Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge- Christmas Tree

Aussie Christmas Nails Challenge today is Christmas Tree! I put up my own tree on December the 1st and I always have a color theme..this year it was silver and purple but my nails..well, they are traditional-ish. For this look I used China Glaze Custom Kicks, a coat of Sinful Color Green Ocean and stamping with China Glaze Millennium  I did some festive dots with Millennium, OPI Goldeneye and OPI The Spy Who Loved Me. Not sure if the dotting was sucessful, but meh!

Left Hand Stamping

 Close up Christmas Tree!

 Right Hand Stamping

 Right Hand Christmas Tree!

I really love the flecks that Sinful Color Ocean Green gives the look and unfortunately the depth of the green doesn't translate :(  It's much more vibrant and rich in real life and sparkly! This is a simple look but I do love it. I got the stamps off ebay seller Messy Mansion who have a great range of Christmas stamping plates that I hadn't seen before and the postage was super quick! I haven't done a drop of Christmas shopping yet..and not terribly fussed to be honest. My family have decided to do no presents..and we are waiting for the Kris Kringle to be announced on my husbands side (although not alot of shopping days left, LOL!). Make sure you have a look at the other lovely Christmas Tree nails!

Holly Jolly Holiday Tag..I'm it!

I've been tagged by Anthea from Nailed Obsession for a Christmas questionairre..yay! Apparently this in idea from YouTube Vloggers that goes around at Christmas. Elissa from Lissa Polish Addiction has morphed it into a blogging world questionairre..for those of us who don't make youtube vlogs, LOL.

So onto the Christmassy questionairre things!


1. Do you start your Christmas shopping on Black Friday or wait until the last minute?
Since my first experience of Black Friday was this year (and I did purchase some polish in the sales!) I would have to say that even without Black Friday I am a super, super, super last minute shopper. I think it's because I find it very hard to choose presents and stress about if the recipient is going to like it or not too much. In the end I am forced to make a decision because I run out of time...Like right now, there is 10 days to go I haven't bought a single present!

2. If you could be in any Christmas movie what would it be?
Okay, so I should be saying a nice or funny Christmas movie..but I think I am going to have to say Die Hard (the original).. set at Christmas time ...its got Bruce, it's got Alan Rickman and a whole bunch of butt kicking.. it's my kinda Christmas movie...LOL.

Just had to share..

LOL!

3. Which do you like better: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Christmas Day! I love waking up knowing I am going to get presents and all the hard work and shopping is done by Christmas Day.

4. When does your family put up your Christmas tree and who decorates it? 
There has never been a firm family tradition as far as I can recall about when the tree goes up, but it has gone up on December the 1st this year and will from now on I have decided. I tend to decorate it..but my mother makes us traditional lolly bonbon decorations make out of white and silver paper each year to hang on them. I think its a European thing!

5. White lights or colored lights?
White!

6. Are you guilty of peeking at your presents or do you like the surprise?
When I was little I would want to know..and now I like the suprise and will happily wait. There are too few surprises in life these days!

7. Would you rather live in a gingerbread house or in Santa's Workshop?
Santa's Workshop of course :)

8. Tell us your Christmas Eve traditions!
I don't think we have any traditions..up until recently it's been tradition for me to work Christmas eve..I'm a nurse and I have no kids so it's nice for others to spend time at home and we usually have a great time at work.

9. If you could be under the mistletoe with anyone who would it be?
Bradley Cooper...or.. Acheron Parthenopaeus..or Jeremy Renner..

10. What tops your tree?
A Silver Star..as blingy as you can get!

11. Can you name the 12 days of Christmas?
Probably up until day 8?!
Partridge, Pear Tree, 2 Turtle Doves, 3 French Hens, 4 Calling Birds, 5 Golden Rings (my fave), 6 Geese Laying...okay..up to day 6...

