Christmas Cheer

Hi, everyone!

It's hard to believe that we've only got 11 days until Christmas!  Well, I was feeling in the spirit this week, and decided to whip up some off-beat Christmas nails.

I chose two different patterns - the traditional candy cane stripes from BM-423and some circles from Gals GA-26.  I used a simple red and stamping white for the candy cane stripes.  For the circles, I chose Sally Hansen Insta Dri Lickety-Split Lime stamped with Revlon Top Speed Emerald.  I used L'Oreal Walk on the Beach and Wet n Wild Red Creme to fill in the circles.  I topped off my red with a lovely red glitter, Pure Ice First Party.

I'm loving my holiday nails!  I think that means I'll have to try more!

Hope you're having a good start to the Christmas season, Konaddicts!  Thanks for stopping by!

Toasty Sweater Nails

Brrrrr...time to zip into your Christmas sweaters!

Hi, everyone!  For this design, I got to try out two images that I haven't tried before - the sweater design from Winstonia W120 and the cute little zipper from BM 420.

The setup was pretty easy.  I used Sally Hansen Insta Dri Cinna Snap as the base.  I polised  Kleancolor Military Green about halfway down each nail.  I used the beige L'Oreal Walk on the Beach and Winstonia W120 for the stamping and tried to position the line more or less over my half-way point.

I decided to add the zipper just so I could try out the design and also to add a little variety.  I made these as decals - since I didn't think they would stamp well over the darker colors.  I used Konad Special polish in White and BM420.  I filled the stamp in with Kleancolor Chocolate Brown.  Peel, stick, and voila!

Well, Konaddicts, it's almost that time!  What nail goodies are on your holiday shopping list?

Royal Red

Hello, everyone!
I had a wonderful vacation and I'm just now getting back in the swing of things! I had a whirlwind trip to two places I've always dreamed of seeing - London and Paris.  What a wonderful experience - c'etait magnifique!

The manicure I'm wearing now is actually inspired by one of the awesome sights from my vacation - the Red Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.

The room is breathtaking - and apparently only open during the winter months - so I felt extra lucky to have the opportunity to see it.  This was, by far, my favorite of the rooms we visited.

From: The Anglophile

I came home determined to "nailify" this beautiful color and texture combination.  Once I got settled in, I got out my plates and polishes and got to work.

It took a bunch of tries before I got the combination I wanted.  I finally settled on a base of Love My Nails Pomegranate stamped with the darker and more opaque Sally Hansen Insta Dri Rapid Red.  The shape and width of the lines on BM206 was about as close as I could get to the brocaded image.  For the accents, I used Essie Good as Gold and Mash 27.  I added a rhinestone for shimmer and as a nod to the color and shape of those beautiful light fixtures.

Nothing, alas, can replicate a room fit for a king...but this mani is a little reminder of a glimpse into the life of royalty that I was fortunate to have.

The weather, however, has refused to cooperate with my little homage  - we've had overcast skies and snow! - so I've had to take my pics indoors with and without the flash.

Thanks for reading!  Even after a dream vacation, it's always a blessing to come home to family and friends.  Thanks for stopping by!

Fall Stripes- Twin post with Jajuana from Mani's by Moore

Hello, everyone!
Today I'm sharing another twin post with the talented Jajuana from Mani's by Moore.  We selected plate BM-411 as our theme.  I decided to combine the stripes and the heart beat designs from the plate into a simple fall-inspired design.

For the brown nails, I chose Revlon Top Speed Stormy and stamped with Revlon Top Speed Espresso (I love this brown!).  For my accent nail, I used China Glaze Life Preserver and stamped with Orly Prince Charming.  I decided to try to tie the two colors together by using the Espresso to stamp the heart beat.  The plate is BM-411 from the newest Bundle Monster set.

I hope you are having a great fall day, Konaddicts!  I can't wait to see what Jajuana comes up with!

Circuit Boards

Hi, everyone!
Today I'm wearing a quick manicure using a design from the newest Bundle Monster set.   The is Revlon Top Speed Emerald stamped with My Online Shop stamping polish in pastel green.  The design is from BM 415.  I did a little dotting with Essie No Place Like Chrome and filled in some space with my stamping polish to add a little variety.

We've got an overcast day; it's actually beginning to feel like Fall.  Stay warm and dry, Konaddicts!

Parisian Sunset

Woot, woot - my new Bundle Monster plates arrived!  I couldn't wait to try them out - in fact, I kept looking at the designs in anticipation of the set arriving.  The image that most caught my eye was the delightful cityscape.  Of course, the designs on this set were created by stampers for stampers, so the design is perfect!

