Not much going on lately......

Here is a few nail designs I have done. I've been busy with lots of things and kind of put the blog aside. : ( I hope this changes soon and I can get back to at least a bi-weekly post. This is only 2 designs, kind of sad I know. I have done more than that but forgot to snap a pic.

Just some Sally Hansen polishes. (purple and orange)- I got these for a steal $1.49 at Ross'. The next is a pink and green simple design ( Rimmel and Kleancolor) a few dots adds some interest.
Lastly is a bit of a review of Sally Hansen's FUZZY COAT. The color I picked up is # 500 Fuzz-Sea. It is similiar to long glitter without all the , well glitter. It makes my nails look fuzzy. It has a slight rough texture which is kind of cool. I did try it on top of a dark pink and that looked neat. It does look nice on darker colors than lighter ones. It took three coats to cover bare nails.  : )

Sally Hansen polishes... HD Cyber ( purple) Three D (orange)

Rimmel Lasting Finish in Posh Pink and Kleancolor in Jazz Olive

FUZZY WUZZY..........

Marble Nails....

     So easy, quick and you can not mess it up!! First, get your supplies--a base color, a top color, your fav top coat and plastic. Next cut up your plastic- I used one of my many plastic grocery bags. I cut 5 pieces about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide.. Next- apply your base color. LET IT DRY COMPLETELY !!...This is where I used a 60 second drying coat. Once dry, doing one nail at a time, put on a coat of your top color, in this case-teal.You may want to wait about 15 seconds  and  then put the plastic on top, be careful not to move the plastic too much or you will end up with mushy marks and not the more angular clean areas. Let it be crinkled and crumpled. Remove the plastic in one motion- like removing a band-aid,you can go back and dab at areas that need more top color removed- just be careful not to smear!

      It is a neat effect and it helps covers dings, dents and scratches. I would use this mani if I had a color on that I love and had scratched up- this way I wouldn't have to do a complete mani again! I think the whole thing took me less than 15 minutes start to finish because I already had a base color that was damaged. I also use a fast drying top coat called "out the door"... maybe next time I do this effect I will use two top colors and see what happens!

My supplies!!

I used a neutral color because I wanted the design to show up in pictures. I don't think I'd wear these colors together often.

One nail at a time, add color......

BEFORE going to next nail, apply plastic count to 15 and remove.

TA-DA!... Marble!

 

 

 

Continue on and apply clear top coat to protect and extend your polish!!

Franken-polish

Thank you for stopping by, it has been a while since I have posted and I am sorry. The weather is beautiful and I want to enjoy every minute I can. The post this time is about "frankening" your own nail polish colors. Ok, so "frankening" isn't actually a word- but it gets the point across quite well.  I like to make my own colors sometimes if I'm only going to use it for one manicure or design element. I start off with either an empty clean bottle or a bottle that has a little in it that I want to use for a base color usually white or clear. Then I play around to make a sample swatch. This does a few things for me,

1. I can determine the shade I'm looking for
2. I know what colors I will need to mix
3. I can add different things like glitter or eyeshadow powder to change the shade, texture or luster of the polish.   

Other than a  bottle to put the polish into, I also have a mixing bowl (usually the bottom of a paper cup or a cap), a few toothpicks and a small funnel made from scrap paper to put the glitters or powders in to the bottle and if I get lucky- the little silver balls ( ball bearings) from another polish. The bb's help with mixing the polish in the bottle so you don't shake your brains out.

*Some frankening supplies*

 I did try bb's to mix the polish with, but the wrong kind will rust and change the polish color.. One last thing I have on hand is polish thinner-- just in case the color is too thick and not the desired consistency.

Some colors I mixed up. Notice the color change in the center 2 bottles?... That was because the bb's rusted away.

The simplest way to franken is to add white or black to a color to lighten or darken it. Sometimes a few drops of red to darken orange or a bit of yellow to lighten green.

I had a color in mind, just wasn't sure of the exact shade.

So- I mixed.... and mixed...

And mixed and mixed...... I was looking for a coral almost "shrimp" color and I think I was successful  

The polish went on very smooth, and it is exactly what I'm looking for : )

St Patrick's Day and Easter nails

Just a real quick post about the few nail designs I have been up. I did a few more but- they can wait for another post, just wanted to get something done for this month.

Irish flag and spun sugar.

Green Glitter

Easter designs, polka dots, stripes and bunnies!!

 

Just pastels!

French mani in pastel...... sorry I can't tell you the names of these polishes because they are "franken" colors. The color on my ring finger is more of a pale pink than a cream color that is pictured. I did these free hand- so the "tips" aren't exactly perfect- but that's ok. : )

Blue Clouds!

