Digit-al Dozen News

Hi Goddesses

As you all know, I am a VERY proud member of the Digit-al Dozen.


This weekend, we launched our new website, with the plan to help you develop your nail art skills.  We'll be sharing tips, tutorials and disasters - everything associated with nail art.


Why not check out today's post and join us by clicking HERE.

#33DC - Day 3 - Tape Mani feat Mentality Gale, Valor and Rogue

Hi Goddesses

Damn this mani has taken a lo-hot of effort!  This is the 3rd mani I have prepared, it's a day late, AND it took me 3 days to do it!

So what gives?  Well, at the start of the week I did a Lilypad Lacquer tape mani, but it was just too subtle, so that was a no-go.  Luckily I managed to recycle it into a prompt for later in the challenge.

Then I swatched a great glitter and decided to use that as the base, but the colours I chose to put over it looked so bad, that I didn't even wait for the abomination to dry!

And then I decided to use some of the Mentality polishes I bought 2 months ago and added Gale on base.   Gale is fabulous, a stone cold colour that retains warmth due to its very subtle lilac tones.

This polish a beauty.  Awesome matter formula.  A one coater.    Glorious suedeness (which you can see in one of the close-ups).  A really great polish.

So that was Thursday.  Then I developed a migraine and went to bed, was still ill on Friday so collapsed in bed after work, and still feel shitty today, which is why it has taken such a lo-hong time to get this post up today!

I have to say though, I LOVE this colour combination.  It's so dark and autumnal, and the colours play together beautifully.  There's something really rich about these tones.

All of these polishes are one coaters, and I really can't praise these Mentality mattes enough.   I just know they are going to be the staple of my autumn polish toolkit.

Don't forget to check out everyone who posted on time YESTERDAY, and I'll see you on Monday for tribal!

Holo Stamping and Cheeky Jumbo Plate 5 Musical

Hi Goddesses

Today's post features the Musical plate from Cheeky aka Jumbo Plate 8.  There are tons of great patterns on this plate, many of which I wouldn't associate with music.

I guess this is the pattern of sound reverb, but I love cos it's loads of circles lol - it looks to me like a giant slinky :)

On base we have Essence Gorgeous Bling Bling, a stunning burnt orange with flakies, and on percussion we have the lovely Color Club holo that is Cosmic Fate.

I tell you what, we are SO lucky these Color Clubs stamp so well - they create amazing art, effortlessly.   If you've always been too scared to stamp with a "normal" polish, start here, you won't go wrong.

Enjoy xx :)

33DC - Day 2 - Your Most Used Colour Polish (single bottle)

Hi Goddesses

And welcome to Day 2 of the 33DC.  Today's prompt asks you to pick your most used colour polish.  When I wrote the prompt, I meant the single polish that is coloured, that you use the most, but as the wording is a little ambiguous, you might see some manis today that are about the colour rather than a single polish.

Anyway, the bottle of coloured polish I use the most of is Barry M Blood Orange.  It's just magnificent.  Perfect bright red.  Super glossy.  Good to go in 2 coats, sometimes 1.  Everything about it is perfection.

I know this is my most used polish, because I just had to buy a 2nd bottle.  For me to have used nearly a whole bottle in a year is unheard of, but this is my go to for glitter undies and nail art too (although OPI Planks A Lot is a close second).

This is a very simple polka dot mani which is inspired by the top worn by a colleague at work!  Yep, it really is that bad now - I look at what people are wearing and go "ooooh, that would make a good mani".   

I used my tiniest dotting tool - the same one throughout - although it doesn't look like it!  This is because some polishes were runnier than others and made different sized dots.

We have Elevation Polish Tavan Bogd (lilac) and Jengish Chokusu (mint), Models Own Beth's Blue (I hope you could guess that was the blue) and China Glaze Lemon Fizz.   I really like how these colours pop together.

Work Wear Wednesday - Nails Inc Charlotte Mews

Hi Goddesses

Despite it being a British brand, I am not a huge Nails Inc fan. Whilst I admire their attempts to be ahead of the curve, I generally find them over-priced and not worth the hype.

This, though, is a polish I would recommend to anybody.  Charlotte Mews is an absolutely stunning lilac, with occasional blue leanings.

Everytime I wear this, it takes my breath away.  There is just something stunning about this colour, like plumes of pigeon-lilac smoke.

I love the amount of grey in this one, it just washes down to a more interesting shade.

Total winner.  

#33DC Day 1 - Dots

Hi Goddesses

And welcome to a super exciting day!  Today is the launch of the all-new #33DC which is being run through Crumpet's Nail Tarts.  We will be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for the next 11 weeks.  Details of the challenge and how to join (cos it's still not too late!) will be at the end of the post :)

Today is also a famous post for a different reason.  This is the mani I was wearing when NubbinGate struck!  Yup, the last photos of my sweet ring finger before it got stumpy!

This mani features 2 of the OPI San Francisco polishes, which were new when I did this mani 6 weeks ago lol but which now seem old hat haha.  The blue is Keeping Suzi At Bay which is the middle blue of the 3.  It's nice, and has the great OPI formula, but there are a ton of similar polishes out there.  The silver, which I have a LOT of plans for, is Haven't The Foggiest and it looks amazing.

You'll notice that today's nail art "evolved".  I was just in a playful mood that night.   I've said this so many times before, but I still believe that this is the best way to experiment.  Crucially, I also took photos at every step so that if it went WAY wrong, I could pretend I had stopped just before it did lol.

The first dotted look was super simple, but made me think of dice lol.   I like the 2nd look (and use it a lot) - the dot within a dot.  It's so simple to do but always looks magical.

The final version was my favourite though - some smaller silver dots to fill in the blank space.   

Here are all the challenge details - remember, it's Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  If you want to come and join us, just click HERE.   Enjoy xx