He Loves Me...

Hello, everyone!
So many Valentine's images, so little time!  :)

Today I'm wearing a simple combination - Essie Fiji as a background stamped with Love My Nails Berry Nice.  I used Konad M95 for the full nail hearts (eek!  I love these!).  For the accents, I used the heart from Messy Mansion MM03 and stamped the children and cupid in black with Winstonia W102.

Aww...

Hope you're having a great Valentine week, Konaddicts!

Sweetly Peach

Hello, everyone!  We have a sunny day today - very exciting after all the moody winter weather we've been having.  Today, I'm wearing a very easy, super simple two-color manicure.  This is L'oreal Complete Salon Manicure First Kiss stamped with NYC French White Tip.  The plate is the classic Konad M60.  It's simple and sweet, perfect preparation for Valentine's Day!

I hope you're having sun - and love - wherever you are, Konaddicts!  I think I'm going to try out my Messy Mansion plate with conversation hearts for Valentine's Day, so I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out!

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!

Sweet Tone on Tone Peach

Hello, everyone!
I've been feeling like something a little different - and I love how this turned out!  After all the bright shades, it's nice to wear a sweet, mellow peach.

My base color is Revlon Peach Petal.  The stamping color is the pearly Revlon Bronzed Rose.  The curlicue designs are from Gals plate GA37, the stripes from H-series plates H12, and the flower is the classic from Konad M31.  I finished off with a little rhinestone in the flower.

I've noticed more and more manis with different designs on each finger.  I didn't feel quite that adventurous this time, but I think the stripes add a nice touch.

BTW: have you seen the new Holiday set of Bundle Monster plates?  They have some very cute designs!  At some point, I'm going to have to stop buying plates and get busy using all of them!

I hope you are having some sweet, summer days!

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!

Fall Plaid

Hello, everyone!
Today's nails just scream "Thanksgiving".  The only things missing are the pilgrims!

I've been wanting to do a plaid design in Fall colors.  I experimented for a while and came up with this design.  This a base of China Glaze Life Preserver, stamped with a pearly brown from Nail Savvy.  I used that classic Konad plate, M60, for the plaid.

The plaid was pretty, but I wanted to add some kind of accent, so I chose the lovely Fall leaf on Red Angel plate RA-121 and China Glaze Passion.  As has been true with the other plates, the image is etched a little too deeply, but it was usable.  My leaf came out better when I lightly stamped it on.  If I applied too much pressure  - splat!

Overall, I like the result.  Every time I notice my nails, I immediately think of turkey and cranberry sauce!

Take care, Konaddicts!  Are you as ready for Thanksgiving dinner as I am?

Halloween Candy Corn & Giveaway Winner!

I'm thrilled to announce the winner of my first giveaway - it's Katie!  Katie is all set to get her plates.  I hope she comes up with some great designs!

Thank you to everyone who entered and, to all the new followers, thank you for making me part of your "nail family". :)

Amazingly - and nearly just in time for Halloween - inspiration struck and I'm sporting these fun candy corn nails!

This was one of those designs that sort of evolved as I went about my day.

I knew I wanted candy corn stripes, so I used tape for the color blocks.  I started with a base of  Sally Hansen Insta Dri Whirlwind White (A).  I polished about half of the nail with Sinful Pull Over, an yellow-orange (B).

I waited until the polish was completely dry before adding tape to section off the middle (C).  Polished in my China Glaze Life Preserver (D).  And removed the tape! (E).

I'm getting better about remembering to smooth the tape before polishing and removing the tape while the polish is still wet; my lines are getting better!

I couldn't decide whether to stamp these or leave them in blocks.I decided I wanted to add the candy corn shape, but I didn't feel like trying to cut tape, so I decided to use nail pens and a nail brush to fill in the sides with Revlon Top Speed Espresso.

Then I decided I wanted to stamp them, so I used  Konad M17 and M18 and Wet n Wild Black Creme for the letters.

Please forgive the nail wear in the photo.   I wanted to take the picture sooner, but I have a new addition that has been keeping me busy.

This is Rosie.  She's only about 5 lbs, but she's a year old and is a burst of youthful energy.  My other dog, Barley, is 11, and we have been together for 8 years, so adding this little whippersnapper to our tried and true routines has been a challenge.  She's a sweet, sweet girl, though, and it already feels like she's a part of the family.

Well, take care Konaddicts!  I hope you have a fun and safe Halloween - and are wearing fun polish designs to celebrate!

Strawberry Shortcake Inspired Nails

Did anyone else grow up loving Strawberry Shortcake?  As a child, I had Strawberry Shortcake curtains, a Strawberry Shortcake comforter, Strawberry Shortcake dolls, the Berry Carrying Case...you get the idea.  Well, that nostalgia for all things Strawberry Shortcake inspired this manicure.

