The Digital Dozen does Red, Green & Gold - Day 3: Scribbled Holly

Nothing to Disclose  

Yay! It's Wednesday...albeit midnight on Wednesday...but still Wednesday, so it's officially hump day here! It's also the midpoint of the Digital Dozen does Red, Green & Gold week and I must say, I'm struggling with this theme! I like festive manis as much as the next person, but I feel like I can only do so much with strict colors like red, green & gold (I think we're all feeling like this!).

Back during the 31 Day Nail Art Challenge, I did this sketched floral mani and for whatever reason, this concept popped into my head tonight. In my mind's eye this was a perfect take on some of the holly nail art I've been seeing lately and I was really excited to try and execute it.

31 Day Nail Art Challenge - Day 15: Delicate Print

Can we just change the date of the 31 Day Challenges from Tuesday and Friday, to Wednesday and Saturday? ;) It would appear those are the days I post on more frequently!

Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Today's (yesterday's) theme was "Delicate Print" and when I think of delicate things, lace, flowers, and butterflies come to mind. I considered doing a butterfly wing for a long time, but in the end, I settled on my first love - flowers! I actually ended up going on pinterest and typing in delicate flowers and one of the first things that popped up was this photo...Delicate rose? Check! Delicate Baby's Breath? Check! Ethereal feeling to the photo? Check! Perfection! I don't think that I am particularly good at painting roses so I felt a little apprehensive about trying to replicate this look but in the end, I tired my best. You'll have to tell me how close I got! ;) 

Abstract Tulips

When I first received my Winstonia brushes, I knew I wanted to do something intricate and detailed to show the versatility and capabilities of the brushes. Well, I actually did 2 different manicures before I settled on my Sofa King Bueno nails. Not really sure why I didn't feel like these were worthy of being used for my review. But, after letting these photos sit on my computer for a few weeks, I realized that I actually really liked what I created. I recreated a pattern created by Gill of Pattern Addict, but she no longer has the print up on her site :(  

I think my biggest struggle with doing reviews is that I know I've got a funky style and I know that that doesn't "do" it for everyone. I always get super self conscious and paranoid that I'm not going to make the person I'm reviewing for happy - does this happen to anyone else?! Haha alright, end rambling, here's my abstract tulip mani! I so so so love how these turned out and I wish I had shared them sooner!

31 Day Nail Art Challenge - Day 14: Flowers

So I've failed yet again at posting on time for this challenge :/ If anyone is waiting with bated breath every Tuesday and Friday...well, I'm sorry I'm always late! haha I actually had this manicure painted and photographed late last night but I had some misgivings about posting them. I decided to sleep on it and after looking back over my photos, I decided to use these as my flower nails!

What were my hesitations, you ask? Well, I was putting a ridiculous amount of pressure on myself for today's mani. I feel like on the whole I am relatively good at doing floral manicures but that has become a bit of a double edged sword! I feel like I've got to outdo myself every time I do florals and I've managed to let it stress me out - sad right!? ;) Please tell me I'm not the only one who is crazy and does this to themselves!? 

I was also a bit hesitant about using this design for my flower look because I don't think they are immediately recognizable as flowers. I saw this print from colourlovers and went for it anyway. They are very abstract and more of a sketched and messy look (Meghan and I were totally on the same brain wave with our flowers!) and I thought that maybe I should stick with a more realistic look. In the end, though, I'm really happy with this mani. 

30 Day Flower Challenge - Allium

Awhile back on my Facebook page I shared a 30 Day Flower Nail Art Challenge that was going on every day through May and I was so so excited to partake in it...because flowers are my favorite! But, life got in the way as well as other challenges and suddenly it was June and I had done absolutely ZERO manicures for the challenge. I was so bummed out because I really loved the idea of this challenge. But the lovely ladies that put on the challenge (datyorLOVES and Delight in Nails) decided to extend the challenge (and accompanying inlinkz codes!) for a whole year. 

So, I decided to quite slacking and go for it! I'm going to try and complete the challenge but who knows how long it will take me. 

Funky Floral

Yeee! Can I just say that I am so super duper uber excited about this mani!? I'm sure that by now you all know of my passion/love/obsession with floral looks (and hopefully you're not getting tired of them!) and this manicure is just making me so happy to look at! Prepare for photos!!

This didn't actually start out as well as I had originally hoped. I had done almost 4 nails of another floral look but was really hating it. Sometimes I will push through with a design and hope that once I'm finished and have added a top coat that I'll finally like it. But that didn't happen with my original look.  At all. So, I scratched what I was doing and plunged my painted fingers into my super awkward acetone tub from Target (I mean, it's pink and has weird bristles and is just...weird...but works wonders!) and started fresh. And I'm so happy that I did! 

