The Digit-al Dozen: Inspired by Pinterest - Abstract Floral and Plaid

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Another Digital Dozen week comes to an end *sadness* - so of course I have my final mani and a "fail" for you.

Once I stopped thinking about looking for manicures on Pinterest and just looked for other things that inspired me, I wasn't "stuck" anymore! So I ended up with 3 manis for today but my favorite one I'm saving for Christmas!

This was inspired by a Vasilj Godzh photograph.

I used KBShimmer Eclipse (sent for review) and white acrylic paint.

And this was my inspiration...

As for the "fail" well it's not really a total fail. It was actually really pretty at arm's length and I wore it for a few days. The problem was twofold though. When you crop for the closeup, it looks messy and I just couldn't stop adding lines! Unfortunately it's not like getting dressed and looking in the mirror one last time and then taking one thing off before leaving.  LOL!

I used Zoya Dove and Salon Perfect Sugar Cube (both purchased by me) and black acrylic paint.

This was my inspiration photo...

Such a cute dress!

Be sure to check the links below for all the other great Pinterest-inspired manis!

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An InLinkz Link-up

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The Digit-al Dozen: Inspired by Pinterest: Jonqal Pattern

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Hi everyone! Day 4 brings more black and white pattern. I don't know why I'm so drawn to it lately. This is a jonqal pattern (sort of a slanted checkered flag)...

Of course it looked perfect at arm's length and the zoom in and crop for the "close-up" shows all of the little mistakes LOL! But that's okay - you can definitely tell it's freehanded.

I used a base of Salon Perfect Sugar Cube and black acrylic paint.

This was the pin/inspiration...

Be sure to check the other pinterest-inspired manis in the link below!

An InLinkz Link-up

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THE DIGIT-AL DOZEN: Inspired by Pinterest: Black and White Swirl

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The Digit-al Dozen

Inspired by Pinterest

Today I have a mani that was inspired by a pin of a Brian Wu photograph. Abstract black and white swirls.

Not sure why I'm so into black and white lately! My entire week is black and white for some reason. I saw a pin of a black and white swirl photograph by Brian Vu and thought it was cool.

I used KBShimmer Eclipse for the black (press sample) and Salon Perfect Sugar Cube for the white...and a toothpick.

Obviously such a random design can't be "copied" but it did inspire me.

Be sure and check the links below for the other pinterest-inspired manis from the DD gang today!

An InLinkz Link-up

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NOTD, OOTD and Trying Something New

So...I have never "blogged" from my phone before. We will see how this goes but if past experience is any indicator, it will be a hot mess so I will ask your forgiveness now. LOL! 

Just a quick one though. My nail of the day with my outfit for inspiration. 

Nothing special. Just my "feeling bloated and I think this blouse will hide it" clothes. White jeans and a black and white blouse. Left my curls down...

And did  a quick stamping mani...

The photos are all with my iPhone too. Sorry. 

So my day consisted of finally getting my air strut installed on the car, injuring my swatching hand, getting too hot and blogging 100% from my phone.  Oh! And basically accosting a guy at the car wash!     He backed up after his wash was over and triggered the wash I had just paid for -  basically stealing mine!  So I had him blocked from the rear with my car and got out and walked around to the front and confronted him when he pulled out. Made him give me my $10! 

Definitely a Monday!  How did your week start?

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Copy-Caturday! With "Black and White Toile" Nail Art

Personal Collection 

*Unsure if Products are Cruelty Free 

♥

Happy Saturday! Today's Copy-Caturday mani is taken from Nails by Kayla Shevonne - if you don't follow her, you should - she has awesome nail art!

My nail art today isn't an exact copy because my attempts at nail art usually don't work out like I hoped when they started out. And this one is no exception. But it's really not bad for me. It sort of looks like black and white toile!

Black and White Toile Nail Art
Inspired by Kayla Shevonne's Framed Floral Mani

Here's the perfect mani I attempted to copy. Kayla Shevonne's Framed Floral. (I didn't have the same stamping plate and my freehand border isn't as perfect. My image didn't really work well so I freehanded some of the "stamped" part too.)

Kayla Shevonne's Framed Floral Mani

I used Pure Ice Black Out for the black and Salon Perfect Sugar Cube for the white. I started with a base of white and used a striping brush for the border and parts of the inside part where I messed up the stamping.

What do you think? I really am enjoying trying new things in my attempts to improve my nail art!

♥

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Serum No. 5 - Thanks for the Memories

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Happy Thursday Morning! This morning I have another Serum No. 5 polish to show you! This one is Thanks For The Memories (Bob Hope anyone? Yes, I'm old.)