This was done by mistake- its a light blue base with "Hannah Pinktana," a super glitter pinky- purple girly top coat.

This was an impulse buy- I like the color orange a lot and the glass fleck glitter in this polish was just awesome! (Sally Hansen Diamond Strength "Moonlit Dance.") I didn't wear this mani for too long so I can't attest to how durable it is.

Damaged nails and Cracked finger tips : (

Well, first I'm sorry for not posting for a while, due to work or the weather or the both combined- my nails and fingertips are shot. My nails are super short- so much so that I barely have any at all. I haven't painted them in a while, because I don't want to draw attention to the "yucky-ness." Along with that, they are splitting vertically down from nail tip in towards my nail bed, which is a bit uncomfortable. The corners of my fingers are cracked, split and so very sore- even typing hurts. A few of my nails are actually "fake" right now, in order to help them heal and grow.

It's very simple to make the tips "fake." They help with damaged, broken or cracked nails and are very easy to do.

You will need the following:
*"crazy glue" ( it holds up better than nail glue.)
* nail file
* scissors
*toothpick
*clear nail polish
*an empty unused tea bag

First, file your damaged nail just a little to rough up the surface to bond the glue. Next, cut a piece of the tea bag ( single layer) big enough to cover the damage. I usually make it cover my entire nail tip up to 1/3 of my nail bed .Then put a drop of "crazy glue" on your nail spread it over the damaged area,wait  5-10 seconds then apply the piece of the tea bag over the glue. Make sure you push it down well and there are no air pockets *use the toothpick.* Let this dry for at least 3 minutes. Apply another drop of glue, go past the tea bag edges to blend the repair with your nail. (If the nail is severely broken you may want to add an extra layer of the tea bag.) Wait until this is completely dry to file down any rough spots, blend edges better or shape the tip. Apply a coat or two of your clear polish to seal up any missed places and make the repair nearly disappear. You can polish as normal once the repaired nail is 100% dry. If done correctly this repair can last up to a week, in some cases you can use remover and re-polish over it before it needs replaced. To take the patch off, simply soak your nail for a little bit in remover and slowly peel it off- don't force it! If it doesn't come off easily- re-soak!! 

Repairing cracked finger tips isn't as easy. I haven't washed the dishes without wearing gloves in over 2 weeks. I have been applying lotions but I can't seem to get them to heal up. I have used "Healthy Hoof," "Vaseline," "Chap Stick," and "Vick's VapoRub." I also apply antibiotic cream to keep out any dirt and germs. I even tried sleeping with gloves on- but I can't sleep with them on. I have even soaked my hands in Epsom salts and slathered on olive oil afterwards. However, I am slowly making some progress. I do cover the badly cracked tips with a band-aid to keep the moisture in!! : /

*I hope this mess heals up soon-- there are so many St.Patrick's Day, Easter and Spring designs I want to do*

Valentine's Day Nails

                     Some sweet nail ideas for Valentine's Day. 

I used pinks, reds white and glitter polishes. No special tools, just a pencil and tiny paint brush.

MARDI GRAS!!

Pink nails with light pink hearts hand painted!

Red nails with a pink accent nail with a glittery red heart: )

Super glittery nails with sweetheart captions.

Too cute! pink background "cloud" design with little white hearts.

Damaged nails : (

I trashed my nails at work the past few weeks. When I say trashed, I mean chipped, peeling, cracked and broken ( and maybe a little chewed). They look horrible. The tips are uneven both in length and on the surface. I went searching for some help. I love Nutra Nail products and decided to try something new.... Nutra Nail Mineral Collection "Iron Strength." It contains Iron, Zinc and Selenium which is suppose to make your nails tougher and more durable. First, I filed the surface of my nails a little to get rid of any peeling edges and even out the tips. Now I have super short, sad looking nails, that barely extend beyond  my nail beds : (  Next, I applied 2 coats of  Nutra Nail  "Iron Strength" to clean, dry nails. The formula goes on very smooth and it's clear so it won't discolor your nails, so you can use it alone or as a base coat. The weak spots don't seem as weak and the clear coat gives a nice shine to my short pitiful nails.




I also bought a small container of "Healthy Hoof." Don't laugh, it works for human nails just as well. It helps to strengthen nails and condition cuticles. You know you need to moisturize your hands, nails and cuticles to keep them beautiful, this stuff does the trick. A little on each finger around the cuticles or directly over dry un-polished nails to strengthen and protect them. I put a little bit on after I polish to protect my cuticles. This stuff makes them soft and prevents cracking and hang nails. It stays on for a while, even after some hand washing. For great results, apply 2-3 times a day.



I bought both products at CVS. Nutra Nail runs about $5-$8 and Healthy Hoof $3-$5.