Category Archives: Just for Fun

31DC2013 Day 10: Gradient Nails

10 Tuesday Sep 2013

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I love water-marbling because each nail comes out differently!

Okay…that is probably because I still do not have the technique down but I still love the finished product!

Gradient Nails

I started with two coats of China Glaze “White on White”.

Thumb: Orly “Bonder”, Color Club “Mrs. Robinson” and “Pucci-licious”.

Index: Orly  “Bonder”, Color Club “Mrs. Robinson”, “Warhol” and “Poptastic”.

Middle: Orly “Bonder”, Color Club “Warhol”, “Poptastic” and “Wham! Pow!”

Ring: Orly “Bonder”, Color Club “Poptastic”, “Wham! Pow!” and “Almost Famous”.

Pinky: Orly “Bonder”, Color Club “Wham! Pow!” and “Almost Famous”.

I finished with one coat of INM “Northern Lights”.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

31DC2013 Day 9: Rainbow Nails

09 Monday Sep 2013

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For this prompt I used neons and the water-color technique.

Rainbow Prompt

I started with two coats of China Glaze “White on White”. I set it with Seche Vite top coat to protect the base color.

I used the water-color technique to apply from tip to cuticle: Color Club “Poptastic” (pink) and “Wham! Pow” (orange), Cult Nails “Feel Me Up” (yellow), Color Club “Twiggie” (green), Milani “Peacock” (blue) and Color Club “Pucci-licious” (purple).

I mixed acetone nail polish (Zoya +) and the polishes together and dabbed them imperfectly across the nail.

I applied a second coat the same way and added a little “Pucci-licious” to the tips.

I added one more layer of top coat to mix the colors.

I took pictures and then tried adding a couple of coats of Deborah Lippman “Happy Birthday” just to see what it would look like. I am so glad I took those pictures. The glitter polish just did not go with the bright neons.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

31DC2013 Day 8: Metallic Nails

08 Sunday Sep 2013

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I am finally getting the hang  of water-marbling!

For today’s prompt I decided to go with something very subtle. It took me forever to get a photograph that picked up the design.

Metallics Water-Marble

I applied two coats of Chanel “Peridot” and one coat of Seche Vite top coat.

I like adding a top coat before I water-marble because it really defines the design. This is especially important when the colors are so similar.

I used Orly “Bonder” and Zoya “Goldie” for the water-marble. Bonder spreads more evenly and thinly than the top coat I was using and does not dry as quickly.

I finished with one coat of INM “Northern Lights.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

31DC2013 Day 7: Black and White Nails

07 Saturday Sep 2013

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I practiced my black and white manicure for two days. Whenever I think B&W, I think water-marbling. It just seems the best way to incorporate both colors in a fun and different manner. I love water-marbling but I just do not seem to get a good handle on it.

Thankfully, I stumbled across a great tutorial by Mucking Fusser who’s finished marblings look beautiful! The trick I got from her was to use a clear coat so that the colors do not mix in the water.

I decided to add a little colored glitter just because I love color!

Black and White and a little Color

Bases:

          Pinky Finger: Three coats of Urban Decay “Creep”; one generous coat of Seche Vite (to bring out shine).

          Middle & Ring Finger: Two coats of China Glaze “White on White”.

          Index Finger: One coat of Milani High Speed Fast Dry “Black Swift”.

 

Index Finger: I added three coats of Milani “Sprinkles” and then one coat of Cult Nails “Wax That”.

Middle Finger: I added two coats of Nails Inc London Sprinkles “Sweets Way”.

Ring Finger: I water-marbled Wet n Wild “Black Creme” and Seche Vite top coat. I added one coat of INM “Northern Lights”.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

31DC2013 Day 6: Violet Nails

06 Friday Sep 2013

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I love purple. I also have a ton of purple polishes. My possibilities are endless for this prompt.

I actually made two different manicures for this and I had a lot of trouble choosing one to showcase.

Violet Nails Prompt!

Violet Nails Prompt!

I used China Glaze “White on White” on my pinky finger,  Color Club “Mrs. Robinson” on my ring finger, and Chanel “Taboo” on my third and index finger.

I spun Color Club “Pucci-licious” and China Glaze “Caribbean Temptation” on the tip of my pinky finger.

I spun Zoya “Adina” (I finally found a use for it!) and China Glaze “White on White” on my ring finger. I also used White on White on the base on my index finger.

I layered one coat of Nfu Oh Opal “Nfu 51” on my third finger.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

31DC2013 – Blue Nails

05 Thursday Sep 2013

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Blue, just like the green, does not look good on me. Rather, I do not like how it looks on me. Regardless, I still have many blue polishes in my collection because otherwise it feels incomplete.

I practiced the “sugar spun” technique for a few days. It was difficult to get the timing right but I finally managed to get a product I liked!

31DC2013 - Blue Nails

Blue Nails Prompt

I stared with three coats of China Glaze “White on White”. It was runny but three coats evened out any flaws.

I used a toothpick to “spin” Urban Outfitters “Blue Velvet”, Color Club “Pucci-licious”, and Milani “Peacock” from the tip of the nail to the cuticle.

I originally wanted to sugar-spin one nail but I did not like the blue base color on the other nails. The sugar-spun looked so good I decided to go for all of them.

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

#31DC2013 Day 4: Green Nails

05 Thursday Sep 2013

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I sat down to start today’s prompt feeling very unmotivated. Green never looks good on me and I do not know how to make it look good. I stared at all my green polishes for a good few minutes before it dawned on me that I had just settled down with a bowl of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.

My favorite!

I then realized I had all the right colors for a Mint-inspired manicure!

Green Nails Prompt

Green Nails Prompt

I started with two coats of Color Club “Twiggie” on my index, middle, and ring finger.

I used two coats of Milani “Mint Chip” (hah…) on my pinky finger.

I used a small brush to apply strokes of butter London “Knackered” on my ring finger before adding a layer of Serum No5 “Happy Special Day”. Unfortunately, the butter London polish was so sheer it did not show up under the sprinkles top coat.

I applied small brush strokes of Essie “Blanc” to my index, middle and ring finger to mimic mint chip ice cream.

I quickly applied two coats of Milani “Sprinkles” to my index and middle finger; and one coat of Seche Vite to my ring finger. I wanted to blur any sharp lines.

Once my ring finger dried I used Bundle Monster plate “BM-307” and Milani “Quick Teal” to stamp a cupcake!

I applied a very light coat of Sprinkles on my ring finger to seal the look.

I am not a fan of the base colors but I really like green mint ice cream so I went for it!

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.