Checkmate

Hey, all!
I've got a quick mani to share today.  This is Wet n Wild Lavender Creme stamped with the checkerboard pattern from Mash 38 using Konad Special Polish in Black.  The crown is stamped from Red Angel plate 119.

Quick, easy, and fun!
Thanks for reading Konaddicts!  See you soon!

Homage to Emerald - the color of 2013!

Hello, everyone!  I hope you're recovering from an amazing start to 2013!

I decided to start the new year with an homage to Emerald, the Pantone color of the year.

This is an easy gradient of Sally Hansen Lickety Split Lime and SH Sea Breeze.  It's stamped with that lovely holo Glitter Gal Lizard Belly using Red Angel plate RA-111.  I used a dotting tool and China Glaze Passion to add the gold dots.

Easy peasy!
And stamping with a holo is so much fun (especially since Lizard Belly is a very beautiful but very dark green all on its own).

Hope you're well, Konaddicts!  I finally received my new flocking powder set, so more fuzzy nails are on the horizon!

Also...I've added a few polls in the sidebar!  Be sure to answer - I'd love to learn from your expertise!

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?

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 25: Inspired by a Fashion

I had a hard time coming up with something that I could say was inspired by a fashion.  I decided to go with something inspired by the 50s.  I wanted VERY MUCH to make poodle skirts, but that dang poodle on BM04 was just too big.  

Since my poodles, didn't work, I opted for polka dot, since so many vintage dresses seem to sport them.

I started with my stand-by red, Pure Ice Siren.  I taped the bottoms with scotch tape and polished the top portion black.  I used the dots from BM 19 to stamp the polka dots over the tips in Konad Special polish in white.  

Lot of 50s dresses have a flower on the bodice, so I added a flower from Red Angel 109 as an accent and dotted the center with red.

I like it!  I don't usually like my nails to be so dark, but the red really livens it up!"

Cool it, Konaddicts, and I'll catch you later for "Inspired by a Pattern" nails!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 11: Polka Dots

It's polka dot day!  I wanted to do something a little different, so I decided to put polka dots on top of my polka dots!

This is Revlon Top Speed Stormy stamped with Revlon Top Speed Espresso using the big dots on Red Angel plate RA-103.  I pulled out my dotting tool and dotted on Kleancolor Green Grass (the darker green) and Sally Hansen Insta Dri Lickety Split Lime.

See you tomorrow for "stripes"!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 10: Gradient Nails

For my "gradient nails", I decided to go with one of the looks that initially drew me to try Konad.  I started with a base of Bella Il Fiore Baby Doll - a sheer french base.  I decided to start sponging with Sally Hansen Insta Dri Pink Blink; then I went with a medium pink, Konad Special Polish in Pastel Pink; and finished the darker pink, Kleancolor Barbie Pink. I slapped on some topcoat and then stamped the flourish using Red Angel RA-116 and Sally Hansen Whirlwind White.  I didn't have any actual pearly accents, so I used Love My Nails Angel, the pearly white, and a dotting tool to add the dots.

I love the look of sponging but I never feel like I have it totally down...  Today's mani was a good chance to get out the sponges and to give it a try!   BTW:  All you polish queens, what sponges do you think are the best to use?

The next challenge is polka dot nails!  See you then!

Red Angel Peacocks

So, after fiddling around unsuccessfully with the peacock on plate BM-15 - I just couldn't figure out to how get the placement right - I heaved one last sigh, and decided I would have to pick some other design.

I flipped through my nail plates binder and noticed that there's a peacock on Red Angel plate RA-102!

Hooray!  I put my imagination to work to see if I could accommodate my hankering for peacocks after all.

I used China Glaze Kinetic Candy as a base.  I used XL Stamping Plate B for the background design.

I stamped the pattern - not sure how to describe it, but it's circled in the piture - using three colors - Sally Hansen Insta Dri Jade Jump, China Glaze Secret Peri-Wink-Le, and Revlon Top Speed Stormy. I tried to mush the colors a bit with the scraper so that the colors would mix a little at the edges.

Finally, I used Revlon Top Speed Espresso and Red Angel RA-102 to stamp this awesome little image of a peacock on top (I love its little "top feather").

Well, Konaddicts, there's one nail obsession temporarily assuaged...these things never last long, though.  I'm sure I'll have a bee in my bonnet for another design any time.  

Wait a minute - do I have any bees? :)

Zen Garden

I was aiming for a soothing, calming manicure (to counteract a very hectic week!) and I came up with this mani inspired by Zen gardens.

This is a base of 3 coats of Orly French Manicure Sheer Nude stamped with a swirly background using DRK-A plate and Cover Girl Boundless Color Bronze Beauty, a metallic bronze sparkle.

I used Revlon Top Speed in Emerald and Red Angel RA-115 to stamp the fern frond.  I used Bundle Monster BM-213 and Kleancolor Metallic Black to stamp the "rock pile".

It's a calming sort of look...now, if only I could get a massage, I'd be all set!

Have a relaxed day, Konaddicts!

March Hello Kitty of the Month: Keroppi!

