Neon Week - Fish Scales

Hi Goddesses

Wow, I am a little late posting tonight and more than a little breathless, as I was watching Andy Murray.  For 11.5 months of the year, Britain doesn't care about tennis, but when Wimbledon's on, we ALL go crazy lol.

Anyway, it was a GREAT match, but I won't spoil the result, just in case you haven't seen it yet.  To the nails, and this one was a hit at work.  If I'm honest, I don't really love it as it's not very "me", but it does work.

This started with 3 coats of w7 white as a good solid base, and then I splodged my neons over the top. We've got -

* Sation Miss Emo Shuns All

* China Glaze Hang-ten Toes

* China Glaze I'm With The Lifeguard

* Color Club Daisy Does It

* China Glaze Surfin' For Boys

The aim of the splodgerama is to create a smorgasboardof colour that blends and clashes - it's then perfect for stamping or arting over.

I used my Barry M white Nail Art Pen here.  As you can see on the thumb, the design started out as a distinct flower, but wobbled a bit as I moved round the fingers!  The pen didn't like being used over the Poshe top coat I'd used to seal my splodgerama, and so the pattern was a bit averse to laying its tracks.

I deliberately mixed it up on index and pinkie, and overall, I don't mind that the art is different from nail to nail.  I think the overall craziness of the neon base helps the randomness of the patterning.

Don't forget to check out my Lady Friends - enjoy xx :)

Neon Week - Splatter!

Hi Goddesses

Today I have a neon splatter for you, and words cannot express how much I loved wearing this mani, or how fabulous it looked.

Unfortunately, now, in photos, all I see is the really messy clean up (and man I scrubbed at this for hours) and somehow, none of the photos seem to convey the intense HAPPY of this mani.

Let's start at the top, with the polishes.  White base, and then 4 colours - OPI Roll In The Hague, China Glaze Papaya Punch, China Glaze Hang-ten Toes and w7 Fuchsia.  I was going to do you a posh photo of them, but decided to show you how they look amongst the continual clutter of my nail desk!

I absolutely LOVED how this splatter fell on my nails, and the colour collision was just perfect.  

Those cuticles though - I am so sorry.   I don't think I appreciated how much harder the neons might be to remove lol, and despite spending ages on, just couldn't get those last bits out.  I think my clean up brush just lost the will to live in the end.   In real life, they weren't so noticeable; in photos - yikes.   Still, I don't believe in Photoshopping my pics (don't even know how to) and I know you like to see when even I make a big mess.  I'm just bummed it detracts from the overall awesome.

Don't forget to check out the other Luscious Ladies - enjoy xx :)

Back In Time - Hot Hot Hot Aztec

Hi Goddesses

Oh I am very conflicted about this post!  I changed the essence of the mani ... and now, well I don't even know whether I've created something better lol.

Recap - Back In Time, where myself, Missy and Ashley go back to this time last year and recreate a mani.   I picked this mani from last year, which had a ruby-orange-yellow gradient, with some Aztec-ish stamping on top.

I remember quite loving the mani at the time, and thought it looked ripe for a makeover.  The gradient is crude - I believe I did one colour at a time - and the stamping isn't even centred ....

This time, I went with a lighter red, China Glaze Igniting Love, LACC 1964 and CG Papaya Punch.   I did a proper 3 layer gradient with a sponge, and trust me, once it was done it was so smooth, it looked like a ripening tomato.

And I think this is where the mani loses some of its charm.  That gradient is so damned subtle, you can't even tell there are 3 colours in there.   It's a little more obvious in real life, but I had to try very hard to capture the yellow on camera.

And then there's the stamping.  I'm so much better than I was a year ago, but you'd never know it from these photos! This stamp did not want to pick up for love nor money, and when it did, it wouldn't deposit it all on the nail either!   The only difference between then and now?  At least now I know it's not ME that's the problem - bloody stamping lol.

So although I do like this mani, mainly due to the tomatoey goodness of the gradient, I think I prefer the rough-edged charm of the original.

Which one is your fave?  Enjoy xx :)

Neon Week - Different Dimension Neon Holo Swirls

Hi Goddesses

This week is Neon Week on the blog, just as the sun in the UK is FINALLY starting to shine!

I must admit, I wasn't too head over heels with the idea, but once I started, I literally have not been able to stop.  So much so in fact, that I won't be doing the Tri Polish Challenge this month because right now IT'S ALL ABOUT THE NEONS!!!!  Lol.

Today's design features 3 of the awesome neon holos from Different Dimension.  The purple is called Whatever, the orange is Tubular and the pink is Ditz.  These all have an amazing thick formula and almost look like gel nails once on.  Truly fabulous.

The pattern was inspired by THIS tutorial from Fierce Make Up and Nails a couple of weeks ago.  I saw it and fell in love, and whilst mine is a *little* bit different, it wouldn't have been born without Nori's amazing talents.

I love how this came together, and how obnoxious yet "right" the colours look together :)  It reminds me of a big swirly tutti frutti ice cream.

Enjoy xx  :)  

British Nail Bloggers GIVEAWAY - Winner Announcement

Hi Goddesses

Are you feeling lucky?

Firstly, from all the British Nail Bloggers who participated, thank you for entering the Giveaway and following us.  We hope you'll stick around for a long time :)

We have 3 second prize winners, who each win a $50 voucher to a nail polish e-tailer of their choice.

Congratulations to .....

* Nina Wilson

* Courtney Beck

* Kris Wilson

and the BIIIIIIIIG winner of a $100 voucher to a nail polish e-tailer is .......

Lena Payne !!!

Congratulations to all of you - please email crumpet@the-crumpet.com, before the end of Wednesday 3rd July, to organise your prize!

Thank you xx :)

Crumpet Reviews LILYPAD LACQUER True Blood

Hi Goddesses

Ok, they've done it again - ANOTHER polish that just has to be seen on its own, so that you can enjoy / endure the eleventythree billion photos I have taken :)

Lilypad Lacquer is a new Aussie brand, and it's SENSATIONAL.   Nicole's range features holos, duochromes, neons and just all out amazingness.   I was sent 3 polishes for review by the lovely Sally Magpies about 4 weeks ago, and it's been HELL not sharing them with you sooner!  Oh, deliciousness!

Today's post is True Blood.   Given the name, I expected this to be either bright red or dried-blood red, but it's actually purple.  However, I don't know what the hoo-ha voodoo Nicole came up with, but I have NEVER seen a purple like this before.

In all the photos, look at the bottle.  Can you see that oil slick rainbow?  Yellow, green, blue - how is that possible?  This bottle is like a liquid, molten bruise.  The magic of this polish is just off the scale.

The Lilypads vary in terms of the their holo structure - this one is unashamedly linear and bendier than a 6yr old gymnast.  The purple in this is soooo murky and indefinable though ... this is polish as a work of art.

I think I took 50 photos of this polish.  Sometimes it was just too much for my camera, and focus was impossible.  The camera isn't the only thing that can't focus when this polish is around - it's AMAZING!

The quality of these polishes is high - good brush and application, lovely formula - so lovely in fact that I then just had to go and do this ...... :)

So, er yes, LOTS of Lilypad coming up on the blog VERY soon.  In the meantime, they launch at Sally Magpies later this week - seriously, you do NOT want to miss out.

Enjoy xx :)