The Nail Challenge Collaborative presents: Spring Flowers - Vintage Peach

Hi all!

I saved the best for last, at least I think so! I was inspired by this Vintage Peach image from Jane Farnham Designs (love her designs!). 

From left to right:

• Barry M - Gelly - GNP28 Coconut
• Barry M - Gelly - GNP10 Lychee
• Catrice - LE Candy Shock - C03 Bring Me Peach
• China Glaze - 625 For Audrey
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Dark Matter
• Essence - gel polish base coat
• Essence - gel polish top coat

My base is two coats of Coconut. Using my Born Pretty Store #18519 brush and Dark Matter I added the flower stems and leaf outlines. With my largest dotting tool I applied a big Bring Me Peach dot at the end of the stem and a For Audrey one on the side stem with a smaller dotting tool. I added other details with my brush. I ended with some random placed (and sized) dots with Lychee to finish it off. As you can see they're quite different in colour. I finished with a coat of the "gel" polish top coat (carefully so I would not smear my design).

As you can see, my lines are not perfect, but using only polish this is the best I can do.

Bonus Cinderella hand pic! I managed some flowers on my right hand as well, but I left it at one flower per nail (except the thumb).

I loved wearing this mani, and I did for about 5 days or so. Before I started using my current base coat, I'd lose the polish on my index fingers after a day or two. And with lose, I mean it went off in one sheet, often actually lost before I noticed. Just those two nails. Other nails would just chip, or bigger pieces would come off. It did not matter if I used a basic Essence base coat or G&G Stuck on Blu. My current Essence gel polish base coat makes my mani's stay put for so much longer without chipping. In combination with the Essence gel polish top coat or L13L Elemental Ward, it does not really make much difference. Even though it says gel polish base coat, it is not a gel polish, it does not need a lamp to cure, it just dries normally like any other polish. But I love it! Bonus is it's not too expensive either. Nowadays when I don't have too much time to do my nails I do tend to leave it on for 5 days and still have it look good.

*hugs*
Brethil

The last florals:

52WPNMC - Pastel zigzags

Hi all!

Let's just pretend it's still last week and I'm not late with this pastel post for last week's challenge shall we? I've got one of the cutest pastel indies for you today!

The polishes:

• Sinful Colors - 101 Snow Me White
• Crazy Polish Lady - Summer Love
• Essence - 106 free hugs
• NYC - 038 Blue.Lita
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward

I should start writing down how many coats I use... I know I did a white base with Snow Me White and then either 1 or 2 coats of Summer Love. I used Elemental Ward to make it dry faster and then used some You Polish zigzag nail vinyls (called chevrons, these are the big ones). After the nail vinyls were placed I added the pink and blue polishes. I ended with more Elemental Ward.

I have a talent to get cat hair in photos and behold, there's even some fluff sticking to my nail. Other than that, I love Summer Love, especially the tiny blue sprinkles and squares.

If you're looking for nice European Indies, Crazy Polish Lady is definitely one to check out!

More pastels down here!

The Nail Challenge Collaborative presents: Spring Flowers - Splash Floral

Hi all!

For my third spring flowers mani I finally have some spring colours! And you get to see my new Barry M's... besides the 3 I used here I also got a back-up for Coconut and the matte top coat. Today's design is one most of you will know, it's The Lacquerologist's Splash Floral design. 

The polishes:

• Barry M - Gelly - GNP28 Coconut
• Barry M - Gelly - GNP21 Sugar Apple
• Barry M - Gelly - GNP15 Guava
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward

My base is two coats of Coconut. This polish has been on my wishlist since it came out. I knew this was the off-white I still needed in my life. It's perfect. The photos might show it a bit brighter than it actually is, but I used it as a base for the last flowers mani, so you'll see it again (and most likely a lot in general). Using a fan brush I brushed some Sugar Apple from the side to about half way. Then I just added the petals and dotty centers with a brush (can't remember which one) and Guava. Lastly I mixed Guava and Sugar Apple to add some shading inside the petals. I sealed it all in with Elemental Ward.

I love how Sugar Apple and Guava look together ♥

This is one of those designs that is simple yet perfect in it's simplicity. Thanks go to Emily Draher of The Lacquerologist obviously. Have you recreated this design of hers?

More florals from the other ladies:

The Nail Challenge Collaborative presents: Spring Flowers - Brown roses

Hi all!

I've been terribly slacking lately... I've actually done the mani's for this month already (did so nearly two weeks ago) and yet posting them... total slack. Today's one gets to go first because the photos were edited... I wore this mani a few weeks ago for Elfia. I was wearing mostly browns and creamy white, hence these colours... not spring-like again. I promise my other two flower mani's are!

Today's polishes:

• Dance Legend - Gel Effect 882
• W7 - 54 Roast Chestnut
• Max - magnetic - unnamed brown
• Mundo de Unas - 23 Chocolate
• Essence - gel polish base coat
• Essence - gel polish top coat

And I used PUEEN plate 64 for the stamping.

My base is either the Dance Legend 882 (2 coats) or Roast Chestnut (also 2 coats). When it was dry I started stamping. On my accent nails I simply used 882 to stamp over the brown, which worked pretty reasonably I think. On my other nails I stamped with the chocolate stamping polish (the darker brown roses) and the magnetic polish. Roast chestnut did not stamp that well honestly (I used it on my little fingernail). I ended with a coat of the Essence "gel polish" top coat. I'll do a review on that base and top coat, I've used it a few times so far, it's regular polish, not gel, no lamp required.

Sadly my thumb nail is the worst of them all... figures. Also the chocolate MdU and Roast Chestnut were used here.

So, not my normal used of colour, but I had to match my outfit obviously.

More florals down here!

The Nail Challenge Collaborative presents: Spring Flowers - Floral Reflection

Hi all!

So... I've had a short break, went to London with friends last weekend. Had a lovely time, only bought 4 polishes (*gasp*) and an amazing Cat-avengers hoodie. Enjoyed some nice ciders and food and stocked up on bacon, cheddar and more cider... Anyway, before I continue rambling... let's go back to today's mani. This month's theme is Spring Flowers... I'll bend it to Flowers to be able to post this mani in this challenge. I did wore this early March because I felt like it.

From left to right:

• W7 - 28 Black
• Paws by Eddie - Rain Pool Reflections
• Essence - Nail art stampy polish black
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward

I also used a Born Pretty Store stamping plate, plate BP-L001 (2nd image from the right, bottom row).

I started with a black base and then added one coat of Rain Pool Reflections. In hindsight I should have been a bit better at applicating that single layer to get it less streaky. Good thing it's not that noticeable. When the polish was dry I stamped the strange looking floral image with my black stamping polish on top. I ended with a coat of Elemental Ward.

As you can see, Rain Pool Reflections is a gorgeous multichrome polish, it shifts from green to mustard yellow to orange and red. Simply stunning. I won this polish in a giveaway, Paws by Eddie is a Dutch indie brand. I love the packaging with the Swatchkitty charms! It's still available if you want it here.

Even though the colours are more autumnal, I still love it. I've got a more spring coloured flower mani up for next time (once I edit the photos....).

For more flower mani's, check the other ladies!