Guest post for BG Polish

Hey y'all!

I'm guest posting today over at the home of my girl Catriona at BGPolish.  Check it out if you want to see a full breakdown and color pics for this stamped holo nail foil nail art.

First Impression Friday: ASP Whitening Nail Paste

Hey y'all!

I have mentioned before that I recently picked up a new nail whitening treatment, which I tested out this week and wanted to show you my results.  I procured my ASP Whitening Nail Paste from Salon Services, which is the UK equivalent of Sally's Beauty Supply, for just under £4.

For Chibi

Hey y'all.

I'm heavy-hearted this week.  Several months ago, I talked about Chibi, the sweet, adorable dog who has been my mom's constant companion for the last 10 years.  Of course, he is so much more than that, and when I said I was heavy-hearted, I was lying.  Right now, I am completely broken-hearted.  Our sweet furball crossed the rainbow bridge on Monday, a week shy of his 12th birthday.  Today, I want need to talk about him.

My oldest picture of Chibi, at about 4 months old.

House of Flying Daggers Nail Art

Hey y'all!

The second prompt of the Inspire Me Nails Challenge is Movies, and this week's prompt for the Llama Nails Book/Movie Challenge is Action, so I created this nail art based on one of my favorite scenes in 2004's House of Flying Daggers.

Science/Technology Nail Art, featuring bornprettystore stamping

*** This post contains items which were sent for review and affiliate links. ***

Hey y'all!

This week's prompt for the FingerFood Theme Buffet is Science/Technology, and coincidentally I received a really cool plate from bornprettystore to review, so in true kismet fashion, today you get this science themed nail art.

Mani Monday: Purple and Gold marble with BPS water decals

*** This post contains items which were sent for review and affiliate links. ***

Hey y'all!

For today's #manimonday, I took Saturday's swatch of Every Month is Oktoberfest and added nail art with a Models Own that I won in a giveaway and some water decals from Born Pretty Store sent me for review.

Depression Awareness - #fightforlightandlive

Hey y'all!

You may have figured out by now that depression lives in my home. Without rehashing old news, I can confidently say that if anything good were to come out of the Robin Williams' tragedy, it's that it has put depression, anxiety, and mental illness as a whole on the brains and lips of people around the world. In an effort to keep that movement going, @nailsandpolkadots has organized today's hashtag of #fightforlightandlive, and nail bloggers (and hopefully nail enthusiasts) around the world are posting green manis for Depression Awareness. Of course, I felt the pull to participate.

Hey, Swatch It! OPI Every Month Is Oktoberfest

Hey y'all!
Today I'm pulling another polish out of the deep untried stack which was late even coming into my clutches.  Every Month Is Oktoberfest (hereto named EMIO because ohmidot I can't type that out all day long) was released in OPI's Germany Collection way back in Fall 2012.  I was far too busy being working 3 jobs and being broke to buy polish back then, but someone blogged it late last year and I ended up falling in love and ordering it.

Pink and lace stamping

Hey y'all!

Friday brings 'round another entry for this week's Colour Me Crazy challenge, and this week the prompt is all pink.  Some of you will know, and I've mentioned here before, that I'm hugely NOT a fan of pink, whether it be nail polish or clothing or accessories.  It has always been too soft for my liking, and growing up tomboy I always kind of resented pink being the "color of girls".  I had to scratch around in my helmer for a bit to find a decent palette with which to work, and because it came off so soft, I decided to add some lace stamping over top.

New video: Nail Tech Course Supplies unboxing

Hey y'all!

I posted a video yesterday of the unboxing of my supplies for my nail tech course (filmed Monday, before the badness).  If you're interested in seeing what all has to go into my school kit, check it out.

Grey Pond nail art

Ed. note: this post was written and scheduled before yesterday's events transpired.  I thought briefly about moving it because it's a very somber, morose color scheme, but have ultimately decided to let it ride when and as-is.  

Hey y'all!

I was swatching some polishes that I ordered from Quirk just before the shop closed, and I came across this gorgeous grey crelly finish and ended up creating this dark freehand pond effect nail art that I wanted to share with you.

On being down while trying to look up...