I went with a sunset theme for this design.  I started with a base of Pure Ice Frosted Ice Georgia Peach.  From there, I sponged on my blue skies with Kleancolor Pastel Blue.  I used Sally Hansen Insta Dri Man-go Team for the bright orange in my sunset.  I decided to add a little bronze with Cover Girl Bronze Beauty to provide a bit of sparkle.

When I had my sponged background in place, I added black tips with Milani Black Magic.  Then I used Konad Special polish in Black for the stamping and my brand new BM 414 for the lovely buildings.  I wanted to make this a fully BM manicure, but the Eiffel tower on plate BM 419 was too long for my nails.  So, I used Cheeky's European Romance Jumbo Plate for the tower silhouette.  I used BM 419 to add the word "Paris" beside the tower.  I couldn't stop with this one, so I dotted a few "lighted" windows and building tops with red and yellow.

My thoughts on the new Create Your Own Bundle Monster set? C'est magnifique!

Pink Kissses

Hello, everyone!
Are you ready to start a new week?  I know I'm...not.  Well, there's nothing like a fun mani to get the week going (at least that's what I'm hoping!).

For this mani, I decided to use my absolute favorite design - this simple little weave from BM 21.  This is my favorite "full nail" pattern.  I don't know if I have a sentimental attachment - since it was the first plate set I bought - or whether I just like the look.  Of course, Bundle Monster was new at the game, too, so the design is small and you have to do some finagling to get it to cover your entire nail.  Anyway, I love this pattern and I rarely use it, so I decided that today would be the day.

I wanted to jazz it up a bit, so I decided to stamp it over a pink gradient.  I used Sally Hansen Insta Dri Pink Blink and Milani Cherry Pie.  I stamped my BM 21 pattern using L'Oreal Violet Vixen.

I wanted to add something else.  At this point, I usually go with a flower.  I decided to try something new (for me!) and decided to go with kisses.  These lip smacks are from BM 02 (I was on a BM roll!) using Konad Special White.  I couldn't resist testing the "Kiss" phrase from Cheeky 27, so I decided to add that as well.  You can't see it perfectly, but it's fun to know it's there.

Well, Konaddicts, thanks for reading!  I'm hoping you have a week full of love!

Tell me, what patterns top your "all time favorite" list?

Anchors Aweigh! Nautical Nails Twin Post with Jajuana from Mani's by Moore

Thank you to Jajuana from Mani's by Moore for suggesting a twin post of nautical nails!  I've never tried this theme before, so it was a fun challenge!

There was a lot of back and forthing on this this one - I pulled out every anchor, star, and wave plate that I had.  I did a lot of experimenting with colors and created one very horrendous manicure before I stumbled on a look like that I liked.  The bonus was that I got to add buttons - one of my favorite stamping designs.

This is two coats of the lovely, navy Revlon Urban.  I stamped the tips with Cheeky CH 24 and I used BM 201 for the wavy lines on the accent nail.  I used a dotting tool and a big dollop of Urban over the tip to create a solid background before stamping the button from Konad M16.  The anchor is from BM 08.  I used white Konad Special polish for the stamping.

Now all I need is a sailor - haha!  I hope he's a singing and dancing one!

Have a great weekend, Konaddicts!  Can't wait to see the awesome mani Jajuana posts!

April Fool's Day Mani: Mr. T Nails

Okay, so I have to confess that I got so excited about these Mr. T nail decals that I totally skipped my usual Easter-y type design because I couldn't wait to try these out.  

I decided to poke around eBay to see if I could find something different for an April Fool's Day manicure.  I found these decals and they were in the cart in snap.  I used to LOVE Mr. T!  I even had his record - Mr. T's Commandments.

Oh, yeah!

I tried a couple of different ideas for backgrounds, but I decided to go with a simple gradient of Sally Hansen Insta Dri Orange Impulse and Insta Dri Lightening.

I had a few, uh, "technical issues" with the decals - I'm used to the really thin decals that float off of the backing.  These were a thicker plastic and didn't seem as "sticky" as others I've used.  Even with the issues, I managed to get the hang of them and with a little quick action with the top coat, I got them stuck on.  

I added the barbed wire using BM323 and Wet n Wild black Creme.

Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em!

I wanted to use my Konad "letter plates" (which I HAD to buy and then rarely use) so I pulled out M17 and M18 to stamp out "Mr. T".

