Floral Week - Poppies

Hi Goddesses

This week, I and a few of my besties are doing Floral Week. I love flower manis and can't get enough of them, but I've been really unhappy with almost everything I've attempted for this week!

So, as I write this, you're seeing the one I've done JUST NOW (which never happens), I have one stamped mani I like and 2 that I don't.  I can't remember the last time I started a challenge without all my manis done!

This mani makes me HAPPY.  It's so cute, so colourful, and so simple.   It's inspiration comes from this photo, which is sadly uncredited.  If you know who did this awesome mani, please let me know so that I can add the details.

For my mani I used happy spring colours.  I wanted the mani to look like a psychedelic flower bed :)   The base polish I can't reveal, as that has it's own blog post later this week.

For my poppies, I used a medium dotting tool and -

Butter London Muggins - lilac

Barry M Blood Orange - red

KIKO 368 - orange and

Rimmel Pulsating - pink

I then went back with a small dotting tool and added the black centres.

Just to reassure you, this is really just a sophisticated version of a splodger's paradise.   Again, you can't really go wrong with this mani.  The flower bed is crowded, so they will overlap, or be half shapes.  If you want to take your dotting to the next level, this is a great mani to try.

So, who are my besties, and what are they up to - go and check them out, and enjoy xx 

Missy at Gnarly Gnails

Emma at Manicurity

Kerrie at Pish Posh & Polish

Ashley at Smashley Sparkles

NEW31DC - Final Day! Recreate Someone Else's Mani

Hi Goddesses

Sob .... sob ..... sniff .... sob.  It's the last day!!  I'm gutted!  I've enjoyed this challenge sooooooo much that I'm really sorry to see it end.    I'll do a round-up post over the weekend, but for now, I leave you with my mani inspired by Jin from Superficially Colourful.

I love simple nail art, and there's nothing much simpler than a dotting tool.  I also love ruffle manis, and I've done several of them, but it blew my mind when I saw Jin post THIS orange one.  An orange ruffle - wow!

It hadn't even occurred to me that I might own enough oranges to do a ruffle justice, but I did!  (surprise)  There were also different shades, tones and textures - I really think polishes with different finishes are the key to a great ruffle.

So what polishes do we have in the mix then ?  Well the base is The Arches by Elevation Polish, a stunning brick terracotta.  2 KIKOs, 368 and 236, Icing Funky Femme, a super bright glitter, Essie Chubby Cheeks, w7 Burnt Amber and the sensational holo-tasticness of Enkelini Lainey Lou. 

The win of this mani is totally in the textures, and in something quite accidental.  Usually, my holo stripe has been in the middle, to break things up, but quite accidentally it was the last layer I added this time, and wow oh wow does it make it pop.

I can't believe how much drama and light there is in some of these photos - just - wow, I'm gobsmacked and super happy.

So that's it.  It's over.  Thank YOU for reading.  Thank you Ashley for designing the poster.  Thanks to all the amazing ladies who took part and .... if you thought it looked fun, why not join in ?   It starts all over again TOMORROW when the slow version heads out of town.  Same challenges, but at a pace of 2 manis per week.  If you want to take part, just come and join the Crumpet's Nail Tarts, or click the logo in the top left.

Lots of love - see you for a round up at the weekend xxx