Star Blogs~ July 31 2012

Inspiration Blog~ Glow-in-the-Dark Soul - Elaine is one amazing blogger. When I found her blog I would spend hours reading through her archives, drooling over all the pictures on her blog and getting buckets of inspiration.  She pays attention to the little details in life and shows you how beautiful anything can be.  She offers classes, tutorials and tips and tricks to get your creative juices flowing.  I love reading through blogs that not only focus on the theme of the blog (whatever that may be ) but you read a real life story of this persons life.  Elaine has went through so many changes since the start of her blog (finishing school, getting married)  I recommend this blog if you want to see tons of color, fun ideas, and if you just want to be inspired by her super cute world!

Red and Black

Another group I belong to on Facebook is Adventures in Stamping.  There is a challenge every Sunday that is chosen from a list of ideas, the highest vote being the winner (kind of a no brainer, don't know why I explained that)

This Sunday we are challenged to do a "Black and Red" stamping nail art and I have to say I wasn't really feeling like dark colors but I didn't have any other ideas of what I wanted to do with my nails so I'm doing it!

I picked the lightest red I had and that is Finger Paints "Vermillions Painting"  It is more of an orangish red and shhh I used it as an orange before when I was challenged to use and orange over at the Purple Crumpet Fairy Challenge.

I only needed one coat of Vermillions Painting.  I love this polish.  like I mentioned an orange-red with tiny gold shimmer in it.  It has been the polish that is catching my eye the most lately and not just when I'm doing challenges.

I stamped the bows with my QA5 plate using my Betty Boop Black polish which is my favourite black for stamping.  I then free handed the tips with my Nails Chic nail art pen in Black.  

 Not my favorite and probably won't keep this design on for more then a couple hours.  I'm just not feeling it today.

Too long I have waited...

FOR THE OLYMPICS!!!!

I am an Olympicoholic. ( I'm thinking by the red underneath that word,  it isn't a word but to me it is!)

I have one event going on the TV and one on the computer and I'm flicking back and forth to other events. 

Last Olympics 2010 Vancouver was of course in my country and even though Vancouver was far from Ontario (where I lived at the time) It was still awesome!!!

Purple Crumpet Fairy Challenges us to do nail art inspired by the Olympic opening ceremony/Flag.  The next couple Nail Art challenges revolve around the Olympics as well but I might be busy so I am going to make this one super awesome!!

First I used Sally Hansen Hard as Nails, I just started using it so I haven't noticed if it is working but I hear that its good so I will use it before I polish my nails and see if their is progress.  If anyone has any other suggestions to helping my nails grow, please share.  I have never ever in my life had my own natural long nails, I definitely do not take after my mom and grandma!!

My Base coat is LA Colors Live.  I am going to be using tons of colors so I wanted something more neutral that would go with everything and make all the other colors pop.  Since I will be using black in my design and I didn't want white I thought I would go with silver.

Coat one:  A little streaky but pretty opaque, Hit nail on my desk so regardless I'm doing a second coat.
Coat 2: This is all you need with this polish. It has  a foil look, not completely smooth but I like it

I printed of some waterslide decals for the Olympic rings, one of the mascots and the London 2012 logo.  Thanks so much Christie for inspiring me to make my own decals!! I LOVE them, they are so easy to do, its hard to get the paper here but its worth the effort.  For my ring and index finger I tried a million different things and by this time I was so tired my eyes were hurting so I made arches that look better in person then in the photo. I used Nails Chic Nail art pens which I only have a few colors of but they are awesome and I want more as mine are getting used up very quickly. I only did my one hand as I needed my nails clear for this weekend as I have other plans for them.  

s.s.s.s.s.s.snake nails.s.s.s.s.s.s

Purple Crumpet Fairy Challenges us today to do nail art inspired by a day at the zoo.  I wanted something bright today as I have not been feeling well and so I looked for inspiration and found it on a non-nail blog.  Just a random picture of a beautiful snake from a trip to the zoo.  Perfect, I haven't done snake nail art yet.

So I started of with a base of China Glaze In the Lime Light ~ Lime Green with a subtle blue shimmer that you really need to search for.

First Coat: Barely there really streaky and it dries Matte

Second Coat:  There was barely any difference from the first, how many coats will this take?

Third Coat: The polish is still a little streaky and looks caked on.  I had hopes with this third coat when I put it on, I was like there we go nice and even, I moved my hand around to inspect the awesome polish job I did and was let down, move my hand again, good, and again, not so much.  Hopefully after I stamp it will look better because I am not putting any more coats on.

Stamping:

I first tried stamping with LA Colors Color Craze in Live.  I always test on paper first and this polish is not good for stamping, it is very faint.  My Husband suggested I stamp with gold instead, he said it would be more authentic to a snake but I envisioned silver which is good because I don't have a good gold polish.

