the accents I started with a white base. Then I added drops of Layla Purple Galaxy and A Grape Fit to the nail. I used acetone-free remover and a somewhat larger brush to dab the liquid on to the polish drops. You keep adding drops of the liquid and the polish colours until you are basically happy with the flow. I added some white as well. It all comes together with top coat – before it just looks like a big mess! For these I top coated with Poshé – I find that thicker yet still very quick drying.

One one accent nail I decided to do negative hearts. While I like my hearts I am really not happy with the white back(fore)ground. Find it too harsh. But I was going off a Japanese nail art lesson and was trying to follow that. There, though, the marbled background was softer and more pastel. I drew two hearts with a fine line brush – one going up and one down – and the bottom of hearts on the sides to fill in the gaps.

Then I painted all the spaces around the hearts in white using a finer brush. I had to go over a couple of times. This is where the design would be much easier with gel. On the side spaces I added some glitter (China Glaze Prism, a purple-silver mix) and over the white and in the whites of the galaxy nails some OPI Pirouette my Whistle (a fine dusty silver-white glitter). Good coat of Poshé finished it off.

It is nice to wear purple for a change. One of my fab colours but never seem to get it out much. So big thx to Crumpie for selecting purple!! This has been a week of marbling; from Sharpie marbling to acetone marbling to galaxy marbling. Is fun, and relatively easy and effective. Cheers girls!! Happy V-Day!

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My Ripponburn ladies 2:15

Margaret

Today was my second visit to Ripponburn this year. My last visit got cancelled as too many ladies were ill. I had eight ladies today, and Margaret just had a birthday!!! 91!!! She got special hearts painted on her nails - yay!

Dorothy

Joan

Since Dorothy missed out last time, she went first today. Lucky I remembered the copper (her all time fav colour!). Sooo happy she can wear her rings again. They are beautiful and a shame when her fingers get swollen. And I brought the special apricot pink that Miss Joan loves.

Gladys

Jenny

Gladys got to try my brand new China Glaze glitter from their 2014 holiday collection – love the green look! Think it looks like pistachio ice cream! I think she is back to biting nails but only on a chosen few! And Jenny tried my new-to-me OPI jelly red as a sandwich with silver glitter. She filed her nails herself (don't know if that was the best idea!).

Lilian

Lilian was very patient as a couple of ladies pushed themselves into the line so she got hand-painted flowers on her purple.

Ina

Thelma

Both Thelma and Ina went with a magnetic Layla. I brought three today as Ina loves them. I thought she might go with the green one but chose the elegant bronze-silver one. Really is a stunning polish. And Ina's broken nail is growing out well – almost there. Back in two weeks, Inshallah!

Mani breakdown:
all had Seche Clear as a base, two coats of base polish and Out the Door as a top coat. After pics then an almond oil cuticle wash.

Margaret: piCture pOlish Douceur with hand drawn hearts
Dorothy: Color Club Model Behavior
Joan: Nostalgic Lacquer Hey You Guys
Gladys: CND Mint Convertible topped with China Glaze Pine-ing for Glitter
Jenny: OPI Do you think I'm Tex-y with BYS Cold as Ice (jelly sandwich)
Lilian: Thai Orchid purple, hand drawn flowers in Manshong ochre and white
Thelma & Ina: Layla Sparkling Champagne

52wkCrumpet19: pale blue

I am very late in posting this. These two-markets-a-week weeks are somehow draining. On top of that, the wind sucks any life out of you so you feel like an old lady after a full day at the market!!! I did do this mani mid week, but only took pics today (so not so new and fresh, mani is 4 days old).
This is week nineteen of Crumpet's 52 week challenge! The "rules" are very flexible and you have all week to accomplish the mani. As always, must be done on your own nails, using the colours suggested (or parts thereof).
This week's prompt: flowers and pale blue (either each alone or combined). I chose pale blue, a good base for my Waitangi Day mani – it would be too much of a stretch to call a silver fern a flower! Us Kiwis celebrated Waitangi Day on the 6th, the day the Maori kings and lords signed the document of land to the British, New Zealand's founding document, in 1840.

I started with a two coat base of piCture pOlish Sky, a pale opaque blue. I love the colour but find it difficult to apply. Funny, it is almost like a gel as after it dries the colour has spread to be more opaque. Always looks streaky until you top coat. I top coated as well before continuing.

I did one hand at a time and started with a dusty blue I got in Thailand. I used one of my finer brushes, but with longish bristles. First came the silver ferns in dusty blue, rather random. Then I used a basic China Glaze black and white for the next ferns. I also drew some korus (the rounded part of the tip of the fern). When I was satisfied with the look and "layout" I top coated, and then did the other hand.

I very much like the dusty blue on the pale blue and almost stopped there. But am glad I added the black and white. Gives the whole design some depth. My right hand is not too bad!!

Time to check out the others!! Cheers girls x.

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