Santa Nail Art

HO HO HO

"Cranberry Sauced" by indie polish Nine Zero Lacquer, and some of my own free-hand nail art.

Oh Hey! It's September!

September?!?  UGH.  Blogging fail.

Our daughter got artist of the year at the end of her 5th grade/Elementary school year in June, as well as Honor Roll all year.

Summer was spent at home, going to the beach a couple of times, the zoo once, a few swimming lessons for the gal. Low key.

Happy First Day of Middle School to our gal!  She's not really too happy, but what can you do?  I believe I was more stressed than she was.

Oh, I celebrated TWENTY years at my work this August.  Twenty years!

Happy Lucky 13th Anniversary to Us!  This year was low-key because we're working hard to eradicate debt.  (Paid off one last flight school loan, down to one last car payment, then we tackle our one credit card bill.)  We spent $50 each on goodies (macro cell phone lens, book and Matthew West cd for me. Video game and two blu-rays for him) and went out to dinner with our gal in tow.

Next week, Happy Birthday to me!

Still working on my nail art.  LOL  Hey. I'm getting much better.


Life's been pretty low-key.  Like I said, buckling down on finances (See Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University course for more info.)

Make Your Own Nail Art Stickers

This isn't my invention and it isn't even a new thing, but I finally attempted to make my own nail art stickers and THEY WORKED!

So here's how it works (you can find a myriad of tutorials on the internet):

Take a plastic sandwich baggie.  Outline the shape of your nail.

Then, using your nail polishes or acrylic paints, start working on your desired design.  I wanted a Sailor Moon silhouette image.

Let this completely dry.  I waited overnight.  Then, taking some tweezers, slowly peel the design off the plastic baggie.  At first I thought "This is impossible. It's not going to work." but I eventually worked my way under one of the corners and presto!  The entire design lifted up.

I have no pictures of this.  Fail. 

Prep the nail you want to apply the sticker to.  I tried one nail with just a clear base coat, but that was a mistake, as the nail sticker didn't completely cover my nail.  On my other nail, I colored the nail the same color as the background of my sticker.  Much better.

Place the sticker where you want, cover it with a clear top coat, use a nail file to remove any excess from the tips, and Voila!

Nail Sticker!!

For this manicure, I did a galaxy nail manicure and then on the accent nail with the sticker, I added some of the same glitter as the rest of the fingers, to make it all look uniform

FUN!  This opens up so many possibilities!  It's so much easier painting on a flat surface than it is on a nail, and if you mess up, just try again without having to completely remove all the base coats on the nail you were working on. 

November Nails

What does the Fox say?
Design by Elleandish on YouTube

Maleficent nails.  Also an Elleandish design

Water marble attempt.  UGH!!

Another Galaxy nail design

Random stamping/design.

Burberry nails by EZNails.

A CutePolish doticure design.

Thanksgiving nails with stamped images.

Christmas nails with stamping again.

You're Painting Your Nails Again?!?

This is what I hear from my husband almost every time I do my nails.

Let me explain something.  Although I love new designs, it's quite time-consuming to do and sometimes I adore what I am wearing BUT I cannot keep a manicure for more than two-three days tops.

I don't WANT to always be doing my nails.  I can't keep a manicure to last. It's not the nail polish brand; it happens no matter what.

Yes, I know to use a sticky base coat (Orly). Yes, I use a top-of-the-line top coat (Seche Vite or KB Shimmer's Top Coat.)  They just don't help.

I decided to track the life of a nail design.

This is Kermit. Kermit is SO CUTE!!!

The nail polish is called "Kermit the Frog" and it's from an independent nail polish maker in Miami, Whimsical Ideas by Pam.

The Kermit nail was done with acrylic paints covered in Seche Vite top coat.  This was done around 5 p.m. on a Monday night.

Tuesday around 4 p.m., 23 hours later, after 9 hours at work, I get in the Jeep, go to put my keys in the ignition and notice my right hand thumb.

This.  This is not even a day later.

The rest of the manicure is not too bad.  

24 hours later - left hand. A little wear on thumb tip.

24-hours later - Right hand

By the end of that Tuesday evening though, after dinner and dishes, this is what I have.

While watching tv at the end of day 1, I repaint the thumb and middle finger.

Day 2, Wednesday, 48 hours later:

I touch up my nails AGAIN.

Now we come to Thursday morning.  2 & 1/2 days later.

The acylic paints finally peeled off.  No repainting now!

Right doesn't look bad.  Remember, I repainted them last night.

Two and a half days, and two retouches later, I now have to do a new manicure because I am not about to repaint Kermit.  He took forever.  :(

This, my dear, is why I am doing my nails....again.

October Nails

Lovely new  polish from KB Shimmer "Jack."

Continuing to catalog my polishes

Design by "IHaveACupcake" on YouTube.

Using some stamp plates.

Another "IHaveACupcake" design.

Got new polishes for my birthday from my sister, so I had to throw them in randomly.

Halloween Design by "IHaveACupcake."

The last of the polishes and some nail stamping.

102 polishes as of October 31, not counting top coats, base coats and extra blacks and whites I have.  This number will change as I just got 4 mini bottles at a company Christmas party and I asked for more for Christmas.

September Nails

Playing with stamping plates.

Design by CutePolish on YouTube. 

Tutorial by Luxuriousnails on YouTube

Then I decided to archive all my polishes, because I can.  I have other pictures on individual hands, with what brand is each, so I can go later, see a shade I want to use and know exactly what it looks like.

 

Oh, I am not done archiving.  That was just for the month of September.  :)

August Nails

Random design

R2D2 design by IHaveaCupcake on YouTube

     

UP-inspired nails. Luxurious Nails on YouTube.

Goodbye Mr. Williams. Found this design on Pinterest.

Cute Lacquertude design