Go ndéana an diabhal dréimire de cnámh do dhroma ag piocadh úll i ngairdín Ifrinn

And the translation is, “May the devil make a ladder of your back bones while picking apples in the garden of hell!”  I love how colorful these sayings are.  You really can get a good visual!

Here is just a simple little rainbow.  I know, not too fancy.  I had the idea in my head and figured it was an excellent St. Patrick's Day manicure.  Although, if you decide to do a design like this and want to do all of the colors of the rainbow, make sure you put them in the right order the first time or that you are not a perfectionist and can live with mistake.  Otherwise you end up doing the rainbows again!

This may look simple, but it did take a lot of colors.  The background is China Glaze Kinetic Candy and the clouds are Nina Ultra Pro French White.  The sparkle is provided by China Glaze Fairy Dust.  Now to the rainbow colors in no particular order Finger Paints Spun Sugar, China Glaze Electric Beat, Lemon Fizz,  Def Defying, Papaya Punch, and Wicked Style.  My KC, one of my go to light blues, is getting kind of thick and low which means I may need to hunt down a new one.

I am sure there are many designs like this out there, but it was nice to do some hand painting again.  I have been doing so much stamping that it is nice to know I can still do hand designs.  Also please ignore my broken thumb nail.  It breaks like this sometimes and I didn't want to completely cut it off. . .

Tootles!
Fitz

Go n-ithe an tochas thú

Today's Irish expletive means, "May you be eaten by the itch!"  I can see how that would be down right scary!

I love water marbling.  I mean honestly, the effect is gorgeous!  The only problem is the mess and my lack of skill at getting my finger in just the right spot.  So when I saw this tutorial on how to make water marble decal stickers by Sonal Sagaraya I HAD to give it a try!  And let me say, I am in love!  This was so much easier and less messy!  Also there is a lot less nail polish waste.

I used three colors for this design Julep Courtney, China Glaze Def Defying, and Holly-Day.  I also was able to get all 10 nail done with two stickers.  That really is less polish wasted!

Sorry about all the pictures.  What can I say, I am in love with this technique!  You will most assuredly be seeing more water marbling from me.  I think I may want to try a pattern soon. . .

Tootles!
Fitz

Conversations Matter

I have wanted to do a manicure like this for a very long time, I think since I started doing nail art.  When I got Bundle Monster's most recent stamping plates I knew this would be the year.

I used a lot of polishes, so are you ready?  In no particular order, China Glaze Def Defying, Kinetic Candy, Finger Paints Cicus Peanuts, Spun Sugar, Julep Bea, Konad Special Red, and Special White.  That is a . . . finger full!  You see what I did there?  For the stamping I used Bundle Monster BM-421 and BM-425.  It makes me laugh that DD changed SW yellow, but it's okay.  I still like it.

My thumb up close.  Circus Peanuts is one of my favorite polishes and I was happy to find an excuse to use it.

This manicure isn't perfect, but I am still really happy with it.  It reminds me how small my nails really are.  The stamps barely fit on my nail and forget about my pinkie nail!  It also shows me I need some more practice when it come to being exact about stamp placement.  I did get a lot of complements on it and amazement at the writing.  This was definitely a good mani to end the Holiday on.

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

31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 8: Polka Dots

I am not going to give a long intro, because this is a pretty straight forward design.  I give you. . . POLKA DOTS!

I feel it is a very festive look.  I am really liking China Glaze Def Defying.  I can't decide if I have Kermit or Elphaba on my nails.  I doesn't help that I want to call the polish Defying Gravity.  It isn't easy being green.  The dots were done in China Glaze Red Satin, Holly-Day, and Glitter All The Way.

These are of my right hand.  I am always happy when that hand turns out, but dots are relatively easy to do.  I like simple manicures that still look like they took tons of time.

Don't forget dot over to the other participants blogs.  (Dot over?  Is that a thing?  Sometimes it is hard to come up with puns. . .)

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.