Dot Mani

The One With the Random ORLY Gradient Manicure

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing today?  The weekend is almost here, as is July.  Seriously, can you believe the Fourth of July is next Wednesday?  Goodness I haven't even thought about any red, white, and blue manicures yet.  I need to get on that....maybe tonight.

Since it's going to be super hot this weekend, it's only fitting that I have a super neon manicure which makes me look tan.  Honestly I'm not looking forward to 98 degree highs with humidity.  I'm perfectly okay with the heat, as long as it's a dry heat.  For all you lovelies who live in Florida, I do not know how you deal with that humidity all.the.time.

Let's take a look at the manicure!


Colors Used:
  • ORLY - Summer Fling
  • ORLY - No Regrets
  • ORLY - Liquid Vinyl
  • ORLY - White Tips
  • ORLY - Mirrorball
Ahhhhh yes, I used all ORLY polishes for this design.  Isn't it nice when you use one brand for a whole design??  Andddd I was able to create a gradient again!  Remember a few posts back where I said I thought I lost my gradient touch?  Well it seems I was being a tad dramatic and just had a bad night....or two.

Absolutely love this bright color combination.  I can see myself re-creating this and putting a palm tree on the gradient or something.  I actually debated on doing some form of art over it, but it was so bright and perfectly done that I didn't want to destroy it if I messed up some art.  Plus my confidence was low that I was going to be able to re-create it perfectly if I did mess it up.

What do you think?  Like this design?  Into the super bright neons??

Until next time, <3.


Dot Mani

The One With the Sally Hansen Daisies

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing today?  Monday is here again.  We had quite the rainy weekend, which was rather nice because I was able to relax.  Saturday I brought my nephews to see The Incredibles 2, which was well worth the 14 year wait.  Ugh it was just so good.  I cannot wait for it to come out on DVD so I can watch it again.  Nothing better than a good Pixar movie.  Now I just have to see Jurassic World followed by Ant Man & The Wasp.

Today's design is an oldie but a goodie.  I think I've created this daisy manicure numerous times, but it is only fitting now that the daisies are starting to bloom.  I got a gorgeous picture of one the other day.  I'm kind of sad though, a few years ago where I work the daisies grew so high that they were up past my hips . This year they're below my knee.  They're still pretty, but I don't know why one year they can be so huge, then the next so meh.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used:
  • Sally Hansen - Morning Sunshine!
  • ORLY - Liquid Vinyl
  • ORLY - White Tips
  • Zoya - Tomoko
I think that this design was originally inspired by BadGirlNails.  One of my favorites though because of the color combination.  And can we take a moment to talk about how wonderful Morning Sunshine! by Sally Hansen is?  Absolutely love this pale yellow shade.  Only complaint is that it took three coats to get full coverage, but that's not surprising to me because of how pale of a yellow it is.  One of my beloved Miracle Gels though which wear like metal.

What do you think?  Like this daisy design?  Love yellow polish?

Until next time, <3.


Dry Brush Mani

The One With the Dry Brush Manicure

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing today?  The weekend is almost here.  Are you as happy as I am?  I'm debating on taking a half day from work tomorrow.  Sleeping in then going to a conference.  That means I'd have two sleep in days this week if I do so.  That sounds so wonderful, doesn't it?

Today's design is a simple dry brush manicure using some of my favorite polishes from Serendipity Polish.  Oh how I miss this brand so much.  Sure, there's All Heart Lacquer but I do miss the collection of 5 beautiful one coat creams.  I have to say they really still are my favorite independent brand.  I have yet to find anything to compare.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used:
  • Serendipity Polish - Vitamin Sea
  • Serendipity Polish - Building My Empire
  • Serendipity Polish - Vacation Vibes
  • Serendipity Polish - #GoalDigger
  • ORLY - Mirrorball
Okay, probably should have accented this manicure with Holoday Lights, the silver holo microglitter, instead of using ORLY Mirrorball.  Then that way I would have had a manicure using all the same brand.  Of course though, I clearly wasn't thinking.  It still looks wonderful with Mirrorball.  Ahhhh look at that beautiful holo.

