Challenge 25 - Inspired by Summer!

Morning!

I was naughty! I was planning on doing my nails yesterday afternoon, but I fell into a food coma after my Roast Dinner. Buh-Bye normal sleep pattern.

However, I totally got a reply to an email from Frank Turner. Happy Kay is happy.

Anyway, nails!

Inspired by summer, & England has actually had a summer this year. It's crazy! We've had heatwaves! I've been to the beach a couple of times. We went to a place called Lepe beach a few weeks ago. Had never heard of it, but it was amazing. I prefer quiet places, & this place was just beautiful.

I had to do a seaside manicure. However, I haven't done anything freehand like this in months, so it's not perfect, but not bad for getting back into it. Well, that's my opinion & I'm sticking to it.

It took me a few hours, purely because I was doing bits every so often. I'd do the base, then do something else for an hour or so, then do the sea & so on. It was a relaxing way to spend the time I should have been sleeping. Not too much stressing over this one. I did google after I'd finished it & saw some amazing seaside manicures. My thought to this "Oh you talented Bastards"

Like I said, I spent ages doing this on & off. I can't tell you exactly how I did it. I used sponges & brushes, & I danced. I danced  lot.

It's pretty basic, but I'm trying to get back into this, not stress myself out of it. Hopefully one day soon I'll try someone that needs a little bit of talent to do!

I haven't looked what the next challenge is, but pretty sure I can't be that far off from catching up.

Hope you have  fantastic Sunday!

Challenge 24 - Metallic

Oooh, Saturday!

I did some housework this morning, & I'm cooking a roast dinner, but I've made time to play with my nails! I have been moisturising them like crazy to try & feel better about battering them with so much polish & acetone.

This morning I got round to doing metallic nails. I've only got one metallic polish, which sounds sad in itself. This is where stamping plates come in use.

This may be the easiest manicure I've ever done! I quite like the results of it too!

I used Sally Hansens Navy Baby as the base, & then Barry M's Gold foil for the stamping. I sealed with a crappy unbranded top coat, & Ta Da! Nail Art!

I will sort out using the lightbox a friend & I cleverly created. I'm terrible at taking photos in the kitchen. Despite my job being a solderer since I was 20, & the fact I love nail art, when it comes to taking photos, my hands do some weird shaking dance.

I'm a bit sad to take this design off, but I am determined to catch up! I have an idea for the next challenge, though it may make me lose my temper.

Time to be a grown up. Must wash up, sort out the roast, wash up, then I shall play again! Woo!

Challenge 23 - Tribal!

HI!

Everything about this Manicure is new!

I was NOT looking forward to this one at all. I do like challenges, but this one is just a total shit to do. I'm not usually a fan of it when it's done amazingly, so I wasn't ever going to like this one.

Still. I have it a go, & whilst it is messy, it's not too bad for a first attempt at the design. I just ended up doodling whilst watching my boyfriend play The Last of Us on PS3, watching kittens on Livestream, & listening to Frank Turner. I AM WOMAN, WATCH ME MULTI-TASK.
Sadly, Alan has stopped playing to watch this weird film, Livestream wont let me watch anything &, well, I could listen to music still, but I'm not...

Anyway! For this design I used Mainly Barry M! I used the fancy black nail art pen for the doodles (Yay doodles!) I also used Dragon, Papaya, Blueberry, a limited edition yellow one & then Sinful Colors (Colours*) Pistache. I also used a couple of studs, just because I hadn't used them before.

I still haven't gotten new batteries for the cam, so bad photos again. Though, my kitchen light seemed brighter tonight!

I've got a new top coat on the way, so hopefully that's going to make things easier, stupid cheap & crappy top coat that ruins the nail art. I will get back into doing the clean up properly, starting by not being so messy in the first place, & by not using the palm of my hand to wipe my acetone soaked brush on!

I also need to focus on making my lines sharper. This was the first time using the nail art pen, so it was never going to be perfect. Then again, even if I was amazing, I'd find a fault. I'm my own worst critic sometimes.

It was a fun thing to do on a Friday night though, & I really think I'm getting the nail mojo back. I didn't have to force myself to do these, which is the first time for a long time. I'm looking forward to my nails being stronger, so I can shape them & make them look awesome, instead of different shapes & lengths.

Tomorrow I shall be doing metallic... I have zero ideas or this. Ah!

Challenge 22 - Gradient!

HI!

I quite like gradient. I never used to be able to do it, & I hate not being able to, or being told not to do things. I'm far too stubborn for my own good.

