My Ripponburn ladies 12:14

joyce

I went on an off-day as their plans got a tad shuffled. That's OK, I try to be as flexible as I can. Every week I try to remember who went when so that those who had to wait and be last are the first ones the next time. That plan doesn't always work out, but I do try. So I started with Joyce who loves pinks and lights. Well today she threw me for a loop with a wild silver foil and glitter combo! It looked totally fab!!! She chose the colours herself – even her husband was very impressed!

nellie

nellie

ina

Nellie was next and wanted a bit of a mixture. We decided on a blue themed skittlette with duochromes and glitter. She has such pretty hands. With all of them I wanted to give them really special manis (if they also wanted) since I would be away and they would miss out a bit. Ina wanted the magnetic Layla, which she has had before.

joan

helly

lena

Then I scooted back across the room for Miss Joan who I allowed to have pink, yes again. But I told her this was not going to fly when I return!!! Helly wanted blue with sparkle and Lena, who usually wants red, said: I had red last time, I want something different!!! Yeah!!! So we went for forest green (looked great).

gladys

lilian

dorothy

Gladys was a bit of a problem child. She had bitten some more of her nails – honest, not all! – but then a caregiver came in and shortened all the rest. So they were super short. And she has such beautiful hands, long slender fingers. We opted for a simple duochrome that really popped! Both Lilian and Dorthy wanted the changing colour polish as others had it the time before and I guess that was the talk of the home! Dorothy has had to surrender all of her gorgeous sapphires. Too much water retention, so her husband is safe-guarding them. Boo-hiss.

margaret

Last this week was Margaret. Just a simple dusty pink. This was my last visit to Ripponburn for about a month as I am going away on holiday. So I won't be back until the end of August, scheduling conflicts and all. I told them 1) not to do anything I wouldn't do and 2) don't do anything stupid! I want to see them all chipper and well in a month's time. I will miss them. Maybe I can find them a little something while I am away....

Mani breakdown:

Joyce: one coat Zoya Trixie, one coat China Glaze Your Present Required, top coat
Nellie: ABCCB: A: two coats Nicole by OPI If the Blue Fits; B = two coats Butter London No More Waity Katie tip topped with China Glaze I Pink I Can; C = one coat CND Dark Lava, one coat ILNP Birefringence; top coat
Ina: one coat Layla Fuchsia Sky
Joan: one coat China Glaze Pink of Me
Helly: two coats Nicole by OPI If the Blue Fits, one coat China Glaze Your Present Required, top coat
Lena: two coats Zoya Ray
Gladys: one coat CND Dark Lava, one coat ILNP Birefringence; top coat
Lilian: two coats Pretty & Polished Flip Flop Fuggetaboutit!, top coat
Dorothy: two coats Pretty & Polished Flip Flop Fuggetaboutit!, top coat
Margaret: two coats China Glaze Pink of Me

Swirls and dots à la Lucy

Taking inspiration from the queen herself, I was enamored in one of Lucy's current manis. It was all swirls and dots (and you can read about it here!). Naturally, hers is in another league but I gave it a shot. And to be fair to myself, I didn't look at hers again until just now, so was working from memory. I stuck with my same colour combo, day 5 of the gelicious mani base. Since the gel only comes off with acetone-d remover, I used non-acetone remover to get rid of the other nail art and matte top coat.

I used acrylic paints for the whole design. I started with pure white on the pink nail (or on the blue nail of my right hand) then added a tad of red - or blue - (and again another tad) for the other lines. For the dots I mixed the red and blue with white for a similar yet lighter shade. I used the smallest dotting tool for the dots, thin 000 brush for the lines.

right hand

Now that I see Lucy's I realize that my spokes aren't very thin or consistent. But I like my dots! All in all, I think the right hand looks better than the left (blue lines and pink dots vs the other way around). And both hands together look really nice. Normal top coat sealed the deal and also brought the lines together much better.

I will probably put a coat of gel top coat on before the market so I can do manis and not worry about ruining my art. This is day 5 of the gel mani and that little bit of tip wear is still there (has not increased) with no other tip wear to be seen. Below my hands together and queen herself with the most beautiful "template"!!

inspired by lucy

Simple dotted flowers on a line

This is a simple dotticure flower design I did on my current gelicious mani. After two days of solid colours, I was ready for a small change. I decided to only put flowers on my blue nails. I matte top coated the pink ones.

For the pink lines I used China Glaze Pink of Me which is a smokier-greyish-type pink. I dotted two lines of that on each blue nail. Then I used Layla Grass in the Wind for one flower (and corresponding middle dot of the other) and OPI Alpine Snow for the white flowers and the other middle dot. I think I should have done all white flowers as the green is very faint and really doesn't show up as I thought it would. I top coated with Out the Door.

right hand

I do like the contrast with the matte coated pink nails (used Orly matte top coat). Something about pastel and matte. Always looks good. So this is day three of the gelicious mani. Still going very strong with no lifting, loosening or chipping. There is some tiny tip wear on my right index finger but that is most likely my fault for not sealing the tip well enough.

Gelicious blue and pink candy magic

Although I have some new totally fab "normal" polishes to try, I could not resist another gelicious mani. I'll be wearing enough normal colours while I am away soon. I only wore the fourth of July nails for 5 days and then I was over it. The mani was still going strong but enough was enough. They were also a tad thick, too, and that bothered me. All the layers of gel mani and then the nail art and then another coat of gel top coat to protect at glammy mani parties. Funny enough, you couldn't see it - but it felt heavy.

I decided to do a mini skittlette with two beautiful bonbon type shades: Aztec Blue and Strawberry Milkshake. They are so pretty! And I have a nail art idea for the next day or so. Aztec Blue is a robin's egg type blue. Not quite a For Audrey blue, but a beautiful soft shade. Strawberry Milkshake is a creamy pale pink, very delicate. I used three thin coats each. After two coats I was not happy enough with the coverage. Then, of course, cured with gelicious top coat.

The nails shine so much and the colours really pop! I applied an alternating skittlette with the blue and pink. It still takes the best part of 45 minutes to do my nails. Application is key, and wrapping the tips. I tried a new idea of wrapping first then painting my nail but I prefer the other way around. I paint the nail, wrap, then repaint the tips to smooth out. My technique is improving but still need to work on the wrapping to make it cleaner.

In pure digital timer time it takes 6 minutes for the three sets and full mani, but there is a lot of work between the sets. Thirty secs a cure x 4 cures (three coats plus top coat) x 3 sets (left hand, right hand, thumbs). Not really that bad as the mani lasts days. Better to invest in a good foundation and be happy and carefree for days!

I think this is the perfect look for dreary grey days, don't you?! Will update later with some nail art but am happy to rock this for a couple of days alone.