Spring has Sprung! China Glaze Def Defying Stamping

It is currently 53 degrees, and that makes me very happy :). Flowers aren't up yet but it is close enough. I am officially in spring colors and this manicure is perfect!

This is China Glaze Def Defying. I then stamped BM with Konad's white polish. I adore this manicure, it was what I wore for Easter.

Kelsie's Nail Files Contest

This nail art is based on the No. 9 by Piet Mondrian:

I started with a base of Zoya Avery, then randomly added spots and stripes and squares of various blues: China Glaze First Mate, China Glaze For Audry, Essie Absolutely Shore, and Sinful Colors Why Not. 

I then used a black striper to create lines like those in the painting to divide the colors. 

I really like the way these turned out, I've provided a picture of each hand, since they looked much differently. I got a bunch of compliments on these! :D

Red Cross Nails

I did these a while ago so I don't actually remember the polishes... I did these on the day the Red Cross came to my office for a blood drive. I got turned away to give blood because my iron count was low... but at least my nails were cute!

:( nails

Don't have much o say about these except they obviously didn't work :(

Football Playoff Nails #1

Here is the first in my hopefully 3-manicure series, I will have a manicure for every game the patriots play in the playoffs!

I started with my favorite navy blue: China Glaze First Mate, and topped it with Finger Paints Santa's Magic.  I used Kleancolor's Cappuccino for the football and mattified the whole thing on all fingers.

For the football I matted the football and then used Cappuchino to make polkadots for texture and added a strike (though it should have been white!)

Top 12 of 2012

Here are the top 12 nail art designs of 2012, hopefully complying these will make me get back into the art side of nails!

Santa Clause is Coming to Town

Santa Nails!

OPI Hey Vito is my Car Red-y with a white "T" drawn with white, a black line drawn across , and a gold best buckle in the middle. This was one of the easiest designs I've done recently, and it actually turned out well enough to put up here :).

Here are my santa nails:

Crackle Glaze: Jade-D

I got a three Glitter crackles by China Glaze at TJ Maxx, here is the first:

Jade-D is a light yellow small glitter in a clear base. Here it is over Orly Liquid Vinel. 

I was pretty disappointed in it's crackling... did I do something wrong? I saw other people online and it seemed to work fine for them, I used it just like any other crackle.

The color combo is nice for the season.

Drug Store Glitterball

So I'm going to post when I post :) I just don't have the time or sun to be like the amazing women who post every day.

That being said:

This is Maybelline Color Show Styled Out, a navy blue with a silver shimmer/microglitter. It's part of a Denim's collection, and especially because it dries semi-matte. Scrangie has a beautiful (as always) swatch of it on its own.

I then added 3 (yes 3!) coats of NYC Starry Silver Glitter. This 99 cent polish (love!!!) is small silver holographic glitter in a clear base with lots of larger blue and pink hexagon glitter.

Woah!

It's not an optical illusion friends, I'm back! (maybe). Now for the excuses: The biggest thing is I started a new job and I'm exhausted. Bigger than that it is mostly dark when I leave in the morning and mostly dark when I come home at night. I'm having trouble taking good pictures. I haven't stopped doing my nails though!

My job is also a little rough on my nails. I type away all day, so please excuse the tip wear you are going to see!

With all that said... here are my nails:

This is China Glaze First Mate (a personal favorite, an easy 2-coater, and such a rich color!) with Orly Luxe stamped anchors from plate SH09. I then stamped China Glaze Blue Iguana. Over the whole thing.

I absolutely adore how this turned out!!

Eek thump tip wear!

I think the ring finger is my favorite.

Isn't it ironic?

Isn't it ironic how professional most of my manicures have been considering the name of my blog? I have been interviewing a lot lately, but there is a good chance I have something, so hopefully we can get back to our regularly scheduled nails soon!

For a little break from all the boring pinks, here is my mother's least favorite color in my collection. Usually she will say she likes my nails, or thinks a color is pretty or interesting. Whenever I wear this color she tells me continuously how obnoxious it is!

China Glaze Sun Kissed. This is from their 2012 summer neon collection, and it is like a highlighter in a bottle. The formula is surprisingly good for a yellow, this is three coats.

This is one of my favorite looks that I've done, it's pretty and girly, but also has a bit of an edge.

I started with a gazillion hard coats of China Glaze Something Sweet. I love this color but the formula is impossible!

I then added 2 coats of Cover Band Sticks N' Stones, this is a dupe of Lynnderrella's Connect the Dots. I won't put up with her drama for a bottle of nail polish, so I am sure glad that this exists!

Post #1 in my Reddit Arbitrary Day Haul

A wonderful Redditor got me these awesome polishes:

First was Shore Thing. It's a pastal cream, so its application was tricky, but I think the result was totally worth it.

I then added Nicole I Pink I Love Him, for this amazing look. I was originally going to add a stamp, but I loved this so much, I kept it for 2 days!

Kleancolor Blue-Eyed Girl

Sorry for the lack of nail-art lately. I've been shadowing, interviewing, and applying to jobs. My nails have been many shades of light pink. Booooo.

Anyway, here is Kleancolor's Blue-Eyed Girl. This was three coats. I think next time I will do 1 coat of an easy blue and then two coats of this so it doesn't end up with quite so much glitter but is still opaque. Sorry for the lobster fingers.