How to CHEAT at Watermarble Part 2

MOAARR CHEAAATINNNG MOAR! Although in this second edition of How to CHEAT at Watermarble I did end up using water for one hack... but probably not how you think ;) Watch my video below and see how to create these watermarble cheat nails for yourself using the Miracle Mat!

 

VIDEO TUTORIAL RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW ↓!

Nails literally on fire / scaled gradient

HOT DAMN There's a fiyyyaaaahhh on mah nails, quick send some sweaty firefighters! For this week's edition of the weekly nail art challenge (WNAC) I co-host on Instagram along with Kristin of Lacquerstyle and Tracey of MissBellaTracey, the theme is summer and the prompt is lemon and cherry (meant to indicate colours, not actual fruits). So what's better than an intense fire for summer?

Or I just wanted to do this cause I'd been dying to try a scaled gradient with my new fire nail vinyls from Twinkled T heheheh MUAHAH and you too can burn your money on vinyls from Twinkled T but save 10% by using by code SIMPLY at checkout ;)

Fire nail vinyls from Twinkled T - use my code SIMPLY for 10% off!

 

VIDEO TUTORIAL RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW ↓!

Hypnotizing black & neon squares

Further to yesterday's plain corner gradient post, here's the finished product. No, this is not a stamp. No, this is not freehand. No, this is not a pre-cut nail vinyl (I wish, seriously). This is the result of me turning into a crazy person and placing probably over 50 pieces of striping tape one by one while my eyes go crossed.

Neon green and yellow corner gradient

In my Gradient Guide, which I published maybe two weeks ago, I included a thumbnail of a neon green 'corner gradient' but hadn't yet published the actual mani. Here it is! Truth be told I did this mani on May 24th... I know cause that's what my pic file creation date says. I never got around to posting it mostly because the end result (which is part 2, to be revealed in tomorrow's post) is rather confusing and I didn't make a video tutorial. I figured I would do one eventually and then be able to post the mani along with a video, but.... too much work. You won't blame me when you see the final design tomorrow.

Father's Day finish line

Nailpolis is hosting a nail art contest with a Father's Day theme and obviously I had to participate. I quickly browsed through some of the submitted designs and saw a lot of ties, mustaches, button-up dress shirts, and I thought to myself: yes, that would have been my first thought too, but... I just had to go with something different.

What is special about your dad that separates him from the traditional understandings of Father's Day symbolism? For me, it's racing and Formula 1. Growing up my dad was always watching the F1 or Indy 500 races, he'd save them on VHS back in the day (now you know I'm old) and then watch them all weekend long. I also somewhat grew up in the car industry myself, having helped out at his auto body shop when I was younger and later working in a specialty Porsche tuning/mechanic shop. From acting as a child to working in car shops to reporting on criminal statistics.... Yes, I have quite the interesting career path. Back to the reason behind this design, a racing-themed mani came pretty naturally for this Father's Day themed mani.

Work appropriate mani Monday: Buttercream looping effect

For this week's work appropriate mani Monday, I went with a straight-forward looping effect design over a warm and cozy buttery colour. I am of the strong opinion that nail art can be very much appropriate for the office, and in my case, in a professional government office where casual business dress is expected. I don't think I could ever show my face with one single colour of polish, so if you're like me, and you need to so SOMETHING interesting on your nails, then this look could satisfy your addiction to nail art but still be office friendly.

I chose a pale yellow buttercream colour by Deborah Lippmann to use as the base - and oh, does it ever go on like butter! This was barely a two-coater pastel wonder. Flakies on top, of course (I... can't... help it).

Let's be NE-honest...

...if neons symbolized the beginning of summer, then I should still be wearing dark polish. In retaliation of the tretcherous weather (rain, clouds, rain, wind, rain) we've been having in Canada as of late, I've painted my nails the brightest neon possible.

Mondrian inspired nail art

Yesterday's nails were at glimpse at my first actual art-inspired nail design! Most of you will have seen this general pattern before, but there are many ways of applying it just as there are many original pieces (and interpretations) of Piet Mondrian's work. When you Google 'Piet Mondrian original' this is what you get:

Credit: Google "Piet Mondrian original"

A few talented ladies have previously adopted this style to do Mondrian-inspired nails. They include: Polish you pretty, Demelza's world, Work play polish, Nuthin' but a nail thing, ChrissyAi, the Nailasaurus, and so many others to name! I've seem some nail stickers/decals out there too (see Elle Oh Die's application of some), but that would only take 5 minutes and that's no fun. Obviously it's way more fun when you spend approximately 5 hours between painting, drying, taping, painting, drying.... and the crazy goes on.

Can you guess what these will become? Abstract shapes

Unless you live in a cave, you will likely be able to guess what this nail art eventually became - but I won't spoil it just in case some of you actually do live in a cave.

Once I did this step I thought they looked pretty cool on their own and so I'm featuring them as is! I used striping tape and a lot of patience (and drying time) to create this mani. Stay tuned 'till tomorrow for what this actually ended up transforming into.

Spring fever nail art collab

Woohoo I'm actually now part of the mani community! Well, this one anyway. I participated in in a spring-themed nail art collaboration on Instagram hosted by the lovely Amber from Nails Like Lace and Heather from Peace, Love, and Polish. The theme was spring fever because, well, elsewhere in the world outside of Canada it's spring (i.e., there's birds chirping, the grass is green, and sun exists).

Here's the final product with 47 manis total!

Where's mine, you ask?! Time to play eye-spy... now here's my close up :)

Hudson's Bay nail stripes

Unless you're Canadian you probably have no idea how much of a staple the design that inspired this mani is in fashion (or rather, in marketing) today. The Hudson's Bay Co. is a huge department store brand, kind of like Macy's, but they actually have their own brand with a highly recognizable "logo" to boot, which comes in the form of four simple stripes! Obviously I had to steal this design and turn into into a manipiece.

Main source of inspiration (what happens when you google Hudson Bay stripes):

What happens when you're a crazy cat lady and there's a Hudson's Bay near your home:

And finally, the result of the nailspiration (what happens when you're obsessed with nail polish and just generally crazy):

Blue, yellow & silver gradient

This simple striping tape mani was done in May of 2013. I am not sure what influenced the design as it was my first experiment with striping tape (specifically the kind made for nails) ever. I was skeptical about using it at all, as any past adventures in scotch tape or those horrible 'french manicure strips' ended up in nail art disaster like when the thick sticky residue on the backs of the french strips stick to your nails and then your base coat is RUINED. That's basically the worst thing ever.

It is fitting, then, that actual striping tape meant for nails has saved the day because it ACTUALLY WOKS, and that this design reminds me of the Avengers logo, except replace the red with neon yellow and BAM it's like superhero nails.

Scorching like the sun...

... is what I wish the weather was like in Canada right now as opposed to the horrid winter chill.

Instead, here's some nails that might warm you up. A basic ombre/gradient technique was used with a makeup sponge to apply the cascade of warm colours, followed by a holographic top coat just for kicks.