Muted bling!

I love Autumn! My favourite season is finally on the horizon (although the weather seems to think it's summer - finally!) -  I love crisp sunny days and amazing sunsets, layering clothes and scarves and the knowledge that I'll soon be able to put my boots back on, instead of showing willing and wearing sandals but inevitably getting wet feet due to our unpredictable British weather.

One of the main things I look forward to is the autumnal warm muted colour palettes, in both fashion and nail polishes. Some of my favourite polishes are beiges, heathers and smokey grey, however, I do still like a bit of bling. This is what's inspired today's design...

I used two coats of Nails Inc in Caramel as the base colour. Followed by a central stripe of on each nail of Models Own Pro in Swan Lake just using the width of the brush. I had to apply a million coats to get the effect, as this is one of those polishes which looks amazingly dense in the bottle but in fact the glitter covering is frustratingly thin. I should have used a denser glitter (I have enough!) but I really love the tone of this polish - it's basically a champagne/beige glitter rather than gold or silver, so really complements the base colour.

I was going to leave it at that but last minute added definition with a black nail art pen... I fear this was a mistake as the design went from subtly sophisticated to looking a bit clumsy  - note for next time!

Happy painting... the nailist xxx

Polish Days - Geometry

So although I'm a nail art pro amongst my friends, it has become very apparent that I'm a novice in the blogger community. A whole new world has opened up to me... I had no idea how big the nail blogger community is... and I love it! The challenge is... how to break in to this cyber world of loveliness? Some of these bloggers have been posting for years with professional looking sites and thousands of followers. Some of my personal favourites are The Nailasaurus and Polly Polish and it's Polly who's presenting an opportunity for me to feel part of the vast blogger community.

She's created 'Polish Days', where a theme is set and all subscribed bloggers post a design around that theme all at the same time, with links to all other blogs.

So this is my first stab at the latest 'Polish days' theme - 'Geometry'.

My first thoughts were of the doodles often created in the margins of many a school work book where you end up with lots of little triangles, which inspired the design on the thumb. And things developed from there... basically, it's all about angles with a tribal neon theme to make them pop.

I started with a base of Models Own Pro Limited Edition in French White. Then I created the designs with three Models Own nail art pens in yellow, black and pink (I'm not sponsored by Models Own, honestly!). Then finished off with a layer of Seche Vite top coat. I repeated the designs on my right just mixing up which design was on which finger.

You definitely need a steady hand for this one, so for those of you who want to try something more simple, I've resurfaced a previous 'geometric' design from last month.

You can see the 'how to' here

Check out what the other bloggers have done...

Happy painting... the nailist xxx

Spots and stripes

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. I've still been taking photos but due to busy evenings and weekends away I haven't had a chance to post. So plenty of designs to update you on!

This design obviously came to me subliminally, as I was in NYC at the time and inadvertently ended up with a very stars and stripes American flag look. The base is actually orange, rather than red, but there's no getting away from it... I was brainwashed into patriotism!

I used a base of Rimmel 60 Second Nail Polish in 440 Sun Downer followed by a corner sweep of Max Factor Max Effects in Candy Blue. Spots and stripes added with black and white nail art pens.

Happy painting... the nailist xxx

Every cloud has a silver lining

So there are times when a bit of bling is order - probably not for every day at work! - but I wanted to experiment with rhinestones and ended up with a design more suited to a Saturday night than the 9-5! Still at least I'll be prepared for when I'm next getting glammed up!

Start off with a pearlescent base colour - I used Primark Beauty Nail Polish in an unnamed silvery white

Step 1 - Pearlescent base colour

Then, using a black nail art pen or thin brush, add a deep V guidance line onto every nail leaving a gap between the point of the V and the cuticle.

Step 2 - V guiding line

Then fill in above the V with a grey colour. I used one of my favourites - No7 Limited Edition Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Grey Matter.

Step 3 - fill in the V

Once this is dry, add a line of silver glittery polish using either a nail art pen or thin brush, just above the original black guiding line. I had a No7 nail art pen from a Christmas gift set which gave a lovely dense finish.

Step 4 - add the silver lining!

Then redefine the V with a black line underneath the silver. This should take the V to the cuticle/base of your nail.

Step 5 - redefine the V

Select a nail on each hand to embellish. Doing one nail at a time, add a line of clear top coat over the silvery line to create a tacky surface. Then, using a clear top coat dipped toothpick pick up and dot on a line of round shaped diamante rhinestones and a teardrop shape one at the base. I added the rounds first, moving from the outer edges towards the centre and added the teardrop in between last. This is so you know you have enough space to have a equal number of rhinestones on each side of the V.

Step 6 - Bling time

Finish off with a shiny top coat on all nails, which will help further seal on the rhinestones. Clean up the edges with an acetone soaked cotton bud . Blingtastic!

