Funky Ahoy!

Good morning, Kitschies!  It's Friday.  Finally.  How is it the short weeks feel longer than the regular weeks?  It's been quite tumultuous at the clinic the last few days - makes me wonder what's in store for us over the next year.  Or maybe I'd rather just be surprised.

I have a mani to share with you today that's been sitting in my "waiting to post" folder for a while.  How long?  I have no idea.  No clue.  Either way, it's a good one.  I was in a Funky French phase for a while and this was a product of that phase.

This is ChG Ahoy! from their Summer 2011 collection.  I only picked up 3 from this collection (Ahoy!, Starboard and White Cap) and this is the one that stood out the most to me.  Above pic taken with flash.

I love, love, LOVE this color!  It's a raspberry jelly with raspberry shimmer.  I think Ahoy! and Strawberry Fields are my ultimate favorite ChG colors.  I liked Ahoy! on the tips alone but I can't ever leave well enough alone, so I used my black striping polish to line between the polish and my nail beds.

In the direct sunlight, you can really see more of the shimmer in Ahoy! and here you can see that my nail beds aren't completely nekkid.  LOL  I used a base coat (Nail Life Gripper) and top coat (ChG Fast Forward).

And one more picture for good measure.  This was taken in indirect sunlight.  I love Ahoy! no matter what light it's in. :)

I'm off to get some work done.  I have a feeling it's going to be a busy day.  I wish you all a great weekend and I'll ya'll next week!

A 4-pack of FAIL

Happy Friday, Kitschies!  It's been one long ass week and I'm glad it's coming to a close. 

I usually play along with Mamarazzi's Friday Confessional, but I don't much feel like confessing, so I'm going to share some nail fail with you.  I guess that, in itself, is a sort of confession.  LOL

These are all manis I wore but wasn't happy with. 

This is a pretty color, but it's not as great as I wanted it to be.  It's OPI My Address is Hollywood from their Fall collection.  It's a work-safe color with just a hint of shimmer.  Maybe I wanted the shimmer to be stronger?  Whatever it is, it just didn't do it for me.  I added the little hearts to try to change my mind about it, but it didn't work.

I liked the idea of this in my head but like so many nail art ideas, it didn't transfer very well from my brain to my fingers.  The color is a neon pink Nina Ultra Pro and then I added lots of black and white dots.  I think the dots ended up looking like bird poop.  This mani didn't even make it out of the house.

I wanted these colors to be closer and create less of a stark transition between orange and red.  These are Zoya Kimmy (red) and Tanzy (orange) from the Sunshine collection (Summer 2011).  I should've used Tanzy and Rica instead.  Anyway...I did some white nail art on these after wearing it for a day, but obviously it didn't impress me enough to take a picture of it before I took it off. 

And one more...

I was on a French mani kick for a while back in August (?).  The hubs has always said he didn't like the typical French look but I tried to do one anyway.  I started with SH White On on the tips and ChG Whitecap to add a bit of shimmer on the nail bed.  I liked it that way, even though the white was so, so stark.  I wanted to soften it up a bit so I added green star bursts with green star rhinestones.  That's where it went wrong.  I didn't like this one at all.  I don't think this one made it out of the house, either.

So, while these aren't fails per se, they're definitely not my greatest works.  Tell me, fellow nail bloggers, do you post your fails or do you keep them hidden from view?

One More Summer Fling

Happy Monday, Kitschies!  It was a fun weekend over here in the Land of Enchantment - well, Saturday was fun, anyway.  It was derby championships and I got all dolled up.  I was stuck behind a computer for both bouts, but I got to don my skates and glide around the area a few times.  It felt so good to be back on my skates - I hadn't laced them up since October 4th and let me tell you...I am itching to get back on the track!!  I'm going to my first practice tonight since breaking my toe - wish me luck! 

And yes...I hear you...rest that toe. :|  I hear you.

Now...for the real reason of the post.  Nail polish!  LOL

Waaaaay back in August (yes, another mani from August), I got on a French mani kick.  This is one of the few that survived the cut.

This mani *screams* summer to me!  I did the tips with CC Tangerine Scream (from the Electro Candy collection) then I used Finger Paints Paper Mache for the flowers and dots with a blue rhinestone in the center of the flowers.

I don't usually go for neon polishes, but I dig the whole Electro Candy collection.  They have the prettiest flash to them.  The orange has a really pretty white pearl flash to it.  Oh...and that's Nate's little foot over there in the corner of the pool.

I really liked the contrast of the bright bold cobalt blue against the neon orange.  And the white dots broke up the blank field of the nail bed a bit.

This is how Tangerine Scream looked in the shade.  I don't know what it is about neons, but you can't really capture their heat unless you're in half-light.

Go, Drillers!