Too much excitement (and not enough top coat) means a few of my Mr. T's had some injuries - a missing ear and missing chin - but I have really loved wearing this one.

I hope you are having a blessed Easter weekend, Konaddicts, and that your April 1st gives you many things to smile about!

Nicely Neutral

Hello, everyone!
I was feeling like a change, so I snipped my nails down and decided to try out a muted, nude type look.

Sally's was a having an Orly two-for-one sale (woo hoo!) so I made this lovely beige, Prince Charming, one my selections.

Here, I'm wearing Prince Charming stamped with  L'Oreal Walk on the Beach using a flourish on BM-223.  I added a gold dot with a dotting tool and Color Club Gingerbread Man.

Is it already February?  Well, I guess I'm going to have to brush off my pinks and reds and get in the Valentine's day spirit!

Take care, Konaddicts!

Icy Winter Nails

Brr...
It's finally beginning to feel a little like winter outside!
I have been mulling over ideas for an icy manicure for a while.  The weather's changed, so it seemed like a good time to give it a try.

I decided to start by sponging Milani Sail Away, the darker Kleancolor Metallic Sapphire, and Pure Ice Superstar over a base of Kleancolor Pastel Blue.  That gave me a few high and low lights for my ice.  I used BM 208 and Konad Special Polish in white for the "cracks" in the ice.

Good...but...what else can I add?

I decided to go with holographic glitter - Covergirl City Lights - to add a little sparkle to my ice.  I decided I would finish by adding snowflakes.  White wouldn't show up over my lines, so I decided to use Sail Away again for the snowflakes.  I used BM232 for the tiny snowflakes on the fingers and I used A39 for the larger one on the thumb.

I like the frosty final look!

Take care, Konaddicts!  Stay warm and toasty!

Paw Prints

Hi everyone,
I decided my new canine addition was a perfect excuse to try out some paw print nails!

This design was a fun change from all the Fall colors I've been wearing and I got to experiment with a few plates I haven't yet used.

I only used three colors for this one - Sally Hansen Whirlwind White as a base, Wet n Wild Black Creme for the designs, and a red nail pen.

Once I started looking, I couldn't decide which designs to use, so I used a combination from several plates.

The thumb design is Bundle Monster BM 306.  The other paw prints from my DRK-A plate.  The pooch on my ring finger is from plate T28 (an eBay plate from Beautiful Scratchers).  The hearts are from a QA plate (the one with the Statue of Liberty on it!).

I didn't wear this one for long - i'ts kind of like having a comic book on your nails! - but it was definitely a fun departure from my usual designs.

Take care, Konaddicts!  I hope your holiday shopping is going well!

She's settling right in!

Bollywood Paisley

Hi, everyone!

I'm loving today's manicure!  It's a design based on a beautiful sari I saw on Facebook.  I couldn't afford this beauty, and goodness knows that  I wouldn't know what to do with it once it arrived (haha!), so I decided I would see if I could capture the look in polish.

Wow!  Isn's that absolutely stunning?  The model's vampy look cracks me up.

I started with a gradient of Sally Hansen Inst Dri Sea Breeze, Nail Savvy Electric, and Sally Hansen Insta Dri Blazing Blue.  I gave it a coat of glitter, a purple glitter in a clear base - Rimmel 60 Second Twisted Chic.

The paisley is BM 315 and I used China Glaze Hi Tek for the stamping.

We've had pretty cloudy days so it's hard to show the actual colors, but I managed to snap a photo in sunlight (I hadn't finished the clean up, but the colors are closer to how they look in real life).

Well, I have to confess that I'm not smirking like the model in the photo, but it's hard not to feel glamorous with this design!

Take care, Konaddicts!  I hope your'e enjoying our Thanksgiving lead-up!

China Blue Roses

Hi all!  I hope you've had a chance to enter my giveaway!  I wanted to take a moment to show you today's nails.

This design started with a base of Sally Hansen Insta Dri Whirlwind White stamped with Insta Dri In-A-Blink Blue using BM 323.  I covered the roses with a glitter in a sheer blue base, Milani Glitzy in Denim.  It provided the right amount of sparkle and softened up the white "petal lines" of the roses.

Today's mani is quick and easy - just my style!

Black Accented French Manicure

Today's post is actually from several weeks back.  I have mixed feelings about this one, but I'll put it out there anyway.  I really like the black accents in French manicures, but I can't decide what I don't like about this one.

This is simply a base of  Orly French Manicure Sheer Nude, tips polished with Wet n Wild Black Creme, stamped with Konad Special Polish in White using BM 218.  I figured it might be a good time to use the black rhinestones in the wheel I have (because when else will I use them?), so I stuck one on each nail.