I normally like to say that my designs are quick - it makes it seem like I have a super exciting life to get back to!  Unfortunately, I can't pretend that is the case this time!  This one took a little time and experimentation.

I began this little overdose of sweetness with a base of Essie Fiji.  I stamped the dots - which didn't all stamp perfectly - with QA 12 - in Pure Ice Siren.  The design of the bows didn't stamp well over the pink, so I stamped a line of Konad Special Polish in White using M19.  I stamped the bows over that using Konad plate M56 and MyOnlineShop stamping polish in Apple Green.

...and I'm not done yet.  So much for the appearance of a very busy and exciting life!

I stamped a strawberry on the accent nail using Shany SH19.  I used Siren for the berry and my Kleancolor Grass Green for the stem.

...and finally (whew!), I added green rhinestones to the centers of my bows.

What a sweet confection!  Too sweet, even, for me, I think.  At least when I look down, it reminds me of those little dolls that I used to love so much.

...and also just found on eBay.  Uh oh.  :)

Have a berry good day, Konaddicts!  - Sorry, I couldn't help myself!

Simple Zig Zags

Hi, everyone!

Today, I've opted for a simple mani using Konad M78, a pattern I've always wanted to use but never quite got around to trying out.  This is Milani Cherry Pie stamped with Love My Nails Silver Sweep.  It's simple and oh so sweet!

Catch you soon, Konaddicts!

Blue Jean Nails

Hi, everyone!  A very busy week continues...but I wanted to take a moment to show you my denim jeans nails!

This is Milani Sail Away - a gorgeous, sparkly blue that is opaque in one coat - stamped with China Glaze Hi Tek using Konad M80.  I dotted centers to the flowers with Kleancolor Metallic Fuschia, Kleancolor Metallic Pink, and a silver nail pen.

Gotta dash, Konaddicts, but hope you had a great weekend and great start to your work week!

Hello Kitty of the Month: Primary Kitty

Ooof - I'm not feeling well today, but I wanted take a moment to post my August Hello Kitty nails, so here goes!

The base I used is Love my Nails Angel, a pearly white.  I painted the tips with Love my Nails Pomegranate.    I stamped the plaid using MyOnlineShop's Yellow Special Polish and Konad M64.

To stamp kitty, I used Wet n Wild Black Creme and a Hello Kitty with paws from plate QA12.  I dotted in her bow with Kleancolor Metallic Pink.  I didn't like the pink, so I redid the bows with NYC Broadway Burgundy Frost.

Hope you like it!  Even upset tummies feel a little better when you have Hello Kitty nails!

Thanks for reading!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 22: Inspired by a Song

The song I chose as inspiration for this mani is the classic "Stormy Weather" with that enduring chorus "Stormy weather / Since my man and I ain't together / It's raining all the time".

Here it is, sung by the elegant and beautiful Lean Horne in 1943.

For my "weary weather" manicure, I used the holographic Color Club Worth the Risque as the base.  I stamped my rainy background using the diagonal stripes and dots on Konad M65 and Pure Ice Kiss Me Here.

The umbrellas are stamped with plate Konad M8 in Konad Special polish.  I filled in the umbrellas using nail pens.  I picked neon colors since the polish was a kind of gel that didn't obscure the umbrella outline.  I used the silver nail pen to add a few dots around the nails as bigger "raindrops".

Here's the mani in the sun.

I love the holo base!  It adds a little 3D feeling to the design!

Take care, Konaddicts!  Next on the list is "Inspired by a Movie" nails!

Redo: Flower Gradient

Hello, everyone!  I decided to take a break from the nail challenge to take a another stab at a gradient mani. I started with two coats of Orly French Manicure Sheer Nude.  For the gradient, I used the same colors that I used in my last attempt - Sally Hansen Insta Dri Pink Blink, Konad Special Polish in Pastel Pink, and Kleancolor Barbie Pink.  I finished with the flowers from Konad M60 in Konad Special polish in white.  The dot of the flower is Kleancolor Metallic Gold.

Oh my goodness!  It's sooo much prettier than my last try!  The Nailasaurus picture tutorial made all the difference!

Thanks for stopping by, Konaddicts!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 26: Inspired by a Pattern

Today, I was supposed to have "tribal" nails.  I turned to Bollywood - as I always do! - for inspiration.  I chose a movie filmed in Rajasthan, a part of India known for its beautiful folk art and patterns.  Instead of picking a nice tribal pattern, I was enthralled (as I always am) with this beautiful wedding costume that our heroine wears - that's her, peeking out from under her bridal veil.

