Summer Challenge - Day 36951 - Hothouse Flowers

Hi Goddesses

Ok, ok, I know it's really Day 62 or something but MAN, what was I thinking ???  A 66 Day Challenge ??  And then I drop out on the final lap ?  Whoops, naughty Crumpet!

I'm making an effort this week, I promise.  I've really just lost enthusiasm for this challenge, partly I think because summer never really arrived in the UK, and man those autumny purples are calling to me!

Can I just say, for the record, how much I LOVE THIS MANI?! Oh this delighted me.  It was so happy, and bright and cheerful and perfect.  Loved it, absolutely loved it.

The origin for this mani is the Essie Neons playdate I had with myself a few weeks ago - this is a gradient between Action and Lights.  Seriously, just the gradient looked Amazeballs.

Now, tell me this isn't just one of the best stamps of all time.   This is from BM-320, and I think it's main purpose is to look like the water marble bloom.  For me though, it also looks like the segment of a gigantic flower.  I used Konad Red to stamp.

There is nothing about this mani I don't love. The clash of the colours is just delicious.  Next time I need me some happy, this is the mani I'm doing :)

Enjoy xx :)

Summer Challenge - Green and Orange

Hi Goddesses

Summer Challenge?  I know, I know, I have been a VERY naughty Crumpet.  I haven't posted many challenge manis at all in the last 3 weeks, partly because this Challenge is NEVERENDING and I'm bored with it and partly because I've been distracted with other things.

I had several ideas for today, most of which involved using my new nail art toys - aka glitter and shit.  There's a lot of pretties, and I have you to thank, because most of them came from the money from the blog sale.  So this is YOUR mani, kind of :)

This is 2 layers of OPI Thanks A Windmillion from the Holland Collection.  I resisted buying this for the longest time, but it is such a pretty green, and one of the shades of green that I can actually wear!  It was a little bit darker and dustier than I realised, and I am totally ok with that.  This is what I would call a sage green, and it's lovely.

So what glitter did I apply then?  Well, these ....... Little irridescent squares (yes, square glitter!) which come in the world's smallest bottles (each is about the length of a good cat claw) but .... oh, don't they look CUTE !!

So, yes, orange and green squares.  There you go.  Byeeeee.  Pardon ??  Sorry, what's that ?  They look the same ?  Yeh, don't they just.   Pretty but ... no, they do not look like I used orange on the thumb, middle and pinkie, and the totally opposite GREEN on the index and ring fingers.  Bummer.

Still, I do quite like it.  It's subtle but a bit blingy at the same time.  And it's such fun playing with glitter - it brings out the 5yr old in me !!

Interestingly, they also seem to phosphoresce in the shade, but I couldn't get a good photo of that.  And no, they didn't look orange then either :(

Enjoy xx :)

Summer Challenge - Fruit Salad

Hi Goddesses

I feel like it's forever since I posted some kick ass nail art, and I am really really happy with how today's mani turned out.

As with a lot of my stuff, this was a happy accident.  I knew all along that I would probably use this particular stamping plate, but not how or with what colours.

This started with 2 coats of Essie Bazooka, one of their AMAZING summer neons, with Poshe to gloss it up.

I then sponged randomly with Bettina Green and Barry M Yellow, to add lemons and limes to my orange salad :)

And then I stamped over it with Konad White and BM-308.

I really love that the overall effect of this mani is so much more than the sum of its parts.   The sponging shows through beautifully, and so subtly - and I love that it makes the fruit look like it's in various stages of ripeness :)

This is one of my favourite manis in a LONG time .... Crumpet needs to get her mojo back.  I think I've been so busy organising challenges and things I've forgotten how to have fun :(  So I'm off to play with my new polishes and get inspired xx

Enjoy xx :)

Summer Challenge Catch Up - Needle Drag and The Seaside

Hi Goddesses

I am ridiculously behind and all over the place with the Summer Challenge, so today I am bringing you 2 posts in 1.   Why am I behind?  Well, 2 reasons. Firstly, the blog sale - I had no idea how intensive it would be, and it ate up my blogging time for about 3 days.  Secondly, we've had an inspection on the house (we rent) which meant we had to go into cleaning overdrive - ugh!  So, pretty much no spare time!

First of all, here's my Summer Needle Drag.  Ah, so not a success.  I am desperate to get this technique right, and I'm pretty sure I know where I went wrong here.  I absolutely will be trying this again soon.

I used all Barry Ms for my colours - Yellow, Shocking Pink, Mint Green and Tangerine.

2nd up we have Seaside nails.  I started this with a gradient, using Atlantic Beach (a gift from my polish momma) for the sea, and Essie Sand Tropez for the beach.

Now, I did quite like it at this point, but I decided I couldn't just do beach and sand, there needed to me some ... "things" in the picture too .... And that was where my problem began, because I couldn't really decide on which things.

In case you were wondering, the "things" were a bucket, a brolly and a ball lol.

Enjoy xx :)

Summer Challenge - Turquoise, Aqua or Jade: Floam Roses

Hi Goddesses

 ... or why not all 3 ??

Here is the modern classic known as Floam, a stunning mixture of of bluey greeny matte glitteriness.  Wonderful, but far too high maintenance - I couldn't cope with the epic removal time - but I did manage to creat this little baby before I swapped it.

This is pure Recycled Nails - a classic Day 2 mani - and is beyond simple.   I first got the idea for this by the patterns left on my palette after I'd tried to gather up the last dregs of a polish blob with my dotting tool - this is nothing more than a swirled blob of polish.

To do this, it's crucial your mani is dry and cement-proof!  I would never do this on Day 1 - well actually, I have, and it doesn't work, as the base polish retains some softness and you end up with flashes of bare nail.

This is a small to medium blob of polish placed on the nail, and then swirled with either your finest dotting tool or a toothpick / cocktail stick.  And all you do is keep swirling til you're happy!  Simple as that!

Sometimes, it might seem as if it's not working, but just persevere, and eventually, your "petals" will appear.

Simples :)  Enjoy xx