#31DC2014 - Day 4: Green Nails aka Fails can be wins also, can't they?

Hi lovelies! This week is going by way to slowly for my liking but only 1 more day then it’s Friday and that usually passes in a flash so SUPER WIN! But for now, let’s just enjoy Day 4 of the #31DC2014 with some green nails.

Day 4: Green Nails

With this prompt I went in with really no idea what I wanted to do and that actually made me sad! I adore green nail polish so I thought inspiration would come easily...but it didn’t. Then it hit me that I’ve wanted to try these nimbus nails by The Nailasaurus for a very long time so why not now? Please note: EPIC FAIL! But I’m posting it none the less!

I started out by laying down 2 coats of Sinful Colors Snow Me White on all my nails. When this was dry, I added thinned out random overlapping dots of China Glaze I’m With The Lifegaurd, China Glaze Starboard, Sinful Colors Pistache and Catrice Hugo Moss as shown in this Nailasaurus TUTORIAL.

Like I said, EPIC FAIL! The dots weren’t thinned out nearly enough and this was my second attempt! The overall mani though? I actually kind of like it! Much like yesterday, China Glaze I’m With The Lifegaurd’s awesome neon epicness made my camera have a total hernia but in the end, I got a few nice pictures and I’m really happy with this mani! That’s all that matters right?

Lots of mad love...

 

Twinkle Twinkle Spongey Stars...

Hi lovelies! Heck, it’s been quite a while since I’ve posted but it’s been for good reason. Had some really awesome changes in my life and I thought I’d share my happiness with you! I didn’t really post anything about it on the blog but last year October I lost my job due to retrenchment. At the time it was a really big shock to my system but I thought I would get over it quick and find a job in no time! I didn’t though. I hated feeling so helpless and out of control, and I was slowly busy losing myself! I was constantly fighting with my family and my fiancé about the most tiny silly things, I was low on inspiration and just the idea of writing a blog post exhausted me! That was the worst to me. I was pushing away the things I love the most! Something had to change fast!...And it did! Last Tuesday I went for an interview on very short notice and was quite nervous!  To be honest, I was terrified.  But I’ve been working there since last Wednesday and it’s a great environment with new challenges , new experiences and I feel amazing. I feel like “me” again and man, did I miss me!
  
But let’s be honest, you’re not here for my soppy life experiences! Let’s get on with the nail art shall we?

I got a little star punch after I saw some amazing mani’s done by people like Chalkboard Nails and Manicurator and decided I have to play with it immediately! It’s not a hugely complicated mani but I still loved the results!

I started out by laying down 2 coats of Catrice Hip Queens Wear Blue Jeans. I punched in some stars into sticky tape and layed it down on random places over the dry base.  Then I took torn pieces of a make-up sponge and sponged over the open star spaces with Sinful Colors Snow Me White.

Like I said, this is such a simple and easy mani but I love how it came out! I liked it so much that I actually wore it for more than 2days and that does not happen often in my world! Just needed some red in between somewhere and it would’ve put me in a full on “‘America” mood.

If you would like me to swatch any of the colors you saw in today’s post, please let me know via email or drop me a comment below. More than willing to oblige! 

Lots of mad love...

 

Guest Post: Ordinary Misfit

Hi there lovelies! Today I'm not going to have a big intro or talk nonsense like I usually do because I am having my very first guest post! It is one of two posts that you will see over the next two weeks and both posts feature guests that are not only great nail polish/art bloggers but also very close to my heart because they are very dear friends to me! Like the “if you hurt them I will hunt you into your grave” type of friends!

My first guest is Michelle from Ordinary Misfit and I am immensely honored to have her take over my little space here in crazy land today. I can not tell you how excited I am to show you this mani because, well, just look for yourself:

Inspired by Alice

I am absolutely honoured to guest post here today. Talk about pressure though!

After a recent conversation with Thea about Alice in Wonderland (I will leave that story for her to tell :P) I knew that I had to do Alice in Wonderland inspired nails for this post.

This is so out of my comfort zone it’s ridiculous! I don’t do free hand anything. I can barely draw on paper, not to mention my nails. I loved the idea though and I think it is really cute (also a huge thanks to acidicice for bouncing ideas around and all the help with this design). I might not get good marks on execution but you can’t deny the idea is super cute right?

Right, I used a bazillion polishes so I will go through each nail. I started with my pinky. This nail represents Alice herself. She is the first character we meet and, of course, the main character. I started with two coats of Tip Top – Beach Babe that represents her dress. I then did a white French tip with Sinful Colors – Snow me white. This represents her apron. I then lined the white tip with my black striper and stamped a black bow from Pueen12. This represents her headband and ribbon.