Rani Mukherjee in the film Paheli

Her beautiful saree inspired this mani.

This is a base of Sally Hansen Insta Dri Rapid Red stamped with the lovely palm design on Konad M83.  I useed Sally Hansen Insta Dri Snappy Sorbet for the stamp.   I freehanded the tips with Snappy Sorbet.  My other golds or bronzes didn't stamp well over this combination, so I pulled out my "heavy".  I used the Sally Hansen Gold Chrome Nail Pen and BM 11 to stamp the accents.

Wow!  I love this!  It's simple and surprisingly quick (especially using the fast dry polishes).  Every time I look down, I want to start singing songs from the movie!

If I ever take this off (haha), another attempt at "tribal" nails is next!

See you soon (at least when this wears off!), Konaddicts!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 13: Animal Print

Sooo....my "animal print" mani is a bit of a bust.  I tried to come up with a cool looking rattlesnake but couldn't quite get it right.  I polished, stamped, dried...and then took it all off. :(

By then, it was late, my polishes were strewn everywhere and I still didn't have an "animal print" mani.  I decided I would opt for cows - they're only two colors and seem simple enough.

Well...it turned out okay, but it's not one of my favorites.  It's a very simple base of Sally Hansen Whirlwind White stamped with Wet n Wild Black Creme.  I used fauxnad M61 for the spots and fauxnad S10  for the little cow...or is that a giraffe?

I'm not happy with this one, but I figured I would go ahead and share and move on to the next challenge - flowers.

Thank you so much to all of you who read and take the time to comment.  You all make my day!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 12: Stripes

Hello, everyone!  I wanted to (finally!) post pictures of my stripes nails.

I started this mani with a base of Pure Ice Love - a warm pink.  I stamped the stripes using Cheeky plate CH-10 and Konad Special polish in White.  They're the perfect stripe - not too thin, but also not too crowded.

I decided I would try to spice up my stripes a bit. I've always liked the combination of pink, white, and black so I decided I would give that a try.  I stamped the bows using plate QA-24 - a new (of course from eBay!) plate that just came in the mail.  I used that super cute kitty on Konad M83 for the accent nail.  I used Wet N Wild in Black Creme as the stamping polish.

This has been a fun one to wear but now it's off to work on the next one - animal print!  See you next time, Konaddicts!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 9: Rainbow Nails

Hello, everyone!
Today's challenge is "rainbow".  I didn't have a lot of time today, so I chose a mani that I had always been wanting to try - Miss80Million's Rainbow Houndstooth.  I remember watching this tutorial years ago, before I bought my first Konad set.

I used Konad M63, Sally Hansen Insta Dri Fast Lane Fuchsia, Lickety Split Lime, Brisk Blue, Urgent Orchid.  The index finger is Sinful Pull Over.

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 6: Violet Nails

Guest model - my left hand!

Well...these were supposed to be my purple nails.  It's Kleancolor Metallic Fuschia - a beautiful grape.  When I added Pure Ice Pussy Cat and stamping with Konad M64, I thought I had a winner.

Until the topcoat.

Oh, yes, until the topcoat.

Oh well...at least there was my left "non blog hand" so I could show the look I was going for!  Memo to me - if I try this again, add topcoat between the base and the chrome stamp.

The nice thing about this nail challenge is that no mani lasts too long...see you tomorrow for black and white nails!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 5: Blue Nails

Hello!  Woo hoo - I'm getting to wear my absolute favorite nail polish today!

This is Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Blue Me Away!  I stamped with Sally Hansen Insta Dri in Whirlwind White using Konad M60.  I used rhinestones for the flower centers.

I love this blue!  Stamped with white or with silver, it always looks awesome.  It's a gorgeous color when worn on its own.  Blue Me Away!, however, is not for the faint of heart.  Expect to have a little staining when you remove the polish.

See you tomorrow for purple nails!  Thanks for reading, Konaddicts!

Bright Dots

Hello, everyone!  Today, I have an easy and vibrant mani using Cheeky plate CH10.  I started with twocoats of coats of Pure Ice Free Fall.  I used a final coat of Pure Ice Tease, a magenta with a blue shimmer.

I stamped the dots using Cheeky CH10 and Kleancolor Metallic Aqua.  The aqua looked more purple on the nails, but it worked!  Before picking CH10, I tried the dots on Konad M60.  I liked the Cheeky plate better for this mani.  The dots on the plate blend more at the bottom on the Cheeky plate and I liked that look better for these colors.

It's a simple look, but I love the sparkle!

Shine on, Konaddicts!