12. Have you ever gone Christmas caroling?
Naw

13. Do you countdown to Christmas? If so, how many days are left?
Oh yes, I have an advent calendar usually.. this year its my Ciate Mini Advent Calendar and each day is just awesome! I've gotten 2 of the Ciate Caviar bottles so far and some awesome colors..There is 10 days! 

14. What are some foods and treats you can count on having every holiday season?
Usually mother bakes Almond Cresents which are almond meal shortbread things covered in icing sugar...so good! We always have plum pudding and custard..love!

Almond Cresents

15. How has Christmas kept its magic for you as you've grown older?
Not sure it has completely kept it's magic..I have worked around or on Christmas for alot of years now..but putting the tree up early this year with my husband helping decorating and turning the lights on at night has been great. I like giving gifts more than receiving them and seeing how my family likes the presents makes it all the effort worthwhile.

Okay, time to tag..so here are the lucky tagee's

Sarah Claire at Shatter Me Claire
Kelly at Kellys Kolors
Melissa at Passion For Polish
Erin at ErinZi's Nails
Ann at Nailoveolgy

Hope you are having a great lead up to Christmas..Tomorrow is Christmas Tree nails for the challenge..I am so up for this!

Ciate Advent Calender - Update

 Ermagawsh..where has the past 12 days gone?? I have been having an awesome time opening my Ciate advent calendar and participating in the Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge (except Elf.. just couldn't do that..and sleep..and work and the cold going around so was struggling).. So today I have a a mani where I used Day 12 polish from the Ciate calendar with "Twilight". I haven't really tried any of the Ciate polishes yet but Twilight was beckoning to me as it was such a complex and interesting black polish with gold flecks. This is one coat of Twilight with Seche top coat.

Ciate Twilight.. instant love!

 Twilight- more black with gold flecks in this light

 Twilight- more gold with black overtones in this light!

 This looks mattified, but it's not!

I then had an idea to stamp and apply some glitter so my nails look like ornament bauble designs. I used Essence The Huntsman on my ring finger, Essence Breaking Dawn Part 2 A Piece of Forever to stamp with and then did little accent dots with China Glaze I Herd That.

I was very happy with this mani and these photos were after 2 days wear and you can see it held up pretty well! The Ciate polish I found easy to apply if I had enough polish on the brush otherwise it got a bit sticky if it had to apply more polish. The stamping was easy peasy with the Essence A Piece of Forever gold polish and the glitter accents are just to make it look fancy :) I used Essence The Huntsman on my ring finger and China Glaze I Heard That for some bling dots.

I am going to attempt my BBQ pic tomorrow for the Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge after I have a bit sleep to try and shake my virus. Do you want to see the other 11 polishes in bottle form or mani form? Let me know :)

Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge- Green

Today's Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge is Green. When I think of Christmas and green I immediately think of Christmas trees with blinking lights on them. Today I have for you a simple but effect green mani which I like so much..it glitters and glints in the sunlight so how can you not love it? Also..I still have nubbie fingers so was feeling a bit deflated that they didn't grow into lovely long talons overnight. Too much to expect?? LOL.

 Pretty & Polished Xmas Wreath with Ninja Polish No Peeking! over it:)

 Gorgeous Green glitter with red, blue and yellow bits floating around, just like fairy lights

Extreme close up of glittery goodness

Glitters go bling!

I know for a challenge you are meant to be all artistic and brilliant..well I was all about the  color combination. To make it as green and blingy as I could! I am also not sure my nubs would have held up to stamping over the top as well, so I kept it simple. I am going to post the bottle shots below so you can see the polishes individually..as they are fab on their own.

 Pretty & Polished Xmas Wreath and Ninja Polish No Peeking!

Ninja Polish Festive Floam

Good evening..I missed yesterdays Aussie Nails Challenge which was Summer sunset..so I thought I would do some penance with two of the next challenge which is "Green". The first green I have for you today China Glaze Refreshmint with some Ninja Polish Festive Floam. Yay for Christmas polishes :) This one is just a warm up for the real "Green" challenge tomorrow. I love Floam in all its incarnations..so this one is a nice addition to the collection. Also..we have a nubbin crisis as you will see in the pics and I am not sure nubbins and I agree with each other..especially my pinky *cries* but the polish must go on.

