Olympic Closing Ceremony Nails

Hi Goddesses

So, how was it for you?  What did you think?  Did you enjoy the Olympic Closing Ceremony.  I did.  And I cried - a lot!  It featured so many spectacular images and sounds that I wanted to do my best to capture them.

Now, 5 nails cannot do that justice, so first of all, let's discuss some other points - 

* the director of the closing ceremony described it as the "wedding reception" - and the music certainly was worthy of that

* after all these years, I finally understand why Muse and Elbow are great

* Kate Bush re-recorded Running Up That Hill - man, I wish she'd been there

* Jessie J - who knew she was THAT good

* Spice Girls - iconic, but they should have had more time

I didn't appreciate the geriatric Brit rockers, though the crowd visuals to Freedom and BoRap were STUNNING.  I also thought it shocking that the Queen couldn't be arsed to be there - get a grip woman!

So, what did I choose to celebrate ?

Thumb and middle fingers = the flag.  The entire stage was built atop a Damien Hirst splatter which looked stunning.  After halfway through, what would be the "blue triangles" on the flag, slowly filled with athletes.  At one point, the stadium was awash with pink glow and the heads of the athletes looked like purple, magenta and lilac dots.  Sadly, I can't find a photo of it anywhere, but it was stunning.  This is Damien's artwork -

On the ring finger we have the Brazillian colours - this was a lowlight for me.   I know it's traditional but they didn't wow me.  

The little finger and the index finger are joined - they were part of the same movement.  Let's start with the little finger.  For weeks, we've known that Take That would close the show, singing the anthemic Rule The World as that spectacular cauldron was extinguished.  And then tragedy struck.  A week and a half ago Gary Barlow's daughter Poppy was still born, and a nation wept for him.

For those of you who don't live in the UK and who don't know who Take That are, they were our boyband of the 90s, insanely popular and lusted after!   A few years ago they came back as a Man Band, better than ever, and to say they are the nation's sweethearts, well ... I don't know if it applies to boys, but they are treasured.  We love them.

So everybody felt compassion for Gary, and everyone assumed he would pull out of the ceremony.  But he didn't.  The consummate professional, he turned up and started singing.  When I saw them on the stage I literally burst into tears.  I didn't know they were going to appear, and to see them there, representing their country with honour and pride ... wow.  And then Gary started singing - 

You light, the skies up above me
A star, so bright you blind me
Don't close your eyes
Don't fade away
Don't fade away

I cried SO hard Beth came to comfort me - lol, can you believe - and she kept asking why I was crying SO hard.  The truth is, I don't know.  Maybe it was the culmination of the emotion of those last Olympic Days (I love how sporting triumph can inspire tears), but I think it was mainly the thought of a man, a decent, blessed man, confronted with the worst tragedy a parent can face, and STILL honouring his obligation to everyone else.  And how he managed to sing such aching and poignant lyrics .. wow ... I just take my hat off to him.

So my little finger is their black, military style outfit, and the index finger is the sequence they prefaced, where the pheonix above the flames transformed into Darcy Bussell, dressed in burning reds and blistered blacks, as she led the ballet of the end of the flame.

And that was it ladies, that was it.  I hope we put on a great show for you.  I really feel we went out with style, and more importantly, I hope that every hour of this amazing sporting event HAS inspired a generation, Beth's generation, to be the very best that they can be.

Enjoy xx :)

Olympic Outfits

Hi Goddesses

Technically, today is Day 43 of the Summer Challenge (2/3 through, 2/3 through ... we can do it!!) and it should have been Olympic Medals.  However, to say mine sucked ass like a highly priced whore is an understatement; it was embarrassing lol, so instead I have for you a replacement mani.

This is my homage to the outfits the British team wore as they entered the stadium on Friday night during the Opening Ceremony.  White tracksuits with gold embellishments, it's had a LOT of stick in the press, but I thought there was something of the Modern Olympian to it, and I liked that it harked back to Greek beginnings.  I also like that I got to use hark in a blog post!!!

So, this is 3 layers of piCture pOlish White Wedding which I also blogged yesterday as part of their Blog Fest.  It's a white milky jelly, which takes time to build up, but it's laced with the most amazing pastel rainbow shimmer.  IF you have sunshine of course .....

I used good old Barry and his M and his gold foil for the embellishments, echoing the gold collars, the strips and the  patches on the outfits.

Simples.  Enjoy :) xx

Olympic Opening Ceremony Nails

Hi Goddesses

Well, how was it for you ?    I have to say, I thought it was spectacular, but I think that is because I am British.  Put it this way - I've found pretty much every other Opening Ceremony boring, but this one made me very proud.

Firstly, let's take a moment to applaud the audaciousness of Danny Boyle, and give whoever chose him a pat on the back.  He's an insanely talented film director, always on the edge, so that made him a very unexpected choice for this project.  But I thought he put it all together with precision, power and eloquence.

On to my highlights, then.  I haven't managed to capture everything, and to be honest, I think I could do a whole other mani with my other favourite bits that aren't here - Mr Bean, music, Bond, her Maj picking her nails in a semi-coma - but for now, I've picked my most iconic moments.

The thumb depicts the hill that dominated the ceremony, the heart of our green and pastured land.  Who could have predicted that the Ceremony would start with a village of grass lol ?   Absolutely awesome, and I loved how it retained it's icon imagery right to the very end, when it was planted with the flags of the world.

The index finger is the Olympic rings which were forged from molten iron, and rose into the sky, to settle there, like burning clouds amidst a shower of fireworks.  Did anyone else think it was a very LOTR image, especially when the tree on the hill was ripped up to make way for industry?   I thought the making of these rings was just spectacular.

