Elegant Gradient Art

I won't even bore you with the busy state of my life. Suffice to say two adults working full-time and three kids in three separate schools will keep you on your toes. My nails have never hated me more. So imagine their surprise when I treated them to some *gasp* nail art!

Oh man am I rusty at my picture game too. At any rate, I LOVE the simplicity of this one and just had to share it. From the nail base up the colors are China Glaze Crimson, China Glaze Sweet Hook (I still remember when that line came out - I haunted Sally's to score the whole collection!), Julie G 9 to 5 (which is actually a neon peach, but when sponged it became this gloriously muted peach). The triangular swathe of glitter is China Glaze Dancing and Prancing.

This one is direct sunlight to help pick up the glitters.

I have more fun in store so stay tuned...a very popular feature will be making its way back on here!

Scratch art manicure

Do you remember those black scratch art sheets as a kid? You'd get a little wooden stick to scratch out colorful art and it was PURE MAGIC. So when I was watching endless video so of pretty nail art all strung together and saw something that looked liked that I knew I had to try it out.

The thing is the video didn't say who the original artist was! So if you know let me know so I can update this with the creator.

Isn't it so 90's?! I LOVE IT SO MUCH! The scratch art is just decals I made on my UberChic mat over a gradient manicure. It's such a cool look.

Also summer so this photo happened. It's so warm and pretty outside with flowers all in bloom. So unbelievably beautiful.

I love how different all the decals come out, but it's totally perfect for this type of manicure. I want to try it over red with gold glitters. Oh the possibilities!!!

Glam Polish Dex, Lies, and Videotape

Hiiiiii!!!! I know, I know no excuse. 2015 wasn't the nicest year to me, but 2016 is shaping up. Hubby has been very subtly hinting that my blog has been abandoned. Cue Eric Carmen's, "All By Myself".

I have a LOT of pretties that have sat unloved, and a ton of catching up to do. This lovely gem is Glam Polish Dex, Lies, and Videotape. Of all my indies hers continues to stand out in my cupboard and this one has gone on my nails repeatedly.

The depth of the berry purple and intensity of holographic rainbow gets a lot of compliments.  As you can see they aren't wasted either:

I mean can you even?!

The accent is a wonderfully cold gunmetal by Julep called Jenica. I usually skip my monthly box, but forgot to (oops). I know I should be swapping over to brighter colors, but these two keep pulling me to them.

Are there any polishes whose pull you just can't escape no matter what time of year it is?

Zoya Tris and Zoya Giada...and bubbling!

Today I am not going to swatch some of the new Fall Zoya polishes. There are blogs for that. Today I am combining two of them to show you how elegant, yet edgy, these beauties are.

 I'm a sucker for gunmetal so when I saw Tris I knew I needed it. NEEDED! But I also knew the formula would bubble on me. Which brings me to a point that I've been thinking about for awhile: bubbling. People are going to throw things at me I just know it.

Nail polish is a viscous solution. A very sticky and thick liquid that changes states as it becomes exposed to air and temperature. So while shaking your polish *may* cause a few tiny bubbles, that's not why it bubbles. If that was the case that can of paint you bought for your living room would bubble completely up...they mix the ever loving out of that before you take it home. Polish makers use the same method to create their colors. So your carefully stored polish that you never shake? It's been shaken like you wouldn't believe already. Sorry to spoil the fun.

Things that prevent the nail polish from adhering to your nail are what cause bubbling. Like:

• Humidity (polishes are far more likely to bubble in the summer)
• Solvents on the nail (oils, lotions, partially dried polish)
• And sometimes good, old-fashioned body chemistry. 

Which is why I knew that Tris would bubble. She did. No shaking occurred. It's just how it is. I use a lovely, thick top coat to hide it and call it good. You may now throw rotten tomatoes at me.

 Moving along. The second polish I got was Giada. You know. Like Giada de Laurentiis? The pasta goddess! Ok so my other love is food. I can't even say second, because it's about on par. So I fell in love with the purple, saw the name, and had to have it. I have to say it's a purple that is as composed as her dishes. Heavenly sigh.

