Latticed Crystals and Wine nail art

Hey y'all!

Last week I showed you a distressed floral glitter nail art where I used OPI Thank Glogg It's Friday! in a distressed technique and I lamented that I needed to swatch it.  Rather than just do straight swatches on my lil shorties, I've decided to do you one better - I've done another nail art using it as a full nail lacquer, and added another new pretty that I just picked up and wanted to show you.  Unable to think of a name for this design, I opted to take inspiration from the polish names, so we have my lattice-work crystals and wine nail art.

Nail Rehab Week 3: Basic Manicure

Hey y'all!

As I mentioned last week, I was able to film a video for you about my basic manicure procedures, which include cuticle removal and filing.

Hey, Swatch It! Liquid Sky Lacquer Howling At The Moon

Hey y'all!

Happy Saturday!  With October just around the corner, a girl's heart may turn towards Halloween and all the kooky pleasures it brings - okay, *my* heart definitely does.  Last week I was cruising through some clearance polishes on Rainbow Connection UK, a stockist who carries lots of foreign indies, when this gorgeous polish jumped into my cart.

Following PINstructions: DIY Glamglow Inspired Mask

Hey y'all!

Today I'm posting what I hope will be the start of a fun new project, wherein I actually go through some of my Pinterest boards and try out all those fantastic recipes and hacks that I've pinned over the years. To inaugurate what I hope will become a regular series, I've chosen an awesome DIY mud mask, inspired by the Glamglow Supermud masks that became so wildly popular last year.  Also, this is a very pic-heavy post, so be warned, because we're about to start...

Distressed floral stamped glitter nail art

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It's a weird time of year right now, weather-wise.  I really can't tell from one day to the next if I am going to need to put on socks and a sweater.  This transition into fall puts me into a weird mood, artistically.  I still feel like the weather is warm enough to wear bright summery colors, but I want to mute them out with more autumnal shades.  Today's nail art is one of those that doesn't really have any theme or direction - I just had some new polishes and started playing, and I think it pretty well captures this weird seasonal limbo. 

French Tip Floral Water Decals from bornprettystore

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

Hey y'all!

Today I have a new-to-me style of water decal, French Tips specially shaped for longer, rounded nails.  I suppose they might work on shorter squared nails as well, though. These were sent to me for review by bornprettystore.

Grey Lilac Teal Watermarbling - TPTC

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I decided that maybe I should throw together another TriPolish Tuesday look for you before the challenge ends, and after seeing Anne's water marble decals a couple of weeks ago, I decided to try my hand at making some while the weather was still warm enough to get the water temperature right, and I actually had really good results!  This month the colors are grey/silver, teal, and lilac.

Stamping Plate QA89 for bornprettystore

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

Hey y'all!

Today I have a new stamping plate to show you featuring some arabesque patterns and some adorable florals that I received from bornprettystore for review, and I've created a simple and elegant floral mani to go with it.  Since the images are rather large, I slapped on some stiletto falsies for this look.

Nail Rehab Week 2 and a Day Trip to Somerset

Hey y'all!

Don't have any nail art for you today, but I did want to give you a status report on my nails, talk a little more about how I'm rehabbing them, and also show you a few pics of a trip Mr. Faff and I took on Monday out to Somerset.

"U-Day" Browncoat Nail Art

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Today marks the 12-year anniversary of the debut of Firefly on televisions 'cross the 'verse, which is a reason to celebrate all on its own, but it has also been cited (by Nathan himself, no less) as the corresponding Earth-That-Was date of Unification Day, when peace was negotiated between the Independents and the Alliance. To commemorate this, and in honor of those fallen at the Battle of Serenity Valley, I've created (yes, another) Browncoat nail art.  What's that?  You're not with me on this?  Ah, curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!

Avast Ye Bilge Rats Pirate Nail Art Challenge Day 5: Freestyle

Ahoy, me hearties!

Today be International Talk Like A Pirate Day, and it be time to batten down t' hatches, ye scurvy dogs, for some more pirate themed nail art.  Savvy?  Today I be takin' t' "freestyle" prompt seriously, and had some fun t' create this look.  Arrrrr ye ready?

Avast Ye Bilge Rats Pirate Nail Art Challenge Day 4: Treasure Maps

Ahoy, me hearties!