Speaking of holos, who is excited for the China Glaze release of the OMG Holos!?  Ignore the fact that I just ordered myself a bunch of ILNP holos, I need to get these China Glaze ones.  You can never have too many, right?

What do you think of this manicure?  Love it, hate it?

Until next time, <3.


China Glaze

The One With the China Glaze Tribal Manicure

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing on this fine Monday morning?  Sleepy like I am?  I can't sleep when it's like 100 degrees out.  It's beyond impossible for me.  Then I obviously don't sleep on Sunday's because I'm busy wondering what's going to happen at work on Monday.  All I do know is that it's going to be super hot tomorrow and I'm not ready for this heat yet.

Anyways, today's designs is a tribal one which I've done probably a zillion times over.  I decided to do it because I was trying to slowly get myself back into doing gradients.  I know a few posts ago I said that I had attempted to do a gradient but seemed to have lost my touch.  I am proud to say that since then, I have created a gradient design besides this one.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used:
  • China Glaze - Pinking Through the Window
  • China Glaze - Too Yacht to Handle
  • China Glaze - Bring on the Bubbly
  • ORLY - Liquid Vinyl
Cute, right?  Can you see why this is my ease into gradient design?  This is so much easier to do than your typical gradient.  You have to start off with a base of white.  Then you take pieces of a make up sponge and lightly dab the colors on your nail.  Then you add a quick top coat and it blends it together.

What do you think?  Like this tribal design? Fan of the color combination??

Until next time, <3.


Flowers

The One With the Negative Space Daisies

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing today?  I apologize for slacking on posting, but it's been the BUSIEST week.  I know I'm saying that more and more frequently, but I'm not lying about this week.  There have been at least 2 nights that I worked until 7pm, then two nights ago I came home from work and had the WORST migraine.  It was so bad, I had never felt anything so horrible in my life.

Here I am though, feeling better, my injured nail is grown out, and ready to nail art and post more regularly.  Yes, you heard that right, my injured nail has FINALLY grown out and I'm able to paint it without having to throw a pound of glitter over it.  I wanted to paint them two nights ago but the migraine was so bad that I was shocked I was able to get a swatch on them.  It's been a week since I've done nail art and I think tonight I'm going to do something intense since I haven't in so long.

Anyways, let's take a look at one of my last designs before I went on my swatch spree while the injured nail regained it's shape.


Colors Used:
  • NYC New York Color - Copabanana (I think, I honestly cannot remember and I'm too lazy to go get it out and check)
  • Serendipity Polish - Holoday Lights
  • Acrylics
Oh how I have missed the negative space designs.  Now that my nail is has grown out, there are so many that I want to do.  Especially since lately I feel I'm seeing a lot of them pop up on Instagram.  BadGirlNails posted one the other day that was to die for and I have been wanting to re-create it.

What do you think?  Fan of this look?  Do you think I should do all of the negative space designs?

Until next time, <3.


Dot Mani

The One with the Lilacs

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world!  How are you all doing on this fine Sunday?  I've had quite the busy weekend so I haven't been on the computer much to be posting.  Plus I'm paranoid that my nail isn't going to grow out fast enough and I'm going to run out of posts before I can start doing nail art again.  That's a tad dramatic of me seeing as in another week it will be perfectly fine.  I've had swatches on for a week and I'm already over it.