Thanks For The Memories is various sizes and shapes of black and white glitters with micro holo glitters. Application and formula were fine and I had no trouble getting the glitters out and they spread nicely on the nail, lying perfectly flat. I wore it over SoFlaJo Pink It Up but I've also included photos of it layered over different colors so you could see.



*Every month, a charitable donation will be made in an amount equal to 20% of the profits of all lacquers sold, per the maker.

Serum No. 5 Thanks For The Memories

Serum No. 5 Thanks For The Memories

Serum No. 5 Thanks For The Memories

Serum No. 5 Thanks For The Memories

And over (L - R) Barry M Raspberry, Kiko #333, Pure Ice All Night Long and Kiko #280 with SoFlaJo Pink It Up on the thumb...

Serum No. 5 Thanks For The Memories

Serum No. 5 Thanks For The Memories

Bottle macro...

Serum No. 5 Thanks For The Memories - bottle macro

What do you think of this one? Perfect over almost any color. Don't forget, I still have more from Serum No. 5 polishes to show you, so stay tuned!

Serum No. 5

Serum No. 5 polishes can be purchased through their Etsy site or at MeiMei's Signatures and retail for $12.00 for full-sized (15mL) bottles. Be sure and "like" them on Facebook to stay apprised of new swatches, re-stocks and other information.

*Don't forget, every month, a charitable donation will be made in an amount equal to 20% of the profits of all lacquers sold. Per the maker.

*PR Samples provided for my honest review

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30 Day Challenge Day Seven - Black & White with Dollish Polish Putting on the Ritzzz!

Dollish Polish Putting on the Ritzzz! over Essence Romeo

Day Seven is Black and White! So I pulled out TWO untrieds...Dollish Polish Putting on the Ritzzz (which I WON from Kim at Overall Beauty) over Essence Romeo (a gift from Ash at AshleyisPolishAddicted.) #winning

The Essence Romeo, a great medium grey creme, went on easily and was opaque in two coats. Loved it! I used two coats of Putting on the Ritzzz and followed up with a coat of Gelous, which made it totally smooth. No issues with Putting on the Ritzzz, I did have to dab the glitters in places to distribute them evenly, but it wasn't too fussy. All the glitter pieces separated nicely and laid flat.

Dollish Polish Putting on the Ritzzz! over Essence Romeo

Dollish Polish Putting on the Ritzzz! over Essence Romeo

If you'd like to join the 30 Day Challenge using your untried polishes, go here to grab the codes to embed in your posts for the next 30 days and add your post using the link below! Thanks to Polished Criminails for starting this one!

Untrieds used:

Dollish Polish Putting on the Ritzzz!

Essence Romeo

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Ever Wanted a Black and White Glitter Guide?

If you ever have wondered just what the exact differences are in all the black and white glitter polishes, your wait is over!

My friend Sarah at Chalkboard Nails put in a ton of time, effort and work creating the ULTIMATE Black and White Glitter Guide using 20 (yes TWENTY) black and white glitter polishes!

I suggest you go see it and bookmark that sucker!

Chalkboard Nails' Ultimate Black and White Glitter Guide

I'll tease you with her photo of the first five...

Now go check it out!


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Dandy Nails Colorblind² (Colorblind Squared) - Swatches and Review

Dandy Nails Colorblind² is the 3rd of my 3 newest polishes from my last Dandy Nails order and I think the name is just GENIUS! Seriously, a square version of Colorblind called Colorblind Squared? Well it's actually cuter written as Colorblind², but still...LOVE it!

Dandy Nails Colorblind²

Colorblind ² applied just as easily as Colorblind and the glitters stay nicely suspended in the clear base. No issues to report at all.


Showing you one coat over Kiko #394 (Olive Green) except on the middle finger where I've applied two coats so you can see how it looks both ways.

Dandy Nails Colorblind²

Dandy Nails Colorblind²

Dandy Nails Colorblind²

Dandy Nails Colorblind²

Showing you the old bottle vs. the new bottle (and the new wider, flatter brushes are AWESOME) and Colorblind vs. Colorblind²

Dandy Nails Colorblind and Colorblind²

And the close-up...

Dandy Nails Colorblind²

Colorblind², or any of Dandy Nails' polishes, can be purchased through her Etsy shop for $8.00 - full sized (0.50 ounces) bottles. You can also "like" her on Facebook to stay up-to-date on store re-stocks, new collections, etc.

