Crumpet's 52 week challenge - Week #2

Week #2:  Gradient and/or Pink

Week #2 - here we are.  And I'm caught up.  Yes, I was behind already...don't judge me.

This is going to be another quickie post, so shall we?

GAME DAY - Blackhawks 12/27/2013

Hawks are back on the ice tonight after a short Christmas break...yeah baby!!!!

Mish Mash Challenge #22: 3 Colors

Mish Mash Challenge day falls on Christmas this year, so I'm doubling up on Tuesday to get this in.  MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!  The 3 colors fell on a good day...I chose Red, Green and Gold.  My nails on my right hand are finally getting to a length that I feel OK photographing, but they are still short for me.  I hate always having to use my left hand in the photos - it's awkward for me to have to use my right to photograph.

T.I.O.T. (Try It On Tuesday) - 12/17/2013

I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things.  Feels very strange - I'd forgotten how much work goes into getting up a blog post!

So, my "come back" TIOT polish - Celestial "Mother of Dragons".  OH. MY. GOD.   I love! this polish.  I have been in a neutral and/or red phase for almost 2 months now.  Seriously, I have no idea where it came from...I don't have that many reds.  But this polish...<<sigh>>, I have no words.

T.I.O.T. (Try It On Tuesday) - 11/19/2013

There will be a few pictures for this Try It On Tuesday, and a short post.  Four words....Crows Toes Indian Summer.  If you have this, then you know.  If you don't, then let me tell you - OH. MY. GOSH!!!!

GAME DAY - Blackhawks 11/17/2013

All hell is broke loose here today, and I gotta tell you, it freaked me out a little.  More than a couple tornados were touching down in towns not too far from me today, and one of the potential storm tracks brought that super-cell over my town.  It didn't happen, but I was holding my breath for a couple of hours today.  It got so bad, they evacuated Soldier Field and delayed the Bears game - when was the last time you heard of something like that?  Football plays in anything!  Scary stuff in the middle of November.

Anyway, Blackhawks game day - another back-to-back weekend for them.  I hated to take off my Spotlight Saturday manicure.  I will definitely be wearing that again.

GAME DAY NOTD! - Blackhawks 10/9/13

It's fall, and that means HOCKEY season!!  There's football too, but nothing beats hockey for me. Tonight's game is against the Blues, so to commemorate tonight's game & the beginnings of the hockey season, here's my game day mani:

My first review! - Part 1, Orly Secret Society collection

Yes, you read the title correctly - this is Part 1 of a review post.  As my blog header states, these products were purchased by me, so nothing to disclose.  Damn legal issues....anyway, I don't plan on making a habit of this, so I may as well do this one right.

This came about because a friend and fellow blogger - Dionne @ Glittery Fingers and Sparkling Toes - had posted reviews of some polishes from the Orly Surreal collection.  She wasn't able to buy the Secret Society collection yet, but when I told her I had them, she threatened me with bodily harm  asked me nicely to swatch them.  So here is the collection: 



Picture from NailCandy101.com

Mish Mash Challenge #5: Music

Ah, music...I wasn't sure what I was going to do for this week.  I got a stamping plate from Cheeky that I wasn't expecting for a couple more weeks, so I was going to do the music notes, staff, instrument thing, but then...the VMA's happened (and just an FYI - this is one of the rare posts where I have video's embedded; with this challenge topic, I couldn't pass up the opportunity).  For those that don't know, MTV has an annual Video Music Award program, and no, it is not Miley Cyrus inspired.  That would have been a nude colored polish with a mouth and tongue accent nail...oh yea, and a foam finger worked in somewhere...

Tri-Polish Challenge: August #3

Crumpet's Nail Tarts Tri-Polish Challenge for August 2013 - colors are Red, Yellow and Green.  This is my #3 manicure for this month, and with the oppressive heat outside, and only a small portable A/C unit in the house, I opted for something light...and fast. Plus, I want to work on my stamping, and this week is perfect for it.

T.I.O.T. (Try It On Tuesday) - 8/27/2013 - on Monday again!

Real quickie for this week's Try It On Tuesday...yes, a day early again.  (Last minute cramming for finals will take up my Tuesday). 

LynBDesigns AWESOME!!!! polish:  The Fires of Gallifrey.  I was listening to and watching Dr. Who all weekend while I was studying, and thought this was a perfect.  Love, love it!

The color is described as red-based, but it reads more orange-y on me, which I like.  With the gold glitter in it, I think a truer red would feel almost holiday-like.  This was a quick paint job:  two thickish coats, with no undies.  Could have used some glitter food, but I'm only able to wear it a couple of days, and didn't want to bother.  That is the one bad thing with being in more than one challenge - I don't wear a manicure for a week like I used to.