Today's design is one I did before that little piece of nail grew out and broke off causing the stubby nails.  It is lilac season and I feel like I haven't done my lilac nail art in a long time so it was due.  Of course I took photos with the lavender polish and the blue polish, and all the lavender bottle shots were horribly blurry.  Ugh, so here I have a beautiful manicure, with a crappy bottle shot.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used:
  • OPI - I Believe in Manicures
  • OPI -  Polly Want a Lacquer
  • Zoya - Stevie
It is a wonderful manicure though, isn't it??  I absolutely love my lilacs.  To get the look, I take a dark purple, a lavender, and a white polish and drip them on a paper plate. I then take a dotting tool and dot it into all three of the polishes, then directly onto the nail creating marbled dots.  To me, this looks most like a lilac.

What do you think?  Fan of this look?  Mad that my purple bottle shot didn't end up working out?! 

Until next time, <3.


Dot Mani

The One with the Daisies and ORLY Blue Suede

9:00:00 AM


Good morning polished world.  How are you all doing today?  I'm a tad nervous because my injury finally grew out, now I'm down to uber nubs, and I can't do nail art until it grows out over the next week or so.  My middle finger looks soooo weird right now, and it's beyond bumming me out.  In order to soothe myself, I purchased the new ILNP Summer Ultra Holos so I'm excited to be able to use them for art when my nails are back 100%.  Hopefully no more injuries.

Today's design is a fun daisy one using a lovely blue from ORLY.  This design came about after seeing hjs_nails daisy design on Instagram.  She used the same color and I just absolutely loved how it looked.  Now, funny story.  When I went to paint this design, I searched everywhere for the blue shade that she used.  I swore I owned it but couldn't find it, therefore I just grabbed the closest looking blue that I owned.  Wouldn't you know that I never flipped the bottle over until I was taking photos to see that I used the polish I was looking for the whole time....without knowing it.  Sigh.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used:
  • ORLY - Blue Suede
  • China Glaze - Bring on the Bubbly
Isn't it cute?!  Absolutely obsessed with Blue Suede by ORLY.  This polish was part of I believe last years Fall Collection.  Two coats and full shiny coverage.  This blue shade is going to be perfect for some fourth of July nail art.

What do you think? Like this design?  Too early for daisies?

Until next time, <3.


Monthly Mani Favs

The One With May's #MonthlyManiFavs

9:00:00 AM

Good morning polished world!  Where has the time gone?  I cannot believe June is here.  I also cannot believe that it is June 3rd and I have yet to post my Monthly Mani Favs for May.  Speaking of Monthly Mani Favs, did I post one for April?  Hmmm, I'm too lazy to go back and check.

Anyways, I've been busy with work, as usual.  It was in the 90s this week and the heat kind of got to me too.  I really had no want to do anything, and that included eating.  I came home one day from work after eating just a cookie, went to sleep, and then didn't eat until about 2pm the next day.  I don't know how people live with humidity year round.  I'd die.

Let's take a look at May's Monthly mani Favs!



  1. The One With the Blue Zebra Print Manicure - Love the blue sponge design and love the zebra print on top.  I need to do more of these random sponge manicures.  I also need to start doing gradients again.  It's been forever since I've done one.  Probably because when I tried last time it failed miserably.
  2. The One With the Abstract Dry Brush Manicure - The color combo here is so great.  Doesn't surprise me since Serendipity Polish was beyond amazing.  I'm truly sad that this company went out of business.  They had the best cream polishes and the most amazing holographics.  Sigh.
  3. The One With the Sally Hansen Floral Manicure - Absolutely love Sally Hansen Let's Jam.  My favorite red polish, which says a lot seeing as I hate red polishes.  Okay, I don't hate red, I just don't like what they look like on me.  This one though really goes well with my skin tone.
  4. The One With Another Floral Manicure - Mint, dots, and floral?  LOVE.  I wasn't really sure where I was going with this design but really loved the end result.
I cannot wait until I don't have to have a glitter accent middle nail.  My injury is just about fully grown out.  Sure, I'm going to have to go to nubs for a few days, but it's almost there.  It's taken about two months to grow out and I'm beyond impatient.  I am thankful though that I was able to paint throughout this time.  I don't know what I would have done without my blog!

Until next time, <3.