Llama Nails: O is for... Owl

       All I can say is brrr!  Now, I am not one to complain about the weather, whether I like it or not, but it is downright freezing today!  I had to leave out heater on all day so my polish wouldn't get too cold.  ;-)  All right, now on to business.  Today's post is another installment in the ABCs of nail art challenge that is being hosted by the Facebook group, Llama Nails.  Each week we post a manicure that has to do with the letter for that week.  "O" was actually last week, and this mani was done on time, but I took a little blogging hiatus when we were supposed to post these.  Better late than never, right?

Base: Pro FX Fiberized Ridge Filler

Accent base:  Audrey from Zoya - 3 coats

Base: Pink Friday from OPI - 2 coats

Owl: Body - Fly from OPI

         Belly - Olympia from Sinful Colors 

         Eyes - Morning Breath from Sinful Colors mixed with French White Tip from NYC and Black Creme from Wet N'                  

                    Wild

         Nose - Clementine from Sinful Colors

Top coat: Seche Vite

Whoops, I almost forgot the most important part of this post!  I was inspired by this post on Let Them Have Polish.  I have been wanting to do this since she first posted the adorable mani.

How is the weather in your neck of the woods?  Hopefully a little warmer than 11 degrees F.

Here are some other "O" manis, please, check them out!

Llama Nails: M is for... Minnie Mouse

       Happy Monday!  Today I have for you my weekly installment for the ABCs of nail art challenge in the Facebook group, Llama Nails.  Each week we have to do nail art related to a specific letter and this week's letter is M.  I decided to do Minnie Mouse.  I couldn't be happier with the way this turned out.  I tried a new base coat with this mani and it lasted two days!  My manicures never last this long.  I picked up the Fiberized Ridge Filler from the Pro FX line.  I got it at WalMart and a 2.5 fluid oz. bottle cost me right around five dollars.  I am so glad that I picked this up because I used it on this mani and the one I did yesterday, and my mani's have never stayed on my nails better!

Base coat: Fiberized Ridge Filler from Pro FX

Base color: Red Red from Wet N Wild - 1 coat.  UMM CAN YOU BELIEVE ONE COAT?!?!  YEAH, ME NEITHER.  OK, done freaking out about that.

White on the Spot from Milani -2 coats

White dots: Superstar from Pure Ice

Minnie Mouse: All acrylic paint is from Artist's Loft that I bought at Michaels

Black-Lamp Black

Face-Titanium White, Burnt Sienna, and Yellow Ochre

Bow-Crimson Red and Titanium White for the dots

Tongue-Crimson Red mixed with Titanium White

Top coat: Seche Vite

I used a dotting tool to apply all the polka dots that are not on my accent nail.  I used my smallest brush for all of Minnie except for the eyelashes; I used my striping brush for that.

You can check out these other "M" challenge's using the codes below.  I hope you enjoyed my Minnie Mouse mani.

Llama Nails Presents the ABC's of Nail Art: J is for... Jelly Sandwich

       Happy Wednesday everyone!  How has your week been?  I am feeling so much better after my bout of strep.  This week's letter for the ABC challenge in the Facebook group, Llama Nails, is J.  I decided that I would do a jelly sandwich mani today.  If you aren't sure as to what a jelly sandwich mani is, don't fret.  It is pretty much what it sounds like.  Glitter sandwiched between a jelly finish polish.  A jelly finish polish is a very sheer polish that looks like jelly, for lack of a better term.  This is not to be confused with a sheer finished polish.  If my lame description confuses you and you want a far better one you can check out this blog.

     I have done three or four of these manicures and this is the first one that I have really liked.  The hardest part of this mani was photographing it.  I took almost 200 pictures and think I got some good ones.  I am hoping to be able to purchase a new camera with my Christmas bonus, but I do have to pay my bills first.  Here's hoping they feel sorry for me this year and give me a little extra! :-)

Base coat: Sally Hansen Triple Strong Advanced Gel Nail Fortifier

Base color: Daddy's Girl from Sinful Colors

Glitter: Let Me See Your Peacock from Claire's

Top coat: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat

I did two coats of Daddy's Girl, a layer of the glitter, and one more layer of Daddy's Girl on top of that.

Have you tried a jelly sandwich mani?  Do you like doing them?  What kind of camera do you think I should get?

Llama Nails Presents the ABC's of Nails : I (And Stamping With Mash 30 Plate)

     Happy Thursday everyone!  How has everyone's week been so far?  Mine has been a little all over the map, hence not posting since Sunday!  What the heck man!  Well I missed the post for last week, which was H, but don't worry, I did it.  I will most likely be posting it tomorrow.  "I" was a tricky letter for me, (aren't they all) but as I was in the shower saying igloo, irritated, irate, intimate, and then icicle I stumbled upon Ireland!  Now that was something I could do on my nails.

