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

Guest Post - Beyond Beauty Lounge it's Forever Autumn!

Hi Goddesses

A couple of days ago, I had the chance to guest on my friend Mercedes's blog, Beyond Beauty Lounge.  Here it is :)

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I'm thrilled to be guesting on Mercedes's blog today - most of you will have never heard of me, but that's ok!  Let's have some fun :)

I'm doing a Forever Autumn themed week on my blog this week, and when Mercedes asked for a guest post, Autumn was all I could think about.  There's something about the mix of oranges, rusts, golds, greens that I just LOVE.

My base polish ... can you guess what it is ?  Well, I can tell you that it's NOT OPI Deutsch You Want Me Baby, although it looks almost exactly like it.  It's actually a £2 polish by a UK brand called w7, called Burnt Amber.  It's got the same burnt look that DYWMB has, and that glorious shimmer, but it's cheaper!

I bought lots and LOTS of nail art goodies a few weeks ago, and haven't really done much playing with them yet.  I hunted through my big box and found these gorgeous glitters, which I thought looked a little like leaves.  Now yes, I do agree, they probably ARE 4-leafed clovers, but let's pretend, shall we ?

In the pots, these glitters were a superbly decadent blackened green, a nudey gold, and a salmony orange.  Put them on the nail and ...... oh.  They flash different colours!  They don't look like their true colour!  Oh my, it's an autumn forest on my nails lol.

It's not particularly sophisticated nail art, I grant you, but do you know what, right now, with it's lovely warm colours, it's making me smile and forget the true grey, stormy, destructive side of autumn far too many of you are facing at the moment.

Stay safe, and enjoy :) xx