Winterberries

Hi All, I'm back again with another design/ this one is for the Claire Estelle 8 Challenge on IG. The theme was Winterberries. I went with pastel berries on white stems with a gold background. I used a brush and dotting tool.

The polishes I used were:

• Mod Lacquer's Golden Sunbeam (from Mid-Century Mod Collection) and the link is to her FB page. She closed shop.
• Zoya's Cindy (from their Redbook Limited Edition Holiday Trio)
•  Black Dahlia's Capital Rose Garden, African Violets and South Congress Bats
• Wet N Wild's Hallucination 

I has been really cloudy around here so all my photos are taken  inside with my lights. I sort of wanted it sort of Japanese and went with a pretty subtle look. One would think I was having a hard time leaving Christmas. HaHa

I already had the gold nails. I love this combo of Cindy on top of Golden Sunbeam.

And finally, here's Mod's Lacquer's Golden Sunbeam. Mod is another great polish maker that folded this Fall. I miss her whole take on the polish scene.

Hey, this is a quick post because today is the day that the designs are due for this Claire Estelle. I hope you enjoyed this one. Anyone else love to wear gold on their nails or do you consider it a "special occasion" only color?

So until next time, take care. Terri

Starry Night Sky-July's HPB's Nail Link Up

Welcome to July's Hobby Polish Blogger's Nail Challenge Link UP. This months theme is Starry Night Sky. Rather than do something realistic, I tried to go with an abstract feeling of a night sky. 

It ended up being a tad more complicated that I originally intended. I used six different colors and kept doing different combos on a nail wheel, until I found something that I thought really worked. And I made sure I used my two polishes that were named Starry Night. 

The first three photos are just poses with a few of the polishes I used. After that, there are step by steps.

The Steps

Step 1-Not wanting a purely black sky, I first put on a couple of coats of CrowsToes' Minion.

Step 2-Next came on coat of Sinful Color's Starry Night.

Step 3-I had seen were people had painted areas when doing a Galaxy mani (although I wasn't really after that) and with a brush added a few wispy lines with Orly's Platinum.

Step 4-I decided to punch up the sparkle and added one think coat of Wet N' Wild's Hallucinate.

Step 5-Using a large dotting tool I used Starry Night by Glitzology. Glitzology is no longer in existence but she made heavy duty glitter bombs when she was. There's star glitter in here and some got on my nails, which was O.K. by me.

Step 6-Using a smaller dotting tool I made lots of small dots using Zoya's Tomoko, a Pixie Dust.

And there you have it. Here's my Nailie that I took.  

Well, that's it for me this time around. But as I mentioned earlier, I am taking part in The Hobby Polish Blogger's group link-up. This is a great group of bloggers on Facebook that are very supportive and always are willing to give help to other bloggers. So check some of their art out below.

So until next time, take care and shine on!

Terri


 

An InLinkz Link-up

Pick-N-Mix #4-Yves Saint Laurent's Russian Collection-Fall 1976

We are are at week four of the "52 Week Pick And Mix" nail challenge. The prompts this time around were The 70's and/or grey with color. I only went with one of the prompts and chose "The 70's".

Yves Saint Laurent's 1976 Fall Russian collection was my inspiration. My design is taken from a beautiful paisley shawl/scarf from that collection.

A close view of my YSL inspiration

The Polish Lineup

My bright and neon polishes tend to be very economical. L.A Color Crazes run $.99 and Wet N Wild is usually $1.88.

From Left to Right:

•  L.A. Color Craze's Reckless
• Wet N Wild's Black Light Party
• Wet N Wild's Tulip Time
• Pritti NYC's Empress Tree
• Wet N Wild's Limelight
• China Glaze's Be More Pacific
• Wet N Wild's Club Havana
• L.A. Color's  Splat!
• Orly's Fancy Fuchsia   

To find specific designs, I used a simplified nail shaped view finder.

A model grouping of the Russian collection

Close up of the skirt and belt that was shown with the paisley shawl/scarf

Well  that is it for this nail adventure. And until the next one, take care..............Terri

An InLinkz Link-up

Pick And Mix #1-Blue/Green (Not Quite Teal) Gradient

Or as like to call it ,"Let's Go Find A Pearl". When I decided to use polishes named Aquadelic and Tahitian Pearl, I became obsessed with having a sea shell on my finger. 

