DDP Bethany

I love me some DDP. DDP Bethany is no exception. It makes me think of banana pudding and Geaux Tigers all at once. I think it would look great layered over a darker yellow or a brighter yellow as well. For these photos, I am wearing two coats with one coat of Nubar Diamont. Love it!

Why are yellows still the underdog of nail polish land? This one is so yummy!
Have a great day! 

Hare Rad Cloud

I have another glitter for you today. It's Hare Rad Cloud. Love it more than I even thought I would! This is two coats with one coat of Nubar Diamont.

 I have also a stamping fail. The only good thing is that it proves how smooth this polish is with just one coat of top coat. I stamped with Essie Blue Rhapsody using DrK-B. You know those chromes show every little bump. They show my fuzz, but there are no bumps from the glitter. Other than that, what was I thinking? SMH

Have a great day! 

Water Marbling with Color Club Electro Candy

I love water marbles, but I don't do them often. One reason, I have trouble with the AC blowing on the water. Especially since it's 105 outside and the AC runs nonstop. But, I went ahead and did this one, because I have so many summery manis I want to do before summer is over.

I used all of the colors in the Color Club Electro Candy set. I started with a drop of pink and used a drop of each color and ended with a drop of pink. I taped my nails as My Simple Little Pleasures tutorials has taught me and dunked two at a time. The pattern I drew in the water was simple. Just attached the marble (a straight line through the middle), then back and forth lines. I dipped my nails perpendicular to those lines. I'm not good enough at it to video or take pictures! But MSLP has great tutorials. :)

Then I had this idea to stamp it with some butterflisque images from the DRK-B image plate. I thought the curly  ones reminded me of antennae. 

(artistic photo - lol)

Are you tired of summer colors yet? When do you stop?

Have a great day! 

Glitter Removal

There are a lot of ways to take those glitter bombs off. This is my preferred method. I thought I would share with you. It saves me time and  money.

I buy these or the Grafco brand in bulk for $4 from Amazon. I usually get the small size so they fit snugly. Flents can also be purchased at WalMart where I live, but it's the multi-size as shown. I can't really use the large size. Plus the 36 count cost as much as the bulk 144 count from Amazon. So, I prefer buying the Grafco bulk.

I try to follow the general routine of moisturize, remove, moisturize. Especially with this method. So, I start with these products.

I tear little pieces off my cotton ball, ten to be exact. I use the cotton bud to put some of the moisturizer or oil around my cuticle. You can use your finger to do this and skip the cotton bud if you remember to do all 10 fingers first. ;)

Then, I soak the cotton pieces in the remover and stick them to my nail.

Then, I roll a finger cot over the cotton. I like this method because it allows me to do all ten fingers at once and still be able to do other things since the cots fit tightly enough so that the remover doesn't leak.

After a few minutes, I roll the finger cots back and pull the cotton off.

A few swipes with the flip side of the cotton and it's all gone. The finger cots are reusable. They will last quite a while. I keep my used ones separate from my new ones in a baggie, and use them for at least five removes or until I tear one or can't get it rolled back up. I typically only use one cotton ball this way. 

ETA

Wash your hands and moisturize again! I find it best to use a really good moisturizer, maybe a pure cold pressed Argan Oil (no silicon - ie not meant just for hair) and wait 10 to 20 minutes for it to soak in before polishing. While nails don't need to breath, they do need moisture. If you don't take the time to give them some moisture, they suffer. I some times take a day off polish and moisturize like crazy...but that's another post. :)

I don't always use Zoya Remove, but I do love it. I also don't always use these cuticle products. I have a product post upcoming. OK...I think that's all I forgot (but probably not). *le sigh*

That's glitter removal my way. Hope it was helpful. ;)

Jade Mystic Gold

This is a favorite at my house. I like it, it helped that it was very sunny today too, and all the gold medals... ;) Yay Oympiads! So inspiring! (USA Women's relay!!! w00t!)

I used SdP 39 to stamp and tried Wet n Wild Black and Konad Black. Both were giving me problems with this plate, or this plate, my scraper...something was just a tad bit off on this one. I couldn't quite figure out what. But I was still happy with the result. The design of the plate is a paisley print.

No, my Elephant Ears are not being eaten. We had a really bad storm come through with lots of hail. It punched holes right through them! :( But they are still standing up :)

We did not have power for a while. Some great guys from MS finally showed up and fixed it. The poor neighbor had a tree go straight through his house! It was a bad one, we were blessed.

Have a great day! 

Olympics and OPI DS Glamour

Finally an Olympic mani. I've intended to do one for weeks. I can't believe it took women's beach volleyball to push me ove the edge. I am normally a gymnast fanatic (loved the fab five)! So much greatness from all the competitors.

I used OPI DS Glamour, Jade Surreal, OPI Kyoto Pearl over WetnWild white. Lots of good old chemicals. All the stamping polishes were Konad.

But wow, volleyball! Three time gold medal Olympiads Misti May Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings are so inspiring. They seem to have such great comradery and sportsmanship. I hate to see them retire, even though this is not normally a sport I watch. 

Here's to you ladies and all the USA Olympiads, I had to show some country love!

 Aly Raisman was super inspiring Tuesday as well! I loved her leotard. Sharing her medal with her coach and congratulating her competitor after the beam, showed her character. Gabby is a little doll. I could go on...
 I went back and free hand painted a couple of stars with the Jade Mystic Gold.

This picture is indoor room lighting and I like it better than the above light box pictures for true color/holo representation.

For stamping, I used these plates. Lovely backgrounds I have! And, I have one of the plates turned wrong so you can't see the multi size stars I used. Sorry about that.

An outdoor shot. Nice, but no where near the holo this mani is actually sporting!

There are so many more exciting competitions yet to go. Oscar Pistorious is inspirational and I can't wait to watch the rhythmic floor dancing.

What sports have you watched? Have a great day! 

China Glaze Unpredictable

I have the song "Unpredictable, that's what you are" stuck in my head now...except, that is NOT how the song goes. lol :?

This is my favorite of the China Glaze Bohemian Collection and the only one I have picked up so far. I think I may want one or two of the others, because I love duochromes. However, this collection, to me, is disappointing in duochromeness. Yep, it lacks shift. I did love Unpredictable. The bottle shift is gorgeous. The others look great in the bottle as well, but Scrangie is reporting less than stellar results. So, I'm not the only one noticing.

I stamped first with Bundle Monster 301 using China Glaze DV8 (I bought that polish is a marbling kit! I've never had the heart to marble with it, though I do stamp with it. No logic there.) I loved the effect. It actually made the nail look identical to the bottle. I was too lazy to try pictures and thought it was too subtle to show up with my camera. I apologize. It obviously does. So...

I stamped over that with Cheeky 10 using a very old WetnWild black. I was going for water, ocean, scales theme. I noticed with the Cheeky plate, it is cut shallow. I really needed to clean it after every stamp to get a good image. I figured that out after I stamped my first hand. I always stamp my photo hand first. I really need to switch that around...

One outside just for fun. The sun is SO bright!

The reason for an aquatic manicure? A concert by LRB! This guy was enjoying it...

It was at the historical Strand Theater in Shreveport, LA. It was built in 1924 by the company that went on to build Paramount. It is beautiful, here are a few photos to show you.
Lights off

 Lights on

 Stage right

 Close up of the ceiling (it was lower in the vestibule)

 One of the columns

 Rotunda (lobby)

Ticket window

Did you buy any of the Bohemians? Which ones? Do you like old architecture?

Have a great day!