Thursday 25 October 2012

Challenge Week 3: Inspired by Reddit!

Once again, I'm behind. I've become useless at this blogging thing, and I'm sad because I miss it! Anyway, this weeks (last weeks...) theme is Inspired by Reddit.

It took me while to think of a design for this week, but eventually I decided that I'd like to try water marbling again- something I know I NEVER would have tried if it were not for the lovely RedditLaqueristas and the 52 week challenge forcing my to attempt it.

The colour choice was fairly easy; the Reddit colour scheme is blue and orange- so I picked the two closest matches (Models Own Fuzzy Peach and Primark Cornflower) and used those. I got a bit impatient with the water marbling (I didn't use a base colour, the thumb came out bubbly, and then I spilled water all over my table...) so I alternated a bit with an upvote arrow nail, and a downvote arrow nail :)








And here are my 3 polishes- I cannot recommend the nail art pens enough, SO useful! :)

Models Own Fuzzy Peach,  Nail Art Pen in Black, Primark Cornflower. 


Are there any websites that inspire you? (I considered doing a combination of Reddit, blogger and twitter- my 3 most visited websites! but I couldn't think of a way to make it work!)



                                                                                                             xGretalRabbitx

Monday 15 October 2012

Challenge Week 2: Blue!

I guess I'm sort of a week behind again, but I hope I can catch up properly next weekend, and I did take some pictures yesterday, so I should have a haul post (possibly two, I've bought a LOT that I've not yet shared with you) sometime this week too :) I'm so happy to be blogging a bit more regularly (though perhaps not as regularly as I;d like.)

Anyway, week 2 is a simple colour theme- blue! I was excited by this week as blue is my favourite colour, and thanks to pinterest (I'm addicted again) I had the perfect inspiration- this awesome design and tutorial by Nailed It, and I'm very glad I did, the liney/gradient effect is pretty cool and would work so well in other colours and textures- another great technique to know!







  

I used No7 Minty Fresh as a base, then I used a medium length brush to paint the longer stripes in No7 Stand Back over the top 1/3 to 2/3 of the nail and then Models own Aqua Violet right on the tips :)




Do have tutorials and designs that you 'need' to do? I have a whole list!




                                                                                                             xGretalRabbitx

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Challenge Week 1: Taping!

It feels so odd to be typing 'week 1' again, but I'm excited for the new set of challenges this year :) The first week is a nice easy one- taping!

I picked out a silvery lilac colour scheme- with Revlon Girly as a base, and Barry M Silver and Lilac Foil taped over :) (here's my little taping tutorial from last year, if you're interested)








Although the pictures are not the best quality (I hate the poor lighting- by the time I get home from work it's basically dark and I really need to buy a light box!) I hope you can tell how well it turned out- the colours go pretty well together, and I'm really happy with the taping design I've done. Once again I find myself wondering why I don't use taping more often! :)

When was the last time you tried taping?



                                                                                                         xGretalRabbitx

Monday 8 October 2012

Challenge Week 52: Grey!

Although the challenge officially finished last week- as I am posting my final week today it feels like it's only just ending. What a year I've had! I'm hoping to get my 52 week challenge tab at the top of my blog up-to-date so that you can look at my year of nail art, and I can only hope that it looks like I've improved in that time!

That said, you know I'm challenging myself to another year of weekly challenges, so I won't miss the themes!

The final theme in (last years) challenge is the last of the simple colours ones, grey. As easy as it would be to slip in something 50 Shades of Grey related, but let's face it- the book is terrible. Instead, I wanted to show off the (perhaps excessive) selection of grey polishes I have (WHY do I love grey so much?) and do an ombre :)









I think my two middle colours (George Witchcraft and Models Own Grey Day) are a little bit too similar- and depending on the light, in the wrong order.... but I love them anyway :) Unfortunately I can only keep them for a day, because I am absolutely determined to catch up with the 1st week of the new challenge, and do get week 1 (taping) painted and posted a.s.a.p.!


Revlon Aloof, China Glaze Pelican Grey, George Witchcraft,
 Models Own Grey Day, Barry M Grey

I sort of feel like it's the end of an era- a whole year of nail art! I hope you've enjoyed it, and get ready for another year! :)



                                                                                                         xGretalRabbitx

Sunday 7 October 2012

Challenge Week 51: Inspired by SciFi or Supernatural :)

It took me quite a while to think of an idea for this challenge theme, I would have done Doctor Who nails, but I've already done them! And a lot of the other ideas (like LOTR and Star Trek) I couldn't actually think of a way to create a manicure with them... So I flicked through my DVD collection and came upon the perfect show- Firefly! :)




For those who don't know (because I can't imagine the nail art and the scifi fans cross over too much) Firefly is essentially a 'space western'- so lots of neutral colours- and it's set in a future where the US and China are the superpowers of the world- so people speak a funny mixture of English and Chinese.

