Easter

The One With the Good Old Fashioned Skittle Manicure

9:00:00 AM

Nothing to Disclose


Good morning Polished World! Welcome to yet another Monday.  Not only is it the beginning of a new week, it's also the start of Holy Week which means Easter is right around the corner.  And I have been seriously slacking when it comes to Easter nail art.  I can't say it's all 100% my fault.  I had so many cute ideas, and then on the day before St. Patrick's Day, I had a major break and spent all last week with plain swatches on my nails.

Then it hit me, I could still do an Easter design utilizing a swatch.  Remember those pastel skittle manicures using the black and white glitter that looked like those robin egg candies?  You know, something that was popular when I started blogging an eternity ago?  Well that idea popped in my head randomly and I went searching for my black and white glitter.  Luckily for me, they hadn't dried up yet.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used:
  • ORLY - Cool in California (peachy pink)
  • ORLY - Big City Dreams (mint not pictured)
  • ORLY - As Seen on TV (Purple)
  • ORLY - Forget Me Not (blue)
  • Color Club - Disco's Not Dead
  • FingerPaints - Th-Ink Outside the Box
Look at me remembering the name of the polishes I used!!!  I actually wrote them when I painted the design.  Let's see how long this lasts. I'm betting the next post I'll forget the colors.  

Regardless, can we take a minute and look at how awesome this manicure is??  All those pastels just went flawlessly together.  I'm kind of disappointed that I couldn't find a pastel yellow by ORLY in my collection.  My polish drawers need some serious reorganization so I'm sure I'll find one when I get around to that.


This manicure gave me all the retro vibes.  You know, retro like 2013.  I seriously cannot believe I've been blogging for that long.  FingerPaints Th-Ink Outside the Box is an amazing black and white glitter polish, which now that I remember I have it, I will be using more often.  The wonderful thing about this glitter is that it removes super easily.

What do you think? Fan of this manicure?  Think it's Easter-y enough?

Until next time, <3.

Flowers

The One With the Spring Floral Manicure!

9:00:00 AM

Nothing to Disclose Press Sample Affiliate Link


Happy....ummm is it Wednesday?  Yes.  Happy Wednesday!!! Goodness this week is flying by and to be completely honest with you, it's just been a weird week.  Not because it's super busy, but because it's just....odd. I can't put my finger on it.  It's kind of slow, but I'm able to catch up on work.  I think I'm used to the go, go, go that when normal life hits I don't know how to handle it and automatically assume it's odd.  Regardless, the weather has been gorgeous so I've been enjoying every moment outside that I can.

Of course, with every moment outside working on my garden and cleaning my car, that has led to some massive breaks in my nails and I'm back to short little nubs.  Which means I'm only swatching again.  Therefore, today's post is from The Little Canvas vault.  Thank God for that vault so I can bring you content.  Today's design is a random floral one which just screams Spring.

Let's take a look!


Now to see if I remember what colors I used since I did this an eternity ago....

Colors Used:
  • ORLY - Pink Noise
  • ORLY - Mirrorball
  • ORLY - Vintage
  • ORLY - White Tips
Four out of five colors isn't bad.  I can't remember that dark pink polish I used for the flower.  Oh, and the dark green leaf.  That honestly might be an acrylic. Now, is it just me, or does this color combination make my hand look kind of yellow and jaundice?  Okay, I'm being dramatic, but it did wash me out a bit.  In person, this manicure was drop dead gorgeous and didn't give me that washed out look.


Now that I said it though, it can't be unseen.  Despite the yellow tinged hand, the color combination worked really well together.  I think if I were to create this manicure again, I might skip the silver accent nail and do another vintage nail or another polka dot nail.  You know me and my silver accents, I just have to throw one there.

What do you think?  Love this look? 

Until next time, <3.

Gradient Mani

The One With the Green Gradient for St. Patrick's Day

9:00:00 AM

Nothing to Disclose


Good Morning and Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!  Hope everyone is decked out in green today!!  You'll find me in crazy leggings and plain green nails.  Sadly not the nails I'm sharing today because didn't I break one of them and the whole thing was just ruined.  Such is life.  If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I'm currently in the mood of blaming everything on Daylight Savings, so the nail break clearly is because of that also.  Seriously though, I cannot get into the groove of anything since Sunday!  I'm so thrown off.  I'm actually shocked I'm getting this post up, that's how thrown off I am.

