Day 20 in the 33DC - A pattern from my wardrobe

Day 20 in the 33DC - A pattern from my wardrobe

With the weather officially miserable and winter is firmly on it's way I anted to do something which reminds me of warmer days and sunshine.

This sheer jacket has purple and cream flowers all over it. You cant really see the purple in the photo but trust me there is purple in there, I promise!  I was going to try the one stroke technique to do the flowers but I don't have the right brush so had to make do with and old make-up brush and layer white over the purple.

For my base I've used Rimmel, Chic and Cheerful. Simple Pleasures un-named purple and Models Own Snow White. adding the detail with Models Own Black nail art pen.

 

 

 

what they looked like before I added the black outline, I think I liked them more with out :)

Day 19 in the 33DC - follow someone's tutorial

Day 19 in the 33DC - follow someone's tutorial

I've wanted to try cartoon nails ever since I first sore them. I love how they look and was keen to try them.

This tutorial is by Procrastinails, please check out her blog: http://procrastinails.blogspot.co.uk/
She has made this look so simple when in reality this was harder than I thought! I'm not as steady or as neat as I want to be and I think with practise, patience and lots more practise I'm determined to master this design.

Once I'd finished I did another search and found another ways on how to create this look. they all start with a black base and then once dry adding the colour over the top leaving a slim black edge. Looking back I with I'd done it this way round. next time I do them I try it this way around so I have something to compare against.  I wonder which way round will win??

 

For my nails I've used  Models Own Pro, Black Jack and NYC Spring Tulip and a un-named white stamping polish for the 'shine' mark. I added Rimmel Matte finish to remove the shine from the polish which adds to the effect. I waited an hour before added the matte top coat but yet still it made the black run.

Halloween nails

 

Halloween nails :)

Day 18 in the 33DC - featuring 2 patterns

Day 18 is a mani featuring 2 patterns.

This challenge is certainly turning into a challenge with each prompt. How was I to incorporate two patterns into one mani?! I could do each pattern on a different nail? change of the colour/direction of the pattern - once decided on what pattern of course.

I was going to go for spots and stripes but thought that would be the safe option and the point of doing a nail challenge like this one it to try new things and be more creative.

So I used Models Own, Snow White for the base and Barry M Black nail art pen for the black stripes. I didn't want to faff around with striping tape trying to get perfect straight lines because I was going to added another pattern over the top so you wouldn't see the lines completely (well that was the plan) I went over the black and white stripes with Models Own, Smash up Pink.

I was hoping that the pink would be thicker, bolder and not as transparent as it turned out to be - to be honest it was a little disappointing. I wanted the pink to be bold and then through the cracks it created you'd pot the black and white lines but in the end it turned out looking more like a red/pink brick wall!!

  

Day 17 in the 33DC - artwork featuring your favourite brand

Day 17 in the 33DC - artwork featuring your favourite brand

This post is gonna be two in one, 33DC and Halloween :)

It's no secret that my favourite nail polish brand is Models Own. I last counted how many bottle I had back in July and the magic number was 50, I know I've added a few more to the collection so I'm fast approaching 60 :)  

I've used Becca's Brown, Concrete Mixer, Nude Beige, Snow White and Jacks black.

Day 16 in the 33DC - South America

Day 16 is South America in the 33DC.

I had no idea where to start when I sore todays prompt. I had images of white sand beaches, lost Aztec villages, carnivals and vibrant colours. This got me scared, how was I supposed to apply this to my nails!? I headed hesitantly to Google image search and typed in 'simple south American design' a few pages down I spotted this.

"Each quilt is a unique, one-of-a-kind work of art with visually arresting patterns ranging from traditional to original designs, from patchwork quilts, to story quilts and strip quilts, each distinguished by a lively improvisation that juxtaposes bright or subdued colors with bold design"

 

That paragraph says it all, bright or subdued colours with bold design. this to me sums up south American design and I love the design of the quilt.

 

I own a few blue polishes but strangely I don't have a clean bold blue like the one in the quilt so I used Sally Hansen, Xtreme wear, Navy blue because it has this wonderful subtle shimmer that is almost the right shade of blue :)  I've also used a Barry M nail pen, in white to draw on the line freehand (not very neatly though!) and used an un named red.

 

Looking back I guess I could have used tape to do the lines but that would have lost a bit of the charm.

 

Day 15 in the 33DC - Animals

Day 15 is all about animals

I would normally have gone straight for leopard print or tiger stripes as I love animal print but I wanted to something different. I tried to think of another animal print and found it quite hard to think anything other than Giraffe, Snake, Fish or Zebra. These all sounded too tricky to put onto a nail so I headed to Google for inspiration.

The cow print was the design that took my eye and this is what I did. (please ignore the messy sides, I didn't do a clean up before I took the pics)

I've used Models Own, Snow White and Barry M nail art pen.

Day 14 in the 33DC - Abstract

Day 14 is Abstract

I've used Sally Hansen Instra dry, Coco a-go-go and Models Own, Blue Moon for the base. the added the black a white lines using Barry M Nail pens.

