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

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.

An InLinkz Link-up