Today's post is by far one of my favorite manicures to date.  I really wasn't feeling anything crazy for St. Patrick's Day this year.  Usually I do the pot of gold, shamrocks, and rainbows, but I don't know what it is.  My nail art self wasn't wanting to do all of that.  Then came the next best thing, a green gradient with a top coat of a gold flake.  I'm so glad I skipped the crazy nail art and went with this.

Let's take a look!


We will just pretend that I posted the colors I used here.  Literally painted this manicure the other day and cannot figure out for the life of me what polishes I used other than the Serendipity in the photo.  Which, I don't recall the name of it and I'm too lazy to go get the bottle and check.  Since this polish is discontinued, I don't think it's that big of a deal since you all won't be running to buy it and honestly it's a dupe for like ten other dark green polishes on the market.

I'm rambling.  Regardless, this manicure was created by painting my nails with a base of a light green polish.  That polish was one of my Sally Hansen Miracle Gels.  I was convinced that it was going to stain my nails since most light green polishes do that.  However, that beauty did not.  99.9% positive that the base was Sally Hansen Wet My Thistle.


When my base was dried, I used three shades of green to create that beautiful gradient.  I debated on rotating the gradient and having the dark at some of the cuticles, but my brain wanted to be OCD and keep everything uniform.  I'm actually happy I stayed uniform because I think the overall look was better in the end.

That glitter topper is Maria Luisa by Zoya.  My favorite gold flake which I will never forget the name of as long as I'm living.  I think it was that perfect little pot of gold look to add to it.

What do you think?  Perfect St Patrick's Day Manicure???

Everyone have a safe and happy day!

Until next time, <3.


China Glaze

The One Where I Started Off With One Idea and Ended Up With a Dotticure

9:00:00 AM

Nothing to Disclose


Good Morning Polished World, and welcome to another Monday!  I don't know about you, but Daylight Savings is kicking my ass. Yesterday I woke up late and felt like the day was dragging on and on.  Then, I decided to make some chili and bake some goodies.  In my mind I started at 5pm, really it was 6pm and I ended up baking way later than I wanted to, all because my body was programed to something else.  It's a good thing I have enough designs to publish that I didn't have to do any nail art because by the time I sat down to edit this post, it was 11pm.

Today's design is one where I started off with one idea and just ended up with a dot manicure.  Rather disappointed that my original plan failed because it was going to be super amazing, but alas, this dotticure isn't too bad.  The colors are beyond wonderful.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used:
  • China Glaze - Highlight of My Summer
  • China Glaze - Treble Maker
  • INM Northern Lights
Aren't these two colors together amazing?!!?  I was so upset that the manicure chipped so quickly because I would have kept this on for a solid week.  China Glaze doesn't like me for some reason.  No matter which shade I use, the formula chips super fast.  It must not like my nails or something.  That or Highlight of My Summer requires three coats and that's why it chipped so fast.  I don't recall this polish ever needing that many coats or being so patchy, but this time around I had a super difficult time working with it.


Regardless of the trouble that it gave me, the payoff was worth it.  Especially with the top coat of INM Northern Lights.  Treble Maker's formula is much better than Highlight.  Two coats for that beauty which dried rather quick.  Both worked wonderfully for the dots.  They weren't goopy and didn't drag.

What do you think?  Like this color combination?

One more green manicure coming up, then I'm taking a break from green for a solid month.   Unless it's mint! 

Until next time, <3.




Zoya

The One With Yet Another Manicure Inspired by SRG.Nails

9:00:00 AM

Nothing to Disclose


Good Morning Polished World, and Happy Friday! Hope you are all doing well!  We had some sunny, warm weather this week, so I'm in a good mood.  Minus the fact that it's going to get cold again and we had a thunderstorm last night which helped bring in that colder weather.  Oh well, that just means that Spring is around the corner!

Today's design is inspired by SRG.Nails on Instagram, again.  If you've been following me for awhile, you know that I copy Sammie's designs all the time.  Of course, her's look much better than mine.  This manicure is no different.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used: haha, good one.  I didn't write them down....AGAIN.