My middle finger is abstract, and also possibly my favourite part of the ceremony.   I generally can't stand songs like Abide With Me, but on Friday night, in the breathless and angelic hush of Emeli Sande, it was poetic, perfect and profoundly moving.    The song accompanied a balletic dance which started with the yellow-orange hues of winning the bid in Singapore, and then represented the bloodshed of 7/7, and was entrancingly enacted by a troupe of burgundy clad dancers.  Initally, I am sure they started in heart formation, hence the design on my finger.   Tears ?  Definitely.  Exquisitely moving.

The ring finger is the chimney - the symbol of the Victorian age which transformed England into the hub of the empire and the darling of the Industrial Age.  I also loved Sir Kenneth Branagh, and thought the choice of text from The Tempest was perfect - both in choice and delivery.

And finally ... well, it was all about the flame, wasn't it.  I am so glad it involved Sir Steve Redgrave, but how moving, that eventually it was entrusted to the new generation.   And what about that cauldron ?   A gorgeous spiral of copper kettles, lying flat it looked exquisite enough, but once it rose into the sky - wow oh wow oh wow.   Stunningly beautiful, and I hope it can be retained after the Games as a symbol of dreams, endeavour and artistry.

So, I loved it.  The Queen, not so much.  She was sat there with her typical frown, picking her nails at one point, and thus immediately losing the credit she gained for being part of the Bond stunt.   Beth laughed hardest at Mr Bean, but who wouldn't ?

There is something special about the Olympics and its symbolism, about the fact that Syria is welcomed as warmly as other countries, and that everyone has spent their entire life in training for this "One Moment In Time" - thanks Whitney.   Somehow, we become drawn in and transfixed by sports that would not even snag our attention at any other moment.  Mostly, I like the stories, and the tears.  I am a big softie, and sporting triumph is one of the things that consistently turns me to mush, from Sir Steve Redgrave and Mathew Pinsent hugging each other in victory; to Derek Redmond, in the shape of his life, broken and in tears, leaning on his father to finish the nightmare lap that his dream had degenerated into; from the modesty of Jonathan Edwards, to the big boy bravado of the sprinters - man, I love it all.

See you at the Closing Ceremony :)  Enjoy xx

Summer Challenge - Day 1 - Olympic Torch Starts Its Journey

Hellooooooo Goddesses

Oh, I am sooooooo excited today!  Today is day 1 of the MAMMOTH Summer Challenge which runs until 8th September.  There are 66 challenges in all - I told you, it's a WHOPPER!




As before, this is being run from the Purple Crumpet Fairy group on Facebook - it's still not too late if you want to join us, just click here and we'll fill you in on everything you need to know!




Another reason I am so excited is that this time, I have even more new friends to play with !  Some of them are goddesses whose blogs I have loved and admired for ages.  Damn, I'm going to look shabby!

Sooooo, onto the nails!  Today is the day the Olympic torch officially starts its journey.  I am really excited the Olympics are going to be in the UK, and I even work with someone who will be carrying the torch in July.

Now, these nails.  D'you know what, I actually think they look pretty decent.  And shall I tell you why?  Crumpet invested in some proper art brushes and Crumpet made an effort to get these juuuuuuuuuuuust right :)

Rather than depict the torch itself, I decided to take the flame idea, and do it in the colours of the Olympic rings (I tell you, it's soooo perfect that are 5 rings and 5 nails) - blue, yellow, black, green and red.

I used SH White On as my base, and then the following - 


* thumb = Cult Nails Manipulative + Orly True Blue Striper

* index = CG Lemon Fizz + OPI The IT Color

* middle = Color Club Worth The Risque + CG Black Ink pot

* ring  = CG Re-fresh Mint + CG Starboard

* pinkie = a mix of CG Life Preserver and Bettina 47 + Zoya Dakota

These took me a while to do, but I think it shows :)  I paid more attention to detail AND (you won't believe this) I even redid bits that went a little bit wrong.  You mean those splodges on the yellow finger?  Yes.  And what's that bit of glitter on the yellow finger?  Ssshhhhh ......

I hope you enjoy all the challenges to come - and here, as promised, are the amazing ladies taking part with me, and below that, clever links to their blogs.   Enjoy xx  :)

Danielle - http://lbobeauty.blogspot.co.uk/

Neivys - http://maquiclubgirl.blogspot.com/

Jo @ Northern Nails - http://therockchicksrambles.blogspot.co.uk/

arlene @ http://euzefelus27-nailart.blogspot.com/

Helena - http://nailwish.blogspot.com.es/

Róisín- http://cuti-clue-les.blogspot.com/

Katee - www.agirlandherpolish.blogspot.com

Alyssa at Fancy Phalanges - http://fancyphalanges.blogspot.com/

Sarah - http://www.ynails.blogspot.co.uk/

bec - http://lacquerdreams.blogspot.com.au/

Misha - www.enigmatic-rambles.blogspot.com

Sharon - http://whatcolorismycoat.blogspot.com/

Melissa - http://www.misadventuresofawannabemartha.com/

Laurie http://dressedupdigits.blogspot.com/

Lucie @ Lucy's Stash www.lucysstash.com

Emma @  http://manicurity.blogspot.com/

Caitlin - www.caitlinscreativecorner.blogspot.com

Jane- http://absolutevarnish.blogspot.com/

Amber www.nevernakednails.blogspot.com

Vic @ Glowstars http://glowstars.net

Jackie- http://memasmanis-jackie.blogspot.com/