Alice then meets the white rabbit. I used Sinful Colors – Ruby Ruby to represent the white rabbits red jacket. I then used my white striper to make his ears. I also used Sinful Colors – Snow me White to make the half circle representing the white rabbits pocket watch. I then used Revlon – Gold Rush for the border of the watch and my black striper for the dots and the hand of the watch.

Next is Cheshire Cat. (PINK!!) I used Tip Top – Sherbet Angel and once that was dry I used striping tape and Tip Top – Grape to Meet You to make the stripes. I then used my black and white stripers to make his big old cheesy grin. Next up was Tip Top – Sun Kissed (over white) to make his goofy eyes. His nose and eyebrows were also done with the black striper.

Time for Mad Hatter! This was the hardest one for me to do. I started with a base of Sinful Colors – Snow me White. I then freehanded the hat with Tip Top – We have an Agreen-mint. Yes, I freehanded! Eeek! I used Catrice – I’m not a Greenager to make the darker band on the hat. I then tried to make the white card with “10/6” using my stripers, my dotting tool, another dotting tool. You name it. (yes that is also how many time I redid it) In the end I decided to just leave it be and hope that the intention of it is enough. :P

Lastly, on my thumbs we have Queen of Hearts. Another one I tried quite a few different ways. In the end I went with a base of Sinful Colors – Black on Black. I then used one red rhinestone heart and one clear rhinestone heart down the center of my nail.

In the end we have a journey with Alice through her Wonderland!

Thanks so much for having me Thea and I hope you liked this design! It’s such an honour to be featured on your blog!

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See what I mean?? Huh?? Amazeballs! Like Michelle said, we had a conversation once where I said I have a very soft spot for Alice from Alice in Wonderland. All the Disney heroines gets a castle or a prince or something amazing in the end of their journeys but all Alice got was an acid fueled mind trip that turned out to just be a dream?? Poor girl! So needless to say, I LOVE this post!

To see more of Michelle's great work, hop on over to her blog! You wont be disappointed! And while your at it, you can also follow her at the following places:

Ordinary Misfit

Facebook

Twitter

bloglovin'

Lots of mad love...

OPI Jade Is The New Black Swatch

Hi there lovelies! How are you? Sorry I have been a bit absent from my twitter feed and life in general. Doing month-end at work at the moment so I am exhausted come evening. Most of it is spent on the couch either watching TV or swearing at some new enemy I am struggling to defeat in Alice: Madness Returns (awwe, what a nice name!). Well, not really swearing but more like these funny floppy arm movements I do paired with zombie sounds. Yes, I am that tired!

Now for the reason why you are actually here...

In the beginning of July I was lucky enough to be able to make it to Twincare International's "Christmas in July" sale in Johannesburg. As most frustrated nail polish lovers in South Africa know, brands like OPI are very hard to find and when you do find them, they are freaking expensive! OPI goes for around R130.00 (approx. $13) in salons and by pure principal, I won't ever buy a nail polish if it's that expensive. But at the Twincare sale I was able to pick up a few of these beauties and some great mini packs for R50.00 each (approx. $5). WIN!

Today I'm swatching one of those beauties. I am a huge fan of greens and blues so naturally when I saw OPI Jade Is The New Black at the sale, my heart skipped a beat or twenty!

OPI Jade Is The New Black was part of OPI's 2010 Hong Kong Collection and as far as I know, it was added to their core collection. It is a beautiful soft green which I wouldn't describe as dull or dusty, but more as muted but fresh (if that makes any sense).

It was opaque in two easy coats. All the swatch photos were taken without a topcoat so, as you can see, it dries with quite a good shine. I adore this color! It is truly a unique green that I can see myself having tons of fun with in the future! And greeeeeen! *swoon* So pretty!

Of course I couldn't leave this beautiful color alone so I put down two pieces of striping tape over all my nails and layed down a coat of Catrice Hugo Moss between the spaces, pulling off the tape immediately. Then I went in with a small dotting tool and made polka dots on the one side of the line with Tip Top Nail Addict Envy. Lil side note: I can not wait to swatch Tip Top Nail Addict Envy for you! This polish is gorgeous!

OPI Jade Is The New Black is one of those polishes you need to get if you love unique colors. Good shine, decent drying time and great opacity! I am so happy I picked up this color and would recommend it to anyone if they are able to get their hands on it!

Lots of mad love