DIGIT-AL DOZEN WEEK: Vintage/Shabby Chic Floral Wallpaper

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Hello lovelies!

Lookit this! An on-time post!

Debbie did a floral wallpaper-type design yesterday, and I had recently seen Katy's invention of this design over at her blog, and I was inspired to give it a shot! It is something of a "second-class" design for me because I didn't invent it myself, but I'm trying to give myself a break this week. :)

For this design, I started with three coats of Don't Bossa Nova Me Around, from the new Brazil collection. It went on pretty smooth, but needed 3 coats for opacity. I then painted the roses with Poco a Poco and the leaves with Crescent Heights (I wanted to use CG's Budding Romance but my bottle won't open and I'm an impatient human being).

I then took my tiniest detail brush and went in with Camelot to do all the lines. In retrospect, I should have used Revlon's Dominate (my go-to dark brown) because it would have added to the vintage feel. I'm kicking myself over it a bit.

Polishes used:

OPI - Don't Bossa Nova Me Around

Rescue Beauty Lounge - Poco a Poco (no longer in production)

American Apparel - Crescent Heights

A England - Camelot

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

Glisten & Glow - HK Girl (top coat)

medium detail brush

tiniest detail brush

Today I was called into the office of the place I'm trying to work for, to meet the other admin assistant who currently works there. It was super nice, she's a total sweetheart. I know they have yet to call my references, and I'm hoping that goes well... but I'm otherwise feeling a bit better about my prospects now. :) Yay!

xo,

J.

CHECK OUT WHAT THE OTHER TALENTED LADIES OF THE DIGIT-AL DOZEN ARE UP TO:

An InLinkz Link-up

DIGIT-AL DOZEN WEEK: Monochrome Teal Floral

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Hello lovelies!

Today's venture into photography land was, as you can tell, far more successful.

I had three teal polishes stacked side by side and had zero idea what to do with them. So, true to form, I did a floral. (There is no going wrong with a floral.)

I began with two thicker coats of Willow, which is stunning in every way, and then painted on random blobs of Still Waters for the petals and 1977 for the leaves. I then used Ski Teal We Drop to outline everything, deliberately going for a sketchier/messier look.

These are my second favourite look of the week! I am, of course, saving the best for last. >:)

Polishes used:

Arcane Lacquer - Willow

Liquid Sky Lacquer - Still Waters (LAST CALL! GO BUY IT NOW!)

la couleur couture - 1977

OPI - Ski Teal We Drop

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

Glisten & Glow - HK Girl (top coat)

medium detail brush

tiny detail brush

I've got something kind of similar on the docket for tomorrow, so I hope to see you then!!

xo,

J.

CHECK OUT WHAT THE OTHER TALENTED LADIES OF THE DIGIT-AL DOZEN ARE UP TO:

DIGIT-AL DOZEN WEEK: Red/Green/Gold Poinsettias

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It wouldn't be a holiday season without some poinsettias, would it, lovelies?

No, it would not. (Look at how glorious and long my nails are here! I weep for you, my pretty nails!)

For today's look, I began with a base of two easy coats of Shirin, which is way more gold and way less yellow-orange than it appears on the Mentality website (which is a good thing, for my skin tone). I then painted on the poinsettias with Fire It Up, Tomato, Nightmaren, and St. Petersburgundy. The leaves were done with Recycle and Shawn. The little dots were done with Streetside NYC and Mellow Yellow.

I didn't like these once I'd done them, I found them sloppy, but I think they've grown on me.

Polishes used:

Mentality - Shirin

Layla - Souftouch 08 (Fire It Up)

Joe Fresh - Tomato

Pretty Serious - Nightmaren

OPI - St. Petersburgundy

Rescue Beauty Lounge - Recycle

Zoya - Shawn

Elevation Polish - Streetside NYC

Sally Hansen - Mellow Yellow

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

Glisten & Glow - HK Girl (top coat)

medium detail brush

My adventures in nubbiness start tomorrow! I really can't get over it. I've broken nails before but it hasn't ever really been this bad. It'll take at least a month to get any reasonable sort of length back. But I'm trying not to give up hope! Or, not hope, but resilience. Or something. You know what I mean? Sure you do. *whistles*

xo,

J.

