A Little More Geometry - Literary Lacquers Cast From Stormhold

Hi Goddesses

Today's mani is an extra from Digit-al Dozen DOES Geometry Week, and features the stunning Literary Lacquers Cast From Stormhold on base.

I don't really know why this didn't make the cut.  I think I found the overall design a little less colourful than the others, even though the stamping is probably sharper than in some of the manis I did choose.

I splodged the base with a little bit of OPI Parlez Vous OPI and Grace-Full Nail Polish Maddison.

I then used Fashionista plate 04 from MoYou for the stamping, and I'm really impressed with how well this stamp stamped.

Ah, the purpleness!

OPI - Parlez Vous OPI and Comparisons

Hi Goddesses

Today's post is a special one.  Why?  Because it features OPI's classic polish, Parlez Vous OPI, which was really my point of no return as a polishaholic.

I got PVOPI when I bought a bulk load of polishes off eBay.  Someone had just closed their salon and was selling off their stock, and in my box I got the Spain Collection, South Beach, and France, from where PVOPI comes.

I alrady loved purple polish by then, and had been looking for a polish that wasn't purple, but wasn't pukey lilac either.  One that had depth, but wasn't too bright; and one that was subtle and classy without being insipid.  In PVOPI I met my inner goddess.

There's something about this polish that's pure perfection for me - that beautiful blend of lilac and grey to create something cool and sophisticated and yes, a little bit haughty.    Interestingly, whenever I pull this polish out of my box, it's darker than I last remember it, but no less beautiful.

It's also one of the true legendary OPI polishes (so many of you ask if anyone has one they're willing to sell), as well as being a polish that spawned a thousand imitations, which brings us to the 2nd part of this post.



When the OPI Miss Universe Collection came out last year, all I wanted to know was whether OPI I'm Feeling Sashy was a dupe for PVOPI.  I read blog post after blog post, but no one seemed to address the question, so ..... yup, had to buy it, just to check lol.



So, who are our contenders?
PVOPI is on the ring finger
FNUG Front Row is on the index
I'm Feeling Sashy is on all the others - thumb, middle, pinkie

So no, they're not dupes lol.  In some lights they look closer, but Sashy is probably more of a dupe for the FNUG than PVOPI.

I think these photos highlight the cooler tones of PVOPI.

Is PVOPI on your lemming list?

Happy New Year

Hi Goddesses

And Happy New Year!  I wish you all the very best for this year - I hope that whatever it is that you're seeking, you find the opportunity, the will, the luck or the sheer courage to go for it.  Go on, you deserve it!

We start this year with possibly the most elegant mani I have ever done, and I know Denise from Adventures In Stamping has been waiting for this for a looooooong time :)

The base is the epic and legendary OPI Parlez Vous OPI, a perfect smokey dark lilac that just always looks perfect.  It works really well with my skin tone too.

I then stamped using Too Fancy Lacquer Champagne Cocktail and MoYou Artist Collection 09.  The overall effect is exquisite.

One of the things I particularly love about this mani, is how the pattern is *just* thick enough to really capture the holo of Champagne Cocktail.  THEN CC soaks up a little bit of its base, and translates it into pinky gold in some lights - it's just utterly divine.

I absolutely love this mani.  The benchmark has been set.  Do NOT fall below this Crumpet, do NOT.  And if I do?  Call me on it! 

Recycled Nails - Purple Holo Dots

Hi Goddesses  

If you go down to the woods today .... lol.  If you head over to Nails Adored, I am today's guest poster while Jamie has a well deserved break.   I seriously recommend you check out her blog.  You can also read my post below -

Well hello Jamie's readers.  Today you belong to The Crumpet mwahahahaha.  Lol.  For those of you who don't know me, I have a strange sense of humour.  I like pretty nails and pussycats and White Reeces and ... oh sorry, the mani ?

Ah yes, it's not easy turning your blog over to someone else.  I love that Jamie's posts and photos are always so clean and simple, and I wanted to do something that would fit in with her blog.

I'm a bit more wordy than she is, so bear with, but today I bring you - Recycled Nails.  Yes!  This is my own personal challenge that I have, where I allow myself to "just" paint my nails if I am running low on time, as long as the on the 2nd day, I do something to jazz them up.

So this is Dutch Ya Just Love OPI and its Day 2 makeover, courtesy of a dotting tool, Parlez Vous OPI, OPI DS Original and Sally Hansen Delphinium.

It's a really simple look.  The larger dots are created with the largest dotting tool, and stretched a little, and then have a smaller dot inside them for contrast.   I love the impact of the DS Original dots, but boy they made photographing this hard.  Between the white light of the room I take photos in, the holo AND the glossiness of Poshe, my poor camera just didn't know what to do with itself - hence all the glare.

Feel free to meander over and take a look at my blog - if you like it, it's all credit to Jamie as she designed the funky layout for me.

Thanks for putting up with me today :)  xxx

Purple Rainbows

Hi Goddesses

It's doodle time!!    Last night I was toying with the idea of another 31 Day Challenge (why are they sooooo irresistible) and one of the challenges was rainbow.  I'd just painted my nails lilac, and an idea was born: what sort of rainbows do they have in CrumpetLand if not purple ones ? Lol.

This is 3 coats of Essence Hang Loose from the their Surfer Babe Collection.  It is like a pink-toned lilac version of Essie's Marshmallow - very sheer, but lovely and squishy.

I wasn't totally sure how my rainbows were going to look, but I knew I didn't want them the same on every nail, or to look like 1 rainbow spread across 5 nails - and so any idea somewhere in between was born!   The boyf thinks it looks a little like a mountain range - I'm not too sure, but at least it was a compliment!

For this is used my beloved dotting tools, only because I knew I wouldn't be steady with a brush - I ended up using the 2nd largest size.   The rows were built up with -

* SH Mystic Lilac - still love - that green shimmer takes me by surprise every time

* OPI Planks a Lot

* OPI Parlez Vous OPI

* CG Spontaneous

I was going to add 1 final row in Barry M Bright Purple, but I really didn't think I had the room.

Loving how this turned out - so simple, so effortless :)

Enjoy xx :)