Skittlette with Poppies Magic from NZ indie Peacock Pie

This polish is a dream and very inspiring! I had an idea before I had even applied it!! NZ indie polish maker Peacock Pie (here her etsy shop) is relatively new to the polish scene. But she has a super love of glitter and though usually a bit blue-purple heavy (hence "peacock") she got inspired herself by the art of Jasmine Becket-Griffith (her Strangeling website here) and created these limited edition polishes. Loving green (and the combo with black and red) I chose Poppies Magic – how could you lose????

I created a skittlette using a base on all nails of one coat of Cult Nails Deal with It (a neon-y lime green) topped with one coat of Thai Diffi in a lime green shimmer. Three of my nails (pinkie, ring and thumb) were painted in ruffian with Poppies Magic. I used two coats of this Peacock Pie glitter - the polish is very creamy and opaque! Not like usual glitters, so you can definitely wear this on its own. But I wanted to incorporate the lime green aspect and thought of a ruffian design.

just finished, studio lighting, no clean-up

My thumb, middle and index fingers were painted using acrylic paints. I added a black elongated stripe under and up the side of the ruffian of my thumbs, and a white dot. The other two main fingers were first painted in alternating stripes in black (actually a very dark grey) and white. Then I added flowers in a two-tone red with white and black accents. What I really like is that the white on the lime green caused the white to be oh-so light yellow (similar to the glitter specks) – that gives the nails a vintage Hawai'ian look.

I took my time and did a proper right hand (non-dominant). The ruffians, of course, were simple but the stripes and flowers were more complicated using my left hand. The whole mani took well over two hours to complete. But then I was creating as I went and working on multiple levels at the same time (I simultaneously did a nail set). When done I top coated with Out the Door.

The green really pops and the colour combo with Poppies Magic is fab. The glitter of PM is really cool and has brilliant red, white and black specks of different sizes. The only specks that are larger are the red ones. Well done, Serra, on this fantastic shade – and I hope I can get a back-up!!! Hope y'all like it. This mani will take we through the weekend at the market.
Cheers! xx

P&P H-equinox in gradient with accent nail

I saw this mani on Eeeek! Nail Polish! blog a couple of days ago and totally stole it!!!! I think she used plates but I don't stamp so tried a freehand drawing of the hearts. I think this whole mani of gradient with glitter and hearts and accent and - oh just so fab!!! Eeeek, I thought. Must have!! And I knew exactly the glitter I wanted to use so planned the whole mani around that.

The glitter I have wanted to wear forever it seems is Pretty & Polished H-equinox My Socks Off. I have had this for months but spring then summer came and the colour just appeared too "wrong season".  The base of this glitter is light nude-grey. Very faint, but not a clear polish. Then there are specks of turquoise and gold. Totally unique.

I started with one coat (accent nails two) of Cult Nails nude. I fast dry top coated the accent nail so I could work on that later (last). Then I sponge gradiented the turquoise about three times on to my tips. This was then topped with one coat of the P&P glitter. I knew the coloured base of the glitter would give the visible nude a bit more depth – that's why I only applied one coat of nude.

right hand

By this time, my accents had dried sufficiently to start the heart art. I drew overlapping different hearts and then coloured them in using the gradient polishes as well as a blue glitter and grey. I used Out the Door top coat on the whole thing.

I was out and about in town, picking up my nail studio flyers (invested $20 in flyers, no idea of where to put them!), going to the bank, etc. Basically showing off my nails! Quite a few women said they looked "a-may-zing" and I told them they could have this, too. This prompts their automatic look at their own nails and the typical sentence: oh, my nails look so bad and I'm going to crawl under a rock and die because polish always chips on me and radi radi ra. Oh, how to build clients - that will be a challenge. Had another lady today (fab pastel orange glitter sandwich) and someone wants to call for an appt next week. So, let's hope.

Polishes used main nails:
nude = Cult Nails Cruisin' Nude
turquoise = alessandro 1507
glitter = Pretty & Polished H-equinox My Socks Off

Additional polishes used accent nail hearts:
grey = Pahlish Sitting in a Tin Can
gold = OPI L.A.M.B.
blue glitter = LA Colors Aqua Crystals

Below my inspiration, gorgeous nails from Mrs Eeeek!!! Thank you!!