Fall is starting here in the Mid-West, but I figure somewhere in the world people are looking for sea shells at this very moment. 

It is finally here, The Crumpet's Pick and Mix 52 Week Challenge. This is the first time I have ever taken part in anything like this. I am hoping this will get me of my kiester and make me try new techniques. Well, that's what I'm hoping.

Right off the bat, I had to do something I had never done or wanted to spend to much time doing; a sponged gradient. So friends, here were my steps:

1. Painted on a base coat of China Glaze's Aquadelic
2. Using a makeup sponge,  I layered on stripes of Aquadelic and Wet 'N Wild's Tahitian Pearl.
3. @#*∞ª˚√≈∂!!!!!!!!!-you get the idea, I hated it. It was terrible
4. Watched a couple of YouTube videos-ahhhhhhhhh...OK
5. Redid the problem areas
6. Hand painted my seashell using the Stripe-Rite, Klean Color and China Glaze's Rainbow-that I get
7. Added the pearl (left over stuff from the wedding)
8. Added the sparkly for the sun shinning on the water.

 Now I feel better about it. And next week is a three color gradient. That should be interesting for me to tackle.

Here's The line up-It took quite a crew to get this one done.

This was quite the gathering of the clans. From left to right" Klean Color's Blue Metallic, China Glaze's Rainbow, CND's Sapphire Sparkle, China Glaze's Aquadelic, Wet N Wild's Tahitian Pearl, and Stripe Rite's silver glitter stripper.

This is a "Blog Hop" or I guess in the nail world is is a "Link Up". Check out the other ladies efforts below. 


That's it for this time around. So until we see each other again, take care............Terri

An InLinkz Link-up

Tri-Color Tuesday-Tealberry Bush

This is the first of my September Tri-Color Tuesday. Actually, this is my first Tri-Color Tuesday ever. The colors this month are turquoise, lavender and grey/silver. My design started out as a very simple and stark Asian influenced design. It looked great on paper, but I didn't like it when I actually got it on all my nails. So the bushes sprouted a lot more berries!

My First Franken-A Gold Glaze

I also used Stripe
Rite's Gold Metallic for the double lines.

Sooner or later I figured it would happen. There would be something I wanted and didn't or couldn't find it so would concoct it myself. I can't say I wasn't planning to eventually do this. I bought some Luster Base and mini bottles last summer from TKB Trading. 

I had been wanting a gold glaze with just a little glitter for some kakie green polishes I have. They looked great in the bottle but I wanted something just a tad extra for them.

For the mixture I used the Luster Base, Jenna Hipp's ho-hummm gold metallic (Award Season) from her last summer's collection and Wet 'n Wild's The Gold And The Beautiful. I did thin it down with nail polish thinner to get the consistency I wanted.

I will admit that this not that dramatic but I like it and know I will use it a lot. And in my book that is pretty important. Well, that's it for this time around. Take Care............Terri

And The Winner for the three Koco beauty products is Genevieve Clay-Poor!

Of Up-cycled Manis, Great Music And Art

Finally, this is my last transfer from The Meadowtree Journal. Yea!  This post was originally published 3/25/13.

Spruce Springsteen with a layer of gold sandwiched between

My nail designs are usually connected with something I am wearing or somewhere I am going. 
Up-cycle didn't start out that way, but that's how it ended. 

My beginning nail color started off as a multi purchase from an Indie polish maker on ETSY. I bought five minis from Huemorisa, three colors that were part of a set called Enchanted Garden and two others that I threw in.

One of the "throw ins" was a green polish with orange micro glitter named Spruce Springsteen. The name alone made me want it. 

The polish was much more vibrant on the Internet. For me, it kind of died when I put it on. So here comes Up-cycle #1. I pulled out Wet N' Wild's The Gold and the Beautiful for a third layer and then did another layer of Spruce. This I liked. I carried the gold idea out a little more by swiping  gold on the fingertips. 

Then came our art and music night. So I just added to the gold design. And there is my Up-cycle #2. It was a great night and I will always remember those nails because of it. 