I ended up with these super funky flowers and am just so freaking happy with out they turned out. I was roughly inspired by a pattern from colourlovers.com and I absolutely love when I create something that I just want to stare at for hours. It doesn't always happen and I'm so proud of myself when I'm able to create something I really truly love. I hope you love them like I do! 

A green thumb equivalent

We all have those things that we are really great at and other things that we just completely fail to grasp the basics of. I know this can be said about me. For instance, I completely fail when it comes to  making a good meal, keeping plants alive, or not being awkward. On the flip side, I'm REALLY good at making terrible meals, killing plants, and being incredibly awkward! See, you've got to find what you're good at and really stick to it! ;) 

All joking aside, I did not get my mother's cooking or gardening gene (I want it though!). Despite my lack of green thumb in the garden, I have been trying to make up for that by painting flowers on my nails instead - at least their killing only involves acetone and cotton balls instead of any neglect on my part ;) 

So for today I've got another flower manicure to share with you all! I found this wonderful pattern from colourlovers and did my take on it. 

Mother's Day Carnations

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful Moms out there! I'm a dog Mama, but I don't know how much that really counts ;) 

I know so many people say this about their own mothers, but really, I have the best Mom in the entire world. She is without a doubt my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, and my rock. She is beautiful and strong,and intelligent  and funny as hell to boot. Seriously proud to call her my mom and I hope that one day I can be half the woman she is. She's fabulous. 

But I digress ;) I wasn't sure which way I wanted to take this mani so I started researching Mother's Day in general. Apparently, in the U.S. it was originally started after the Civil War in an effort to reconnect families that had been divided during the war. One of the main proponents of making Mother's Day a national holiday was Anna Jarvis. Her mother helped establish a "Mother's Friendship Day," but died in 1905 before the celebration became popular. Anna chose the carnation as the flower of Mother's Day because they were her mother's favorite. Later, it became established that white carnations were for mothers who had passed away and red for those still living. 

Look how much we learned! Haha maybe the whole living and dead aspect is a bit morbid, but I decided to roll with the carnation theme and since I am fortunate enough to have my lovely mother around still, I decided to paint red carnations. 

May Nail Art Challenge - Flowers

Hello lovelies! I have a super super quick post for you tonight.

I think I said something similar at the start of last month, but holy cow! Can you believe that it's already May! Happy May Day to you all :) I'm doing another monthly nail art challenge for this month and the first theme is flowers again! I love me some flowers. I put these together in about 20 minutes so that's why there isn't too much going on with them. I think I like them? I keep going back and forth on them! 

I used Zoya's Neely (ZOMG AMAZING) as the base color, and the flowers are made up of SOPI's Leotard Optional, and Lime Crime's Milky Ways and Lavendary. What do you think?

Spanish (Majolica) Inspired Flower Tutorial

Happy early morning! I really should be in bed but instead I decided to fix the chip in my most recent mani...and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to make a pictorial to share with you all! 

I recently found out that the style of art I was inspired by is actually called Majolica. I love this style so much so I'm glad to know what it's actually called ;) 

Anyway, on to the pictorial! For this mani, you'll need a detail brush and a small dotting tool or toothpick, as well as several different polishes. I think you could easily do this with 2 colors, alternating for each step, but I like the bright colors all together. 

Majolica inspired flowers

Oh, hey! Did you guys know I like painting flowers? You didn't?? Huh, I would've thought you'd know by now ;)

I'm going to call tonight's flowers Spanish inspired. There are some really beautiful painted plates, bowls and tiles that have vibrant colors and clean, yet detailed designs. My parent's have quite a few platters and serving bowls in this style and I have always loved them. This is the style I am referring to...and if I am way off on the name of the style, please let me know! :)

Edit to add: I just found out this style is called Majolica!

Regardless of the name, this style of painting inspired tonight's look. The base color is yet again OPI's My Boyfriend Scales Walls, with six other colors creating the flowers (let me know if you're curious about one of the colors). 

Flower Pictorial

Alright, so I threw together a quick pictorial of the mani I recently was sporting. I'm terrible at explaining things so I apologize for that. I tried to make it as simplified as possible and showed you each step I took.

You'll need dotting tools and preferably a very thin striping brush to create this look, though you might be able to make the thin lines with a toothpick. Steps 1-7 show you how to create the flower, and 8-12 show the leaves. Hope this helps you create a similar look! :) <3 

1. Apply your base color. I always use a top coat between my base color and my nail art. 

2. Create your first petal using a dotting tool or small brush. The location and size of the petal is up to you.

3. Repeat step 2, adding more petals to create your flower shape. I went with 5 petals but play around with a number you like. 

4. Using a dark polish and your dotting tool, add a dot at the center of your flower. 

5. Using the same polish as your base color and a THIN striping brush, create thin lines coming from the very center of your flower out towards the petals. Play around with how many lines you want.