CHECK OUT WHAT THE OTHER TALENTED LADIES OF THE DIGIT-AL DOZEN ARE UP TO:

Purple One-Stroke Flowers

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Hello lovelies!

My title today is sort of unimaginative, but I'm running down to the wire on getting this out today (well, MY today), which is when I said I would! Also I'm suspiciously and mysteriously tired. I think I overslept. There are worse things in life.

I still can't one stroke to save my bloody bloomin' life. Truly cannot. But I keep trying! Maybe I should borrow a book from the library or something. I watch YouTube videos with eagle eyes and I still think it's pure unadulterated magic.

The base of this is three coats of Still Waters, followed by one coat of Happy Anniversary. The rest are all acrylic paints, done with a flat and an angled one-stroke brush.

There is a winter storm warning in effect for this weekend, with additional snow dumps of up to 30cm (1ft) and gusting winds and temperatures down to -30˚C (-22˚F) by the middle of next week and why yes I am in fact distracting myself with flowers, how astute of you to notice.

Polishes used:

Liquid Sky Lacquers - Still Waters

OPI - Happy Anniversary

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

acrylic paints

flat one-stroke brush

angled one-stroke brush

complete ineptitude

I'm thinking that, nonetheless, my next design will be more wintry. It's hard not to be influenced by my surroundings. How's the weather where you are??

xo,

J.

DIGIT-AL DOZEN WEEK: Black & White Sketched Flowers

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Hello lovelies!

Todays' mani is an attempt at a technique invented (as far as I know) by Precious Polish. She's busy nowadays, so doesn't get to post as much, but you need to be following her. She's amazing. Her sketchy style (cf., her recent penguin, elephant, and owl manis) is a real coup de coeur for me.

I have not done her style justice. I'm not done aping it, though-- I will find another reason to bust this sketchy style out, I'm sure.

What is up with the lobster hands? I have no idea.

This look began with two coats of White On, followed by sketching in increasing order of opacity: Ridnitsohkka, Recycle, and Camelot. (I'm kind of digging this week's theme if only because it also shows how much you can do with the same few polishes over and over!)

Polishes used:

Sally Hansen - White On

Elevation Polish - Ridnitsohkka

China Glaze - Recycle

A England - Camelot

butter LONDON - Nail Foundation (base coat)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

tiny detail brush

Tune in tomorrow for the last instalment of this Black & White week! And it's a blast from the past! (You'll see why.) (No, I'm not telling.)

xo,

J.

CHECK OUT WHAT THE OTHER TALENTED LADIES OF THE DIGIT-AL DOZEN ARE UP TO:

Puffball Floral

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Hello lovelies!

I present to you today a look I've been wearing for the past few days, and which I only just took off rather begrudgingly...

I took a lot of pictures of it.

It was inspired by @celinedoesnails on Instagram, though her flowers look a lot more like flowers and a lot less like some sort of Dr. Seussian fluffball, as here.

The base for this manicure was three easy, beautiful coats of Kryptonite. I tried a photo in direct light to try to catch the holo particles, but it didn't work so well. Just know that all the little flecks of white are in fact rainbow in real life:

The rest of the design is acrylic paint.

Weird puffballs they may be, but I kind of like 'em!

Polishes used:

piCture pOlish - Kryptonite

butter LONDON - Nail Foundation (base coat)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

acrylic paints

tiny detail brush

Hopefully I'll have something more seasonal for you tomorrow (I am posting this from the past-- ooOOOooo -- and I therefore have no idea yet how hungover I'll be tomorrow). ;)

xo,

J.

Elegant Rose

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 Hello lovelies!