Check out my other posts of Dandy Nails polishes by clicking on the name:  Another Heart Breaks, Wonderwall, Wingless, Colorblind, Come Out and Play, Look Around, Make It Real, Through Glass and You Set My Soul Alight.

Have YOU tried Dandy Nails yet? What's your favorite? 



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Dandy Nails Colorblind - Swatches and Review

Today I have Dandy Nails Colorblind to show you! I recently received my order and showed you Inside the Fire here.

Dandy Nails Colorblind

Dandy Nails Colorblind is right up my alley, glitter-wise, because I LOVE monotones, black and white together and just generally more "reserved" looks. This one just fits the bill - blingy, understated and interesting all at the same time! Colorblind is made up of black and white medium hex glitter pieces in a clear base. It is PACKED with glitters and goes on smoothly without a ton of tedious manipulation, which I just don't have the patience to do. Bonus points!

I wore it over Kiko Grigio Granite first and loved it. And then I decided I really needed to see what it looked like over red. And orange. And yellow. And green. Well, you get the idea. So later I'll show you photos over several different colors.

Dandy Nails Colorblind

Dandy Nails Colorblind

Dandy Nails Colorblind

Dandy Nails Colorblind

I got a ton of compliments on this mani! The photos above show it without any top coat, but I added a coat of Poshe and that's all it needed to be smooth. Not a hungry glitter at all - the base itself is self-leveling and lets the glitter pieces settle in nicely.

And now here's what it looks like over various colors.

Dandy Nails Colorblind

Dandy Nails Colorblind

The polishes I layered Colorblind over on my left hand are (top to bottom): Zoya Mira, Zoya Shelby, Zoya Reagan and Zoya Tracie

Dandy Nails Colorblind

Dandy Nails Colorblind

The polishes I layered Colorblind over on my right hand are (left to right): SpaRitual I Am the Light, Zoya Sooki, IsaDora Brisk Yellow, Zoya Caitlin and Zoya Jancyn.

I initially did all the colors just to SEE, but it was so cute and "Easter-looking" that I wore it out like that and got LOADS of compliments!



You can order this from Dandy Nails' shop on Etsy and be sure to like her Facebook page so you can be alerted when she re-stocks her store!

What do you think? Do you wear glitter polishes? Are you into Indie polish-makers?



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Mid-Century Modern - Starring Chanel Nouvelle Vague and Lynnderella Connect the Dots

This one is a bit out of my comfort zone, but it's a blue AND a "glitter" so I'd say I'm making great strides. LOL!

I took my inspiration from my kitchen table we had when I was a kid. Some of you may remember back that far...formica top with aluminium edging. It was aqua with black and white speckles or a "splatter" design. I think it was a "step down" from the boomerang designs. Of course I couldn't find a photo.

But I did find this one that gives me that same "feel."

Photo Courtesy of HGTV

I think I actually HAD that pencil sharpener.

Chanel Nouvelle Vague, Summer 2010, is an aqua creme with subtle shimmer that applied well and was opaque in two coats. I had no issues with this one at all.

Connect the Dots is one of Lynnderella's highly-coveted hand-created "glitter" polishes. Not being much of a glitter person, seeing such a unique one, and in black and white no less, practically had me drooling. Plus, being only black and white, it goes well over almost any color creme polish. It has bar glitter, large hex, medium hex, medium round, small round, medium square, small square and a great shimmer - all black and white and in a clear base. WOW!

Put them together and what do you get?  Mid-Century Modern!

First, here's Chanel Nouvelle Vague on it's own. Two coats, no top coat. Check out the subtle shimmer in the close-up!

Chanel Nouvelle Vague

Chanel Nouvelle Vague

Chanel Nouvelle Vague

Chanel Nouvelle Vague

Chanel Nouvelle Vague

And with Lynnderella Connect the Dots. Check out the shimmer in the clear base on THAT baby. This is two coats of Nouvelle Vague with one coat of Connect the Dots and Seche Vite top coat.

Lynderella Connect the Dots over Chanel Nouvelle Vague

Lynderella Connect the Dots over Chanel Nouvelle Vague

Lynderella Connect the Dots over Chanel Nouvelle Vague

Lynderella Connect the Dots over Chanel Nouvelle Vague

Lynderella Connect the Dots over Chanel Nouvelle Vague

Lynderella Connect the Dots over Chanel Nouvelle Vague

Does it "take you back" like it does me? What do you think?

Not sure where you'd get Nouvelle Vague now (not part of Chanel's permanent collection) but Lynnderella polishes are available exclusively through llarowe.com now. See the site for ordering details.


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