TopCoatIt

These totally look like pictures from a coloring book to me. Although maybe I should’ve colored outside of the lines a bit more.
I purposely colored these stars in a little sloppily and streaky. I really did want it to resemble crayon. I’m really pleased with it. It’s a happy little mani.

I used Sally Hansen White On and acrylics to create this design.

I say this is a floral. I see oriental poppies in there. Hubby says it’s feathers. Peacock. I think I would go more turkey if I were going to go with a bird.
Whatever you see when you look at it, I love it! It was really easy to do and makes a bold statement. I used Sally Hansen White On and acrylics for this design. I topped it off with Chill Zone top coat.

So what say ye? Flowers? Feathers? Or something else?

Do you all remember back in elementary school when you would take your crayons, draw a bright, colorful picture, then cover it all up with black crayon? Then you’d get out a pencil and scratch a picture in to the black crayon to reveal the fun underneath? Why not apply that same technique to your nails?

I first used this technique on my Game of Thrones nails after seeing this tutorial.  I love this application.  I can’t get over how the lines of the scales look variegated.  They’re each their own little rainbow.

To get this look I used Zoya Mitzi, Robyn and Arizona, and NYX Girls Pink Strawberry in random blobish spots so that my whole nail was covered. I let that dry as long as my patience would allow. The drier the better. Then polish on one moderate coat of black polish. I used China Glaze Liquid Leather. You’ll want to do one nail at a time. As soon as you paint on the black, take a small dotting tool and gently scratch in to the black polish to create your design. Be gentle so as to avoid scraping the colored polish off as well. This is why it’s important that your color underneath be as dry as possible, although, the black polish over the top of the color may re-wet it. Work quickly and gently.

I’ve already got my next one planned.  This is a fun new technique for me that doesn’t require really any clean up.  What’s not to love?

Who doesn’t love Nailside? Seriously, she makes the simplest designs look so fantastic! I should qualify, when I say simple, I mean uncomplicated, no necessarily easy to do.I’ve tried her explosion mani several times and just can’t quite master it. This one, I can do.

I used Essie Lapis of Luxury for my base color.  My layers are China Glaze Sun Worshiper, Julep Fiona and Jordana Purple Bright.

I imagine you all noticed my changed watermark. What do you think? Is this less intrusive than the previous one? I’m looking for your honest feedback here Ladies.  Because it’s new and different, it’s very eye catching today.  It might take a while to get over the shock factor of it.

Happy Tuesday! We’ve got a fun theme today. Sweet Sixteen; something our sixteen year old self would have liked. I’ve always taken care of my nails and tried to keep them pretty. Nicely manicured nails make me feel feminine. To be honest, when I was sixteen I probably would have sported a traditional, white tipped french manicure. I tried time and time again to use those french manicure kits from the drug store and could never achieve a pretty manicure.

That said, I did not choose to do a french today. I was sixteen in the nineties. The grunge era. I was very much a grunge and skater wannabe. You can laugh. It’s okay. I roll my eyes and shake my head when I look back at some of the pictures.

So I was going for a grunge look with this. I think I achieved it. Hubby agrees. I started with a base of China Glaze Platinum Silver then added little bits of Essie Soul Mate, Milani Fresh Teal and Essie Alligator Purse.  To smear and streak it, I used a brush that was about the same width as my nail, dipped it in acetone, dabbed it off them brushed it down my nail.

The way the colors bleed down the surface of my nail reminds me of something that has rusted and is all weathered. I don’t know why that says grunge to me, but it does. I guess the other thing that ties this to my sixteen year old self is that I had a metallic silver polish like this back then and wore it on my toes all the time. It was for sure the cool polish in my neck of the woods at the time. What were you like when you were sixteen?

Be sure the check out all the other manis today:

Amanda of Amandalandish
Anna of Going to the Showing
Anne of Grape Fizz Nails
Ashley of Art Evolve
Brandi of The Beaulieu Review
Chelsea of Nailed Blog
ChiChi of I’m Just Me…ChiChi
Cordia of Seriously Swatched
Elizabeth of Did My Nails
Jamie of Polish, Please!
Katherine of Haul of Fame
Maribeth of Obsessive Cosmetic Hoarders Unite!
Marisa of Polish Obsession
Meredith of Polish and Charms
Nory of Fierce Make Up and Nails
Sarah of See Sarah Swatch
Tara of Polishy of Truth