52 Week Challege: Two Color Gradient.

My first Halloween nail art of the year!!!  Oh How I love this time of the year!  I do have some manicures from last year that I didn't post, so I will be filtering those in.  For now this is all new and for Crumpet's Nail Tarts!

I tried and tried to clean this up and I still don't think it is completely free from residue.  On my hands it looks awesome, however in the pictures the imperfections are seen.  That doesn't mean I am not in love with this design, I really am!  I am sad I won't be keeping it for very long. . .  The cost of doing nail art challenges.

This was done with Julep Cleopatra which is a matte black, but I used top coat on it and so it shines brilliantly!  The other main polish is Pacifica Red Red Wine.  I got this in my September Ipsy box.  I really like the color.  It is dark and rich.  However, like many a dark reds, it does stain a bit.  Consequently I had clean-up issues, as previously mentioned.  I did use the Elmer's Glue method, so it could have been a lot worse.  After I sponged the two colors on, I used Konad Special Black and Winstonia W116 to stamp the bats on my ring finger and thumb.

A nice, simple Halloween look.  Who could ask for anything more?  Make sure to check out the other participants!

Tootles!
Fitz

An InLinkz Link-up

Don't Let Awareness Fade

Okay, this is what I did last night and I am really rather proud of it!  The design is based on one by Nail Polish Anon.  I saw it on a Pintrest board and had to try it myself.  Luckily I had teal loose glitter in my stash. . .

So I used Julep Lissa, Essie Where's My Chauffer?, and Nina Ultra Pro French White.

To help with cleanup I used a technique that has been going around on the web for a little while.  You use Elmer's Glue around the nail and a little farther up your finger (I tried to find the original person, but there are so many.  Google it if you need clarification).  After I sponged my design and everything dried I just peeled off the glue for clean-up!  This made it so much easier to do this technique and I am much more likely to do gradients in the future!  (In fact I have an idea for later. . .)

This is what it looks like in the shade.

I really love this design!  Remember to spread awareness for Ovarian Cancer!  Be aware of the symptoms as there is no screening test for it.  You have to be proactive and aware of your body.

Tootles!
Fitz

Gradient French Manicure. . . Fail

Sometimes I think the blog medium is rather fortunate, because I am so hyper right now if I was speaking to you I would be talking a million words a minute.  This is what happens when you don't drink caffeine and you have two very strong black teas to keep a migraine at bay.  I feel like my skin can't completely hold me in.  I don't know how those with ADD or ADHD do it.  (If that comment is offensive to anyone I am sorry, I don't mean it that way)

On to the manicure and all its. . . Well, you'll see.

I was trying to imitate this elegant design by Door Sixteen.  I think the nude is the wrong color for my skin tone and that I should have sponged both colors on rather than what I did, which was sponge just the dark brown.

I used China Glaze Sunset Sail and Sephora by OPI I'm With Brad.

To me, SS looks too plastic and fake.  I have never tried to find my manikin color, but I think I may need to start that quest.

This is not the last time you will see this design, I will try it again when I have found a better nude color, in the meantime I think I will do it again tonight with more traditional French manicure colors (pink and white).  Hopefully that will help calm me down. . .

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

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