Today's manicure took a smidge longer than usual-- not because of the design, but because I was a bit loath to paint over the base colour!

This is what I came up with for the E prompt of my collaborative Follow the Devil ABC Challenge: elegant! I think roses are pretty elegant? Don't most people think that? They do, right? Anyway.

Base colour is two beautiful, no-clean-up-required coats of Let's Get Dirty, a super-sophisticated greyed out lavender (or lavendered-out grey, depending on how you see these things) with pinky beige tones. Kind of hard to describe! I love the wax finish it dries to, but I wanted to speed up the process (and seal my art), hence the glossy top coat.

The whole design was done with watered-down white acrylic paint and my detail brush.

I kind of think this would make a neat bridal look (and it could be tweaked to match the bouquet!), don't you?

Polishes used:

Cult Nails - Let's Get Dirty

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

white acrylic paint

detail brush

Next prompt is F for food, and I have no bloody clue what I'm going to do about that one. Help?!

And, in passing, I should mention that I'm sending happy vibes to all those who might be starting school against these past few weeks. September is always hard, but you'll make it through!

xo,

J.

Neon Lace... Typa Thing?

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No idea what to call this one, lovelies.

I haven't done 'real' nail art in a while, it felt good to hammer something out in less than 2 hours! I consequently have something of a picspam for you today.

I started this look with two coats of French White, followed by 2 coats of Clowning Around and 1 coat of Freckles on the ring finger. On the rest of the fingers, I busted out the colours I used for my Watercolour Floral and started with a similar base, then opted for some kinda floral-ish lace-ish pattern overtop, done in black acrylics.

If you need a refresher on how to watercolour with nail polish, please click through to this post here.

Interestingly, I definitely prefer the look on the accent finger instead of the rest of the fingers. The crispness of the black lines against the white background is just too excellent -- I'll have to revisit this in future.

Polishes used:

Nina Ultra Pro - French White

Zoya - Charisma

piCture pOlish - Sunset

China Glaze - Def Defying (this one stains, be careful!)

Lush Lacquer - Clowning Around, Freckles

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

black acrylic paint

tiny detail brush

I'm hopefully going on a MAJOR hike this weekend (45km in 13 hours, because I'm a nutjob), so there may be radio silence until early next week. I'll be sure to make it up to you! And I may have a bit of a surprise in the next day or two anyway... ;)

xo,

J.

Simple Purple Floral

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Hello lovelies!

This past weekend was pure madness. We got the house ready on time, and it looks great, and now our lives revolve around showings. I had to reassemble and then disassemble my light box just for this post! In case you were questioning my love for you.

Because I never have time for nail art with all this constant tidying (it's like I am trying to work against three individual forces of entropy, each on their own path of slow destruction), I went for something very simple today.

I began with a base of two coats of Beauty Never Fails (creamy and amazing like all A England polishes; a blackened base with golden green flecks that mean it shimmers and glows even in low light!), and then painted on the flowers etc with my tiny detail brush. The whole thing might have taken about 15 minutes. I think these would look lovely in a one-stroke kind of style, too, and I may try that when I know I can dedicate more time to it. :)

Polishes used:

A England - Beauty Never Fails

la couleur couture - 1972, 2013 (top coat)

Elevation Polish - Streetside NYC

American Apparel - Crescent Heights

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

tiny detail brush

More riveting stories about the age-old process of selling houses no doubt to come! In the meantime, send me all of your most organized thoughts. Maybe they can help me reign all this madness in. ;)

xo,

J.

Watercoloured Floral

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Hello lovelies!

You thought I disappeared, didn't you? No no. I have been exceptionally busy, though, because we're listing the house next Monday (we found out this Monday), and I have been in hyperdrive to prepare!

All that aside, I DO have nail art to show you. ;)

It's been a rare event, lately, that nail art turns out in a way that pleases me, but that's just what's happened here. I had a rough idea of what I wanted, going in, and it turned out pretty well spot on!

