China Glaze Strawberry Fields and Maybelline Bleached Neons Tropink

Erm...Hi? Not sure if anyone really missed me, but yeah..there seemed to be an interruption to the regular programming. Namely my will to be creative was taken from me with some low level antidepressants for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Did not enjoy at all. I did do my nails..but it was a struggle to be creative and motivated. I haven't joined in an AN Monday challenge despite best intentions, and my instagram has been neglected as well. Although I have learned to crochet in the meanwhile. I actually really love it and am working on presents for others at the moment :)

So, nails. Here is what I have had on for the last few days. This is a base of the Maybelline Bleached Neon Tropink on my middle 2 fingers, then I put some striping tape and did a coat of China Glaze Strawberry Fields on all fingers. I then put a coat of Dance Legend Orlando flakie coat on my first and last finger and attempted some stamping over the top. It's there but you can't really see it, but don't care because the flakie is awesome!

China Glaze Strawberry Fields and Maybelline Tropink 

 How awesome is the Flakie? So pretty!

So, I think I am back! Slightly irritable at the moment but improving daily..I bought some Lilypad Lacquer goodness as Nicole has a new collection or two out at the moment. If you want some awesome Holographic polish, glitter or Flakie, you can find it at her store here: Lilypad Lacquer

I wonder if you actually missed me? Let me know!

SIMPLES- Week 3, Ombre- Grey to Black

Hi guys! It's been a little while...life has gotten in the way of blogging. I have been polishing and I'll try and catch up a bit this week with my posts. I am currently trying to stick to a challenge or two. Today I have for you the SIMPLES challenge- Nail Art from Muggle to Mastery, which is a basics nail art onwards created by The Crumpet. You can check out Crumpets post here. This week is week 3 (I have one and two somewhere, erm, yes..let me go find the pics) anyways this is Ombre. Ombre is best described by The Crumpet as "Ombre literally means shadow, in French.  An ombre mani, therefore, is one where the nails move through varying SHADES of the same colour, from light to dark, or dark to light, across the entire hand". Good to know how this differs from gradients!

 Since I am trying to do my nails and nail art with my untrieds still, I did a grey to black Ombre today. Now warning pics, with thumbs in it. Not my thing, haven't figured out how to do it gracefully yet so..sorry there.

L-R, Nubar Citadel, China Glaze Recycle, China Glaze Concrete Catwalk, China Glaze Haunting and Nails Inc Leather Effect Noho.

 I threw in a few doozys at the end with this Ombre..a glitter/black and a texture. Not sure it's strictly in the rules, but ya know, it's nails and nail art so why not have a little fun! Catch you in 2 days..I have a day off and hope to sort out the posts lying around on my puter! Mwah xoxo.

Paint It Blue- China Glaze Frostbite with Striping

Hey guys! Happy hump day :) Today I have for you some pics of the next Paint It Blue manicure I wore for the month of April. Yes, it's various blue for the entire month here. Today I have a straight swatch of China Glaze Frostbite and then some nail art I did with it. The only downside of coming into winter here is that there was no sun for the nail art pics :( I am going to have to get my lightbox out soon methinks. I had a little trouble with Frostbite, it's a gorgeous electric blue shimmer, but it was thin as all get out so I had to keep shaking the bottle in between application on each nail..so it was a bit time consuming but very worth it..you think?

Gah, so pretty! The electric blue with blue shimmer is purty. This was 2 coats with top coat :)

Now, I attempted a Waterfall mani with the striping from the cuticle..but I failed completely. So I am just calling this a striping nail art. I used Kleancolor Catch Me, China Glaze Bahamian Escape, Kleancolor Metallic Aqua and Ulta3 New Years Eve. I also did an accent nail with New Years Eve and Essie Shine of the Times.

 There was no sun for the stripe mani pics, sorry about that :( It looks pretty good in the pics but was better with the sun out! Not sure what to do about the thin formula..maybe leave the bottle open for a bit to thicken up? I am still going to be painting it blue with the next mani..going to try and hit some untrieds. Hope your week is going well, check you laters!

A-England BriarWood, Ruby Wing Strawberry Shortcake and Gold Stamping

Hi guys! So you saw a swatch of A-England Briarwood that I wore a little while ago. Of course I couldn't leave it well alone and had to bling up Briarwood with some glitter, a gradient and stamping. I decided to accent my ring finger with Ruby Wing Strawberry Shortcake which is a gold glitter that turns a lovely purple in the sun. I did a mini gradient with Briarwood and Dance Legend Roz on my ring finger and I stamped with China Glaze passion.

Holo sparkles!

 The holographicness of Briarwood is still gorgeous! :)

I stamped off center on my middle finger, but I don't care! LOL

Completely love how you can have a base of a lovely polish and completely change it up to something slightly different and individualize your look! I love Ruby Wing Strawberry Shortcake and wish I had captured a pic of it in it's gold sparkly state not in the sun, oh well. It's super pretty under UV light in it's purple state :) The gold stamping is a classic contrast and makes this mani elegant I think. Hope you enjoyed this look..and you have a great day..