Sadly, the batteries on my camera died, & again I'd left it 'til evening so crappy light, still, imagine that the light is great!

I had a shitter of a time doing the clean up. I love Sally Hansen polishes, but they stain my skin BAAAD!

I used SH 'Thinking Of Blue' & "Anenome of mine" Plus Barry M's 'Pomegranate' I then used Cheeky plate CH11 with an unbranded silver polish. I finished up with my Rimmel Matte finish.

I keep saying this, but they really do look better than I'm able to photograph them right now. I am my own worst critic, but I actually like the end result of these.

I do have batteries somewhere, but I tidied, which means they could be anywhere. It's hard taking a photo when you're trying to go as quick as you can because you're being warned the thing is about to die.

If I remember, before I do tomorrow evenings manicure, I'll try & take better photos of this one.

Challenge 21 - Inspired by the Supernatural!

Hey!


Again, another quick-ish mani. I really need to find somewhere with some decent light though. The photos do not do this any justice at all. Sad face.

ALIENSSSS!

Dun, dun, dunnnnnnnnnnn!

Bit messy & shiz, but I will catch up!

Challenge 20 - Inspired by a book.

Evening!

This challenge was inspired by a book. I love reading, but didn't want to do anything so simple like Harry Potter. In fact, I was totally uninspired by this challenge.

I ended up looking at my bookcase, & seeing if anything caught my eye. I wish that something had been one of those books you own purely so house guests will see it & automatically think you are well cultured & bordering on genius. Instead, sorry, chic lit it was.

I do actually love this book quite a bit. Sometimes a girl just needs a good trashy book to escape from the world for a bit.

This is definitely not one of my better manicures. I really want to make sure I do every challenge, & catch up so I can be back on target of doing them weekly & being able to do whatever I fancy in between. This was a ten minute jobby type thing.

(As you can see, my boyfriend does not appreciate good literature & uses my girly books as a place to put his tea!)

Yes, not too great, but as I said, really quick mani! I'm getting there!

Challenge 19 - Rainbow Nails! (Guest post)

I'm on a roll! 

Rainbow nails! These were done by my beautiful friend, Quinlan, Who, as you will see, is awesome. I shall pass you over to her!

AHOY MATEYS.  I'm taking over this here blog for the week!  I was actually invited to do so by Kayleigh herself, so I suppose this makes me a pretty bad pirate.  My name is Quinlan, you can call me Quin, or Q, or whatever you like as long as it's nice.  I'm from South Carolina, which makes me an American *flags and guns and eagles HUZZAH!*

I was very honored to be asked to do a guest blog, as nail art is not exactly my forte (as you will soon see).  I just don't paint my nails often enough to master nail art.  I didn't use any kind of acrylic nails, which is why they are so uneven.  This week's theme is "rainbow" I used a stippling technique to layer the colors and make a "confetti" effect.  I randomly alternated colors on my left hand until all my nails were covered.  On my right hand, I followed more of the standard ROYGBIV rainbow order, just in monochromatic stippling on each fingernail.  I had a lot of pink polish so I kind of threw that in there on my thumb.

Nail polishes used:  WAY too many to name.  See the photo provided!

I hope you enjoyed my attempt at nail art.  Now go get you some BOOTY, ARGHHHHH!

x,

Q

Challenge 18 - Water Marble.

HI!

I promised I'd be back sooner, but bleurgh.

Still, I think I'm getting back to my old self.

This challenge is Water Marble. Not going to lie, I HATE WATER MARBLE!!! When I first got into nail art, it was this technique that made me fall in love. I spent so long trying to perfect it,  I was so proud the first time I managed it.

I then completely overdid it. Again, & again, & again. Doing anything too many times will turn love into hate. I last did Marble back on Valentines Day, so it has been a while, & it took me more time than I'm proud to admit to.

They're not as good as I would have wanted, but I did get fed up with them. The light was also TERRIBLE!

However, guys, those are my REAL nails! Oh, yes! I've had extensions & fakes for so long, as my nails have always been weak, & nothing worked to strengthen or harden them. Then in Sainburys they had a nail hardener on sale, so thought, why the hell not, it was only a couple of quid, & I had that in change.

I've only been using it for a couple of weeks, & it's AMAZING! I keep thinking I have false nails on as they're so hard & long! I haven't tried filing them into shape yet, hence why they're no so pretty. I've never been able to file my nails as they'd just split, so I'm going to wait a couple more weeks before attempting that!

The next challenge is Rainbow! I have a friend who has done a mani for the challenge. It's pretty!

Last, but not least:

JOHN HAS NEW KITTENS!