I chose Kero Kero Keroppi for this month's Hello Kitty Manicure.  Keroppi doesn't seem to be as popular as HK herself, but he sure is cute.

The plate is OB31.  The plate, itself, had some flaws - top center Kitty is missing a hand!  I was thrilled to find Keroppi on something and couldn't wait to use it (so I didn't want to take the time to send it back).

Here's what I used for this mani:

I started with a few coats of Kleancolor Melon Green (I love this color!).  I stamped Keroppi using OB31 and Milani Black Magic.  I didn't want him to be lonely without his lily pads, so I used a lily pad - like design on Red Angel RA-118 and Kleancolor Green Grass for his lily pads.  Then, I used my cheapie Nail Star pens to fill in Keroppi's shirt and eyes.  Lastly, I dotted Konad Special Polish in Pastel Pink for his blushy cheeks.

Keep a spring in your step, Konaddicts!

Mosaic (Sort Of)

Soooo....this didn't quite turn out like I saw it in my head.  Maybe I should have chosen a different plate.  The little flourish on Red Angel plate RA-107 was calling out to be stamped with different colors - or at least, that's how it seemed to me!

I was thinking of tranquil seas and I chose Revlon Sunshine Sparkle - a light lemon - as the base.  Sally Hansen Insta Dris in Sea Breeze, Blue Blast, and In-a-Blink Blue make up the stamping.  I stamped the two lighter colors at one time, then added the bottom portion of the design in the darker blue.

With such a lovely set of colors, what could go wrong?

Something isn't quite right.  I don't think I managed to get clean edges on all of the areas of the stamp.  There's also something I don't quite like about the Sunshine Sparkle base.  It not an overpowering yellow, which I waned for this color scheme, but it seems to dry strangely and get kind of crackly around the edges.

Oh well...there's something about these colors that I like so I'm sure I'll pull out my plates and try a "remix" of it soon.  Suggestions, anyone? :)

Rose Stockings

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!
I tried to think of a Valentine's design other than hearts for my nails this week.  I didn't get very far; I chose roses.  :)

I used Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Cafe Au Lait for the base.  I stamped the "fishnet" with Cheeky plate CH11.  I polished a circle of my lighter rose color over the netting and then did my best to stamp the rose design in a darker color over the lighter circle using Red Angel RA-116.  I like stamping with two colors this way even though I can never quite get my stamps (or sizing) to line up perfectly.

Oops - still needs some clean up.

If you're curious about the colors I used for the roses, here's the "photo lineup".

(L-R) Kleancolor Pastel Orange, L'Oreal Pumpkin, Pure Ice Love, Sally Hansen Insta Dri Rose Run, Kleancolor Pastel Purple, Kleancolor Lavenbaby.

Be well, Konaddicts!  I hope your week is, well, coming up roses!

Red Angel Disappointment

Okay, so I've been continuing to try out my new Red Angel plates.  Some plates have turned out beautifully; others are disappointing.  I couldn't wait for this plate, in particular - RA-106 (it's perfect for an early Valentine's Day!).  I was pretty disappointed when my heart stamped into a red splat.  I tried it with special polish, over polish...still more splat than pattern.

I tried another design - from RA-116- and I was disappointed by this one, too.  I kept getting blurring on the edges and it seems like the tulips are etched too deeply because it doesn't seem like the polish is evenly distributed in the design (which seemed to also be the case with a few other designs I tried out).

So...pretty disappointing.  I'm not sure I can recommend this set of plates as wholeheartedly as I initially thought.  For tonight, I'm packing up my bottles and heading to bed.  Hopefully, I'll have better luck tomorrow!

Sleep well, Konaddicts!

Valentine Hearts

Okay, so it didn't take me long to try out another design with Red Angel RA-114.  This time, I went for a simple look.  The base color is Pure Ice Siren.  I used Konad Special Polish in Pastel Pink to stamp the hearts.  Then, because I just couldn't stop, I used Bundle Monster BM 09 to stamp on "Love" and the heart in silver.

I like it!  It's more understated than the last design but still manages to be cute and sweet.

I have to say that I'm not a fan of the Konad Special Pastel Pink.  It seems to me a little orangey and I think I have more smearing with the "special" polish than with regular polish (and for $7 per bottle, "special" polish had better be very special!).  Anyway, in this mani, the pink came out just fine.

I love, love pink so February is the month for me.  I'm sure I'll be back with more hearts for you soon.

Much love, Konaddicts!

Valentine Gradient

Here's an early Valentine's design.  It's a pink gradient stamped using Red Angel RA-114.  I really like this plate, so I'm sure I'll be posting more variations soon!

Blue Hawaii Nails

Oh, the irony!  I started my day with these beach-ready nails and walked out into this weather:

Yech.

Back to the nails; they're much warmer!

For this beachy look, I finally gave my Red Angel plates a try.  I started with Sally Hansen Insta Dri in Brisk Blue.  I stamped the wavy background using Kleancolor Beach Blue and Red Angel Plate RA-109.  I stamped the flowers using RA-108 in silver and dotted Kleancolor Metallic Yellow for a dot in the middle of each flower.

Such peppy nails make even this weather seem merely balmy. 

Get your hula on, Konaddicts!