Told you this would be a quickie!  No need for a jump break!
See you for the Mish Mash Challenge!
Liz

Tri-Polish Challenge: August #2

AUGUST 2013 colors:  Red, Yellow, and Green.  Oy!

Crumpet's Nail Tarts:  Tri-Polish Challenge.  It's 4 manis using three different color polishes.  The colors are given for each month, and you have to use the same 3 for all 4 manicures.

So, since yellow is just not my thing for a base, I decided to switch it around for this manicure.  Still a little stumped for creativity for the moment, so I went with and old favorite - a dotticure.

Colors used for the whole August challenge:
Love and Beauty (by Forever21) - Glittering Sea Green
Sinful Colors - Unicorn
Flower - NP14 Budding Romance

I decided to go with a red base on this one.  Flower is a brand that is exclusively sold at Walmart, and is a cosmetic line created by Drew Barrymore.  The colors are very...safe.  This particular red is very pretty.  It has a micro shimmer in it that it not a WOW kind of thing; it just makes it kind of glow when the sun hits it.

So, here it is:  my dotticure.

 















Two down.  Whew!  A few days for me to come up with something for next week!  Check out everyone else below for this crazy color combo!

Later!
Liz

Tri-Polish Challenge: August #1

AUGUST 2013 colors:  Red, Yellow, and Green.  Oy!

Crumpet's Nail Tarts has a challenge every month, called the Tri-Polish Challenge.  What is it, you ask?  Well, it's 4 manis using...you guessed it, three different color polishes.  The colors are given for each month, and you have to use the same 3 for all 4 manicures.  Simple, right? 

Well...the colors for August are:  Red, Yellow, and Green.  Can I just say O.M.G.  The only thing that popped into my head once I read those colors is a stoplight.  Can't get that image out.  So to say this is a challenge is an understatement.  I like yellow, but not on me.  And green and red?  Screams Christmas, at least to me.  Add in yellow?  There's the stoplight again.  So...yea.  I'm working on it.

ABC Challenge - "U" is for U.S.A. (Memorial Day inspired)

Hope you all had a great 3 day weekend here in the States!  Weather was not as bad as predicted, but it still has been a lot cooler - and cloudier - than you would want at this time of the year. 

I had a little, I don't know, brain blockage, and couldn't decide between a couple of manicures.  So, I texted a friend of mine, and made her make my decision for me.  Thanks Jessica - this one turned out good.

ABC Challenge - "Q" is for Queen of Speed

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Hello all!  I got very lucky this week.  I had this "Q" in my stash that was my fallback in case I didn't think of anything else better, so I didn't feel too pressured trying to figure out what to do.  And best of all, it is the perfect base for my themed manicure that fits right in this time of the year.

Before the photos, let me just tell you two things:  1) I live near Chicago, and 2) I am a rabid hockey fan.  So, regular season just ended on Saturday 4/27, and the best team in the NHL is...drumroll, please...the Chicago Blackhawks.  But the post-season is just beginning this week, and everything basically resets to zero.  It doesn't matter what they did anymore, it's what they do from here on out.  **UPDATE - And all they did was win game 1...in overtime.  YAY!**  So to show my appreciation for the best professional sports team in the city, I did a little Blackhawks inspired manicure.  Oh, and the team colors?  Red, black, and white.

Queen of Speed from Color Club is a VERY sheer red - it would have taken a lot of coats for full opacity.  I was not willing to wait that long, so I used a coat of Wisp underneath, with two coats of the Queen.  It made this polish a very bright red.  PERFECT.

Not sure why pointer finger looks so orange...
doesn't look that way in real life.

For my thumb, I did a base of Wisp, and sponged on the red, green, yellow and orange (these are the colors in the feathers in the logo).  Is it a little messy? Yes; my transfers weren't the best, and my lines...looks like I was a little drunk when I drew them.  Unfortunately, I was not. 

Colors used:
Black striper
Midnight in NY (black shimmer) - Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure
Wisp (white) - Sinful Shine
Queen of Speed (red) - Color Club
Fresh (green) - Orly
Let's Meet (yellow) - Sinful
Drive Me Crazy (orange) - Pure Ice

And here is my inspiration:

I used Lisa's at LOZLOSA newspaper technique (yes, again), for the tomahawks and the Indian head logos.  My only issue:  they are backwards on the nail (obviously).  I think I know how to correct that, so with a little tweaking and playing with my software, I can get these images flipped before I print, so they transfer correctly.  **UPDATE - found a free online flipping tool, and have reversed images in less than 2 minutes.**

I had a little bit of trouble this time, because I was TOO DAMN IMPATIENT.   I wanted this manicure on my nails, RIGHT NOW, and they are messy.  I don't feel as bad as I should - work has been brutal on my hands this past week, and they are already looking pretty sad.  I'm going to have to redo them, but as long as the Blackhawks are in the playoffs, I'll be sporting some version of this.

