Plaid and Roses

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Did You Know: I have never done rose nail art before. How is this possible? Am I forgetting something? How did I go this long-- anyway.

Fixed that!

This look was done for a bestie triplets nail look with IG users @glitterfingers and @i_heart_nailart, both of whom are as lovely as they are skilled. I've already threatened to track @glitterfingers down in the UK to have her do my nails, holy jeez.

This is almost all polish, and more complex than it looks. Started with two coats of Tempest, followed by two coats of Iris (she is not showing up in these photos, but the added dimension of the mini-flakes is lovely in person). The solid stripes are Pelican Gray, the dark stripes are Recycle, the dots are Camelot. The roses are Mount Augustus with lines in Pic du Gar. The little leaves are Pastelchio with lines in Anna Maria. Only the black outlines of the roses are black acrylic paint.

We hope to be the nail art version of the Three Musketeers and do joint efforts every 2 weeks or so, and I cannot wait-- working with talented artists gets my creativity going like no other!

Polishes used:

Cult Nails - Tempest

Cirque - Iris

China Glaze - Pelican Gray, Recycle

A England - Camelot

Elevation Polish - Mount Augustus, Pic du Gar (shop will be reopening 31 July in the evening)

Lime Crime - Pastelchio

Contrary Polish - Anna Maria

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

black acrylic paint

detail brush

xo,

J.

Elephant!

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I finally got some time to do more detailed painting. And while I think the trees are kinda meh, I do like how Mr. Elephant turned out. :)

I wanted to do elephants ever since I did the kurta design, with its little embroidered elephants. Elephants are smart and sensitive and huge and awesome. So yeah.

This is all acrylic paint on a base of Gobi-- which is, of course, a desert, not a savannah. But I liked the tan sort of colour with its slight holo and green shimmer (you get some of the green shimmer in these photos, but the holo dies in my light box). It's sort of an enigmatic nail polish, constantly looking like something sort of new. It was an iffy choice for this project, because it's so low-contrast to what I painted, but you live and you learn!

Polishes used:

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

Elevation Polish - Gobi (shop is in maintenance mode until the evening of 31 July)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

acrylics in every imaginable colour

teeny detail brush

SO, BIG NEWS! You may notice something new in my right sidebar! That is correct, Born Pretty Store has been kind enough to generate a coupon code for my readers!! Next time you're in need of nail art supplies, I strongly recommend you mosey over and take a look at their selection, as it's pretty astonishingly vast. On checkout, just use code ABCQ10 for 10% off your order, no expiry date! This is not an affiliate code or link-- I get no part of the sale-- but if enough people use my specific code, then Born Pretty will give me a gift certificate to giveaway to you lovelies, and I like giving you guys presents! <3

I'm next working on a triplets nail project with two very talented Instagram ladies, so stay tuned for that either tonight or tomorrow!

xo,

J.

Lady Luck

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Hello lovelies!

Sorry about the not-posting thing. Things in Real Life have been problematic lately. For instance, today I was fired! Well, not fired. I've been on medical leave for the past... numerous months... and now that I'm ready to go back to work, there is no open position for me. Hence I get a severance and sent on my way! FUN TIMES Y'ALL. But I saw this coming from a mile away, so while I am definitely hitting the wine as we speak (well, I put it down to type, I cannot type with my toes), I'm not unconsolable.

It's more that I'm choosing to see this as Lady Luck giving me the opportunity to get myself on a different path. I'm not sure what that path is, yet, but I've been working for the same one company for 8 years now (pretty well my entire adult life), and maybe a change is a good thing.

So to you, Lady Luck, I dedicate these nails.

Method on these was kind of tricksy. I began with regular base coat and ridge-filling base coat to give myself a good canvas, then I used Liquid Palisade to draw the shapes on (I did two coats for extra sturdiness). Once the shapes were dry, I painted on the white with Tempest and peeled away the Liquid Palisade. I then used my detail brush and my black and red polishes to draw on the outlines. Not my best work, but I find larger curved lines like this the hardest things to do cleanly with polish. :)

Polishes used:

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

Essie - ridge filling base coat

NYC - Grand Central Station (top coat)

Cult Nails - Tempest

A England - Camelot

Layla - Softouch Effect 08

Liquid Palisade

detail brush

I have a really neat and detailed idea for what to do next, so I hope to have awesomeness to show you tomorrow or Saturday. And if you're good and eat all your veggies, I may even water marble.

xo,

J.

PS: I am currently extra-glad that all of you read this blog. This hobby has brought so much positivity and sweetness into my life, and I'm especially appreciative right now. And no, this isn't the wine talking. <3

Snapshots: Kurta, Summer Dotticure

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Hello lovelies!

I wanted to share with you two looks I completed recently and posted to Instagram, but not here (it happens sometimes, say if something is specifically an IG request).

First up, we have a twin nails look with @thedevilwearspolish based on the design of one of her kurtas. I love these little elephants sooo much.

Polishes used:

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

OPI - Germanicure

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

gold acrylic paint

detail brush

Next, we have a simple summer dotticure requested by a wee denizen of Instagram (only 10 years old!). I of course had to had fun with her request, which was yellow-on-pink dots, because that's how I roll. This is an easy look to recreate if you use a small dotting tool and you take your time.