6. Use your smallest dotting tool to add dots to the very end of each of the lines you made in the previous step. 

7. Add a dot of yellow polish at the very center of your flower.

8-9. To create the leaves, draw a thin line away from the flower. This is the stem. The leaves are made up of tiny lines branching off of the original thin line you created. 

10. Add as many leaves in varying colors as you'd like. Mix up the type of leaves and shapes as well if you're feeling up to it. 

11. Using the same base polish color, draw thin lines down the very center of your leaves and stems. 

12. Repeat this proces on every leaf you have drawn. This isn't mandatory, but I think it makes the colors pop a bit more. 

13. Finally, add your favorite top coat AFTER you've waited at least 5-10 minutes for your polish to dry. You don't want to smudge your hard work. 

Here are the tools and brushes that I personally use, but use what works best for you :)

A thin striping brush, a small detail brush, and a dotting tool. I'm looking into new brushes so hopefully soon I'll be able to whip up even more things for you all! 

Let me know if you have any questions, and again, this is merely the way that I chose to create these. Use your imagination and have fun with these. Omit or add any steps you want, and use whatever colors your amazing heart's desire! Have fun :)

Happy polishing! :)

April Nail Art Challenge - Flowers

Apparently it's already April?! When did that happen?? Ever since I've graduated from College, I feel like time is speeding by. I think it may have something to do with the fact that I no longer have quarters keeping track of my life. 

Anyway, April means a brand new nail art challenge! Aren't you all excited? I know I am. I am really excited for the themes this month as well - galaxy, earth day, and braided are particularly exciting since I have yet to do anything like those yet. 

The first theme is flowers and if you've been following me lately, you'll notice that I've had an ever growing obsession with painting flowers. Needless to say, I was stoked to dig into this challenge :) 

I am really loving the look of a light background and then pops of color with my flowers so, while I've done this is the past, I think these are still unique enough from other designs I've done. I'm really digging the color combo and I honestly can't stop staring at them! :D Isn't it great when that happens? 

March Nail Art Challenge - Vintage and Swatch

So, yet again, I've fallen behind on my nail art challenge for March :( In my defense, I have been crazy busy, sick, and was completely in love with my previous flower mani that I couldn't bear to say goodbye to it (I wore it for over 5 days!? WHAT? I never do that!). Despite my lack of maintaining the schedule this month, I'm still on track to finish every challenge! Maybe next month I'll even have them done on the right days ;) 

The two themes I had to do on the 19th and 22nd of this month were "Vintage" and "Swatch," respectively. I've been wanting to do the vintage roses that you see everywhere for awhile now but didn't want to use the colors I keep consistently seeing them done in (mint background with pink flowers). Well, I varied in one of those aspects and ended up using China Glaze's Kalahari Kiss as my base color AND, because I'm super sneaky and multitask-y, it is my "Swatch" theme! 

I know that this color isn't for everyone, but I really love it. I think it's just a fabulus neutral that isn't too yellow. 

Hodge Podge Flowers

I am loving all the spring colors I'm seeing around as of late and have especially loved wearing them on my nails. However, I have done some sort of pastel color for the past few manis and I'm a little burnt out on those hues. I decided to mix it up slightly and use some deeper colors for today's look. I'm really excited to show you how it turned out! 

I used OPI's Skull and Glossbones as my base color and I am fairly positive that this will become a regular in my rotation of polishes. I really love how fresh and clean it feels on its own. I ended up using 5 additional colors to complete the flowers. I really love how these colors go together -- one of my favorite combos :) I would tell you the names of said colors but there are a lot of them and the bottles are all the way in the other room...and I'm lazy so it's not going to happen right now ;) Let me know if you're curious about a particular color and I can get you the info on it! 

Retro Flowers

Raise your hand if you like skittle manis! No, not the candy...for those who don't know, a "skittle" is typically a mani that has different colors/patterns/designs on each nail. I really like doing these since it gives me a theme, yet gives me a lot of freedom within that theme. I went a bit retro with these nails. Partly because I enjoy retro patterns, but partly because there is a retro themed contest on Instagram that I am contemplating entering ;) It's always nice to have some inspiration. 

I did this design free hand and I like the outcome a lot. They are definitely funky and different, but I'm happy with them. I'm still learning how to create smooth curves and arcs, but it's tough in a small area with a brush that refuses to listen to you. Sometimes I think I'm improving, and then other times my hand and brian don't talk and suddenly I have polish everywhere but where I intended it to go. 

February Nail Art Challenge - Day 2: Flowers

I'm not really a "flowers on my nail" kind of gal and while there are some amazingly awesome flower nail art designs out there, I typically stay away from them myself. Hence, my initial struggle with finding inspiration for the latest theme in the February Nail Art Challenge. I started searching google for some flower inspiration in hopes that I'd find something that was a little different and exciting to me. Using a ridiculous number of polishes, here is what I came up with.