Fifty Shades of Gray or Grey

Do I have any intention of seeing, let alone reading Fifty Shades of Gray?  No, I don't.  It is not really. . . my cup of tea.  If you want to see or read it, more power to you.  What is my "cup of tea," is the plethora of gray manicures that have become popular due to its eminent cinematic release (Now there is 100 dollar phrase if I ever saw one).  I saw one released by OPI (Which I now can't find), and I thought, hey I could take that up a notch.

Since I don't have the original design you can't see how took it up a notch, but trust me I  did.  The original design had all solid colors, but for my design I used Betina B-07 to get the heart design.

I don't own the OPI colors, so I made use of what I had.  The colors are, in no particular oder, Julep Braiden, Sally Hansen Big Smoky Top Coat, Konad Special Black, China Glaze Concrete Catwalk, Elephant Walk, Merry Berry, and Pelican Gray.

Julep Braiden is a matte texture polish, but it doesn't soak up top coat like other texture polishes do, so when I put a top coat on it the cool difference between it and the shiny red heart was no longer apparent, so I used Essise Matte About You to make it matte again and then put top coat only on the heart.

I hope you like my Fifty Shades of Gray manicure.  It is simple, but I love it anyways.

Tootles!
Fitz

Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh, Cicero, Lipschitz!

I have a co-worker and friend who loves is obsessed with Elvis Presley.  She gave me a CD of her favorite Elvis song.  I was looking at the list and when seeing Heartbreak Hotel and Jail Hose Rock, this design of a heart behind bars came to mind.  But I was missing how that fit into a theme and when talking to my Mom, she brought up Cell Block Tango from Chicago.  So I thought of blood splatter on my other nails.

The colors I used were Nina Ultra Pro French White, China Glaze Red Satin,  Merry Berry, Concrete Catwalk, and Elephant Walk.  I tried to highlight and shadow a bit and mixed colors to get the light and dark.

So the blood splatter nails. . . The first time I did them was with a Bundle Monster stamping plate and Konad Special Red.  It didn't turn out.  So I tried again trying to splatter it with a straw.  Well, the straw didn't work at all.  I think I needed to use a stir-stick straw, rather than the regular one I used. . . So I ended up dry brushing it on.  I am still not happy with it, but I had no other ideas.  Eh.

I am really rather proud of this.  I know the highlights on the bars could be a bit more subtle, but I still love it.

I am not sure if this constitutes a Valentine's Day design, but will just it does.  You know the extreme negative Valentine manicure.

Tootles!
Fitz

31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 22: Gradient

Today we have Gradients and I am sure you know by now that I am writing some of these from the past. . . Ooooooo. . .   Actually it would probably be cooler/spookier if it was from the future, but The Doc and I are still working out the kinks in his flux capacitor.

To the point!  Today is my first day on my cruise and I am sure I am loving every minute of it (does this feel odd to anyone else?), so to celebrate my tropical Christmas I bring you tropical gradient.

Ta-da!  I have done something similar before.  Actually this is kind of a mani I did on myself and a pedicure I did on my Mom smooshed together.  Perhaps someday I will blog those pictures.  Anyways, I used my favorite orange.  Not just because of the gorgeous color but also the name makes me smile uncontrollably, Finger Paints Circus Peanuts.  Polish Ninja has an excellent swatch of this if you are interested.  I also used China Glaze Sugar High, Happy Go Lucky, and Concrete Catwalk.

The thumb has a lone palm tree.  It is very dessert island.  All you need is Wilson.

A few more shots with the last one being of my right hand.  I know, it is just the gradient, but when I did this I had a hard day at work and I didn't want to possibly get more frustrated then I already was.  That was also why I chose to do the design when I did so I had a happy reminder of what was to come.

Bon Voyage all!  When I speak to you from the present I will be tan, happy, relaxed, and raving about Belieze!

The other talented participants will change you for the better if you let them!

Tootles!
Fitz

31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 21: Galaxy

Some of blog posts I seem to give an elaborate set-up and then others . . . not so much.  This will fall into the not-so-much category.

I saw The Daily Nail do this design and I thought if I was going to do a galaxy design on my own nails for the first time lets do something different and awesome.  I like it.  I do, I am just not sure how much.  Can you tell it is supposed to be the moon and the galaxy in the background?  I hope you can. . .

I used a lot of colors, just like any other galaxy manicure.  The starry galaxy color was Sephora by OPI If You've Got It, Haunt It.  The other colors were all China Glaze.  I used Pelican Gray, White-On-White, Concrete Catwalk, Happy Go Lucky, Electric Beat, Urban-Night, and Wicked Style.  Whew!  That is a finger full!

A few more shots ending with thumbs.  The last thumb, my right one, I think is the best nail.  If you have any ideas for what I can do next time that might make this a bit better I would love the advice.

The other ladies' manicures are out of this world and you better freeze time to check them out!  (If you get that reference, than you get a gold star in heaven!)

Tootles!
Fitz

31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 20: Emotion

Aliens, ghosts, the dark.  What emotion could I possibly be doing.  Do you need another hint?  Snail.  Yes, I said it SNAILS.

Okay, so maybe you don't find them scary, but I know someone who does.  This person will go un-named, because quite frankly I try very hard not to tease her about it, even though I find it kind of funny.  So, to justify putting a snail on my nail and calling it fear, I added what the snail would be afraid of.  SALT!  Dun-dun-dun!

I hope you can see the little guys slow run away.  I am discovering the effects you can do with matte polish.  I used China Glaze Gaga For Green, Concrete Cat Walk, White-on-White, Millennium, and Cover Girl Continuous Color Tickled Pink.  Oh, and don't forget Essie Matter About You.  The little guy, we shall call him Gus, was done with Cheeky plate CH43.

