Summer Challenge Day 11 - Pink and Blue

Hi Goddesses

It was back to work today and ugh was that difficult.  Not fun after 7 working days off.  Good job I am home now with my nails to distract me, and also a very special piece of nail mail which I will be saving for later in the month :)

Today's nails are very depressing.  Today in England it's like it's autumn - rain, thunder, clouds in every shade of grey you can imagine ... and then look at these photos, taken last week - all that glorious sunshine and natural light.  Grrrrrr.

For pink and blue I decided to revisit my mosaic nails technique which I first posted here, back at the beginning of April.  It's a super easy and versatile technique and it's an instant winner if you're a bit low on inspiration.

I used the following polishes, and as always, used the palest as my base -

OPI Steady As She Rose

Zoya Moxie

Hungry Asian I Hate Pink

CG Secret Peri-wink-le

CG Sexy In The City

Milani 3D Cyberspace

Unlike most of the other mosaics I've done, I didn't use a black or white striper and went with a navy one - a good choice I think.

I especially love how Secret Peri-wink-le stands out in the sunshine - what a perfect summer colour!

Make sure you check out the other lovely Purple Crumpet Fairies and enjoy xx :)

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/

Cuti-CLUE-les - 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/

Rychelle @ Colorsplash Nails- http://colorsplashnails.blogspot.com/

Stella - http://mywetnails.blogspot.com

Missy @ http://missysmanis.blogspot.co.uk/

Kim @ http://apolishedaddiction.blogspot.com/

Christine @ http://lost-in-my-reverie.blogspot.com

Angie @ http://ourpaintedworld.wordpress.com

Bazzia @  http://polishmymind.blogspot.se/

Missy the Manicured Maniac @ http://melissahenderson95.blogspot.com/

Michelle @ http://lacquerorleaveher.blogspot.com/

Nikki @ http://www.lilgreenheart.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth @ http://nailpolishismycrack.blogspot.com/

Ana Cris @ http://www.estacerradaladrogueria.blogspot.com.es/

Shayleen @ http://simplyhandyallyear.blogspot.com/ 

MSMD - Dotted Lines - Kayla's Tribute

Hi Goddesses

This may be my last MSMD for a little while (as I think the Summer Challenge may take a lot of my time, PLUS I've managed to get involved in 2 other week long challenges - I know, I'm nuts; but I will try to post if I can) so I thought I had better go out with a bang and do a mani I have yearned for since I first saw it on Kayla Shevonne here - 

There was something about the pattern that was so cool, but also so .... simple.  Even a Crumpet could do that, I thought.    And I've promptly forgotten about it ever since :/

So here's my version, slightly different, because I am in full on bold summer mode, even if the rest of rainy England is not.  I used 

* 2 coats of Bettina Purple for the base

* OPI Steady As She Rose for the lines

* Zoya Moxie for the dots

Firstly, I have been trying to be a better Crumpet, and I used my new nail art brushes for my stripey lines.  They're not as good as Kayla's, for sure, but they are way better than a Crumpet has ever done before.

Also, Moxie, love ya, but why have you turned red in this mani?   She obviously didn't like sitting on top of Rose cos she got all huffy and took her fab fuchsia loveliness away, so the colour combo isn't *quite* what I envisaged, but I like it anyway.

I decided to mix the direction of the lines, just for fun, and next time, I might even criss-cross them on the same nail.  I just love that this is simple, but looks cool, retro and elegant (when Kayla does it).  See, that's the secret of a grand design, it even looks ok when a Crumpet gives it a go!

Enjoy, and I will do my best to post a few MSMDs before the  end of the summer :)   xxxx

Pink Mosaic

Hi Goddesses

So today we go pink with the mosaic, AND add a twist - a white striper, instead of a black one.   If I'm honest, I'm still a little on the fence about it, and I think it probably only works because of the pinks - I can't imagine it working with reds or greens.

I used the Models Own striper which is a brush at one end and a squeezy pen at the other.  I used the pen end, and it was slightly harder to control than a brush, especially as the flow of polish isn't always even.  Also, with the Models Own pen, the stripe was very thick (in the purple post, I'll show you what a thinner pen looks like).

So the polishes on show here are - 

* base - OPI Sparrow Me The Drama

* Zoya Paige

* Zoya Moxie

* Wet n Wild - How I Met Your Magenta

* Sally Hansen Strobe Light (dupe for OPI Teenage Dream)

* China Glaze - Its Poppin

* LA Splash Sparkling Fushia (yes, spelt like that)

Firstly, I'd just trimmed my nails, and I really like this pattern on the shorter nail.  Second, the pattern on the middle finger accidentally makes it look shorter than it is lol (note to self not to do THAT again).

It was actually really hard to choose the pinks for this post.  Pink is a colour that is broad AND deep, so you go from light to dark, but also from purple-tinged to browny-tinged.   Also, each pink needed to be at least 2 demi-tones different to the next pink in the line, otherwise the variance in colour didn't show.  Come to think of it, how DID I end up with so many pinks ?  Anyway ....

I really like the finished effect and this one drew a lot of gasps and compliments.  It somehow manages to be cute without being over-cute.   Which has been your favourite so far ?

Enjoy xx :)

ZOYA Moxie

Nails I Love

ZOYA Moxie Meets Some Friends

Hi Goddesses

I have been itchin and itchin to try my Tangled In My Web since it arrived last week, and beyond dabbing a little on my spider mani, I have not used it for 6 days !!

My only requirement last night when choosing a colour was, “what will look fierce with TIMW?” lol.  Beth chose the Moxie, and she did a good job, and I love how it looks in combo.

Zoya MOXIE is one of those colours Zoya do so well.  It sits in their red-pink-purple range and it’s a cranberry shade full of darkened summer delight.  This is summer after the lights have gone out.

As I’ve looked at her today, I’ve realised Moxie is quite a hard colour to describe.  She’s as pink as pink can go before it turns red; it’s a cranberry-raspberry slushie; she’s the colour beetroot stains leave on your hands.  And she’s pretty.  She reminds me of over-ripe decaying fruit, but in a good way.  In a too rich way, a too intense way, a deeeeep way J

Tangled In My Web is total love for me, but it is a PITA to put on.  It does not like to spread (except near the tips), so dabbing is your best option.  In England we have what we call thunderflies – little annoying fly things that hardly have any cells in them, but are so small they can get behind your LCD screen.  Well, that’s what TIMW reminds me of.

Finally, just for fun, I wondered what would happen with a little flakey magic, so I smeared some OPI Lily I Love You on top.  This really made it sing J

Happy nails – ta-dah!  J

Enjoy xx

J

Top Tip – if you’re ever unsure what a nail colour looks like, go to Google images, which will give you plenty of contrasts and compares.