ABC Challenge: S is for Sisters

I've been waiting for this day in the ABC Challenge for months, and it was timed perfectly! My piCture pOlish collaboration shade Sisters was released about three weeks ago and I knew that's what I wanted to use for the letter "S". You can read all about my inspiration for Sisters in this post HERE.

Candy Corn and Skulls

Happy Halloween gals and ghouls! I have one final Halloween mani for you all. My day is packed full of fun with the kiddos so I'm going to keep this short and sweet.

31DC2014 Day 15: Delicate Gold Lattice

I'm still a day behind on the challenge but I'm hoping to catch up soon! I knew this baby pink polish would be hard for me to photograph, but the pink and gold look soo purdy together. 

OMD2 Challenge- Day 9 Jelly

I was really looking forward to today's Challenge prompt! I just recently laid hands on the entire Sally Hansen Triple Shine Palm Beach Jellies collection. I kid you not, over the last couple of months I have searched for them in over a dozen stores. I finally found all but one at a Smith's grocery store (one I had previously searched). Then at Target yesterday I found they finally had a big display of them!

The biggest reason I've wanted them is so that I could try out the leadlight technique, applying them over a stamped pattern. Of course I could always make my own sheer polishes by just adding clear polish to a regular one and mixing them. But I didn't really want to go through that extra work. Plus I don't have any polishes quite this sheer, so naturally I needed them in my collection!

These Are But Wild And Whirling Nails

I think about my nails and my blog A LOT. When someone catches me lost in thought and ask what's on my mind, more often that not I have to admit, "Umm... my blog". It's a little embarrassing that I seem so obsessed, but honestly I'm grateful to have a "safe place" for my mind to wander back to. In that last few months when life has gotten rough, I have had something positive to focus on, and help push out negative thoughts.

My point in this brief exposé will eventually get to this mani. As a result of nails being constantly on my mind, I often come up with ideas right as I'm falling asleep. I love getting those creative surges, but sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I can't remember my brilliant revelation! I used to have an excellent memory, which my kids have sneakily stolen from me. So when I actually remember something, it's a moment of pure joy! And when that memory actually ends up being something cool, and not a sleep-filled idea that turns out to be pure crap, it's even better. As promised, my point: this spiraling dotted swirl was one such idea I had the other night. It's pretty cool, don't you think?!

As happy as I was to remember this idea, and that it turned out so neat, I was really annoyed that it took soooo long. I'm talking hours here. I usually enjoy the zen-ful peace I get from the tedium of nail art, but this was a stretch for me. I've been wearing this for three days now to balance the time-creating/time-worn ratio. Plus, when I am feeling stressed out, I can just look at the swirl and hypnotize myself into a calm trance.

So as usual, it was worth it in the end. But I can't say that I have a desire to ever do it again. Then again, I can't promise I won't... ;).

For my index and middle fingers, I started with a white base color of OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls. Then I used my DRK-A Large stamping plate with Sephora by OPI I'm Wired to add the coral swirls.

On my thumb and pinky, I have a base color of Zoya Caitlin, and stamped with Konad Special Polish in white. I tried doing the white swirls with MBSW, but it didn't show up as well.

For my accent nail I used a rhinestone picker-upper to add dots of MBSW, Caitlin, and I'm Wired. I alternated the colors starting in the middle, then overlapping them in an outward swirl. This took me a few hours because I had to wait a little in between each dot so the colors didn't all smush together.

I finished off each nail with a Seche Vite top coat. 

What I used:
OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls- white
Zoya Caitlin- gray purple
Sephora by OPI I'm Wired- coral
Konad Special Polish White
Seche Vite top coat
DRK-A Large stamping plate


Do you like it? At what point does a manicure take so long that it's just not worth it anymore? Don't want to miss any of my future half-unconscious inspired posts? Please follow me on facebook, bloglovin', or twitter!

xx Emiline xx

33 Day Challenge Day 06: Texture

Thank goodness for challenges that force you to try things you've been avoiding. I've been wary of the textured polish trend, and just hadn't made the jump yet. I actually had to borrow a textured polish for today's prompt because I don't own any. Even with all the swatches available online, I've continued to sit on the fence. The photos haven't been enticing enough. The thing that has finally sparked my interest is the stamping manicures combined with textured polishes.

