Two nail challenges in one!

Christmas time is here,

Happiness and cheer,

Fun for all that children call,

Their favorite time of year.

Christmas means a lot to me.  Family, religion, traditions; these are a few of the words I associate with this joyful day.  My list of Christmas memories and feelings could fill up this blog, but it is about nail art so I will spare you from that.  One thing though, my first nail art was Christmas themed.  In fact it was Santa hats.  I thought about redoing it and seeing how I have improved, but I saw this design by schmucknaegel and I just had to give it a try.  I figured lets expand my repertoire and keep it close to the original.  Plus, this was I can also use the design for both challenges!

I am thinking I should give up on Santa hats.  I do like this, but I am just not as happy with it as I would like to be.  Ah, well the circle of life isn't always pretty.

I used Finger Paints Paper Mâchè, China Glaze Fast Track, and Hey Sailor.  I love Fast Track!  It is this golden-shimmery nude.  So pretty.  You do get visible nail line even after two coats, but vnl never bothered me.

My thumb close-up came out blurry, which is sad since my thumb looks the best, so you will have to make due with this shot.

I know it wasn't a complete fail, but I still wish it was a bit better.

Merry Christmas Charlie Brown

Tootles!

Fitz

12 Days of Christmas: Tinsel

I had no idea what to do for this design.  I thought about doing the string technique, but I didn't want to deal with the mess.  I Googled tinsel images and when looking at them I realized I had a stamp reminded me of it.  Bundle Monster BM-312 worked rather well!  Oh, and I am sorry the lighting isn't very good, I did this at night.

I used China Glaze Holly-Day, Millennium, and City Siren.  I wanted to stamp an ornament over the top of them with BM-318, but it didn't show up, so I filled it in.  That red blob is supposed to be an ornament. . .

One more day to go till Christmas!  I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Tootles!
 Fitz

12 Days of Christmas: Elves

I LOVE this design!  Thank you TotallyCoolNails for such a fabulous design!

Okay, so my elves were done in Nina Ultra Pro French White, China Glaze Red Satin, Liquid Leather, Sunshine Pop, and Def Defying.

This may be a bit pic heavy. . .

The last one is my alternative version for mt right hand.  I wish the red didn't run, but I still love it!  Curse you close up pictures!

Check the other designers out too!  Their hard work and creativity deserve it!

Tootles!
Fitz

12 Days of Christmas: Wreaths

Okay, I am doing it!  I have finished all the challenges before I leave on my cruise!  The only problem is I don't have the inlink links before hand.  I will pre-write my posts and hopefully I may have some time on my cruise with computer access to link them.

I have to say I was a bit unispired by wreaths, plus the trying to knock out four manicures in two days. . . I am not all that happy with this.  I really liked Chalkboard Nails design and I thought some different coloring might be fun, but my dark green didn't work.  You can't really see the bows.

I used China Glaze Sugar Plums (I love any excuse to use this gorgeous color!), Holly-Day, and Millennium.

Cursed green!  Well, I hope you take a look at the other designers, their work is amazing!  I am so totally jealous!

Tootles!
Fitz

12 Days of Christmas: Ornaments

I am exhausted!  There have been so many things I have needed to get ready for my cruise and I am trying to get all my manicures done.  I have one left. . . I really hope I can get it done, but I am not sure.  I am so excited for this vacation!  Okay one to the ornaments!

 This was inspired by the tutorial by TheCoolioNails.  I love this and even left it on for a few days!  I got a lot of compliments on it.

I used a few Bundle Monster stamps for the patterns, BM-317, BM-314, and BM-310.  The colors were China Glaze Millennium, Holly-Day, and Red Satin.

This isn't too hard, but it has a great statement!  It even works well on the right side.  The hanging part on the right isn't the best, but I still love it!

Sorry for the picture spam, but I loved how this turned out!  Check out the other designers too, they are amazing!

Tootles!
Fitz

12 Days of Christmas: Snow Flakes

I had orignally planed to do this on someone else, but our schedules didn't mesh right, so you get my nails.

This was inspired by Indigo Nova 1's tutorial.  She inspired me to use different colors and I half went for it.  I wish my lines weren't so heavy handed, but I rushed through it a bit and that is what I get.

I used China Glaze Liquid Leather, Sephora by OPI If You've Got It Haunt It, and Wet n' Wild French White Cremè.  I love IYGIHI!  From the first time I saw a swatch of it I knew I had to have it!  I think it looks like snowflakes against a starry night sky.  Mmm, I need some hot coco now!

My sad broken thumb, but I wanted you to see how lovely IYGIHI is.


Make sure to look at everyone else's designs!  They are stunning!

Tootles!
Fitz

12 Days of Christmas: Gifts

I apologize for the wear on my manicure, I had been wearing them for three days before I had a chance to take a picture.  I honestly don't know if I will be able to finish this challenge seeing as how I have a week to get everything done before I leave for my cruise.  Eek!  I guess I can only take it a day at a time.

So I didn't do anything out of the box or extravagant for this design.  I love the colors though.  I used China Glaze Rare & Radiant and City Siren.  R&R is a lovely duo chrome that shifts from green to gold.  The pictures didn't capture it accurately, but it is very festive.  The bow was stamped with Bundle Monster plate BM 317

I hope you like it and that you check out the other designers!