The new Essie Mirror Metallics in No Place Like Chrome is awesome to stamp with!!!!

BM 215

However, my choices in polishes together is a fail!!  The  two colors I chose were not contrasting enough to make the silver or green pop.  They just blended in together and instead of the WOW!!! I imagined it was a MEH....

Star Blogs July 20 2012

Second post for the day, whose motivated ME!!!! Kinda like get it while its hot?  I dunno....  Anyways I have a wonderful, fantastic, super, inspiring amazing blog for you today!! Just one link to share today but it s quality over quantity right and I assure you its worth checking out!!!

Nail and Plus Size Awareness Blog - Fingers and Toads - Christie is a girl that I ran into via the Purple Crumpet Fairy Challenge.  She lives in the USA and ever since I sent her that first message asking her how in the world she made her nail tattoos, we have been talking via Facebook and today for the first time we video chatted!!! It was awesome.  So glad I met her online!! ( hopefully I will meet her one day in person)  We have so much in common and she is super awesome, witty and creative.  She is a plus size girl like myself and she wants to review products on her blog that can make a gals life easier.  Today she reviewed these awesome bras and she was questioning whether it was appropriate to post pictures of herself in the bras to show how amazing they were. Of course!! In my opinion her posting those pictures is no different then someone posting pictures of themselves in a bikini.  Her blog is in its infancy but I assure you with the personality she has her blog is going to be one to bookmark and check everyday!

Buttercup Challenge

Hey Everyone!! As promised I have finally included what I used for my nails.  Our challenge over at Purple Crumpet Fairy Challenge yesterday was "buttercups."  I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to do and tried about 5 different things and this is the one I liked the best.  But as you see I kinda cheated with the whole nail art part substituting for nail stickers instead.  My Grandma has been forwarding all their mail to them as they just moved to Alberta as well and she tucks in nail stickers or strips.  I must like this design because I have left it on for a full 24 hours and that doesn't happen to much.

On with the details

• China Glaze Sun Kissed
• Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-Ment
• And some stickers
• I didn't top coat this one and after 24 hours I have only have a little itty bit of tip wear which is expected from being on the computer most of the day ;)

Here is the Design I did.  Please excuse the picture, it is horrible.  I took it with my cell phone as my other camera was put away.  I don't have a point and shoot I just have a DSLR (I'm a photographer) and it is too much work to get it out and set up the tripod, because it is too heavy to hold with one hand (I have really weak wrists and holding the camera is two handed for me) Anyways I am rambling..... I will play around with the cell phone, I think it is on the fritz anyways...(yay I might talk Ryan into an iPhone heheh)

Summer Lovin Challenge

Haven't been feeling to good the past couple days/week but tomorrows a new day and there is always time to get my butt in gear, live life, and get this blog super awesome. I know I have the potential to do all of the above! here is my nail art for the Purple Crumpet Fairy Challenge. I'm going to start bring more descriptive so people will want to read what I have to say, so don't give up on me yet, make sure you come back because I'm going to make this blog awesome!!

Nail Challenge July 6th- Summer Cheverons

An enthusiastic and heartfelt apology;

First I would like to say I am a horrible blogger!!  I need to work on my blogging skills and get better so someone will actually be interested in what I have to say,  I would also like to apologise for my nails, they are not very pretty but I'm working on it. Anyways on to my post ...

I am part of a group on Facebook called The Purple Crumpet Fairy Challenge .  This is an amazing group who participate in nail art challenges. I admit I've been slacking as I have been feeling awful this past week but I need to push through and do all the normal things that make me feel good. My thoughtful Husband got me this cute card and a bottle of polish he picked up while he was out and surprised me.  Even though my feeling awfulness is caused from my anxiety disorder and I am having a bad go this past week, the card is still awesome! The polish is Nicole By OPI-Wear Something Spar-Kylie.  Thanks baby!!

Here is my Summer Chevrons nails I used;

Basecoat: China Glaze Flyin High

Stamped with Sally Hansen Ruby Reflection (Chrome)

Bundle Monster Plate 201

Star Blogs #2 July 3 2012

 Craft Blog - A Forest Frolic - Reading each of her posts is like reading a short story.  She is very captivating and all her post are jam packed with pictures of photography, crafts, her life and every once in a while she tells a story with pictures. You can't help but read this blog and feel inspired to make everything in your world cute and to get out and get crafting.  So glad I found this gem of a blog!

Ouch!

I had a bad anxiety attack last night and when they are really bad I tend to leave a path of destruction. I was grabbing the mattress and ripping at it and ripped off half my nail. so much for making my nails pretty for the next month or using any polish strips, I can only do nine nails