I've had the suspicion that the photos just don't do the textured polishes justice. I can't tell you it's true for all of them, but for this one it is! It really does look better in person. The photos don't show the sparkle that makes it so pretty. I've also been curious about how it would feel. I didn't have an issue with the feel of it on my nail. The thing I disliked was the way it scratched when I touched my face.

I applied two coats OPI Pussy Galore (I'm still amused they actually chose to use that name), and let it dry without top coat. Top coat takes away from textured appearance as I learned on my other hand. I used my DRK-A Large Stamping Plate and OPI Yes... I Can Can for the design on top. Yes...I Can Can is a typically a vampy plum/red shade, but on top of the light pink it really brightened up.

What I used:

OPI Liquid Sand Pussy Galore- light pink textured polish

OPI Yes... I Can Can!- plum/red

DRK-A Large Stamping Plate, purchased from Ninja Polish

I want to know your opinions on textured polish! Have you tried any? Do you like them? Have you been disinterested like I was?

Thanks for reading!

31DC2013 Day 10: Gradient Nails

It was not my intention to do gradients three days in a row! But now that today is gradient nails, I'm still excited for them, because it is one of my favorite looks. Well, I was excited for them until I took my photos and saw how invisible my base gradient became.
I know I shouldn't be so frustrated, but I still am. I've been debating since I finished them if I should just start over, but I'm really out of time. It's my own fault that I chose something so subtle and hoped that it would be at all noticeable. Sorry to be all Debbie Downer on you, I just got in a funk about it. I actually think it looks really pretty, it just doesn't look as "gradient" for today as I think it should. I need to get over myself.

So let's be super excited about this mani!

Today felt very Autumn-like with the cooler temperatures. It felt so good to finally be under 90 degrees! With the combination of that and wearing a couple different costumes last weekend, I am in the mood for fall! August through the end of October is what my husband and I call "Halloween Month", because there's nothing fun to celebrate until then.

So I busted out the stamping plate with the leaf design and chose some appropriate seasonal colors. 

There are two gradients going on here. The first one is  nude to cream, from cuticle to tip. You'll have to believe me it is there because it's so hard to see on the screen. Then I did a little more obvious gradient with the leaves. On my ring finger I made the pattern different again hoping it would stand out more, and not just look misplaced.. I'm just too subtle for me own good.

From far away the gradient underneath becomes a little more visible.

What I used:

(for the base gradient)
Sephora by OPI Pale is the New Tan
Barry M Lychee
Sephora by OPI Nonfat Soy Half Caff

(for the leaves)
OPI I'm Fondue of YOU
Ulta Roaring to Go
Sephora by OPI I Think I Cayenne
DRK-A Large Stamping Plate

Who else is ready for cups of hot chocolate and warm fuzzy socks?

31DC2013 Day 09: Rainbow Nails

 I have another gradient for you today. This time it's the whole rainbow! This mani is one that I can see myself doing again because I think it's so pretty. I wanted to incorporate some gold too, but without the literal pot and the end. I just got a new stamping plate that has a nice design of Celtic knots. I thought that fit perfectly! It's a subtle tie-in to the Irish gold-hording leprechauns and whatnot.

The stamping went pretty smoothly too. I was super stressed about it because I really wanted to do it, but all my practice runs were major fails. My thumb is the only nail that has a little gap. I was almost done when I realized that I hadn't paid attention to the diagonal direction of the stamp. So my middle finger has the design going the opposite direction. It just adds character, right?

Finally on this last shot you can see the gradient on the thumb, with the red and orange.

What I used:

DRK-A Large Stamping Plate (bought from Ninja Polish)
Ulta 14 Carat- gold

(In order, from thumb to pinky)
OPI Red Hot Ayers Rock
Sephora by OPI Hi Def
Barielle Banana Drop
Urban Decay Covet
Ulta Blue Streak
OPI Dating A Royal
Ulta Tutu Cute

What's your favorite rainbow song? I can't help but think of "Look to the Rainbow" from Finian's Rainbow. Love that song!