Note:  No nails today - sorry.

MoYou Nails new plates and polish review

*** This post contains items which were sent for review. ***

Hey y'all!

As you have probably noticed if you're a regular reader, I've been playing around with some new MoYou Nails stamping plates in the past couple of weeks, and I wanted to kind of compile all of that into one big review post so you can get a quick overview for the products.  The company sent me plates 122, 123, and 128, and the Special Nail Polish in Orange to review, and with them I've created a number of looks.

Glasswing Butterfly Nail Art

Hey y'all!

I recently joined yet another Facebook group for nail artists and enthusiasts, Inspire Me Nails.  The current challenge is Weird, Wonderful Nature, wherein you create nail art inspired by nature.  I found a gorgeous inspiration pic and created these nails, inspired by the incredible Glasswing Butterfly.

Video! Test and Review: MoYou Nails Special Nail Polishes

Hey y'all!

As promised, here's the second video showing my stamping test of the 5 MoYou Nails polishes that I purchased recently.  If you can't play the video below from this page, you can view it on YouTube.

Blue Me Over: Colour Me Crazy Challenge

*** This post contains items which were sent for review. ***

Hey y'all!

I probably went a little overboard creating today's Blue-themed mani for the Colour Me Crazy challenge, but I'm okay with that.  It's got a little bit of everything - stamping, studs, rhinestones, gradients, striping tape, glitter, and holo!

New video posted: MoYou Nails plate review #2

*** This post contains items which were sent for review. ***

Hey y'all!

So you've seen that I've been using the new MoYou Nails plates that were sent to me for review, but I wanted you to see the full plates and my actual live stamping tests of all 3 of them, so I did another video.  Check it!

Zigzags and Confetti nail art - TPTC

*** This post contains items which were sent for review. ***

Hey y'all!

First off, I just need to say that ever since yesterday, I've had the song Trouty Mouth stuck in my head.  It's torture.  Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.  You may have figured out by now that I've really been having fun playing with the new stamping plates that MoYou Nails sent to me for review, because I've been on a bit of a stamping spree the last few days.  Today's Tri-Polish nail art is no exception, except that I also got to use three of the new polishes that I purchased from MoYou Nails as well.   The first Tuesday in August brings round a new set of colors with which to work, and I ended up with this look which has a bit of a circus feel to it.

Mani Monday Rainbow Trout Nail Art

*** This post contains items which were sent for review. ***

Hey y'all!

Today I've got a fun look to show you that resulted from doing a bit of playing around this weekend.  I had some untried polish and a new stamping plate and an idea started forming in my head that eventually fell onto my nails.

Gilded Brocade nail art - FFTB Retro

*** This post contains items which were sent for review. ***

Hey y'all!

Have you ever watched a movie or a TV show and seen something in the background of the set that instantly sets off an alarm in your head, screaming "that would make cool nail art!"?  No?  Just me then.  *shrug*  My point here is that I had such an occurrence the other night and today's nail art is a result.  Truth be told, I can't even remember what I was watching, but what DID make an impression in my brain was a gorgeous gold silk duvet with a large, black brocade/jacquard pattern embroidered over it.  I literally had to stop and make a note to myself on my phone to try to replicate the print.  While browsing through my weekly challenge prompts and reviewing some new stamping plates from MoYou Nails, today's Retro theme is my translation of that duvet cover.

Hey, Swatch It! OPI What Wizardry Is This?

Hey y'all!

Today I've got another lovely textured gem to show you from OPI, who I personally think does this type of texture better than anyone else, but I digress.  Released with the Disney's Oz the Great and Powerful Collection last spring, this liquid sand texture is rich and lovely, and I am totally smitten with it.

Colour Me Crazy - Green

*** This post contains items which were sent for review. ***

Hey y'all!

Happy August!  For today's Colour Me Crazy challenge, I pulled a shiny out of my untrieds pile to do a little bit of experimenting.  I had a hunch that ILNP's Ultrachromes would stamp over black.  Since the lovely people at MoYou Nails sent me 3 new plates to review, I decided to test my theory.  Check out that gorgeous green-to-purple shift!