Today I be back with more pirate themed nail art, and today I be celebratin' a seadog's greatest tool: the treasure map.  When ye hides yer booty, it be important t' know where ye've stashed it, so a treasure map helps ye get back t' ye gold!

Avast Ye Bilge Rats Pirate Nail Art Challenge Day 3: Gold and/or Treasure

Ahoy, me hearties!

I'm back again for day 3 of the Avast Ye Bilge Rats pirate-themed nail art challenge, and today's prompt is all about the BOOTY BLING!  Today's manis will all be themed around buckets of doubloons, pieces of eight and any other beauties a freebooter might covet - Gold and/or Treas-ARRR!

Avast Ye Bilge Rats Pirate Nail Art Challenge Day 2: Oceans

Ahoy, me hearties!

Today we be look'n to the depths o' Davey Jones' locker fer inspiration, because, ye scurvy dogs, today's theme be Oceans!

Avast Ye Bilge Rats Pirate Nail Art Challenge Day 1: Sea Creatures

Ahoy, me hearties!

It be time for another monthly Challenge Your Nail Art series, and this week we're all deep in t' rum for pirate themed nail art, culminatin' in International Talk Like A Pirate Day on Friday! Today's prompt be Sea Creatures, so I threw a few techniques together t' get this look shipshape.

Nail Rehab Week 1 and Art Deco inspired nail art

*** 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 Art Deco, so I used some striping tape to create my first-ever nubbin nail art!

Hey Swatch It! Tara's Talons Hollyhock and Villain

Hey y'all!

In a fantastic stroke of luck, I recently won Nail Art Novice's latest giveaway for three polishes from Tara's Talons.  Imagine my surprise when my package showed up, and Jenni had included some extras for me!  In addition to Hollyhock, Villain, and Butterfly Dreams, she added an adorable little horned-rim glasses ring and a roll of bronzey striping tape.  Score!  Today I want to show you two of my new pretties, and the adorable ring she sent me!

From the vault: Space Odessey nail art

Hey y'all!

I'm pulling another nail art look out of the vault for you guys today, because I am still trying to heal up the buffer-burned bits on my cuticles from last week.  Starting next week, I'll be creating all new nail art for nubbins as I blog my journey back to strong, healthy nails.  Today, however, I've got a super easy space look that I created several months back.

Mint with Coral Stamping: Colour Me Crazy Pastels

Hey y'all!

This week's Colour Me Crazy challenge prompt is pastels, and while my nails are still rehabbing from the beating they took in class last week, I decided to liberate this pretty little design from the vault for you.

Week in Review: Nail Tech training

Hey y'all!

Well, it has been a pretty quiet few weeks here at FixinToFaff, but a LOT has been going on behind the scenes.  As many of you will know, I began my journey towards fully qualifying as a nail tech this week by taking a 3-day course offered by Salon Services, which is the UK extension of Sally Beauty.  In this super-fast, jam-packed course, I learned the basics of nail work: salon hygiene, manicure/pedicure, and acrylic extensions.  Of course, 3 days is not NEARLY enough to consider myself to be "trained," but I learned the rudimentary procedures and practices, and now I have at least got the qualifications to insure myself and begin doing practice work on nails.  My plan is to continue supplementing this training every couple of months with additional classes in gel polish, gel extensions, french tip extensions, and acrylic and gel sculpture nail art.

End of Summer Giveaway!

Hey y'all!

First off, thank you for allowing me to take a few days off to deal with my personal stuffs.  I'm back, and I've got a special treat for you, as a thanks for sticking around!  With the new school year starting and summer officially coming to a close, I decided it's time for another Giveaway!

Lifting the veil: Double-Stamped Glittery Purple Butterfly Nail Art

Hey y'all!

Alright, it's time to get back in business.  New month, new nails, new giveaway, and new order of business.  This afternoon I will have a special post going up to thank you all for staying with me during my radio silence and to help celebrate all the stuff going on around here this month.  Today I start my nail tech training, which is really exciting for me, and I will definitely be posting about the experience as well as posting some snapshots on IG so you guys can see what's up.  Because we're going to be practicing on each other's nails, I decided I needed to trim mine down a bit to make life a little easier on my classmates.  I also decided to break my nail art embargo with a manicure that embodies everything that makes me feel good right now - purple, glitter, and butterflies!