So, here is my weekly shout out to Kimber at Kimber's Lacquer Korner, the master of ceremonies to this little challenge.  Even though we are (quickly) coming to the end of the alphabet, there are still 9 weeks left...plenty of time to join.  And just because the alphabet will be ending, doesn't mean that the challenges will be over.  If you are interested in jumping in, it is a closed group.  You will need to click on the ABC Challenge tab on her web page, and shoot her an e-mail to request to join.  Simple as that.

Now, onward.
Liz

ABC Challenge - "O" is for Orly, OPI, and Optical Illusions

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Step right up, step right up!!  I feel like a carnival barker...and I am beyond ecstatic about this week.  Now, before we get to the pictures, keep in mind this is not perfect work.  And, I need to give credit where credit is due.  Last week, Lisa @ LOZLOSA posted a FANTASTIC "newspaper" mani, with instructions (link to it HERE).  I loved this enough to try it this week.

Like I said, not perfect.  I was nervous because of the images I picked - very black heavy.  And a LOT of paper fiber left behind on the nail, some of which I didn't get because I was afraid of wiping off the black (yea, I should not have worried).  On top of that, my allergies are into overdrive, and trying to paint my nails with a staining red while coughing and sneezing, well, lets just say I did NOT color well within the lines.  I'm using my chitty cuticle pass this week.  Overall, I am SOOOO pleased with this - the options are truly limitless with this technique.  (The Orly red was crazy shiny, and pictures were taken at night.  Weather forecast for the next 3 days - rain.  I may update later if I can get something that resembles daylight, but otherwise...sorry, you will have to suffer through with the crappy photos).

 

 

**THIS IS MY FAVORITE**

 

Here are the original images I used.  I ended up inserting them into a Word document, and adjusted down the size from there.  They had to be drastically reduced, but the 12 original images I picked easily fit on one page.

Finally, colors used:
OPI - My Boyfriend Scales Walls
Orly - Unlawful

I SO wish I had better photos to do a little justice to how this turned out.  Thank you so much Lisa for the inspiration.

As always, Kimber at Kimber's Lacquer Korner is responsible for the group you see below.  If you want to join, visit her website, click on ABC Challenge, and drop her a request.  And no cheating...if you haven't signed up, please don't link.

Good night all, but before you leave, check these out:

ABC Challenge - "F" is for Flower

Another week is here...can't believe they are going so fast.  Are these posts getting longer?  They feel like they are...maybe because I am only doing this once a week, I don't know.  Feel free to tell me - I won't be offended.  Really.

I had another choice for "F" this week - flames.  What I wanted to do would have taken me a while, and I may still do it later in the challenge, but I ran out of time and this was my fall back. 

Flower is a new line of cosmetics by Drew Barrymore, and it turns out it is being sold exclusively through Walmart.  The new line is pretty small, since it is just starting.  The colors in the nail polish are not my usual - I think there are about 15 colors, and only 3 of them are my favorite darks.  The vast majority are in the pinkish range, and many are soft and pale.  Since I couldn't do my other choice, I got lazy and picked some up to try.

I ended up buying two colors.  Most of the polishes are cremes, but they did have one that looked like it might be a duochrome, and these two that I picked up were shimmers.  I desperately need practice with my stamping, and with Valentine's day coming up, I thought I would use that as the theme.

I found a plate from Cheeky - CH15 - that had 4 different heart designs, with a bonus cluster of hearts.  Perfect.   Sorry for the photo being so bright, but I wanted to get a close-up of the designs, and this was the best photo I got that didn't completely glare back the flash.

So here are the colors I used:



SPOILED Shuffle the Deck (glitter)
FLOWER Budding Romance (red)
FLOWER That's Just Dan-De-Lion (nude)

I tried to capture the shimmer on the nude color - it isn't just a glass shimmer, it is multicolored, which was unexpected.  You can't see the colors from the swatch stick, but I think you do get a hint of the shimmer. 

So, the stamping is...meh.  Not too bad, but nothing to write home about.  Considering it is my 2nd time stamping, I gotta say it's not THAT shabby.  The nude color is DEFINITELY not anything close to a go-to color for me.  Not with my skin tone; but the photos really wash me out and make me look even paler than I am.  That being said, I kind of like this mani.  I don't think I'll be doing another light one anytime soon, but it doesn't hurt to change things up a bit. Oh, and FYI - still no decent camera, and no decent weather for any natural light photos. 

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by, and while you looking, be sure to check out all the other ladies in the challenge hosted by Kimber's Lacquer Korner below.

Until next week ladies!