52wkCrumpet24: non-US brand

This is week 24 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: Kids TV and non-US brand (either each alone or combined). I chose the non-US brand as I couldn't think of anything worth wearing for a longer period of time with the Kids TV prompt. And again, this is a mix of gel and traditional polish.

The base is a gel mani of delicate pink-nude with the accents in white. I added shades of green for the gel marbling on the accents (four fingers). The gel I use, Luxio, is a Canadian company. Score 1! I mixed blue and yellow with white to get the green shades (as I don't own a true green yet).

I decided to do a negative space mani on the remaining six fingers (three each hand). This turned in to sort of a skittlette, though mix-matched. Here I used only non-US brands: Sky Blue from piCture pOlish (Australian), green base on the tips is Layla Mojito (Italy), the white hex glitter on the blue is again piCture pOlish (Storm) and I used some Jealousy (again, pp) to help glue the rhinestones (Swarovski - Austria) into place. I did the negative spacing freehand. I was going to use tape but the tape I first tried didn't stick as it was too old and I was too lazy to go get the new one out of the drawer! So, score 2!

The whole rhinestone idea is growing on me. I really like them and have invested in heaps, and continuing to buy more – also studs, larger gems, etc. Only buying Swarovski or Preciosa crystals as they reflect the light so much better. Works well with the gel nail art. The whole 3D thing. Even clients are starting to embrace the idea!!

I am also playing around with my new Foldio lightbox. It is really difficult to photograph your own hands in this smallish lightbox. And also use props. But I love the Foldio as it collapses, therefore mobile, and uses a 9V battery for power! Also, I am using my iPhone with my macro lens on it (sometimes), trying to figure things out. Bye girls! x

An InLinkz Link-up

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.

An InLinkz Link-up

52wkCrumpet12: glitter topper (alright then, Frozen for adults!)

This is week twelve 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: crinkly tape, and glitter topper (either each alone or combined). I chose glitter topper as I had an idea for snowflakes and a Frozen type adult mani. A bit of inspiration again from Queen Robin but also from heaps of other artists out there who are doing snowflake manis. And I really didn't have any ideas for crinkly tape.

I started with a one coat base of OPI Bubble Bath. I purposely did not want a French tip base as that would have been too stark and white. Only from the cuticle edge I swept up a coat of LA Colors Sheer Passion. This is (horrors ick!) a frosty pearly pink white. This gave the Bubble Bath an edge without being too opaque.

Then I added a glitter gradient from the tips inward of OPI Pirouette my Whistle and China Glaze Ray-Diant. Pirouette is a very tender feminine silver and white glitter while Ray-diant is coarser and has aspects of gold and silver. I tread very lightly and just skimmed the surface, going over a couple of times. Then I top coated with Out the Door and let it sit while I got my white paint ready.

right hand

Using one of fine line brushes I painted random snowflakes all over my nails. I tried to concentrate on having one bigger one per nail, then some small ones. The white nail on my right hand is a new white gel I am trialing, so sorry for the unmatchedness! I placed a Swarovski rhinestone in the middle of each larger snowflake just because I felt like it. I almost never wear rhinestones but if not now, then when???

I really like this mani, it is soft but also festive without being a major Xmas tree on your nails (though nothing wrong with that!). I could also see the idea as a bridal mani, maybe with flowers or roses instead of snowflakes - unless you have a winter wedding! And, yes, I am totally aware that this looks like Frozen (the Mr pointed that one out). Man, I need to let that one go.

If I were to do it again, I would add more glitter to the tips to cover up the natural nail colour. Or maybe first apply a very light-touched silver as the base. Ah, live and learn! Happy Holi-Nights!

An InLinkz Link-up