A triangular fan shape? I have to admit, I like gold in my designs.

The line up: Seche Vite top coat, Wet N Wild's The Bold and the Beautiful, Huemorista's
Spruce Springsteen, and LA Color's Topaz for the tip ends and triangular design's

Part of the musical lineup was Betsy Ellis and Mikel Shapiro, two very talented women.

Some of Rachelle's work was up.

 Rachelle in front of more of her fiber work.
You can't tell, but she is wearing Koi Pond by Rainbow Honey. It is a gorgeous glitter but is now discontinued.

Nail Journal-Sept '13 #2-Essence and WET n Wild

Starting out with Essence's L.O.L, a beautiful Yellow Lime Green. I have sung the praises
of Essence in earlier posts. It's a great quality polish for it's price. And I love
the tops (they match the polish color) and the perfectly sized brushes.

But, as usual, I don't like just wearing one layer, so on the next day I layered with The Wonder Yellows by WET n WILD. 

A tad lighter, and now with some sparkle. I love mixing colors!

A Simple Idea For A Holiday Mani

This is a transfer post from The MeadowTree Journal. It was originally published 12/21/12.

This is one of the first ideas I came up with when I was first became interest in nail polish and design. I chose Burgundy Frost and Sparked. I think the scarf I was wearing at the time influenced me. That is why I took a picture of the mani with my scarf which I knitted for myself a few years ago. 

I have always been fascinated by repeat and variation. And this design is a repeat of the one I did for Thanksgiving with different colors and with some of the surface matted. 

 I am now a fan of Hard Candy's Matte-ly In Love. If I could compare it to an interior paint finish, I would say it dries to an eggshell finish. Everything but the dots was finished in this matte effect. I went back over the dots again so they would be shiny and stand out. I like the contrast with the play of light. 

I did this for the holidays and it is  probably not something I would wear normally, but it was fun to create. And it really goes with my scarf!

Polishes Used 

Base Coat-Burgundy Frost by Wet N' Wild

Glitter Section-Sparked by Wet N' Wild

Matte Top Coat-Matte-ly In Love by Hard Candy

Dots (put on with dotting tool) Outrageous by Pure Ice

The line up-I got the dotting tools from Ebay for about $2. And I think they will have more uses than with just nails.  I want to see if they will work with thicken dyes on cloth. 

Have a peaceful day and take some time for yourself.

Holiday Compilation Repost

This is a combination of two holiday reposts from The Meadowtree Journal. They were posted 12/18/2012 and 12/24/2012. I remember wearing all of these. 

My simple idea for the Holidays. I had this on last week. It's rich but subtle.
I am wearing C on the below chart.

I really had fun posting about "my obsession" and wanted to show what I've been up to for the holiday nail ideas. I am doing a simple design of one base color and tipping my nails with another. Done in the right colors, it can be worn for everyday. 

The above collage shows the four combinations I am using. I have already worn B and C. I am planning on D for Christmas day and don't know when I am going to get to A. As you probably guess, I really like this style of design. It looks elegant without being overdone. Well, at least that is what I think. 

The combinations are:

A. OPI's Indulgence for the base coat and it is tipped in Revlon's Golden

B. OPI's Vamsterdam for the based coat and tipped in NYC's Topaz.

C. OPI's I'm Not Really A Waitress for the base coat and tipped in OPI's Indulgence.

D. Zoya's Logan for the base coat and tipped in NYC's Topaz. Logan is also on my toes now.

Some of my OPI's are very small bottles. Being just a beginner without much of a collection, I have gotten a few of OPI's mini sets. My favorite has been their TOP 10 for 2012. I found it on EBAY for $20 and like everything in it. You can try a bunch
of different colors without the high price of individual full size prices. 

OPI's Top Ten. A big bottle of Vamsterdam stands in front of it. I loved the color
so much that I purchased a full size bottle and gave the mini to my daughter.
She wore it last weekend and really liked it also.

From left to right: Revlon's Golden, Zoya's Logan, LA Color's Topaz and OPI's Indulgence.