Tootles!
Fitz

12 Days of Christmas: Holiday Movie

I honestly did not know what to do for this challenge.  Every idea I had seemed beyond my capabilities.  So I decided to turn to my friends and asked for their ideas.  Several suggested the leg lamp from The Christmas Story.  Truth be told I don't like that movie, I think it is a bit too. . .  Well, I better not say for fear of offending those who love it.  But they suggested it and I could see how to do it in my head and I thought it would work.  AND it did!

I realized after I took the photo that I forgot the fringe.  Opps.  Sorry.  I also now realize it is rather hard to take a picture of a manicure like this because all your fingers have to line up correctly and I am relying on someone else to the get shot.  Hence there is only one picture.  I used Mash plate m57 for the fish net in China Glaze Liquid Leather and then I used OPI Schnapps Out Of It for the shade and mixed it with Dutch 'Ya Love OPI for the outlining and detail.


I hope you like my interpretation and don't forget to check out everyone else's!

Tootles!
Fitz

12 Days of Christmas: Snowmen

Today is about snow men.  I wish I gotten this done earlier, at least I am not late.  I was inspired by Wacky Laki's design.  I hope you like my interpretation.

There isn't a whole lot to say.  I used a Bundle Monster stamp for the background snowflakes BM-323.  I do love the background color Sinful Colors Cinderella.  It took several coats to get this opacity, but it was worth it.  It dried quickly and is really lovely.

The other colors were Nina Ultra Pro French White, Orly Crush On You, China Glaze Red Satin, Lorelei's Tiara, and Liquid Leather.

I also managed the right hand.  Not as good as the left, but still pretty good if I do say so myself.

Take a peek at the other designers, the are fabulous!

Tootles!
Fitz

12 Days of Christmas: Candy Cane

Part of the joy of Christmas, for me, is the memories from previous Christmases.  There are so many sights, sounds, and smells that trigger wonderful memories with my family.  I am very blessed to have an amazing, loving family that I can share my joys and sorrows with.  The candy cane is linked to one of those memories.  Every year on Christmas Eve we read a story called Please Teach The Children.  It talks about the different symbols of Christmas and what they mean.  When I was in high school, as a family, we went to San Francisco and handed out candy canes with this message from the story on it. 

Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherd’s crook, which He uses to reach down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray. The candy cane represents the helping hand we should show at Christmas time. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother’s keepers.

Each member of my family has fond memories from those days of the people we met and talked to and every time I see a candy cane I am taken back to that day to be reminded of the lessons I learned.  That is what I love about Christmas.

Enough sappy stuff!  On to the manicure!

I am really loving playing with loose glitter right now.  I think I have told you that before and I am sure I will say it again. . .

I used China Glaze Def Defying and then individual placed red and silver glitter for peppermint, blingy french tip.

It is simple, but sometimes simple is the most effective.  I am really happy with how this turned out.  I saw it in my head and it worked just as I planned.  It is always nice when that is the case.   

Be sure to check out the other artists, their work is amazing!

Tootles!

Fitz 

P.S. If you would like a copy of the story, then let me know. 

12 Days of Christmas: Holiday Song

Today's theme was Holiday Song.  Originally I thought of Silver Bells, but then Little Town of Bethlehem came to mind and I did some image searches and found this.

There are a lot of city scape nail designs out there and I decided to try my hand at them and use it as a way to suggest Bethlehem.

I know this looks messy, but the problem is I should not have used China Glaze Hanging In The Balance.  I love the color, but it stains something fierce.  Well, if you've done a gradient before, you know it gets rather messy.  I used nails polish remover, I scrubbed, I slept with lotion and gloves, I scrubbed some more, and used more nail polish remover.  Yeah, I cleaned it up as best as I could without taking it off completely.  So then lesson for you is, only use this color in controlled, small amounts.

I also used China Glaze Spontaneous, White-On-White, Fairy Dust, Happy Go Lucky, and Liquid Leather.  Then the star is some loose glitter I bought on ebay.

I hope you can see the starlight shinning down.  I think the star and its light are my favorite part.

Check out the other participants if you have a chance they are some amazing artists.

Tootles!
Fitz

12 Days of Christmas: Christmas Tree

So I joined another challenge.  I know what you are thinking, that I am crazy with the 31 one day challenge going on as well.  I couldn't help it, seeing as it is a Christmas challenge plus I have over 2/3rds of the 31 day challenge written and 4 more manicures done and waiting to be blogged and scheduled.  I think I can make it work.  I will still have to double up on weekends, but I really want to try.  So, the Christmas challenge posts will be more real time.

Something horrible happened yesterday and I ripped my thumb nail.  It wasn't a just a break.  It was painful and bled.  It still throbs today.  So last night, before I did this manicure, I filed down all my other nails, not as short as thumb, so goodbye long pretty nails.  They are still long, just definitely not as long.  I also have a band-aid on my thumb, so you will see that in the background.  I didn't even bother painting my left thumb, so the pic later on is my right.

So the theme today was Christmas trees.  I Have A Cupcake did an awesome design and tutorial a couple of days ago.  In fact this design was the reason I decided to do this challenge, because it gave me an excuse to do it.

I did my own take on it and used loose glitter stars from Artclub to top the trees.  I also just used green glitter for the actual trees, because I wanted them to sparkle.  Sad thing is I couldn't capture the gorgeous sparkle due to the icky weather we are having.

The polishes were China Glaze Red Satin, Winter Holly, and City Siren which was the background dots.

Don't forget to take a look at all the other participants.  There are a lot of gorgeous manicures!

Tootles!
Fitz