This designed worked so much better in my head. It turned out a bit dull and unexciting and I'm not overly happy with my index finger with the bulls eye/target turning into a messy splodge but I do like the patterns and criss-cross lines this designed brings.

Please check out the other people joining in with the 33DC.

Day 13 in the 33DC - Chinese

Day 13 is Chinese

When I think of China and all things Chinese, I instantly think of a few things .... red, gold, dragons, noodles and lanterns. I had no idea how I was going to put a dragon on my nail or even noodles come to that!

I liked the idea of doing sky lanterns, I tried and failed so I went for red and gold. I've used Collection 2000 Scarlet for the red base. Then I used a gold foil that came in my Rio foil set. The thumb nail came out really well I'm super chuffed. Just look how shinny and reflective it is - just beautiful The ring finger was meant to be a swirl/spiral but turned more into a foil mess but I like the effect anyway.

Day 12 in the 33DC - A pattern in your home

Day 12 in the 33DC - A pattern in your home

I've wanted to re-create this vase pattern for some time. The cream colour dripping down over the deep red is just gorgeous don't you think?

I've used Sally Hansen Berry Sweet which is a truly stunning deep red. The camera has made the red look more pink but in true life the colour is rich and almost an autumn berry. I've used a thin brush to sweep No7 So Simple over the top. It's a neutral cream colour that looks a little lost on it's own but perfect when paired with a bold colour,

I'm happy with how these nails have turned out but I'd love to know what you think!

 

Day 11 in the 33DC - 3D

Day 11 in the 33DC - 3D

I was hoping to do so much more for this prompt. I had big plans but yet again I ran out of time and had to do theses nails quickly. I've added a blue tear drop gem to each nail, this is my 'nod' to the 3D element in to challenge.

I've used from thumb to pinkie:
Models Own Blue Moon
Models Own Beth's Blue
Models Own Feeling Blue
Models Own Dream Steam
Models Own Betty Blue

Day 10 in the 33DC - Flowers

Day 10 is Flowers

These nails were done in a hurry and are not as neat or as pretty as I wish they were. The colours are bolder and as I was aiming for a playful, cartoon effect but I feel they look more like a pre-school painting.

Am I happy with them? No. Do I have enough time to redo them? Nope. Am I brave enough to show you? Yes. Will I learn to plan my time, not rush by doing my nails on the evening of the challenge ... urm - hopefully :)

Day 9 in the 33DC - Indian

Day 9 is here and the prompt is Indian.

My first idea when I spotted this was curry! I love Indian food so much but I wasn't sure how to paint a curry onto my nails. My boyfriend Andrew suggested poppadoms which are fab but again difficult to portray in nail polish. So after a little discussion of all things Indian, Henna was chosen to be the star of this challenge.

All the images of henna I found where stunning, creative and so unbelievably beautiful I knew I wasn't going to be able to create anything as close. I did the designs on plain (naked) nails using Models Own nail art pen.

 I had to practise on paper before hand. some designs came out better than others.

 

 

Day 8 in the 33DC - Chevrons

Day 8 in the 33DC is Chevrons.

Wow this was harder than I thought it would be! My initial plan was to tape every nail and do a gradient over the top. well that didn't work, not one little bit. So bad was the result I didn't finish doing the other nails and reached straight for the remover!

In the end I managed to do one nail with a simple layer of Models Own Sterling Silver over Sally Hansen, Forever Lilac Diamond Strength. I'm not entirely happy but that's all your gonna get.

*note to self must practise chevrons*

Day 7 in 33DC - Art with your oldest untried.

Day 7 is here and so far I'm keeping up with the pace, I'm quite chuffed with myself to be honest!

Three post each week for 11 weeks and with the build up to Christmas I'm going to have to plan and use my spare time productively!

So on with todays nail. I've used W7 Silver for my base. this polish was given to me as a birthday gift from my friends at work (back in may) it came with another bottle full of teeny tiny beads. I've used the beads before but not the polish until now. The silver is shimmery and metallic it so reflective I've had issues when taken the photos because it just kept bouncing the light back.

I've used Sally Hansen, Salon, Navy Baby and WOW this is just gorgeous! I can't wait to use this again the colour is super deep and stunning and applied really well.

The gradient isn't perfect and I need more practise but I love how bold the Navy baby looks against the metallic silver.

Day 6 in 33DC - Texture

Day 6 is Texture.

I have only recently purchased my first bottle of textured polish. Barry M, Atlantic Road caught my eye because of the wonderfully fresh blue colour.

I wasn't sure how I was going to use a textured polish to create a design so I kept it simple, framing Atlantic road with a base layer of Models Own, Snow White.

I'm please with how this turned out to be honest/ A glossy white edge and a blue textured middle. I'll be doing this kind of design again because it was quick to do and made my nails look long, some kind of optical illusion going on :)

Day 5 in the 33DC - Mexican

Mexican is the name of the game today.

Another tricky task. Not to much to talk about with theses nails, I don't like them and ran out of time to anything else :(

I've used Models Own Sun Kissed and Collection 2000 Hot looks, Scarlet. both have a lovely shimmer to them. I was hoping to add a bit of interest to the background but I'm not sure it worked.

 

Nacho nails! lol