And I couldn't forget about Hanukah. I am not Jewish but very close family members are. There are two different looks. Both base coats are Unfor-greta-bly Blue by OPI.
Again, this is a mini sample and is from the Germany Collection (GER-MINIS). The sample on the left is tipped in Beware by Pure Ice. The sample on the right is a little more understated with the tips being in Hallucinate by Wet n' Wild. Hallucinate is a  multi color glitter and blends more than contrasts.

Zoya's Logan

It's Christmas Eve morning and 20 degrees! Before I start working on our annual family Christmas Eve meal, I want to share what I put on last night for Christmas. 

I used Zoya's Logan from their 2012 Holiday collection. The minute I saw it in an ad last October, I knew that was the one for Christmas. It's my first Zoya polish. In fact, at this point, it is my only Zoya. 

I tipped my nails in gold with Revlon's Golden. Any gold would do. I'm not buying any more Revlon (I have problems with their new animal testing policy) so if I was getting a gold tomorrow, I would probably go to a Milani, Orly, China Glaze, Zoya or Hard Candy. 

Did anyone else pick a color just for the holidays? They sure put a lot of beautiful ones out this year. 

Quite honestly, I don't know if I need any more golds. I'm a sucker for them, that's for sure.

That ties up this repost. To be quite honest, I will probably use some of these colors for this year also. Logan is just really cool and I can't wait to use it. 

September '13 Nail Journal # 4-1+1+1=1

Well, Really 1+1+1=Time To Make A Strawberry Daiquiri

Layer one is Jenna Hipp's Private Getaway from her Summer's What's Hot collection

Layer two is a budget minded old standby-Hallucinate by Wet N Wild

Third layer is Bali Mist by Sinful Colors

Hmmmmm, what do all the layers add up to?

Oh yea, Time To Make A Strawberry Daiquiri!

Two From Glitzology, Which Is No More

This repost is a combination of two posts on The MeadowTree Journal. The Indie company that made these two polishes did not last long. But when Stacy Boyd was making polishes, they were glitter-bomb dreams.

The "Starry Night" post was originally published 2/4/13 and the "Nebula" post was originally published on 3/13/13.

After years of using Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night for the basis of an oil pastel lesson with second graders, how could I not have Glitzology's Starry Night polish. Back in the day, I even designed and knitted a pair of socks based on Starry Night.

Glitzology was an Indie polish  on ETSY. 

This polish is chalked full glitter and is a visual powerhouse. It's thick and takes some effort to put on smoothly. If you want a really smooth surface, I think a top coat would be needed. Top coating might make it feel smoother to the touch.

I approached the design as a landscape and color blocked the undercoat with green (Wet N Wild's Sagreena) and blue (Wet N Wild's Saved By The Blue).

The color blocked undercoat

The Lineup-had to use my Starry Night socks that I knitted years ago as a backdrop

This polish has a lot of light reflection. I even put a coat of matte on it for everyday wear and it still has plenty of shine going on. 

And being the (retired) art teacher that I am, how could I close this without the real thing.

Nebula

In the Mid-West we have four distinct seasons. It's almost Spring and I have so many dark polishes that I have not even worn yet. Here's the first of a few I am trying to squeeze in.

Nebula is a super thick glitter and holographic polish. I wanted it to have a purple aura so I first put an undercoat of Julep's Alfrie. I even went a little purple with my top coat. OPI is the only I have that has the purple tint in it, so on it went. 

Nebula does cool stuff in direct sunlight. It was fun watching what my nails were doing while I was outside. Indoors, it is fairly understated. I didn't feel that I had to matte this one out to for everyday wear. 

But is is also very thick. For me, it was a tad hard to put on. And if you like a smooth finish to your nails, you would not like this polish. I put three tops coats on and it was still had texture.

Glitzology's Nebula, Julep's Alfrie, and OPI's top coat

A Nebula in a bottle! These polishes are so lovely, I like jut 
keeping them out to watch the light play in the bottle.

Glitzology's shop is on a short vacation

I follow Gltizlogy on Facebook, and Stacy Boyd (the owner), has posted that because of back problems, the doctor has put her on bed rest. She will be back up and running when she has the OK to do so (but now we know she never did start the shop back up). 

Taking glitters Off

Here is a small video showing an easy way to take glitter polishes off. The traditional method takes a lot of extra work.  

That's it for this time around.