Playing with Crackle

Now that all of my challenges are done, I have time to play around before the one for autumn starts.  Do any of you follow Veronica at Gorgeois?  If you don't follow her, your nuts.  She is super talented when it comes to nail art.  I just love her stuff.  She recently did a another design using crackle that is amazing.  Here is the first design.  This amazed me.  I hate crackle but found myself trying to borrow crackle from co-workers to try and recreate it.  I failed miserably.  I will show you my design in a minute.  I kept it in a file unposted because it looks like a third grader did it compared to Veronica's.  Then, the other day, she posted another one.  I wrote and told her I hated her.  I don't really hate her.....just her talent. ;)

Here is what I finally had to settle for after my crackles wouldn't crackle or they were too faint to show up on the basecoat.

If it was black, it would like like tire tracks.

Lazy Days of Summer-BBQ Fun

Finally done!!  Three summer challenges.....40 posts total!!!  Loved it.  I already did BBQ theme once already in the form of a charcoal grill.  I decided to keep my last post very simple and include one of my favorite BBQ items.  Corn on the cob.  Here is is in all it's simple glory.

Here are the challenge items......

 

The rest of the challengers....

Alyson
http://beadsnailsfood.blogspot.com/
Amanda
http://mandyspolish.blogspot.com/
Hannah
http://polished-prisms.blogspot.com
Katee
http://www.agirlandherpolish.com
Charlotte-Louise
http://charlottes-nails.blogspot.co.uk/
Jessica
http://nearlynaturalnails.blogspot.com
Karine
http://karinea0a.blogspot.com
Jen
http://thepolishedzombie.blogspot.com
Jessica
http://jessicasnailtales.blogspot.com/
Ashley
http://onenailtoanother.blogspot.ca
Pryanka
http://nailsparks.blogspot.com/
Anna
http://www.polishedcousins.com
Maribeth
http://obsessivecosmetichoardersunite.blogspot.com/
Victoria
http://www.manicurator.com/



Contest Entry-Dots and pugs

I prefer to do everything last minute.  Marta from Chit Chat Nails is having a contest and the entries are due at midnight.  You have to do a dotticure and take a picture holding something unusual.  Unusual always peaks my interest, as you know.  Well, if you know me, you know what I picked......

Elmer volunteered once he learned there was bologna involved.  Cute accessory right???  This is Milani White on the Spot and Zoya Tallulah and Zoya Sara.  Here is what the whole thing looked like up close, along with the thumb...

If you don't follow Marta, you should.  Her photos are fantastic.  It is totally different from most other blogs.

Amy's Nail Boutique-Marigold

I have been very lucky.  I hear a lot of things about people buying Indie Polish Brands and some of what I hear is not positive.  This has not been my experience to date.  I have had nothing but the best of luck with my purchases.  I have bought dozens over the last few months and love them all.  There are some I don't love as much as others but none that I am willing to swap or sell at this point.  I also have had good luck with sellers.  Some I have had no contact with at all.  I placed an order, they shipped, I enjoyed.  Others I feel go above and beyond with regard to their customer service.  Simple things like going out of their way to keep me informed about the status of a package even if it is shipped in a reasonable time frame.  Others take pride in packaging in special and unique ways. 

One seller I really love is Amy from Amy's Nail Boutique.  She is super quick with her shipments, has a great sense of humor and I really love her polish.  She recently came out with a line based on flowers and I really wanted them all but I am trying to be reasonable.  I ended up with four.  Here is the first one and it's called Marigold.  I am choosing this one to start because I think it is a great polish to buy for summer, right into fall and then Halloween.  I also recently got some Zoya's in the mail and decided that Rica might be great to use as undies.  I wanted a sheer look beneath.  Here is a bottle shot of the two.

And the two combined below.  Just one coat of each followed by a top coat of SV.

I really like the combo.  Rica has great gold and yellow shimmer with an orange base.

Please disregard the fact that my nails are all different lengths.  They have been breaking all week and I am not emotionally ready to bring them all that short yet.  I should have taken a picture of the other hand to show you how super long those nails are.  I know, it's pathetic.





Sitting outside today (for a brief time because I was melting), I couldn't stop staring at the sparkle.  And I am just in love with the textured glitters.  You know the ones that look like Ruffles potato chips.

Mandy's Polish Guest Post

I did an exciting guest post over at Mandy's Polish.  You need to check out her blog.  She does some great stuff and is a great supporter of the blogging community.  It is a really cool mani that I loved wearing and is totally me........GO SEE!!!!!!!!!!

Lazy Days of Summer-Inspired by my house

I definitely took the easy way out here.  I have not really been stamping much and this was really a no brainer.  My house....or at least my living room and kitchen.....is all safari.  I love animal print and going on a safari is a priority on my bucket list.  So I recreated my house on my nails.  I used Enchanted Austin Powers and stamped with some Avon polish that is brown (that helps a lot right)?  I also can't remember the plate I used but it's not too tough to find animal print.  There is at least one plate in each collection.

Austin Powers is super HOLO!!!!  Take a look in the sun. Notice anything??? My ring finger nail broke in between pictures.  :(

And, here are some pics of inspirations in my house.  First is my wall border and the second are my elephants on the mantle.

Here are the challenge items......

 The rest of the challengers....

Alyson
http://beadsnailsfood.blogspot.com/
Amanda
http://mandyspolish.blogspot.com/
Hannah
http://polished-prisms.blogspot.com
Katee
http://www.agirlandherpolish.com
Charlotte-Louise
http://charlottes-nails.blogspot.co.uk/
Jessica
http://nearlynaturalnails.blogspot.com
Karine
http://karinea0a.blogspot.com
Jen
http://thepolishedzombie.blogspot.com
Jessica
http://jessicasnailtales.blogspot.com/
Ashley
http://onenailtoanother.blogspot.ca
Pryanka
http://nailsparks.blogspot.com/
Anna
http://www.polishedcousins.com
Maribeth
http://obsessivecosmetichoardersunite.blogspot.com/
Victoria
http://www.manicurator.com/



Lazy Days of Summer-Summer Nights

When I think of summer nights, I think of stars against a black sky.  I had seen this done before on Lachesis and Co. which is one of my favorite blogs to follow.  I painted a basecoat of China Glaze Liquid Leather.  Then I brushed on one of the China Glaze Prismatics (can't remember which one....must write this stuff down!!!) If I were to do it over again, I would use a sponge because the brush strokes are evident.  Then I stamped with Konad Black using Cheeky 05.  I love the effect.  I will have to try this again to improve on the execution.

Here is a closer look

Here are the challenge items......

 

The rest of the challengers....

Alyson
http://beadsnailsfood.blogspot.com/
Amanda
http://mandyspolish.blogspot.com/
Hannah
http://polished-prisms.blogspot.com
Katee
http://www.agirlandherpolish.com
Charlotte-Louise
http://charlottes-nails.blogspot.co.uk/
Jessica
http://nearlynaturalnails.blogspot.com
Karine
http://karinea0a.blogspot.com
Jen
http://thepolishedzombie.blogspot.com
Jessica
http://jessicasnailtales.blogspot.com/
Ashley
http://onenailtoanother.blogspot.ca
Pryanka
http://nailsparks.blogspot.com/
Anna
http://www.polishedcousins.com
Maribeth
http://obsessivecosmetichoardersunite.blogspot.com/
Victoria
http://www.manicurator.com/