However, I do believe that polish I'm holding is Hunter by Zoya.  I am about 99.9% positive.  I need a personal assistant who literally reminds me to write the names down of the polishes as I paint.  Regardless, that green polish applies like a dream!  Two coats and gorgeous, shiny coverage.  It worked well for that line art as well!


I was so OCD when it came to the lines on my nails.  I had to redo the manicure at least three times because I was that bothered by my lines.  I settled with this but really do think I could have done better.  Maybe next time.

What do you think?  Like this look?  A good design for St. Patrick's Day?

A few more green manicures to edit and post before next Wednesday.  I think I have some time....

Until next time, <3.




FingerPaints

The One With a Re-Creation of a Gradient Splatter Manicure

9:00:00 AM

Nothing to Disclose 


Welcome to yet another Sunday!  How was your week last week?  Are we all ready for yet another fun filled week?  I know I am....not.  One thing I am excited for is the weather.  It's been very cold and blustery here the last few days, and next week it's going to be in the 40s and 50s.  While to many this seems horribly cold, it's a lot better than the 20s and 30s.

Today's manicure is a re-creation of one I did a few years ago which so happens to be one of my all time favorite manicures.  It came up on my FaceBook memories and I just had to re-create it.  Now if I can only figure out how to re-create my nail photos to look just like they did back then, I'll be all set.

Let's take a look!


Colors Used:
  • FingerPaints - The Mural of the Story
  • ORLY - White Tips
  • ORLY - Liquid Vinyl
Ahhhhhh isn't it gorgeous?!  I literally love everything about this manicure.  the gradient, the splatter, the colors.  I cannot find one thing wrong.  This is one of those manicures that I wore for more than my usual 3 day period because I love it so much.  Does anyone remember how to do these splatter manicures?  I feel it's been forever since I've seen anyone create them.  Wait....is the splatter out?

Regardless, to get the look you take one of those mini coffee stir straws and you dip it into the nail polish.  Then you hover it over your nail and just blow through the straw.  It's one of the messiest things ever, but the payoff is so worth it.


I forgot how much I love The Mural of the Story by FingerPaints, and well, how much I love my FingerPaints polishes all together.  Is this brand still around?  I haven't stepped foot into a Sally Beauty Supply in over a year and feel like I'm way out of the nail polish loop.  If the polish isn't coming in the mail to me, then I'm not going looking for it. 

What do you think?  Fan of this manicure?  Love the look as much as I do?


Until next time, <3.


Abstract

The One With the Random Abstract Design

11:39:00 PM

Nothing to Disclose 


Good Morning, Polished World, and Happy March!  Can you believe it? We are almost at the one year mark of all the crazy COVID lockdowns.  The world has changed so much in a year.  I can safely say that I have changed a lot too this past year.  While others have chosen to live in the "woe is me" of the past 2020, I've decided to look at all the positives, and in the end I feel I've grown a lot because of that.  Who knows, maybe it's a mind over matter thing, but regardless, I'm very grateful for the past year.

Today's manicure is the beginning of  me attempting to utilize green polish for the first half of March.  Unlike February and Valentine's Day, I do love March and St. Patrick's Day.  I'm a sucker for a good green polish, especially a mint.  Of course, mint really doesn't scream St. Patrick's Day, but who's really going to care.  I got the idea for today's manicure when I was scrolling Pinterest for a banana cake recipe.  It was abstract and I really adored the color palette.  Definitely something I never would have come up with on my own.

Let's take a look! 


Colors Used:
  • ORLY - Olive You Kelly
  • ORLY - Pink Noise
  • ORLY - White Tips
  • ORLY - Liquid Vinyl
Look at Pink Noise....look at Olive You Kelly!  Both polishes are GORGEOUS in their own right.  This year I'm going to make it a point to go through all my ORLY polishes that I haven't used from the last two years of my Color Pass subscription and really go to town and create manicures using colors I normally don't use.  That was a run on sentence, but you get the point.  I can't even recall what subscriptions these two polishes were from, but I think I've only used each of them once or twice.  Alone they're gorgeous, and together even more gorgeous.


I'm a fan of the abstract color blocking putting the two together.  Whoever it was that originally came up with this design, bravo.  I really am not that talented.

What do you think? Something you'd try? Fan of the colors?

Until next time, <3.