31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 30: Food

Who doesn't love a good burger and fries?  I certainly do and then if you add onion rings it makes it an even better treat.  I don't really drink soda, but I figured others do, so why not?  If you prefer a veggie or turkey burger, then that is what this is.

I saw this design by Pixiepolish and I thought it was too cute not to pass up, but I also had to add some side dishes.

The list of polishes used is rather long, so I guess I better start now.  OPI Schnapps Out of It, Finger Paints Paper Mâchè, China Glaze Kalahari Kiss, For Audry, Lemon Fizz, Desert Sun, Papaya Punch, Unplugged, Hey Sailor, and Gaga For Green.  Whew!  That is a lot of colors, plus I mixed two colors DS and PM for the highlight on the onion rings and then LF and PP for the shading on the fries. 

My thumb taking its close-up.

I did a much simpler version on my right hand with the burgers as accent nails.

I am really pleased with how this turned out.  I hope you like it too.  Don't forget to check out all the other talented participants!  Their designs are a feast for the eyes!

Tootles!
Fitz

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

31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 10: Native Plant

I had a really hard time coming up with something for this theme.  There are actually a lot themes I am having trouble with.  Some I have too many ideas and others I have none.  This time I had none.  That is until I was thinking about the Christmases I spent as a kid with my family in the Sierra Nevadas, Strawberry to be exact, at our cabin.  Up there sometimes you would find a Snow Plant or Sarcodes.  They are a bright red fungi that are protected due to their infrequency.

So my inspiration is determined and now I give you my rendition.

They say that they are found in the spring, but I remember seeing them in the snow, so that is why I did it on the white polish.  However I couldn't find a picture of them in the snow.  Oh well.  We will chalk it up to artistic license.

I used Finger Paints Paper Mâchè, China Glaze Brownstone, and Hey Sailor.  I mixed HS and PM for the lightest color.

I hope you like it.  Don't forget to look at the other designers' and let their ideas take root.

Tootles!
Fitz

31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 7: Balck and White

I want to make something perfectly clear.  I am not a Star Wars fan.  You can ask my friend Sarah, she has had to drag me to see the movies.  I do love the Star Tours ride at Disney Land, but who doesn't?  When I saw Cutepolish's design I had to try it and it is black and white, so fits into the prompt perfectly!  Its a win-win.

See, black and white!  Totally fits and was fun to create.

A shot in the shade.

A few more shots for you to enjoy. 

There are a lot of excellent designs from the participants and you would be missing something if you didn't check them out.

Tootles!
Fitz

31 Nail Art Challenge Take Two Day 5: Cartoon

So this isn't technically a cartoon, but he is so cute and a friend made the request, so I felt like I should oblige her.



See, he is adorable. So here is the manicure.

I used China Glaze Liquid Leather, Dessert Sun, Call of the Wild, Finger Paints Art You Blue, and Paper Mâchè.

There are a lot of different ideas out there, so google cookie monster nail art, and you might find something you like more.

The thumb all alone.

The nice thing is the simplicity.  You really could do this easily if you are just starting out.  Just make sure you are careful and don't smudge the chocolate chips.  ;)

The other artists have sketched out some awesome designs too and you better not miss them!

Tootles!
Fitz

Blue gold!

I while back I received several polishes from a friend.  They were all ones that she and her daughter no longer use and she thought I might like them.  I figured a free way to feed my addiction hobby was a good thing and so kindly thanked her for the wondeful gift.  As I went throught them there were a couple of OPI polishes and one day I was bored and thought I would look up one of them online and see what other people had done with it.  You can't imagine my shock to learn that OPI DS Glamour was a highly sought after color.

It really is a very pretty blurple duo chrome.  This pictures do not do it justice.  I couldn't leave it completly alone so after a couple of days of wear time I decided to add the clouds in Finger Paints Paper Mâchè and China Glaze Electric Beat.  I really like the subtle accent nail, that way you don't miss out on the gorgeous color.

I am so grateful for the gift and I intended to use the colors as often as I can, which I do use them from time to time.  Usually if it is Cover Girl it came from this gifted stash.

Tootles!
Fitz

I am the Pumpkin King!