That's that for today. I do have that monthly sub box still coming. I ran into some issues making the video (which is why I take pictures for the record), but for better or for worse it'll be up soon.

Geometric art, tape manicure style!

Have you ever looked at a collection and had seasonal fever kick in? But then be torn? UGH! I'm so there right now. I'm a little over the summer heat, but I'm super loving going swimming with the kids every week. I love running around in flip flops (when I'm not at work), and the summer fruits and drinks, and camping. But fall.....oh fall.

Basically I'm trapped in between, and I'm pretty sure that's where this nail art came from. I got the August Julep box and the two colors that I fell instantly in love with are Julep Lizzy and Julep Ann. But I had stumbled across Julep Tatiana (an add-on I got months ago, but never played with) and BAM! The longing for fall...

Summer and fall got a little tangled up. But that's ok! I LOVE it so much! It's actually pretty simple to do too. You just need some nail vinyls (I got these in the Julep box this month, but about a million sellers on Etsy sell them too) and some scotch tape.

When you lay down your first color make sure it dries completely. I still stick the tape to my skin and pull it back off to keep the tape from pulling up the base color.

It's just a matter of taping from one edge of the nail to the other, paint, and pull the tape back up immediately. Wait to dry and repeat with the remaining color.

Ann is such an incredibly bright and summery pink and works so nicely against the coppery shimmer of Tatiana. Lizzy is a great base color and the vinyls just polish it all off.

Do you ever find yourself caught between seasonal fashion choices? I think it's just a great time to mix it up a bit. Thanks for reading! I still have that new monthly subscription coming so check back later!

Water marble....fail? ....win?

You that one thing that just evades you? You tell yourself to be like the engine that could (I'm a mom - you were warned). "I think I can, I think I can!" I chant as I look through Pinterest at water marbles. I do this to myself far too much. Then I get bold and out comes everything I own. Because you never know. Maybe if I pull out everything I'll appear prepared and my supplies will be intimidated into surrendering the spoils of war: a perfect water marble.

Per usual, an almost perfect nail, two ok nails, two "no one will see that where's the acetone" nails, and a couple choice words later:

It's not a total fail. It's more of a "well on reality tv when someone steals the beef for my filet Mignon and swaps it for ground chuck so here's my new plan" manicure. Here's the non-photo hand to demonstrate what happened:

Yes gradients. I know, I know. It's a go-to. It's so pretty and put together. Plus, look, I did accent nails to tie it all together! Practically meant it! "Here, judges, I've created for you a mixed media look to really show you the variety of nail art choices." Beaming smile and a an exchange of looks that says, "Yeah that wasn't your plan, but, sure, we'll all pretend it was."

That's it for now. If you have some tips for the perfect water marble make sure to leave me a comment. I'd so love to conquer this nail art.

On a long, hot day...

We're nearing the apex of the summertime heat. Which means it's HOT. Having spent the last week camping with my wonderful family at a beautiful lake where the heat was tempered with gorgeous winds kicking off the lake to cool everything down I have to say I'm not a fan. Especially since our landlord won't allow window a/c units. Because he's sadistic I'm pretty sure. Or I'm weak. Or both.

At any rate I also got a renewed sense of love for pretty nails WITH NO DIRT UNDER THEM. It doesn't matter what you do while camping there doesn't ever seem to not be dirt under the nails. It's enough to drive this mama bonkers!

So I give you Zoya Aphrodite with a saran wrap Zoya Severine accent. Red plus gold equals gorgeous sophistication. Once upon a time I would never have worn that combination, much less been head over heels in love.

Zoya Aphrodite is a delightfully juicy orange-leaning red. A deeper jelly with microshards lurking in the depths. I'm not as keen on Zoya Severine as it's almost a frost finish white leaning gold that refuses to dry without bubbling on me. However it makes a wonderful accent.

Photos are natural light at sunset. Not my favorite time to photograph, but I'll miss my favorite lighting in going to work tomorrow so oh wells!

I'm a little rusty from my blog break, but hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things. I have a new nail strips subscription box I'm giving a go coming in a week or two, and some Julep goodies that should be landing soon as well. Here's to nail mail and, hopefully, cooler weather on the horizon!