#33DC Day 25 - A New Technique For You - Distressed Nails

Hi Goddesses

How are we all?  I am sorry I have been absent a lot over the last week.  Real life has intervened in a really rude and scary way and I am ferociously job hunting.   Truth though, I've missed blogging, and the yogic calm I get from painting my nails, but I've felt guilty whenever my mind has veered in that direction.  Must Get A Job FIRST.

Anyhow, today is one of my very favourite manis that I've done for this #33DC.  It's called the Distressed Mani and I originally saw it on Chalkboard Nails HERE.   I liked it, but then really fell in love with it when Brit Nails did a slightly different version HERE.

The key to this mani is to apply your polish as sparingly as if it is stardust - that's like half a micro-granule of a droplet on your brush.  THIS is what gives the smeared and streaky effect.   More streaky = goooood.   Too much droplets = saaaaad (and hard for a "slop it on" girl like me).

I like how they both remind me a little of crackle, and also of acid wash manis, and let's face it, they're splodges aren't they?  No wonder they make me happy!

For my mani I used - 
* w7 Black
* Essie - Orange It's Obvious
* OPI - The It Colour
* OPI Flashbulb Fuchsia (shimmer)
* Smitten Polish Imperio (glitter)

I've said this before, but AGAIN the introduction of a shimmer and a glitter added extra magic to my mani, the glitter in particular working its dazzle through the colours.  Overall, this reminds me a LOT of an exotic parrot.

Me likey :)

The Digit-al Dozen Does It All Again - Books

Hi Goddesses

I know you've heard me bleat about this a thousand times, but let's just say it again - I am a massive book lover, and it pisses the hell out of me that I really struggle with "book" challenges.

But wait, drum roll please ... for the First Time Ever, I am inspired and I Like It!!

Those of you who know me on Facebook will have heard me raving recently about Orange Is The New Black.  I watched the series in one gluttonous weekend, and then bought the book.

The concept started as a book, but the execution of the TV series was brilliant - I never thought I would love watching a series about a women's prison, but the characterisation was so rich, it was irresistible.

So, I picked up Essie Orange, It's Obvious, and my China Glaze Black Ink pot, a dotting tool, and a straw, and set to work.  To be fair, this is just a great excuse for an orange and black skittle (and how awesome do those 2 colours look together).

For the thumb, I used my Barry M nail art pen.  I was worried about denting the orange, so pressed lightly, and after a couple of letters (which I planned to go over again), realised I had accidentally made it look like stitching, and it was supposed to depict Piper's surname on her clothing labels.

If you haven't watched it yet, seriously, go to Netflix and watch it now - it's the show of the year so far for me.

Enjoy xx :)

The Digit-al Dozen Does It All Again - Animals

Hi Goddesses

I LOVE THIS MANI!  Until we get to the point where I broke Cardinal Rule Number 17, but we'll talk about that later!

I love animal prints, especially leopards, and today's mani is inspired by a notebook I bought the other week, which you may have seen in my Not Just A Nail Polish Whore post.

I loved the pop of orange in the pattern, and knew that I had to recreate it.  And yes, I did use 2 Essies.  You now know they're not one of my favourite brands, but there's no denying they sometimes make astonishing colours.

The base is Big Spender, a stunning fuchsia-come-violet-with-maybe-a-dash-of-purple, and the orange is Orange, It's Obvious.  Essie side note - I used to hate their skinny little brush, but OIO has a gorgeous fat one, like the Sally Hansen CSM brushes, which made application much easier for me.

I then added a little bit of orange to each nail, with a dotter, and then added edging and additional spots with w7 Black.


Oh and yeh, then I smeared it by adding matte top coat.  ALWAYS add normal top coat before your matte .... dammit Crumpet!

Apart from that, I super super love this.  It's so bright and funky.  It really made me happy wearing this mani - I managed to drag it out for 3 whole days before I had to take it off.  Enjoy :)

The Digit-al Dozen Does It All Again - Hallowe'en

Hi Goddesses

Ok, so right now, you're probably sat there thinking one of 2 things -

* Halloween?  In September ? What is she thinking?

or

* WTF is that nubbin on her ring finger??

Yup, welcome to NubbinGate :)

I decided that as you all knew I had a major break going on, that I should just get over it, and paint my nails as if it didn't matter.  So all the rest of the DD manis feature The Stump ... ridiculous or not.

I couldn't bear the thought of doing a Halloween mani yet, so I decided to interpret the theme, and just pick some Halloween colours.

The polishes I used are - 

NYC Pinstripe White - my fave cheap white

w7 Black - my fave cheap black

Essie Orange, It's Obvious

China Glaze Starboard

KIKO 293

I used both ends of the same dotting tool to get the large coloured dots and then the smaller black dots.

I actually really quite like how this turned out.  See - Halloween art that ANYONE can do :)

Enjoy xx :)