Happy Halloween!

After so many Halloween manicures I wasn't going to do another one, but you see my favorite movie is Nightmare Before Christmas.   I have seen so many different versions of this manicure.  I just had to do it too.  It seemed like sacrilege if I didn't.  So without further ado, I give you Jack Skellington!

The thumb and ring finger each have a different Jack face, some turned out better than others.  The left hand ring finger is supposed to be embarrassed.  I used Finger Paints Paper Mâchè, Sephora by OPI If You've Got It Haunt It, and China Glaze Liquid Leather.

My thumb on my left hand is supposed to be smiling to the side.

My right ring finger is supposed to screaming.

My right thumb is supposed to be winking, but he looks inebriated in my opinion.  All in all I am very happy with this design.  I feel like I paid the proper homage and we can now end Halloween the right way.  

I hope you all had a frightfully good night and all you boys and ghouls are now tucked in bed while sugar bones dance in your heads.  As for me I will always be fond of that skeleton man.

Tootles!

Fitz

TIHNAC #11

The Final challenge is to recreate another participants art.  There are so many amazing manicures to choose from it was really hard to choose.  I believe I mentioned that I like graveyards, so I decided to recreate Amoki's design. 

I loved the simplicity of it.  I didn't have the exact colors, so I improvised.  I used Finger Paints
Paper Mâchè and Meet Me At The Met.  MYATM is a gorgeous gun metal gray.  Then I used China Glaze First Mate.  The white seemed a bit to stark for me, so I tried to tone it down with Sinful Dare.  I guess that is an old color, but it was given to me.  It doesn't really show up, but hey I tried

First Mate photographed a bit brighter than it is in person.

My thumb all by its lonesome.

This photo was outside, but in the shade.

I really had so much fun doing this.  I think it was a good way to dip my toe into the realm of challenges.  I am also so very inspired by all the other talented participants.  Thank you for letting me join your ranks.

Tootles!
Fitz

TIHNAC #8

The theme for today is witches.  I was inspired by two different artists and decided to incorporate both ArcadiaNailArt and Nails In Nippon.  Well, mine did not turn out as well.  First of all, it is a lot harder to draw a silhouette then I thought it would be.  (That is what the ring finger is supposed to be, a silhouette of a witch)  Secondly, China Glaze Mummy May I was not the best choice as the background color.  It made everything too dark.  Oh well, you can win the all.  I did learn a few things and I had fun, that is all that matters, right?  Right?

Dotting tools were my friend though all of this, of and a detail brush.  Besides Mummy May I, I used China Glaze Tree Hugger, Electric Beat, Glitter Goblin, Hey Sailor, Liquid Leather, and of course Finger Paints Paper Mâchè.

The other problem was squeezing in time to take the pictures.  Consequently I am losing daylight supper fast.

All in all, it wasn't an epic fail, I just felt I could have done better if I had the time to do it again.  Maybe next year.



Don't forget to check out all the other participants.  Their talent is awe inspiring!

Tootles!
Fitz

TIHNAC #6

Twinkle, twinkle little bat

How I wonder what you're at

Up above the world you fly

Like a tea tray in the sky

Twinkle, twinkle little bat

How I wonder what you're at

~ Lewis Carroll

If you had not guessed the theme today is bats.  Now, a word of warning.  I had WAY too much fun with the camera this go around.  Having my friend Sarah help me last time made me realize how much fun I could have posing and using different backgrounds outside.  Plus I was at my folks' house and there is a plethora (Jefe, what is a plethora?) of fun plants and such.

Tada!  This is a bit more elegant than my previous designs, and I like it.  I used a tutorial by Lady Leyel as inspiration.

 Obviously not as well done as hers, but I look back on my first attempts at nail art and I have grown so much.

I told you that tree would pop up again.  I used my favorite white, Finger Paints Paper Mâchè and I didn't want to use plain black.  I wanted to kick it up a notch, so dusted off China Glaze Haunting.

My right hand wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

I don't know why, but I really liked how my right pinkie turned out, but the picture doesn't do it justice.

Of course we also have my thumb.

Check out all the other lovely ladies while you have a moment, you are sure to get a scream.

Tootles!
Fitz