31DC2012 Day 15: Delicate Print

Just one photo for today. I'm really not a fan of these. Originally I wanted to do white lace, which I might have liked better, but my white polish was being chunky and uncooperative.

The colors I used were Butter London No More Waity, Katie and China Glaze Liquid Leather.

Tomorrow's design should be much more happy! I'm so excited to do some tribal print!

Check out other blog's posts for today

31DC2012 Day 14: Flowers

Floral print is one of my favorite type of nail designs. They're so easy and they always look awesome! Also, almost halfway done this challenge! Super exciting because balancing this with school is rather difficult.

For this I used Zoya Natty, China Glaze Snow, Butter London Trout Pout, and OPI Mermaid Tears.
Do you have Zoya Natty yet? Because if you don't you need to buy it right now. Go. It is a gorgeous color and the formula is amazeballs. Also, I'm so happy to finally own BL Trout Pout, it has been a lemming of mine for ages.

As always, check out the other amazing ladies doing this challenge.

31DC2012 Day 13: Animal Print

I wanted to do something different than the usual animal print nails. I started looking up photos of lizards and found this guy.

Isn't he pretty?

I used a gradient technique and then a added black spots using a dotting tool. To make it resemble the lizard skin, I added lighter colored dots all over. Make sense? Probably not, I'm terrible at explaining things.

I really love this but it's not fitting my current autumn mood. I used OPI Who the Shreck are You?, OPI Fly, China Glaze Liquid Leather, and China Glaze Snow.

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31DC2012 Day 8: Metallic

I spent the whole day yesterday thinking Day 8 was rainbow and came up with the perfect idea. Then when I went to do my nails, I double checked and realized it was metallic. With no idea what to do, I just did whatever popped into my head first. 

Anyway, I only have one photo for today as well because I was having a hard time photographing this polish.

I used Maybelline Mirror Magic, OPI Mermaid Tears, and a Jordana Pop Art white striper polish.

Go ahead and check out some other bloggers participating in the 31DC2012!

31DC2012 Day 7: Black & White

I wasn't quite ready to part with The Count, so I did this manicure on my right hand. People always say that painting with you non-dominant hand is hard; however, they never tell you how difficult it is to take a photo, which is why I'm only posting one picture. It was the best one I could get.
Also, using my dotting tools was probably as good an my non-dominant hand can do. I like it though, so yayyy!

I used Sally Hansen Whirlwind White and China Glaze Liquid Leather.

Check out others who are participating in the 31 day challenge!

31DC2012 Day 6: Violet

It's 10:20 pm where I'm at, so sorry that this is being posted so late. I had school and blah blah blah let's talk about these nails!

For day six, I honestly had no idea what I was going to do. I spent the day at school thinking I was going to paint some purple pansies and by the time I got home, I didn't feel like it anymore. Then it came to me, I wanted to do The Count from Sesame Street. I don't think I've ever done anything this complicated before and I'm so happy with how he turned out (and those cute little bats...awwww).

I used a medium length striper brush for this manicure. 

The polishes I used are Orly You're Blushing, OPI Funky Dunkey, Julep Meryl, a mixture of Julep Anne and Penelope, Julep Emilie, Finger Paints Pop Art Purple, and Jordana Pop Art striper polishes in black and white. 

Check out other ladies nails for today :)

31DC2012 Day 5: Blue

Day five is blue. I had to do something simple because of school so I figured I'd try out a seran wrap mani. I like it, it looks like water to me. if I would've had time I would've done bubbles or pool toys.

For this I used Julep Jessica, Color Club Chelsea Girl, and OPI snow for the little white dots.

Check out the other bloggers participating in the 31 day challenge!

31DC2012 Day Four: Green

Okay, I said yesterdays nails were my favorite, but I think I love these wayyy more. Also, I own too many green polishes, I even have tons of green glitters but I was trying to limit it to cremes. I used twelve green polishes all together, and I wouldn't have had to repeat if it wasn't for my thumb.

Here's the long list of polishes used-

Julep: Alma, Courtney, and Emilie.

China Glaze: Four Leaf Clover and Electric Pineapple.

OPI: Did It On 'Em, Jade Is The New Black, Mermaid Tears, Who The Shreck Are You?, and Stranger Tides.

Zoya: Tracie

Orly: Viridian Vinyl

and Jordana Pop Art striper brushes in black and white.

Check out the other ladies doing the 31 Day Challenge!

31DC2012 Day Three: Yellow

I'm loving these nails. One of my favorite color combinations is yellow, black, and white, so these are perfect. I just wish my topcoat didn't go all smeary on me. It's not really noticeable in person at all, so just pretend you don't see that, okay?

For these nails I used China Glaze Happy Go Lucky, HGL mixes with white (that I used on my jellyfish nails), Sally Hansen Whirlwind White, and China Glaze Liquid Leather.

These are definitely my favorite nails of the challenge so far, but it's only day three.

