2 for 1! Challenge Days 6 & 7

I know I have been terribly behind on this, and for that I apologize!  The new job doesn't permit painted nails, so I'm limited to doing this on my days off -- which are sporadic to say the best.

As an apology, I'm offering a 2 for 1 post!  That's right: Challenge Days 6 & 7 together in one post!  First off, Day 6: Purple

Keeping it short and sweet, I picked up a new purple (!!!) by L'Oreal: "Paparazzi Pleaser".  Two thin coats of that was topped off with Sally Hansen's "Glass Slipper" for an almost Flakie effect (love it).  Finishing touches are courtesy of Sephora by OPI's "Matte Top Coat".

Challenge Day 7 was Black and White.  I broke the rules at work (don't tell!) and kept this on for my shifts as I thought it was fairly subtle. 

Bonus knitting in background!

The knitting looks much neater in this one.

I did a quick French Tip with Essie's "Blanc," and used Sally Hansen's "Black Out" to add in some swoopy things.  This was the first time using the paint brush selected, and I must say it was a learning experience!  My thumb is the only one that turned out like I wanted, but practice makes perfect and I'm sure next time things will turn out great!

Did I mention I have a new job that doesn't allow for painted nails?  Oh, well, I do.  But!!!  I have the next 2 days off (!) so I should be able to get Challenge Day 8: Metallics up before the weekend is out!

Enjoy your Friday (and weekends) everyone!

Oh Bother

Just a quick update to let you folks know that I won't be able to do any nails for a bit =(  Work through this weekend will not allow me to do fancy fun time nails.  Expect to see something on Monday, and in the meantime I'll try to get something up on the mini-haul I got yesterday!   Have a fantastic week/end everyone!

31-Day Challenge: Blue

On to Day 5: Blue!  We're nearing the end of the rainbow, folks!  Jumping right in: colors used today: Sinful Colors - Love Nails & NYC - Pier 17.

And BundleMonster plate BM-225

2 thin coats of "Love Nails"

And some stamping with the NYC

The NYC is pretty transparent -- and I love how this looks.  It reminds me of etched metal.  Overall Satisfaction: Very Satisfied!

31-Day Challenge: Green

Day 4: GREEEEEEEEN!  I love green!  I was so excited about today!  It should have been yesterday, but there were complications.  What kind of complications, you may ask?  Dog complications.

Don't let the innocent look fool you.

This bugger made so much trouble yesterday that I had to attempt my nails not one, not two, or even three times, but FOUR TIMES.  Every time I made any sort of progress she would find a new and exciting way to create trouble and my nails went to hell.  After time four I gave up for the day and tried again this morning (when I had my hubby here for backup).

The Colors

Sinful Colors: Gorgeous & Sally Hansen: Green with Envy

The Nails

Cofffeeeeeeee!!!  I may have a bit of an addiction.

After yesterday's fiasco(s), I decided that I needed a quick, simple nail.  1-2 coats of Green with Envy (depending on the nail) and then some quick dots of Gorgeous to add a bit of interest.  

All I can say about today (other than I <3 Green) is thank goodness for backup!  And I <3 Green.

31-Day Challenge: Yellow

Remember my feelings on Orange?  Magnify that for Yellow.  I will apologize now about Yellow's Challenge.  I don't like it and when it didn't quite turn out, I said "fuck it.  I'm done."  Yellow is very sub-par.  I went with another dual-tone mani for yellow, but things that looked great on paper didn't turn out so well on the actual nail.

The Players

And their friend, plate BM-204

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THE MANI

Caffeine is essential

The plan was to go with a nice, sunny set of nails, as today is rainy and blah.  I started with 2 coats of Sinful Color's "Let's Meet."  One coat was actually a very pretty yellow, 2 coats turned it almost golden, which was very pretty as well.

Too much of a (potential) good thing.

The next stage of the plan was to make it look like I had a sunrise happening my nails.  I french-tipped them in Sally Hansen Insta-Dry "Lightening."  Then we followed with the ray-like stamp in the corners of 2 adjacent fingers.  Dots were added.  They should not have been added.

Less is more.

I learned my lesson (kinda) on my right hand and skipped the majority of the dots.

Verdict:  The biggest detriment to this mani (other than the dots) was that the yellows didn't go together well enough.  If I ever try this one again, I think I'll do a coat of white (the Let's Meet is really transparent), a coat of Let's Meet, and call that good.  I swatched the two yellows on my toes before starting and it turned out great... with one coat of everything.  Also less dots.

31-Day Challenge: Orange

Day 2: Orange.  Ugh.  I do not like orange.  We've never been good friends.  I did pick out a new Orange recently, however, that I don't hate, so we'll see.

I started with two coats of Cloud 9 by Sinful Colors.  I don't hate it, but it's Orange, so I don't really like it, either.

This is me trying to be artistic again.  Working?

To keep it from being too plain, I added some stamping!  I used NYC's Spring Street with BundleMonster plate BM-203 for a bit of a retro look.  Please excuse my fingerprints all over the plate.

Finished Product:

Upside-down label reading, anyone?

Overall Satisfaction: Somewhat Satisfied.  I'm pleased that the stamping turned out.  I used a different scraper which seems to leave more polish on the plate, giving me a less transparent stamp, so that part turned out awesome, but it's orange.  I still don't like Orange.

31-Day Challenge: Red

Alright, ladies and gents!  Here's kicking off my adventures in the 31-Day Challenge! After a fruitful trip to Target to find the right color red, it's time to start out with Challenge Day (Week)1: Red!


I used OPI's "The Thrill of Brazil" for a nice, bright red.  Then used a coat of Sephora by OPI's Matte Top Coat

I have to say, when I first saw matte nail polishes, I hated them.  I thought, "what's the point?"  Needless to say, it's grown on me ;) 

I finished off with a coat of shiny top coat to give myself a french tip effect, and I love it (inspiration here)!

Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with this regularly -- my apologies in the meantime while I get a schedule figured out!  Related: I just got a new job that involves not wearing polish (food service, yay), so this will probably be limited to my weekends =(