The embodiment of fear by its self!

I was honestly at a loss as to what to do, but once I figured it out I had a lot of fun.  I am really proud of this.  Maybe the next time I see my friend this might be on my nails. . . but then I might not have a friend anymore. . .

Don't forget to emote with all the other participants!

Tootles!
Fitz

31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 17: Match Your Outfit

Let me tell you a little story.  Once upon a time a girl meets another girl.  This second girl owns the most amazing shoes.  They are not like any other shoes the first girl had ever seen before.   They were pink, which normally the first girl doesn't like, sparkly, and converse.  Well, both girls become friends, best friends even with a feeling almost like sisters.  The second girl lets the first girl borrow these amazing shoes anytime she would like since they are roommates now and are the same small foot size.  Well the second girl leaves and goes to Scotland for a year and half and tells the first girl to watch over her wonderful shoes until one day she will return again.  First girl loved these shoes, but tried not wear them too often for fear of them being ruined and the second girl being sad when she saw them again.  Second girls came home and took the shoes and lost them and first girl still loves second girl, but she misses the shoes terribly.

In homage to these wonder of wonder shoes, I give you pink, sparkly, converse nails.

First girl loves these nails, but not as much as the shoes.  However she did cry a little when they were removed so a new manicure could take their place.

I used Finger Paints Hue Left A Message?, China Glaze Concrete Catwalk, Millennium, and White-On-White.

The thumb all by its lonesome.  It needs a mate.

I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did and "first girl" did.  All the other lovely ladies' outfits are swinging!

Tootles!
Fitz

31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 6: Animal

I have always loved dophins, and most people get that.  They can understand why I find them incredible.  With their beauty, intelligence, and power it is not hard to find them appealing.  My other favorite animal however, people usually are a bit more perplexed by.  Manatees are gentle and sweet.  They choose to live in two worlds, salt water and fresh water.  They are also very intelligent.  On a whole they are solitary creatures except when mating or when the mother cares for her calf.  

I can't say which I like more manatees or dolphins.  I have a dolphin on another manicure later this month and I thought I should do both of my favorites.  I looked to see if anyone else had attempted a manatee manicure, but I didn't find any, so this is completely my own.  I hope you like it and that you can tell what it is.

This manicure called for a lot of blending and mixing.  I used China Glaze Liquid Leather, Recycle, Concrete Catwalk, and Pelican Gray and mixed them in different varieties to get the darks and lights.  I used Immortal on all my other nails.

It was a bit hard to not take a lot of pictures.  I am really proud of this little guy.  I looked at pictures and just went with it.  If you can see anyway to improve on him, please let me know.  I want to do this again and hope I will get better at him.

All the other participants deserve a look at their wild nails, so don't forget to check them out!

Tootles!
Fitz

31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 1: Band

If you were to ask what is my favorite band I would not hesitate to answer, Blue October.  What can I say, I love them.  In fact I had the opportunity to meet their lead singer/songwriter Justin Furstenfeld a few years ago.  I have never considered myself a fan girl, but I could not stop smiling.  My sister went with me and she thought it was hilarious.  Me, I was just happy.  You don't know who they are?  Shame on you!  Youtube search, Calling you, Hate Me, Congratulations, and/or Dirt Room (or you can just clink on the links I gave you).  Oh and did I mention that Justin F. is ever so very attractive?  Well, he is.  So, if I am going to be inspired by a band, let be inspired by one of the most poetic and soulfully dark bands around.

I love this!  I am so proud of it.  I saw Simply Rins original design a while ago and when I was thinking what to do I immediately thought of it.  I of course used blue for the background, China Glaze Blue Bells Ring, and then I did the ombre in white to dark gray, White-on-White and Concrete Catwalk, and mixed them together for the middle hue.

My only beef with this was taking it off.  I love BBR, it is a gorgeous metallic blue!  However, it is a BEAST to take off.  It stained my nails and my fingers.  It is definitely only worth it if you wear it for a while.  Luckily I got two manicures out of this one, so it felt worth it.

My thumb all alone.

These pics were done indoors due to the buckets of rain we are getting right now, but the kitchen lighting isn't half bad.  You will be seeing it again.  I can say this, because I did a lot more designs before this one and I took photos on the kitchen.

There are a symphony of other artists that participated and you really should go have a look.

Tootles!
Fitz

TIHNAC #9

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea. 
~Edgar Allen Poe

Spooky, romantic graveyards are the prompt this time.  I have to admit I love graveyards.  I have always been fascinated by the lives long forgotten buried beneath the surface.  My mind tends to wander and fabricate stories about the names etched on the stones.   Maybe I shouldn't be admiting this to you. . . I hope I haven't weirded you out. . .

On to the manicure!

I found this lovely design by I Have a Cupcake and knew I had to try it!  It is completely romantic and spooky and I had to try my hand at the hand!  I am so proud of this!

I used Essie Matte top coat for a change.  I thought it made it look more like fog and more organic.  The polishes are China Glaze Recycle  and Concrete Catwalk.  I did a gradient of Recycle as the background.  I Have a Cupcake showed using your finger to make the gradient effect, so I thought I would try the technique.  I am not sure if I like it.  I think I might have to try it again with a darker color sometime so I can see the effect more clearly.

A close up of my thumb.

 Then the a couple of shots in the shade.

I really did love doing this manicure and I hope you like it too.  Don't foget to to check out all the other talented participants, they really are fabulous!

Tootles!
Fitz