Polishes used:

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

Nina Ultra Pro - Punki Pink (of course, the NEON does not show up, but trust me, it's NEON)

Cirque - Iris (shimmer top coat)

Sally Hansen - Mellow Yellow

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

wee dotting tool

I'm always happy to field requests, so never hesitate! In the meantime, I'm thinking of more neons. I just painted my toes with Sunset (see previous post) and they bloody well glow and I love them.

xo,

J.

Embroidered Moons

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Hello lovelies! It has been a while, hasn't it? Hopefully what I have for you today makes up for the long wait. :)

The inspiration from his mani came from the polish itself. Queen You Dig It? is a collaboration shade between Pretty & Polished and Shipra of Taneja's Bride. The polish was inspired by her wedding attire, and I in turn thought it'd be neat to take inspiration from saree fabric. A beautiful saree has the ability to take my breath away like almost no other. So, while this is a very simple embroidery design, it makes me happy because it reminds me of the gorgeous, intricate embroidered designs that exist out there!

Queen You Dig It? required only two coats for an opacity that I was happy with; one thin and one thicker. It controlled beautifully. My only complaint is that the gold circles didn't want to stick to the brush. Maybe adding more would help with that, and in turn make more of them show up on the nail. But in spite of that, this polish is beautiful. I really love the gold flecks, and how the blue pops.

All of the embroidery was done with acrylics (gold + brown for the darker tone, pure gold for the lighter) and my Just Nail Pure Color #10 brush (which I trimmed down a bit), then outlined with my .005 Micron for extra Pop.

Polishes used:

Pretty & Polished - Queen You Dig It?

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

OPI - Matte Top Coat (top coat)

gold, brown acrylic paints

detail brush

I find that fabric can be an awesome source of inspiration, and I know I'm not alone in thinking that. What are some sources of inspiration that you look to?

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.

Neon Brushstrokes

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Hello lovelies! I'm on the fence about this one; maybe you can help me figure out if I like it or not.

I got this idea from Missy's somewhat similar brushstroke-ness-thing. I like hers way way WAY better.

For this look, I began with a gradient of Sacred Ground, Ridnitsohkka, and Tempest. I then did brushstrokes on top with Punki Pink, Solar Flake, Orange Flame, Lime Light, and Charisma. I topped it off with little studs from Born Pretty.

Polishes used:

Cult Nails - Tempest

Spa Ritual - Sacred Ground (this polish is amazing, if you do not own it you are crazypants)

Elevation Polish - Ridnitsohkka (being reformulated; restock due 7 August 2013)

Finger Paints - Punki Pink, Solar Flare, Orange Flame, Lime Light

Zoya - Charisma

Orly - Bonder (base coat)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

black 1.5mm studs from Born Pretty

So, yea or nay? I honestly am not sure. I think I liked this in principle way more than in practice. At any rate. Until next time, my lovelies!

xo,

J.

Alphabet Soup

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This will be a quick post -- on my way out the door, and my laptop is going to die! Aie aie aie!! This was an Instagram challenge, and I was assigned the letter W.

All acrylics on a base of Tempest. :) I wanted to go for a simple visual style, like those cards that they put up in kindergartens to help kids learn the alphabet. I hope I succeeded!

Polishes used:

Cult Nails - Tempest

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

acrylics paints

detail brush

I have neons on the horizon! Missy has been inspiring me!!

xo,

J.

Garden Party

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Lovelies, it's a whole twelve hours before my usual posting time! I might be getting a high from all the sunshine that's out right now.

The base for today's manicure is Garden Party, with a gradient of Hellebore on top. I then drew on the bunting (because what's more garden-party-ish than bunting?) with Jacqueline, Tallulah, and Tempest.

Sunshine photos make my cuticle oil look EXTRA OILY. Sorry about that!

Here I have taken a proof shot with a plant (technically they are many carrot plants), to prove that I was in the garden when I was taking these Garden Party photos.

What I feel I haven't conveyed about this polish in these photos is its complexity. I love the pale green and bright blue circle glitters, but there are also white hexes in three sizes, teeny lavender hexes (and squares?), and these small iridescent hexes that flash blueish and are totally awesome. (My love of all things iridescent is probably evident by now.)

Polishes used:

Tryst Lacquers - Garden Party (it may be batch variance but mine is much pinker than it looks here)

Cirque - Hellebore

Zoya - Jacqueline, Tallulah

Cult Nails - Tempest

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

NYC - In a New York Minute (top coat)

I hope you have sunshine where you are, too, my lovelies! And that you get the enjoy it!

xo,

J.

Teal Paisley

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Hello lovelies! Tonight I have for you a look I posted to my Instagram last night, but posted so late that I wasn't able to get a post up.

I did twin nails with @amylovesnewwave over on Instagram and we opted for teal paisley print in honour of Teal Nails for Scleroderma, an awareness-building campaign that sheds light on scleroderma, a disease that affects the skin and several organs and for which there is no cure.

You can see our mutual attempts by clicking here.

This was a lot of fun to do, actually. I used a base of Jacqueline, with shapes in Tracie and Anna Maria. The gold embellishments is all acrylic paint.

Polishes used:

Zoya - Jacqueline, Tracie

Contrary Polish - Anna Maria

gold acrylic paint

Duri - Rejuvacote (base coat)

la couleur couture - 2013 (top coat)

Are there any causes very close to your heart that you've tied into your hobbies before?

And a (rather late) happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians! I hope you've all had an excellent day. :)

xo,

J.