Steampunk Nails- Twinsie Nails

 Hi guys, today I have for you a challenge that I did during the week with @cats_n_nails from Instagram. Natalia has been doing Twinsie nail manicure all week with different nail art chicks and I popped my hand up to try a bit of a challenge :)  Natalia was keen to re create/re-interpret a manicure by @mrslochness involving Steampunk, bling and cog stamping. Since I love the idea of steampunk and had some nail art watch bits, I was completely up for the challenge! LOL. As an aside, it's hideously hot here so stamping is a complete pain in the rear end..Essie Good as Gold is my go to stamping polish, but she was having none of it in the weather!  Anyways, here is the end result!

Base coat- Essie Good as Gold and Five Stars Bron-zite. Stamping with China Glaze Passion, Swarovski studs and Nail art Watch pieces from Cherry Poppins.

Here is a side by side of my nails and Natalia's nails :)

I love how these watch pieces look :)

 Gorgeous gold flecks in Five Stars Bron-zite! :)

 Gah, not the best stamping effort..but the heat I tell you!

Super pleased with how these came out. I love the bronze gold flecked polish and the watch bits was really fun..and completely impractical. I would have top coated my little finger and hoped for the best if I had faith I wouldn't knock the nail art off. Since I am super clumsy I took the larger gold piece and the sharper bit on the bottom of my pinky off. The stamping was so difficult in regards to I was unable to pick up the polish from the design, stoopid heat. Anyways, it was worth the persistence. You can check out me on instagram if you like, I am @jasmsb or Natalia- @cats_n_nails :)

Vincent turns One! Zebra Manicure :)

Vincent is my gorgeous little nephew from my only sister, and today was his One Year Old birthday party! He's a happy little man who is growing up fast and is a delightful baby who is pretty placid and happy most of the time. Apparently he takes after me in that regard, lol. Today my sister hosted his First birthday party with an animal theme, and I dressed up as a Zebra and my husband was an animal watcher on Safari.

My husband and Vincent with his puppy costume!

 So, of course I had to do the nails to go with the theme and I kinda went over the top with my Zebra manicure. For the manicure I used China Glaze Dandy Lyin Around, a coat of SnowGlobe and them stamped with Lilypad Laquer Rainbows in Space. I also did an accent nail with Lilypad Lacquer Rainbows in Space with a coat of Sparkles by Julie Sugah!

Not sure this could be ANY blingier! LOL

I stamped the Zebra stripes with Bundle Monster plates :)

Insane Rainbows on the Ring Finger!

Now I also did matching toenails..so warnings, a foot photo ahead!

Now, I know the black stamping wasn't very black and there was alot going on here. If I was doing this to look like real Zebra stripes, I would have just done a white base with Dandy Lyin Around, and stamped with a strong black. But I wanted the glittah and wanted the holo. I was greedy. I asked my husband if it was a bit over the top..he didn't think so! LOL. Anyways. I am going to keep the toes for a week or so, as bling toes always work. Unfortunately, I need work appropirate nails tomorrow, so this is coming off tonight :(

Essense Fame Fatale with Leopard Print

Ah, the weekend, why you no longer? Feeling a bit tired after a busy weekend, could do with another day off to be honest! Today I have for you nails that I wore last night that matched my dress. It was a friends birthday and we went to a fancy restaurant. So of course I had to do the matchy matchy nails. For this particular look I used a base of Essence Fame Fatale on all my nails except the ring finger where I used China Glaze I'm not a Lion. I stamped leopard print on my ring finger with black and then tried a half stamping of flowers in gold with accent glittery bits. It was a different look for me and I quite enjoyed it!

2 coats of Fame Fatale and I'm Not a Lion with topcoat

 Completely love the holo glitter!

I probably should have filled in some of the "prints" in the Leopard print?

This matched my dress which was leopard and floral..sounds weird but isn't! Promise! I don't really want to take it off, but needs must with work tomorrow. Ah well..have a great week people :)

ANMonday- Dots.. on a Thursday!

Hi guys, today I have for you my ANMonday challenge, which is dots! I am a little late to the party which is nothing unusual for me, sorry 'bout that. I've had a busy week thus far with work, an unhappy cat  requiring a vet trip and trying to stick to a healthy eating plan. Food organization is not something that comes naturally for me so I have to put in a fair bit of time/effort. Bleh. Anyways, on Monday it was cloudy and cold here, when its meant to be the height of summer so I wanted a sunny looking mani. This is what I came up with!

Polishes used were, base of China Glaze Lemon Fizz, Accent nail in NerdLacquer Regeneration. Stamping  was with Pueen plate 49 KBShimmer 24 Carrot Bold and dotting done with KBShimmer 24 Carrot Bold, Sinful Colors Cloud 9 and Nails Inc Hobart Place.

 The KBShimmer 24 Carrot Bold was more vibrant in realy life, but you can see some of the brightness on the little finger!

I really enjoyed wearing this and quite a few people commented. I think it has a slightly retro feel to it because of the stamping? Anyways. I love the orange yellow combo and I seem to have a pattern of cremes with glitter accents and stamping..hmm. I should really try and stretch myself a bit more! LOL. Anyways, some nice sunny days coming up, you know what that means..holos! 