     I finally picked up some more Seche Vite Top Coat the other day and I can't believe the difference it makes in dry time on my manicures.  When I have wanted to stamp before I usually have to wait 30 minutes to an hour before I can stamp it. With one coat of Seche on I can stamp after ten minutes, tops.  I don't think I will ever go without.

Base coat: Sally Hansen Advanced Gel Nail Fortifier

Base colors: Pinky, thumb, and ring finger - Superstar from Pure Ice - 2 coats

                     Middle finger: Pretty Edgy from Essie - 2 coats

                     Forefinger: Clementine from Sinful Colors - 2 coats

Stamping colors: Pinky - Heat Flash from Sally Hansen Insta-Dri

                            Middle - Stamp Me White from Essence and Khloe Had a Little Lam-Lam from Nicole by OPI

                            Forefinger - Stamp Me White from Essence

Flage colors: Clementine from Sinful Colors and Pretty Edgy from Essie applied with a striping brust

Image plate: Mash 30

Top coat: Seche Vite

These were taken outside in indirect light

Here are some other "I" inspired manicures!

G is for... Garfield

     Happy Thursday everyone.  This week is going by so slow!!!!  Is anyone else having a long week?  I took a break from doing my nails on Tuesday night and just did a bunch of blog reading so I didn't have this mani done until last night.  On Wednesday night's, my husband and I go over to our best friends for dinner so I didn't have time to post this until today.  Today's mani is for the ABC's of Nails Challenge that we are doing in the Facebook group, Llama Nails.  We are going week by week through the alphabet, in alphabetical order, and doing a manicure that coincides with that letter.  I was going to settle with glitter for this week because I am really brain dead from all of these Halloween challenges, but someone had posted a Garfield comic on my Facebook and an idea clicked.  I am so happy with the outcome of this, so I really hope you like it as well.  Enjoy!

Base coat: Sally Hansen Triple Strong Advanced Gel Nail Fortifier

Base color: Sun Kissed from Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear - 2 coats

*All artwork was done with Artist's Loft acrylic paint*

Black-Lamp Black

Pink- a mix of Titanium White and Crimson Red

Yellow- Lemon Yellow layered over Titanium White

Top coat: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat

Taken inside without flash

I must apologize for my crusty cuticle's.  Winter hit hard last week and I did not take care of my cuticles.  I am all over it now though.  Don't you fret.

If you would like to see some more G inspired maicure's, look at these other posts below.

D is for... Daddy's Girl

     It's Wednesday again and that means it is time for another installment in the ABC's of Nails Challenge, hosted by Llama Nails on Facebook.  Today's letter is D.  I have been baffled all week as to what to do for this mani and then I remembered that I had this polish in my "untried" stash for a long time.  When I say untried, I mean that I haven't shown it on my blog.  I have worn it a few times and I love it!

     Other then the name, I love everything about this polish.  Daddy's Girl is a beautiful purple jelly with pink/purple micro glitters that turn this into a shimmery finish.  Thank God, because I am not a fan of jelly finishes.  Because of the jelly finish I needed to do three coats.  I decided that I couldn't just wear the polish alone so I added a simple shooting star stamp to each nail.

Base coat: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Hardener

Base color: Daddy's Girl from Sinful Colors - 3 coats

Top coat: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat

Stamping color: Silver Sweep from Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color

Stamping plate: Mash 33

Here is the finished product.  Taken inside without the flash.

Taken inside without flash

Taken outside in indirect light.

Taken upclose.  So pretty.

Please check out the other "D" mani's with the links below.

Are you a fan of jelly polishes?

C is for... Cards!

     It's Wednesday again and that means that it is time for another mani in the ABC's of  Nail's Challenge that we are doing in the Facebook group, Llama Nails.  Today's letter is C.  It didn't take me long to decide that I wanted to do cards.  Which is good, because the artwork took forever.  Especially the spades.  This is why I use acrylic paint when I do intense nail art.    If you apply a topcoat to your base color you can then go hog wild with acrylic.  If you screw up you can just dab a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and it will come right off!  Thank you Robin Moses!  (AKA Nail God!)  I used a dotting tool for the clubs and hearts, and a very tiny, tiny brush to do the spades, numbers, and diamonds.

Base coat: Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Hardener

Base coat: French White Tip from N.Y.C. - 2 coats

Acrylic: Crimson Red and Lamp Black from Artist's Loft

Top coat: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat

Taken inside  without flash

I  hope you like this! Please check out my co-challengers posts using the links below!