The kit

Happy painting... the nailist xxx

Cupcake dreams

So one of my many dreams (I'm a bit of an idealistic dreamer!) is to one day own a cupcake cafebar, famous for the best cupcakes in town which you can buy to take away or sit in an enjoy with a cocktail. There would of course be somewhere to get your nails done while sipping your cocktail. I imagine the decor will be retro glam - think American diner meets Breakfast at Tiffany's! Well, one day maybe... In the meantime the dream has inspired my latest design, 'Cupcake Dream's, and here's the how to.

(By the way, it would be really good to hear your thoughts on my blog. I know I have some followers via facebook but it would be great to get your comments and following on the actual blog)

This is a bit of a complex one so here goes...

Step 1  - Base colours

After a good base coat to avoid staining, apply a light pink to eight nails and lavender colour to one nail on each hand - choose a different nail on each hand. I used Bourjois So Laque Ultra Shine in Rose Satin for the pink and Prevail Nail Lacquer in Lush Lounge for the lavender.

Once dry, using a white nail art pen such as Models Own Nail Art Pen in white draw a deep semi circle on the lavender nails

Step 2 - Outline semi circle

Then fill in the top half of the semi circle with one coat of white - I used Models Own Pro Limited Edition in French White

Step 3 - Fill in outline

Allow the white to dry and then create the cupcake base by adding a pink tip with a 'frilly' base. Just paint across the tip moving the brush in a zigzag motion to give the impression of frosting. I used Models Own in Pastel Pink.

Step 4 - add cupcake base

While that dries, start applying the various designs to different nails. Firstly, I created candy stripes using a thin brush and Bourjois One Second Texture Silcone Gel Nail Enamel in Rose Cupcake (apt name!)

Step 5 - Candy stripes

On another nail I did a 'hundreds and thousand' style design adding random small dots of various pastel colours, just using the corner edge of each brush. My selection of colours were Rimmel 60 Seconds 620 'How do you Lilac it', No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Minty Fresh, Nail Paint by Barry M in Lemon Ice Cream, Ruby & Millie Nail Colour in Green 710C and Bourjois One Second Texture Silcone Gel Nail Enamel in Rose Cupcake.

Step 6 - Hundreds and thousands

On my little fingernail I created a simple white polka dot design using the dotter on the Models Own white nail art pen.

Step 7 - polka dots

Now, going back to the cupcake fingers apply vertical stripes to define the cupcake case. I used a Models Own Nail Art Pen in Pink.

Step 8 - Define cupcake base

On the last nail add a wide tip using the lavender base colour of the cupcake nail

Step 9 - Lavender tip

Now back to the cupcake finger, using the colours used on the 'hundreds and thousands' nail add some small random flecks to the white part of the cupcake and a bejewelled cherry on top. I used a pink rhinestone from an assortment pack, Broadway Nails Fashion Diva 3D Art Deluxe Nail & Body Art Kit. The best way to apply these is to add a dot of clear top coat to the nail and then using a toothpick, deep the end in some clear top coat, pick up the rhinestone and dot it on.

Step 10 - Finishing touches to cupcake

Add a shiny top coat to all nails and there you have it... nails good enough to eat (not literally!)!
Here's a shot of the other hand...

and here's the kit

The kit

Happy painting...the nailist xxx

Queen ladybird

I wanted to do something fun with my nails to brighten up the inevitably dull Monday on the horizon... and this design will definitely bring smile to my face while I'm typing away at work!

Here's how...

Apply a red colour all over your nails, two coats if necessary, allowing to dry after each coat. I used Ted Baker London Beauty nail polish in an unnamed red.

Step 1 - all over red

Next, apply black tips in a slightly curved half moon shaped. I used Max Factor Limited Edition Nailfinity in Onyx, which is particularly good as Max factor polishes tend to have small brushes.

Step 2 - curved black tips

Using a nail art pen or thin brush add a vertical line in the middle of each nail. I used Models Own Nail Art Pen in Black

Step 3 - add central vertical stripes

Next, add two white dots either side of the line onto each nail using a nail art dotter. As usual I used Models Own Nail Art Pen in White

Step 4 - add white dots

Taking the black nail art pen again add the ladybird's spots and to add a cartoony element add a black dot into the middle of each white dot to create eyes

Step 5 - add black dots

Finish off with a glossy top coat, being careful to add in even non overlapped strokes to prevent bleeding, and there you have it! Eye catching and very fun

The kit

Happy Painting...the nailist xxx

Quick fix crackle

So I'm currently away on business in the NYC hence no posts for a while... as I'm in one of the fashion capitals of the world I couldn't have arrived without my nails looking good. However, in my usual style I ran out of time to do a full on design so resorted to my 'go to' quick fix. It's simply a bright nail with a side sweep of crackle coat. Easy but very effective as it looks like you have an animal print painted on one side.

Here I used Butter London Nail Laquer in Snog for the all over colour and W7 Nail Polish Earthquake Crackle in Black for the diagonal sweep.

Happy painting... the nailist xxx