Pink and plum flower power.

The feeling of spring has hit SLC for sure, and we can enjoy some nice sunny days before the intense summer heat kicks in. The kids and I don't do well outside in the summer heat, so right now it's just perfect for us. Yesterday, we celebrated the first day of  May at a Discovery children's museum. The kids got to run around for almost 3 hours then followed by dinner at Sizzler. So they had a great day, and of course daddy and mommy felt more worn out than the kiddies..... LOL

Anyways, moving on to nails. Today I was in the mood for pink, do I picked out Piper from Zoya as base and decided to try China Glaze Purr-Fect Plum as stamping polish. I haven't tried this polish for stamping before.
I was also in the mood for a full nail image, so I spent a few looking at my plate collection and picked out Dashica XXL SdP 1. I think this is my favorite plate in my collection. But then I just love my Dashica plates. I have used the image before, but I thought if Purr-Fect Plum works the final look will look really pretty.

So can Purr-Fect Plum be used as stamping polish?? I would say so. The video tutorial and final look picture below.

Hope you all enjoy spring as much as I do. Happy stamping!!!

Easter Nails.

I did this mani, a couple of days ago and used polish to fill in the image. But I wasn't too happy about it, some of the colors didn't show up as well as I would have liked. So I decided to redo and re-shoot the nails and tutorial for it.
I used the same base and images, but instead of polish to fill in the image I used acrylic paints. And I saw this first from Messy Mansion's picture tutorial, and decided to try this out my self and make a youtube tutorial.


Here are the items and plates I used for this mani:

Base color: Essie Sugar Daddy
Konad stampers
Plastic scraper from Dashica
Konad Special polish: White
Acrylic Paints: Oumaxi
Loew-Cornell Soft Comfort: 18/0 Spotter
Dashica XXL SdP 1: Easter Egg image
Dashica XXL SdP 2: A bunny from the full image of bunnies, for thumb and ring finger nails.
NYC Grand Central Station (my topcoat I use over base color before stamping)
Out The Door topcoat to seal in the mani at the end.

This kinda stamping takes a bit longer than normal, since you have to wait for the image to dry on the stamper after each step. If you're looking for a 5 min stamped manicure, this is not it. But it's worth it, well in my book anyways.

Here's what I did:

1. Apply your base color over your dry base coat, and let it dry.
2. Apply 1 coat of topcoat to seal in the base color, so if you make a mistake while stamping you can   remove the failed image with a q-tip dipped in acetone. And let it dry.
3. Stamp the bunny image onto your nail.

Now onto the next part:
4. Apply polish to the image of your choice, scrape and pick it up with your stamper and let it dry before moving on.
5. Pick out the colors of polish or acrylic paints you want to fill in the image and a fine detailed brush. Let it dry. If needed fill in an other coat and let dry.
6. Apply topcoat over the image and  a bit around the image
7. Gently peel off the image from your stamper with tweezers or a toothpick.
8. Apply a coat of topcoat/clear polish on your nail, and while wet place the image onto your nail.
9. Pat the image gently with your finger onto your nail or use a dry and clean brush to do this(I used a brush).
10. Apply your favorite fast drying topcoat to seal in the design.

The video tutorial.

Hope you liked this one.

Have a great Easter.

Thank you for stopping by.

Striping Tape & Stamping.

Today I spent almost 2 hours testing every image on each Bundle Monster 2012 set. So I needed some nail therapy tonight. LOL
So I picked OPI Lucky Lucky Lavender ( I know I have used this a bit, it's just so pretty and I am crazy about purples and lavenders these days)
Then I grabbed one of the striping tapes I got when I ordered from Dashica earlier this year.
But just the tapes wasn't enough, so I grabbed my Dashica XXL SdP 1 and WnW Black Creme and did some stamping too.
Right now I really like this one, so maybe it can last more than 1-2 days....

On other note, tomorrow is picture day at my son's school so he got a hair cut from daddy. Now I have to find something nice for him to wear. And crossing my fingers that we'll get some nice pictures that can be gifts for Christmas this year.

Have a good night.

AIS manicure for Sunday 19 August.

This Sunday's challenge the theme is Can't Wait For Fall, use fall colors, images or both.
I decided to use OPI Just Spotted The Lizard from The Spiderman Collection as base color, then I used 2 coats of SF topcoat 1500-14 fine grade. For the stamping I used Bundle Monster 316 and Dashica XXL SdP1 and Konad special polish in Chocolate and Pop Green.
Was kinda bummed that you can't see the green image as well as the brown one on the picture and video. I used granny in-laws LED daylight crafting light  while shooting the video. So I hope the lighting was better in this one.

Here are two pictures, hoping you'll see the green better on those.

I have been trying a new topcoat for my stamping, Poshe Fast Drying Topcoat. I love it, it dries fast and doesn't smudge and it leaves your nails SO shiny. Only thing I don't like the smell of it. I also got a acetone pump bottle from MoYou, it leaks like crazy from under the cap. But I have a replacement on the way. 

The finegrade SF topcoat I used my https://copious.com credits to get, and I got 2 mini bottles. I like it as much as I do the coarse grade, so I have to keep an eye out on ebay for 1 gram of this stuff.

On other note, my 6 year old starts school on Wednesday. So we're prepping for that, but will try and make an other post this week.

Have a great week.
Use some amazing looking polish and show off your nails, you don't have to do nail art.

August 5 Challenge.

The theme for this Sunday's challenge using gold, silver or bronze.

But am I one of those who has the Olympic games on the TV 24/7? No, not a big sports fan. But in secret I cheer on Norway, USA, GB and S-Korea.
So I decided to do a black matte French tip with Silver stamps.
I used Wet N Wid Ebony Hates Chris, then a matte topcoat. And stamped with Pure Ice Silver Mercedes and Konad special polish in Black and Dashica XXL Big SdP 1 and SdP 12.

Left hand. My index finger nail hasn't been the same since a horse I was looking after when I was in my early teens kicked the stable door on it. So I always have to do French tip on that in a V shape.

On Friday I ordered the 2012 Bundle Monster set, I hope I get it soon. Like on my birthday mebbe.

I know I'm late getting it, but better late than never. I am working on a new project, and hoping to get the hang of it soon. Will be a surprise and I hope it won't be too long before I can announce what it is....

Hope you all have a great week.

2 Dashica mani

So here are the 3 mani's I have had on my nails since Friday.

I had some fun with SpectraFlair and my new Dashica stamping plates, I just love using these. I am afraid I am going to run out of SpactraFlair, because I can't stop using it. Needless to say I am a holo junkie, I can't help it. So far the images I have picked from my Dashica plates have all been really great, the image gets picked up on my stamper and goes really clear on my nail. I haven't had many failed images, like I do with Konad or Bundle Monster. Next time I will try one of those other images with very fine lines and details again.

China Glace Dance Baby, top coat w/SpectraFlair, Dashica XXL Big SdP 1

& stmaping Essie Miami Nice

China Glace Dance Baby, top coat w/SpectraFlair, XXL Big Dashica SdP 1

& stamping Essie Miami Nice

Wet N Wild  Caught Red Handed, top coat w/ SpectraFlair,  XXL Big Dashica SdP 1

& Konad special Black 

Have a great week, people!