2014: Under Construction!

Happy New Year, Konaddicts!  2014 is well underway.  In honor of "constructing" our new year, I decided to try out the traffic and construction designs on plate OB 30.  I've had this unique little plate for a while, and I've been waiting for a chance to try it out.

This mani is Sally Hansen Insta Dri Man-go Team! with Milani Black Magic and silver for the designs.  I'm loving the vibrant color, especially after all of my Christmas designs.  The traffic designs are from OB-30; I stamped the checked pattern on the index finger using Cheeky 13.

My "execution" - I'm sure you've noticed - could use a little work.  When I tried stamping the traffic signs, I couldn't position them correctly or they bent too much around the nail and it threw off the shape.  I also wanted to add a second color to the stripes, so that meant making the designs as decals.  I can usually make my decals without problem, but sometimes getting them on - and tacking them down - is where I run into trouble.  So...there are some weird smudges and chunky parts, but I'm enjoying this one all the same.

Thanks for reading, Konaddicts!  I hope your year is off to a dazzling new start!

Summer Cherries

My favorite thing about summer is cherries!  When I was first deciding whether or not to try Konad, seeing the plates with cherries on them was one of the things that cinched the deal.

This is one of those manis that I've always wanted to try but never quite got around to.

For my cherry mani, I used a base of Sally Hansen Xtreme wear Mint Sorbet.  I used Mash 50 and Sally Hansen Insta Dri Lickety Split Lime to add the background lines.  It added more color to the design and made me feel better because I couldn't settle on a green that I really liked.

I used the Pure Ice Siren and Kleancolor Military Green to stamp the cherries using the cherries on Cheeky CH13.  I added a highlight with Pure Ice Sparkle Berry.

Let me tell you...this is one busy design!  But it's also a fun one to wear!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 16: Tribal Nails

Hi all!
Here's my shot at tribal nails.  I went for a bright "tribal" look, rather than one of neutrals.  I just picked out patterns as I went along.  Some of my stamping wasn't clean; I think those triangles took a while to get the hang of.

Here's what I used:
Sally Hansen Insta Dri Lightening
Cheeky CH-13 and Pure Ice Siren for triangles
BM-202 and Kleancolor Grass Green for edging
Tips in Insa Dri Whirlwind White
Stamped with Cheeky CH-22 and Insta Dri In-A-Blink Blue

It was fun to try something so bright and so different!  The next challenge should be fun - it's glitter!

Thanks for reading!