China Glaze Refreshmint with Festive Floam

 NinjaPolish Festive Floam

Macro Festive Floam over Refreshmint, yes the white matte glitter is as bit harder to see

 I think I like a light green Christmas!

 Oh Christmas Matte Glitter, Oh Christmas Matte Glitter..

 Hope you have grabbed your bottle of Festive Floam for this Christmas..its a very easy to Christmas up your polish day. I had no trouble with polish application although I would recommend a top coat as the finish can be a bit gritty. I quite like this combo and its a nice traditional Christmas theme. I purchased mine from Ninjapolish and will be showing you the other two I picked up for Christmas over the next few days ..

On to greener things tomorrow...tee hee :)

Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge - Pool Party!

Today I have for you as a part of the Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge... the great Aussie Pool Party. Australian Summer starts December 1st and usually by the 25th the heat is on and there are many a pool partys to be found. I remember growing up having an above ground pool and each summer it was fabulous to play and have friends around the pool. The adult version for me these days involves not so much sun, more alcoholic beverages and looking cool by the pool. My mani for today reflects some of the fun but in a more adult way!

This is Pretty & Polished Pool Party on the first 2 fingers and a gradient with stamping!

 Gradient with Ulta3 Blue Hydrangea, Bahamian Escape and Layla Ocean Rush

 Stamping was with Cheeky Summer plates

 Macro of Pretty & Party Pool Party..love the blue and bar glitter!

I had an awesome time with this mani..I got to use Pretty & Polished Pool Party for the first time! Such as awesome polish. I used 2 coats and got great coverage plus had that swimming glitter look which I love.
Do check out the other lovely participants in the challenge!

Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge- 6 White Bloomers..kinda

So todays Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge is 6 White BOOMers..which Rolf Harris sings about how Santa gets around at Christmas time instead of Reindeer in Australia. I can't do freehand nail art and there were no kangaroo stamps. So I've gone for the close-but-no-cigar version of 6 White BLOOMers hanging from a Hills Hoist which is as Aussie as you can get. I remember having a pair of bloomers for Netball which were dark blue and went over your underpants. My nail art ones are white..but are a bit confused and they look like tighty whiteys! LOL. My Hills Hoist (Clotheslines) and holding the bloomers in under festive Christmas lights

They are meant to look something like this!

This is clearly not my best effort..but hey, I gave it a go!

 Well, this one was pretty hard for me. I used Revlon Metallic as the base and whilst shiny, it sucked at drying and was hard to clean up. I used Ulta3 White and black for the actual nail art and the lights were done with China Glaze Outta Bounds, Coconut Kiss and Ruby Pumps. Hmm, I think the bloomers look like white blobs, which is how me freehanding Kangaroos would have looked as well! I'm looking forward to the next challenge..Pool Party!

Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge, Day 1- Red

Today is day 1 of the Aussie Christmas Nail Challenge put together by Lissa's Polish Addiction for Christmas in Australia. Christmas is not really much different from anywhere else..apart from the blistering heat, the blistering heat..and erm..pavlova. It's great in the heat! LOL. So today I woke up and thought "I'd really like to wear a nice holographic red nail polish today" Unfortunately I didn't have the exact kind of red holo polish I wanted, so I played with my polishes to create one. I decided the best way to create the holo red I wanted was to layer Ozotic 518 over a red.... and OPI The Spy Who Loved Me was the lucky candidate! Winning combo. Then because I couldn't leave well enough alone I tried a reverse gradient with OPI Goldeneye. So how did it turn out? Christmassy and pretty darned good I think.

OPI The Spy Who Loved Me, Ozotic 518 and Goldeneye Gradient with flash

OPI Goldeneye, Ozotic 518 and OPI The Spy Who Loved Me

Gradient mani with flash..holo bling..so Christmassy :)

Here is the challenge with the other nail days planned!