Ugh.  It's Monday.  Again.  This weekend went by in a flash.  We had the besties over for dinner, drinks and some games - it was a lot of fun and the food was GOOD (if I do say so myself), but the kids...they had their own plans.  The babies just would NOT go to sleep so they ended up leaving earlier than we planned.  And then Sunday was spent getting things organized in the house and the garage.  I wanted to go out to the park or something with the boys but it's been wicked windy here, so we hid out in the house.  Nate and I made cookies yesterday (post to follow eventually) and Mason...well...he did his thing (which includes a lot of yelling/screaming on his part because that's how he communicates for now).

A couple weeks ago I posted a request for color combinations for a funky french.  I got lots of answers, but one in particular stuck out.  One of my friends from high school recommended blue and white: our school colors.  So, this mani is for you, Lisa!

This is the first free-hand French that I've tried and I've got to say that it was much easier than I expected.  I started with Color Club Trippie Hippie for the tips and after some clean up with acetone and my round Filbert brush, this is what it looked like.  But, I couldn't leave it there...

I grabbed my Bundle Monster plates and decided that a trail of stars would work perfectly with this.  This is BM14 with SH Xtreme Wear in White On.  Lisa had suggested silver, but I wanted the stars to really stand out.  I got lots of compliments on this mani - people just can not believe I do my own nails.  Why is this so hard to believe?  It's really not hard if you have the right tools!

This is definitely a win!  I loved the colors and the white added a little something to an otherwise meh French mani.  The only drawback to this was that you can see staining on my nail beds.  It's not horrible, but I notice it.

French manis and I have a love/hate relationship.  I love them.  They're pretty.  You can do a lot of different things with them.  But...it seems that no matter what, I end up breaking a nail.  So, right on schedule, I ended up having to cut one down because it tore at the corner.  Then this weekend I ended up chopping them all off because I had another break.  Now I'm back to nubbins.  *sad Megan*

Well..I'm off to do some work.  Enjoy your day - see you tomorrow!

Whoa, Tainted Love

Whoa!  THAT'S a bad video.  LOL  Happy Saturday, Kitschies!  In case you didn't notice, I haven't been around for a couple of days.  Why?  Work has been busy, as usual, and then I just haven't felt much like getting on the computer when I get home.  I was planning on doing a post last night, but dinner took much longer to cook than expected and by the time we ate, the hubs and I decided to just veg instead of working out and working on the computer.   Either way, the work week is over and it's been a typically busy weekend.  I took Nate to the library this morning, where he picked out 5 books to check out.  I grabbed two cookbooks for myself.  I know the hubs is happy that I've rediscovered the library and am no longer buying cookbooks - at least for now.  After that I headed over to a friend's house to paint her and her daughters' nails.  We planned on doing a lime green and purple water marble but that was a big fat fail (I think the green was too thin), so I ended up doing something a little more simple.  I'll tell you about that in another post soon.  I came home, ate lunch and realized that Mason had a fever when I got him up from his nap.  Wonderful.  I'm not 100% convinced that he's sick yet, but considering Nate had something that started like that last weekend, I won't be surprised when he spikes another fever later on this evening.  Then the hubs went to the studio, so I've been home with the kidlets all afternoon.  They're eating right now, so I have a few minutes to work on this post.

Last week (or the week before), I ran across a post that reminded me of a great color I had, but had yet to use.  In fact, Nate saw the picture of the green and said "Oooh!  That's a pretty color, Mommy!"   I also remembered that as soon as I saw posts on this collection, I had to have it!  This is Tainted Love from Ulta Glam Goth mini collection. 

I thought it was going to be really difficult to apply this polish because the bottles are so tiny (hence the mini), but I really had no trouble at all.  Tainted love is a gorgeous green base with green & gold shimmer.  Some day I'll use it on my whole nail because it really is pretty.  This is taken indoors with flash.

Outdoors, direct sunlight.  Ugh!  My nails are so stained!  I'm sure I can tell more than your average Joe, but I see it an it drives me bonkers.  I'd love to just let them breathe for a week, but I really don't know that I could.  Anyway, I used French mani guide stickers to do the tips.  I'm sure I could do it free-hand, but I don't mind cheating. :)  As much as I liked the green tips, I wasn't quite finished with this mani.

So...I grabbed some black acrylic paint and my striping brush and did a thin line just under the green tip and then dragged out a couple "feathers" to make a simple little design.  And to accent the tiny gold sparkle in the green, I added just a touch of gold glitter with a Art Club striping polish.

And just one more picture for good measure.  Oh!  While I'm thinking about it...I have horribly ridged nails - especially on my ring and pinky finger on my left hand.  If you click the pics to make them big, you can really see the ridges.  I asked the Sallys girl what ridge filler she recommended and I picked it up, but I'm not really impressed.  Do any of you use ridge filler?  If yes, which one do you use?  How 'bout ones you don't like?  Is there such a thing as non-milky white ridge filler?