Hmm...thoughts on this one?

Parchment and Roses

Hi everyone!

First, you may have noticed that I have 50 followers now!  Thank you so much!  I so much appreciate that you stop by to see what my polishes and I are up to!

To celebrate you, and one my one year blog anniversary later this month, I'll be posting details of a little giveaway later in the month.

So...on to today's manicure!

I was feeling nostalgic and trying to think of a design that was romantic, elegant, and kind of old fashioned.  I thought back to all those photos of roses on old music sheets (now you know what all my screen savers were back in the day!) and ultimately came up with this design.  I also wanted to try a new technique, so I created this look using saran wrap.

I started first with a base of that lovely caramel, L'Oreal The Perfect Trench (I am not yet over this color!).  I sponged on a little Revlon Top Speed in Stormy to add a darker color.  I covered the entire nail with white - Pure Ice Siren - and dabbed it using saran wrap.  That worked perfectly to give me the mottled-type background for the roses.  (Doesn't that seem like a weird combination?  It worked, though!)

I used BM 323 and Pure Ice Rumors for the roses.  I added the leaves from XL Plate I with Revlon Top Speed Emerald.

Ah...this suits my mood perfectly (isn't it great when that happens?).

Take care, Konaddicts, and see you soon!

Bright French Manicure

Sorry about the low lighting - it's chilly, cloudy day today.

We've got cloudy days, but I still wanted to get a shot of my colorful french manicure.I've been wanting to try out some of those awesome french manicure tips in the second Bundle Monster set.  Since the pattern has leaves room for your base color to show through, I wanted to experiment with a multi-colored base.

I started with a base of Insta Dri Petal Pusher.  I drew some lines with polishes and a nail pen to make a bright base over which to stamp. Here's my base of Sally Hansen Insta Dri Snappy Sorbet,L'Oreal Violet Vixen, Milani Cherry Pie, and contrasting lines drawn with a teal colored nail pen.

Then, I stamped the tips using Konad Special polish in white using BM 217.  And voila!
Or, at least, mostly voila, as soon as I can do something about this dry fall skin!

Well, I'm off to enjoy a day of cool, fall weather!  Have a great day, Konaddicts!

Rattlesnake Nails - The Remix

Hello, everyone!  Following the lead from several tutorials, I decided to remix my Rattlesnake Nails.  I used the same base - Pure Ice Jaguar.  This time I layered the stamping I used BM215.  I stamped with Maybelline Express Finish in Walnut and a warm brown Nail Savvy polish (unfortunately, the label fell off).  The final layer was stamped with a lovely silver holo, Color Club Worth The Risque.

The holo catches the light and dampened the colors just a bit.  Layering the stamp really made the whole design more dynamic. I love how this one turned out!

Have a dangerous - but not too dangerous! - weekend, Konaddicts!

Starstruck

Happy Saturday, Konaddicts!
I'm feeling better today, so I wanted to post today's manicure.

I love stars and, after trying other star full nail designs, I think the stars on Mash 40 are perfect!

I started with several coats of Maybelline Color Show Twilight Rays.  It's a black base with a gold glitter.

The glitter in Twilight Rays is pretty subtle, so I decided to use the China Glaze Blonde Bombshell to add some additional sparkle.  The Blonde Bombshell is a rich glitter, so instead of polishing the whole nail, I decided to stamp it using the streak pattern on BM 316.

Finally, I stamped the stars using Mash 49 and China Glaze Passion.

Oh, this design feels very Hollywood - despite the smears... :)

Have a great weekend, Konaddicts!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 23: Inspired by a Movie

Hello, everyone!  I'm finally getting a chance to post my "Inspired by a Movie" nails.  It took me a while to decide what movie to choose.  Here's the mani I came up:

Can you guess the movie?
It's Kung Fu Panda!

This was a  fun one, and it was a perfect use of my new set of MASH and Bundle Monster plates!

I started my Kung Fu Panda nails with a base of Sinful Colors Pull Over stamped with the lines from BM 301 and Nail Savvy in brown (sorry - the label fell off!).

I stamped the panda outline in white using Pure Ice Super Star and Mash 30 as a guide.  I filled in that outline with white and stamped the panda again using Konad Special Polish in black.  My outlines weren't perfect - you an see on the thumb in the picture above - but this one is fun even considering the imperfections.

Take care, Konaddicts!  I'll see you soon for "Inspired by a Fashion" nails!