Here's a recap:

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31DC2012 Day Two: Orange

Day two is orange nails. I'm definitely stumped when it comes to these color days. I've done something similar to this before and I liked it so I thought I'd recreate it in orange.

Took my photos outside this time but there's no sun. I usually take photos in my room, but if you follow me on instagram you'd know my room is currently under construction.

For this, I used Julep Alyson (my favvvvvv nude), Orly Old School Orange, Sally Hansen Whirlwind White, and China Glaze Black Leather.

Here's a recap of all the days coming up. Only 29 to go!!

Check out other bloggers taking part in the 31 Day Challenge!

31DC2012 Day One: Red

I've decided that I'd take part in the 31 day nail art challenge. I'm going to try my best to post everyday, we'll see. Day one is red. I'm not really sure what's going on with my nails, but I kinda like it. Can't go wrong with stripes and diamonds, right? Right.

Yeah, I know in my last post I said I only owned like two reds, but I lied. Not purposely, I just forget about the OPI minis I have, like all the time.

I used OPI Sanguine, OPI Pedal Faster Suzi, and Julep Delaunay. 

And heres a photo describing all the days (from Chalkboard Nails).

Octopi, Octopuses, or ... Octopodes?

Day 7 of the Superfluous Nail Art Challenge is animal spots. I had to think about what to do for this one quite a bit, but then it hit me. I decided to do the Blue Ring Octopus. A quick google image search will show you that these octopuses are any color from a light beige to a bright yellow but they always have these vibrant blue rings.

And now for a little English lesson. I've done some research, and while all my life (and maybe yours too) I've been told that the correct way to pronounce multiples of octopus is 'octopi.' However, throughout history it has been referred to as 'octopi,' 'octopuses,' and 'octopodes.' Here is a nice little video about that, if you're interested.

I decided to go with the taupe/beige color for the base, and put a bright orange/yellow in the middle of the rings. I do think this manicure is sort of strange, but for some reason I can't stop staring at it, seriously, I just love it.

The colors used were Julep Alyson, Julep Parker, Color Club Chelsea Girl, and China Glaze Liquid Leather.

And, out of curiosity, what word to you use for multiple cephalopods?

(Not Your Average) Galaxy Nails

Day 6 of the Superfluous Nail Art Challenge is Galaxy Nails!

This is my first time doing galaxy nails and I wanted to do something a little different. Obviously, these aren't the kind of galaxy nails that people are used to seeing with the black background and splotches of bright colors.

I love how the middle finger looks like it has swirls of fluffy clouds.

To create this manicure, I used the same technique as regular galaxy nails.

The polishes I used are Revlon Royal, China Glaze Black Diamond, China Glaze Frosty, China Glaze Snow, and Nox Twilight Disco Darling. Let me tell you, Royal was the perfect color for this, perfect formula and perfect dry-time.

Ombré Hombre

Day five of the Superfluous Nail Art Challenge is gradient (or ombré) nails.

I wanted to do something more than just a regular gradient, so originally I was going to add white stripes. I had seen it on some guys swim trunks at the beach and I really liked it; however, when I started painting the stripes on my nails, they didn't look how I envisioned so I quickly removed them.

Then I remembered when Sarah from Chalkboard Nails used Windestine's Asbestos over her Springtime pink and green gradient and thought I'd borrow that idea. I seriously love this look, one of my favorite manicure's I've ever done, and to me it screams summer.

The gradient technique I used is The Nailasaurus's gradient tutorial. The only difference is, I don't use a kitchen sponge, I use one of those wedge sponges used for applying makeup. I've tried various ways of doing gradients but hers just works the best for me.

For this manicure I used Julep's Jessica and Taylor and Windestine's Asbestos. Asbestos is a clear base made of of itty bitty white square glitters. Windestine polishes can be bought through her etsy and big cartel.

'Cause I've seen more spine in jellyfish

So I did Day 4 of the Superfluous Nail Art Challenge, which is animals. I sat for awhile thinking about what I wanted to do and while I was on vacation it hit me–JELLYFISH! I love jellyfish and since I love Brand New even more, I figure I'd just go all out and do some Brand New jellyfish "Seventy x 7" nail art.

Brand New is an alternative rock band, I guess is how you would describe them, who have been my favorite for about eight years now. Of course, the closest I've ever gotten to seeing them live is when my university's annual festival was moved inside from the rain and only the lead singer was able to perform, but still better than nothing.

Anyway, moving onto the manicure. I'm very please with my ring finger, I actually wish I had done them all that way but I was going for this kind of look. The pinky probably took me forever because I kept trying to write "BR& NEW" and of course my finger nail is much too small. I didn't paint a design on my thumb, but now that I think about it, I could've put a "70x7."

Colors: I used Zoya's Tru and Zara for the jellyfish. The yellow background was just me mixing some white with China Glaze's Happy Go Lucky. If anything, this manicure has taught me that I really need to buy a nice pastel yellow.