Enough with the questions!!  Tonight is a two-fer post.  I've been meaning to post this one for-EVA, so I'm finally remembering tonight.  Better late than n-EVA!

A couple months ago (yes, months), I borrowed this beauty from a co-worker.  This is SH HD Blu.  She'd always worn it with multiple layers, but I saw it layered over black it glowed.  So, I slapped on a coat of SH Xtreme Wear Black Out and the layered a couple coats of Blu over top.  It. was. gorgeous!  It almost made me want to wear sandals to work.

This was taken outside with direct sun.  It was a kinda messy application (not because of the polish but because I suck at pedis), but seeing the bits of black around the edges makes it look kinda cool.

And...this was taken indoors with flash.  This glows, even without bright light!  I wore this until big chunks were missing.  Now I have to go out and get this color for myself.   Thanks, Kim. *sigh*

I think it's about bed time for the monkeys here in the house.  After they go down (easily, I'm hoping), I'm going to do some work around the house and then do a little Konading on my poll winner: OPI Ski Teal We Drop.  I'll be posting that some time next week.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.  The countdown to the Kitschy Suburbia/Makeup Zombie adult-only weekend begins on October 1st. I. can. not. wait.

Listening to: Scooby Doo
Mood: tired

Challenge Accepted - Part 9

It's a lazy Sunday for us.  Mason, the 1-year-old, woke up at 4:45 (!) this morning because he went to bed super early yesterday.  Luckily, all he needed was a bottle and diaper change and he was good to go for a little more crib time.  Nate, the 4-year-old, got up at 6:20.  The hubs had a feeling he'd get up early, so he pre-set the TV so when he turned it on, it would already be set to the Disney Channel.  Good thinking!  The hubs and I rolled out of bed around 7:30.  After we had breakfast (pancakes and bacon - yum!), we headed to the park.  Can I say that I am tired of the summer already?  Today it's supposed to get to 92* and it's already hot.  We have a chance of thunderstorms tonight, so I'm really, really hoping that comes true because it cools the air temp down a little.

Today I bring you my 9th submission to PHD's weekly challenge.  This week's theme: Just Tips.  The instruction for this week is to create a design using just the tips of your nail.  This was *perfect* because late last week I was wanting to do a French-type mani!  The submission deadlines have changed a bit, so she won't be posting the gallery until Monday, but when she does, I'll post a link to the gallery so you can check out all the cool entries.  You can link to the challenge gallery HERE.  On to the pictures, shall we?

Here's what I used: Orly Blue Collar, ChG Spontaneous, Orly Fifty-Four and white acrylic paint with a dotting tool.  I've used Blue Collar before (see the post HERE) and it's a great bright blue creme.  Almost Smurf-like.  I've used ChG Spontaneous before also, but only as a French mani (coincidence?) - there's something about this color that I just don't love.  It's a medium purple creme but it's lacking something that makes me wear it by itself.  Needs a Konad, perhaps?  Orly Fifty-Four is a very subtle pink/purple shimmer top coat.  I used this on top of the finished look to give it just a *hint* of shimmer.  I really wish the shimmer showed up more because it's so pretty in the bottle.

This is my submission photo.  I am really happy the way this one turned out.  I looked through quite a few pics online before I came up with this design.  I had different colors in mind, but when I went digging through my collection, these two colors popped out at me.

Another view.  You see what looks like a gash out of the side of my thumb nail?  That's a little tear that's been hanging out for a couple weeks.  Usually I just cut off the nail once I get a tear, but this one started below the quick so I let it grow out a bit before cutting it off.  I ended up trimming it on Friday - I feel like I'm missing half my thumb!

Another view.  I think you can just *barely* see the shimmer of Fifty-Four on some of those nails (if you click on the image to make it bigger, of course).  My nails are kinda stained, but I don't think it was as noticeable to other people as it is/was to me.  I love doing French-type manis.  I don't like the run-of-the-mill white tips, but I love funky French tips!  I asked the hubs if he liked French manis and he said "What's the point of having all the white just at the tips?  It looks horrible."  He was pretty surprised when I showed him this after I told him it was a "just tips" challenge.

Before I leave you today, I wanted to let you know that my mom started a blog a couple weeks ago and she's already hosting her first giveaway.  You can check it out HERE.  AND...my current giveaway ($40 CSN gift card) is still open.  You have until August 20th to enter.  You can check my giveaway out HERE.  I've reached 100 followers (thank you to everyone who follows me) and I'll be hosting a 100 follower giveaway sometime soon after my current giveaway closes.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, dear Kitschies.  It'll be over before you know it!

Listening to: N8 playing StarWars Legos
Mood: lazy