A England Order of the Garter with Nerd Lacquer Shiny

I know it's christmas, but I haven't felt really christmassy yet! I bought my first present yesterday, yeah..not doing so well. Today has been super busy with air conditioning being install at our house, in a timely fashion of course, considering it hit 40 degrees celsius. I don't know how tradies do the early hours..6.45am, ugh! After running around like crazy I finally crashed around 5pm and had to have a nanna nap, my brain just wouldn't function! Before I had my snooze I took some pics of what I wore for the last few days.

I started with a base of A England Order of the Garter, except for an accent nail of Nerd Lacquer Shiny on my ring finger. I then stamped my new Bundle Monster plates on my first finger using China Glaze Millennium and Bahamian Escape on my middle finger. I did a kinda gradient on my little finger with sponging OPI DS Magic and on my thumb a gradient of China Glaze Glistening snow at the cuticle end and Techno further down. 

I love me some holo bling!

 Oh the blue shimmer in A England Order of the Garter :)

 You can see the OPI DS Magic shimmer on the little finger here :)

 Here is a quick pic of my right hand, gah! Holo awesomeness and I love the Nerd Lacquer Shiny :)

 I've been doing the mix n match mani on the left and right hands a fair bit atm. I use 5 different nail designs or looks but switch up which nails I put them on on each hand. Although I tend to leave the ring finger as a glitter accent. I might try switching that up next time too! Next post will be a Christmas mani, I swear! :)

Black, Gold and Silver striping manicure

Hey hey, I was feeling productive today, but that's waning off. Was meant to have to carpets steam cleaned but that didn't go off as planned. But that's okay, got a quote on air conditioning for our upstairs bedroom and caught the gardener to come an fix our dismal back yard (erm, outta control weeds anyone!). So I am feeling slightly happier that I am getting stuff done.
 Today I have an idea taken from the Aussie Nails Monday chicks..which was a mani with gold, silver, white or black using Aussie Indie polishes. I do have quite a few Aussie Indi Polishes but it was late in the day so I just used the theme with any old polishes I could easily put my hands on! Here is the end result.

 For this look I painted a coat of MUD Dark Room, waited for it to dry and applied striping tape in patterns. I then sponged over the top in gold with OPI Goldeneye and Bond, James Bond and silver colors of China Glaze Cosmic Dust and Savvy Starburst.

This look was particularly sparkly but difficult to catch all the different characteristics of each polish. There was holographic, sparkly, large glass flecks all thrown in there. I am sure I could have randomized my striping a bit more but I just can't help myself, I like them to look the same! 
It's hot here today I might put on a holo and catch a some sun and rainbows..see you soon!

China Glaze Blue Years Eve

Hey Guys! Long time no post..okay, it was like 5 days, but it feel like ageeeeeees. Today I have for you something that has been loitering in my Helmer just waiting for the right time to put on, China Glaze Blue Years Eve. Today I had a study day today, so yesterday I asked my colleague (and surrogate mother) what color I should wear today, she voted blue or green. Since I was wearing electric blue pants today, out came the electric blue polish. On a side note, I went for a hit and run shopping today, electric blue is so trending right now, it was everywhere!

 China Glaze Blue Years Eve, with China Glaze Adore stamping and Enchanted Polish Blue Freeze on ring finger

 Blue Years Eve is a gorgeous electric blue shard polish that is made of micro flecks of blue, to give this such an interesting depth!

 Enchanted Polish Blue Freeze is much more gorgeous in real life!

 Blue Years Eve has a light blue sheen in certain lights

Electric Blue goodness! Love :)

This was 2 coats of China Glaze Blue Years Eve, it applied lovely albeit it a bit thin. Didn't make it hard to work with though. China Glaze Adore stamps wonderfully and contrasted well, and Enchanted Polish Blue Freeze was flecky and blingy in the light. So hard to capture of course! My pants were this exact color, so I felt very co-ordinated. Not sure it helped me focus on my Respiratory Care course..but it certainly made me happy!

2 more work days until my holidays start.. can't wait!

China Glaze Great Barrier Beige- Revisited

Hi all! Hows your week been? I've actually had a good one, albeit a bit tiring..work, study days and holiday planning. It's funny how when I talk to people about going on holidays for a month most immediately ask "So how many nail polishes are you taking?" LOL. My answer at the moment is "none" to "a few for stamping" as I have a list of polishes to purchase on my travels! 

Today I have for you a gorgeous beige cream from the China Glaze Down Under Collection released in 2005. I had these Aussie themed polishes muled to me from America as I just couldn't get them here! Great Barrier Beige is, well, a beige..and my original pics were with a lightbox. I really love how this beige looks with my skin tone so thought it was worth another swatch!. Here are my full sun swatches of this polish :)

I have a few other of the China Glaze Down Under polishes that I haven't swatched..well, also quite a few other polishes as well if I am honest. I have put myself on a no buy for this month and whilst I am wanting a few newer release polishes the compulsion to buy is very much less, which I actually think is a good thing. I am excited about shopping overseas for both polish and clothes! I am going to post some nail art tomorrow or the next day..so look out for that!

xoxo
Jas