I began with two coats of French White, with two coats of In A New York Minute over top. I then dabbed on Def Defying, Sunset, and Charisma, dabbing pure acetone over each colour before proceeding onto the next. Once done, I did all the outlines in black acrylic, using my tiny detail brush.

I've tried to take photos in a few different lighting conditions, but of course the NEON doesn't really come through as well as it should! I think I'm in love with Sunset. Actually, I'm sort of in love with all three colours -- but if you could only pick one, pick Sunset. Put it on your toes if you must. It's gorgeous.

Polishes used:

Nina Ultra Pro - French White

NYC - In a New York Minute (top coat)

China Glaze - Def Defying

piCture pOlish - Sunset

Zoya - Charisma

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

black acrylic paint

tiny detail brush

It may be a while yet before I get to do more nail art, but I'll try not to abandon you altogether! I do have one mani completed recently that I haven't posted about yet, that will go up either tomorrow or Saturday. Wish me luck with all this cleaning!!!

xo,

J.

Through the Grapevine

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Hello lovelies! Today I have an afternoon post for you-- be amazed!-- of something of an abstracted nature mani.

"But Jolène," you are no doubt saying, "what the bejesus happened to your nails?!"

If you don't follow me on Instagram, then you haven't heretofore known that I broke my right index nail yesterday evening, in a traumatic incident that would make for the world's most boring Lifetime TV movie. And so now I've been nubbinized. I have acute nubbinitis. You get the idea.

Still, I will soldier on! In the name of bringing you ze nail arts!

This sort of patterned/abstracted grapevine mani is done on a base of Chilled Down, which features gorgeous blue and copper/gold flakes in a very pale greige base and I love it. It applied like a boss; I love the Dandy Nails formula and brush.

The vines were made with Blue Gums on Boxing Day, Xixabangma, 915, and Moe Money. The grapes were done with tiny dots of Lady of the Lake, Pic du Gar, and 1972.

Here are comparison shots of this mani in lightbox lighting and then in indirect sunlight:

Sorry for blurry; should have used a tripod. :S

Polishes used:

Dandy Nails - Chilled Down

OPI - Charmed by a Snake

Elevation Polish - Xixabangma, Pic du Gar

Pretty Serious Cosmetics - Blue Gums on Boxing Day

Ozotic - 915

Tough as Nails Lacquer - Moe Money (does not seem to be in production anymore)

A England - Lady of the Lake

la couleur couture - 1972, 2013 (top coat)

Nail Pattern Boldness - Glitter A-Peel (base coat)

I don't know what next to paint on my nubs! I'm so used to being spoiled for canvas size... And look at that corner break! HIDEOUS. Don't look at me, I'm a monster!!!

xo,

J.

Water Lilies

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Good evening! Tonight I have some water lilies for you.

This look has a base of Love Letter to Kurt Vonnegut. I have not captured it whatsoever. It has rocketed its way to my top 5 favourite polishes of all time-- that's how beautiful this one is. Here is a link to Sarah's review of it over on Samarium's Swatches; she does a much better job of showing its beauty. Unfortunately, it was a limited edition and is no longer in production. And I will be jealously hoarding mine like Smaug and his beloved cup. Except this polish is no mere cup. You get the idea.

What does this taste like? What's under here? What's behind this thing? How much cat hair can I get in the light box?

The rest of the design is done in acrylics; the tutorial is at the bottom of this post. :)

The green bled into the white in a conspiracy to drive me seven ways insane.

Polishes used:

Scofflaw Nail Varnish Manufactory - Love Letter to Kurt Vonnegut

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

Seche Vite (top coat)

acrylics paints (white, greens, pink)

size 0 flat brush

I used this same polish as a base for a simpler look for this upcoming Sunday, so you haven't seen the last of it yet! I think I will next be using a base of one of the gorgeous Arcane polishes I've received from my lovely Aussie nail mail buddy (*waves*), and hopefully it'll turn out like it is in my head!

xo,

J.