I chose (as I often do when I have too many ideas) to do each nail slightly differently. I started with a base of e.l.f. Smokey Brown, except the ring finger which is Barry M Peach Melba- then added a different design on each nail.








The little finger is stamped with the small Chinese symbols on Bundlemonster plate 203, with Beauty UK Olympic Bronze. Unfortunately the stamp didn't come out well, but it still looks pretty cool :)  My middle finger is a simple F- supposedly just like the f of Firefly in the logo. I used e.l.f. Blush and a nail art brush.

My index finger is a leaf pattern (If you know the show, you will understand why...) which looks nicer in real life than it comes out in pictures- the shimmery polish (Beauty UK again) wont let the whole design show up in one picture! And my thumb nail is a neutral, shimmery galaxy nail- sponged and dotted with e.l.f. Bronze, Beauty UK Olympic Bronze and Barry M Gold Foil.

Last but not least (as it's my favourite nail) is my ring finger, devoted to Kaylee- the sweetest character ever. She wore a crazy frilly peach dress- which is why I chose Peach Melba as a base colour, and got incredibly excited by the prospect of fresh strawberries :) I used e.l.f. Light Red to create the strawberry shapes (with a medium dotting tool) then added green tops (Barry M Spring Green) and yellow (Barry M Pale Yellow) seeds with small dotting tools. They're so cute- and I'm annoyed that I've not attempted strawberries sooner!


Left, top to bottom: Barry M Gold Foil, Beauty UK Olympic Bronze, e.l.f. Blush and e.l.f. Smokey Brown
Right, top to bottom: Barry M Pale Yellow, e.l.f. Light Red, Barry M Spring Green, Barry M Peach Melba


What's your favourite scifi show?



                                                                                                               xGretalRabbitx


p.s. I've just repainted my nails with Grey for week 52- I'm nearly caught up!)


Monday 1 October 2012

A new 52 Week Challenge!!!

The lovely ladies (and some gents) of RedditLaqueristas we're very enthusiastic about doing a whole new year of challenges, so between us we came up with a slightly updated set of themes, and the schedule starts today! (yes I know I'm still not up-to-date with last years challenge... tiny details... I'll be catching up a.s.a.p.)

So if you'd like to join in too, I'd LOVE to see your take on the themes (leave me a comment with your blog so I can follow if I don't already)

1 01-Oct Taping
2 08-Oct Blue
3 15-Oct Inspired by reddit
4 22-Oct Gradient Or ombre
5 29-Oct Orange
6 05-Nov Inspired by a game
7 12-Nov Black and White
8 19-Nov Saran Wrap
9 26-Nov Rainbow
10 03-Dec Winter
11 10-Dec Glitter
12 17-Dec Inspired by song
13 24-Dec Red
14 31-Dec New year
15 07-Jan Inspired by book
16 14-Jan Decal/transfer
17 21-Jan Splatter
18 28-Jan Inspired by technology
19 04-Feb Inspired by nature
20 11-Feb Pink
21 18-Feb French manicure
22 25-Feb Jelly sandwich
23 04-Mar Spring
24 11-Mar Violet
25 18-Mar Inspired by a tutorial
26 25-Mar Stripe
27 01-Apr Grey
28 08-Apr Inspired by flag
29 15-Apr Flowers
30 22-Apr Animal print
31 29-Apr Inspired by food
32 06-May Yellow
33 13-May Text
34 20-May Pastel
35 27-May Inspired by pattern
36 03-Jun Summer
37 10-Jun Galaxy
38 17-Jun Inspired by movie/TV
39 24-Jun Matte
40 01-Jul Half moon / border
41 08-Jul Inspired by colour
42 15-Jul Delicate print
43 22-Jul Green
44 29-Jul Inspired by artwork
45 05-Aug Polka dot
46 12-Aug Neon or Bright
47 19-Aug Water Marble
48 26-Aug Nudes or Browns
49 02-Sep Autumn
50 09-Sep Inspired by fashion
51 16-Sep Tribal
52 23-Sep Metallic

I'm so excited about the new themes I've added in, especially saran wrap (where you use scrunched cling film/saran wrap to create a sponged effect) and Inspired by a game (which can be a sport, board game, computer game etc.) 

Yay for another year of challenges!!!



                                                                                    xGretalRabbitx