My Final Christmas Nail Art!

Here is my final Christmas nail art for 2013!

I am hoping to wear this for Christmas day so I really bloody hope they don't chip. 

Here are the last cheesy Christmas tree photos... Enjoy!

I couldn't do a mani without the use of some texture could I?! Here's Zoya PixieDust in Chyna. I also used OPI Affair in Red Square. This is such and Christmas colour, it has this lush shimmer type metallic sheen. 

As you can see the stamping smudged a tad but when you look at it in real life you cant see it at all and I mean AT ALL. Its kind of annoying!

The stamping plates are all from the festive collection by MoYou London. 

I used the decal method for the Hollie. You can find a tutorial HERE 

Did you know I have written 180 posts this year? My first year of blogging! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS YOU LOVELY PEOPLE! 

Geometric Design,Decal Stamping Method Tutorial

As you all have guessed by now, I love stamping! 

I created this simple design using the decal technique. 

I also used the same technique to do THIS mani. 

I thought i would do a little tutorial type explanation on how I do it. 

I use a "squishy" type stamper for decals as it really wraps the design around your nail. Unlike the normal Konad stampers, Squishy's have, what i can only describe as, a marshmallow at the end! I purchased mine from eBay for £2.35 from the UK.

First I select my design and do the normal stamping routine to get the design on my stamper.

I then let it dry on the stamper (which takes about 1 min lol) 

I then pick out the parts that I want to colour in. Today I have chosen to add a slightly darker blue polish to the shaded area of the box. 

You can use either polish or acrylic paint to colour in the stamp. Both work equally well in my opinion. 

Then it will look something like this.....

It doesn't have to be too neat as long as it doesn't overlap onto parts you don't want that colour LOL 

As you can see you can paint over lines etc and they will still show, it works on a layering principle.

Then paint your nails as normal. 

While the polish is still tacky, stamp your nail as normal. 

Be extra careful and slow. I also press a bit harder than I usually would. 

The you will be left with your design on your nail! 

All that's left is to clean up. In this instance clean up the overhang BEFORE topcoat  Otherwise the topcoat will cause the remaining polish to fold over on to your design. Such a bummer when that happens!!

And TaDa! 

The possibles are truly endless with this! 

Daring Damask Nail Art

 Here we have a very sexy nail art! 

Without the sun shining on it, the pattern was actually quite subtle. 

I expect to find this type of pattern on the wall of some boudoir lol!

Products used 

China Glaze Purr Fect Plum 

Konad Special Polish in Black

Cheeky Jumbo Plate European Romance 

Seche Vite Top Coat.

I always forget I own this China Glaze beauty, but when I have it on I love it!

What do you think of this? Does it match your wallpaper LOL

Hello Kitty Stamping and Polish Review

 

Today I am sporting a lot of Hello Kitty! 

The polish I purchased from +Superdrug purely for the face that it has a super cool bottle that looks great on my shelf! 

Previous post about my haul and to see the bottle check out HERE
I was incredibly surprised by the polish as being Hello Kitty I assumed it would be a child's type polish quality but i was wrong! 

It was opaque in pretty much one coat, and the actual formula is beautiful BUT the brush is very thin. I also had a problem getting enough polish on the brush. This is because the neck of the bottle is really long. But after all this I am still very happy with the formula and the bottle is cute!

The stamping plate is from the Born Pretty store and I actually received this for free via a code I received in a package with an eBay order!

Usually it sells at $2.99 with free shipping. 

Sorry about the picture, I forget to take one BEFORE I used it :S 

The ones I used picked up great with no problems. 

The main design in the centre of the plate is huge though and I don't know what nail that would fit on, maybe my big toe LOL!

Polish used is Got Dat Thang by Hello Kitty, you can buy it for £2.49 HERE

Stamping plate available from Born Pretty Store for $2.99 HERE

 

How to Make Your Own Nail Decals, Simples!

 

 

Well then Lacquer Lovers have you ever had problems with placement of individual konad stamps? Or have you ever wanted to premake some hand painted decals for another time or for a friend?

 

Here's a new way of getting them perfect!

 

I'm feeling like a nail genius today!

 

Okay so here it goes....

First you need to fine something that the nail polish will remove easily from. I chose a Nail Form. nail forms are used in acrylic nail sculpting.

^This is a nail form^

 

 

Then i used my Lumos Top Coat and placed a thick coat over the top of the form

Leave this to dry. I left to dry over night as I had forgotten about it... Oopsies :)

 

Then loosen it from the nail form.

 

^This is the nail polish "film" That you have made to stamp on to^

 

 

Stamp into the Nail Polish "film"

Cut to size

Then place onto your nails and topcoat over

 

TADA!

  EDIT: You could also use it to embed things like a pretty napkin or thin fabric by following all previous steps but just dont wait for the polish to dry on the form, add when its wet. Then add one more coat of clear polish ontop when dry.

Okay so its not perfect as you can see a slight line if you look really closely at the nail but I'm sure there are ways around this. This is my first attempt. You could try actually cutting around the image so there is no border?

You could also hand paint tour design instead of stamping using either acrylic paints or nail polish.

 

Give this a try and email me some pics and ill upload them for other to see on here :)

Nail Stamping,The Basics

 

I have ordered some more stamping plates by Cheeky from the amazon site and waiting for them to arrive. Keep your eyes peeled (gross!) for some new nails soon....

I love using stamping plates because with just a little practise you can get amazing results. They can me abit hard to get used to as you have to be super quick once you've picked up the polish on the stamp.

 

For anyone who is reading this who doesn't know how to use stamping plates ill give a brief explanation...

First choose your design, i actually find this the hardest part!!

Place some nail polish or special polish on to the plate over the design and use the scraper to scrape over in one direction only. This will remove excess polish as only a tiny bit is needed.

then roll the stamper over the design to pick it up

very quickly roll the design on the nail.

 

It will take a few goes to get it right but it can really enhance your nails. I use stamping ALL the time.

The most well known brand is probably Konad. I use Cheeky and Bundle Monster plates that i buy from +Amazon.co.uk . They are considerably cheaper and i have never had any problems with them really. Some designs don't pick up as well but that may well be down to a number of other factors such as the polish used.

There is also other brands such as Mash and MoYou. I have not tried these.

 

You can use many polishes fro stamping but the general view is that if they are opaque in one coat then they may work. I have found that the Barry M Foil Effect Colours work AMAZINGLY and i use these regularly.

I also use old polishes that have gone abit thick. They tend to work quite well.

*TIP* Slightly buff the pad of the stamper with a nail file to help it pick up the polish.

 

 

You can even use multiple Designs together if your feeling extra creative :)

 

 

Here's some examples of Stamping i did last year.....

 

These two are done over IBD Just Gel, The pink one has a mica pigment scrubbed in to it.

 

 This is a Zebra print over a China Glaze grey.

 

Id love to hear about any other polishes or Tips anyone has :D

 

City Siren With Star Stamping

 

China Glaze's City Siren x 2 and NYC French Tip White

 

 

Beautiful starry design using a Cheeky stamping plate, purchased from Amazon.co.uk

Cheeky plate, like bundle monster, are a cheaper version of Konad. The quality of the plates are pretty much the same and they have some beautiful designs.

I choose cheeky and bundle monster over konad any day.

 

 

I think the feature nails look great in this design, but i think i would have prefured white stars on all the nails, not just the thumb.

I love China Glaze, Of course :p, and this colour is a lovely shade.

Plum And Leopard Stamping

 

 

2x Coats Of Plum By Kleancolor. Bundle Monster stamping Plate 221 and NYC white to do the leopard print. 

 

Please bare in mind that the NYC polish is very old and thick that's why it is so good for stamping, so don't chuck away your thick old nail polish! It'll come in very handy for stamping

 

As I've mentioned before, i love nail stamping and I love Bundle Monsters Plates. They work just as well as Konad but at lower cost.

I also used to use stamping alot when i was doing other peoples nails and it really is a crowd pleaser and people always comment on my nails when i have stamping on.

 

i prefer to just have stamping on the ring fingers on maybe the thumb too but this design would look just as lovely on all fingers.

 

Feature nails, as i call them, are very fashionable and if you look at celebrity nails you will find lots of people with just the ring finger "accessorised." Making this style suitable for both work and play as its not too "in your face"

 

This Kleancolor polish is very thin and didn't cover very well.Patchy and Streaky :( If using this colour again i would do 3 coats.

 

Ive been finding the Kleancolor with lumos bottom and base coat has not been lasting long at all on me. I think its my fault as i think i put the kleancolor on too thick. I have never had a problem of polish lasting on me when i use China Glaze and Lumos. China Glaze is a much better polish obviously, but it still doesn't really bother me as i don't tend to wear polish for more than a day :P

Mocha With Stamping, Yummy!

 Kleancolor Mocha With Cheeky Stamped Hearts

I know im using a lot of kleancolor polishes but i just bought a load and really want to try them all out :P

This is mocha 2 coats and i stamped a heart design using a Cheeky Plate and NYC White Polish (which i left open to go thicker for a few hours) topped off with lumos

I love nail stamping and believe me youll be seeing alot more stamping on this blog lol.

Cheeky Plates can be bought on Amazon for a fraction of the price of konad and they work so well. They have so many designs too.