TTC #3 - Stamping

Hello, and welcome to the newest Techniques Challenge: STAMPING!

Straight to the subject: until last Thursday, I wanted to freehand a model from a stamping plate but couldn't decide which to do, so I went in town at Just Cosmetics (for the ones living in Bucharest, there's a shop on 16, I.C. Bratianu Blvd) and bought a stamping kit which includes a plate, a stamper and a scraper (which I definitely didn't use because it didn't scrape well, so I used an old credit card).

This is my manicure, each stamp besides the flowers on the thumbs was done twice:

 

(The hand wash is Lagoon from Sephora, with blue algae extract)

This is a scheduled post, so check out NailGlaze's blog for the full list with the other manicures because I was in a hurry, by the time you're reading this, I'll be in France, probably sleeping, having a shower, or out in town, who knows? See you as soon as I come back, meaning after September 2nd. Kisses! xx

TTC #2 - Ikat Nails

Hello!

This time, I'm not late. Yayyyyyy!

Today's TTC theme is "Ikat Nails", so here's my manicure!

The polishes I used are Essence Black Is Back, Essence Grey-t To Be Here, Leydi 761, Lacquer Land Fusion and a white nail art striper.

 

Just a quick announcement: I'll only ship to Romania, and probably starting from September. I'm not able to ship until then, and also because I'll soon leave to France.

Check out the other pals' manicures:

• Agota - http://www.nailglaze.com
• Anca - http://o-fata-simpla.blogspot.ro/
• Ana Maria - http://unghiutelemele.blogspot.ro/
• Romina - http://sparkleandlove.wordpress.com
• Roxy - http://roxy-ch.blogspot.ro
• Claudia -  http://claudiaschoice88.blogspot.ro/
• Madalina - http://misshappyandhernails.blogspot.ro/
• Silvia (Sherri) - http://mani-addicted.blogspot.ro/

Enjoy and I'll see you  as soon as I return from France! xx

Summer Dotticure

Hello!

I know, I've been off for a lot of time, but here's a quite new post!

Last week, or 2 weeks ago, I went to the countryside. Bad decision to have chosen to wear press-on nails. Besides I almost broke 2 of them, I even lost one!

Anyway, here's the manicure, done with a lovely indigo from Golden Rose Paris and a bright peachy-coral from Classics:

Enjoy, and I'll see you soon with the challenge post!

P.S.: Expect some more manicures when I return from France.

TTC #1 - Gradient Nails

Hello!

I'm late with this post, so I'll go straight to the subject. First two pictures are in direct natural light, and the last one is in artificial light.

Visit the other girls' manicures, too! The next theme is "Ikat Nails", and I'm really excited! xx

• Agota - http://www.nailglaze.com
• Roxy - http://roxy-ch.blogspot.ro
• Anita - http://mydailynaildesigns.wordpress.com/
• Ana Maria - http://unghiutelemele.blogspot.ro/
• Elisa - http://littlebeautybagcta.blogspot.com/
• Andreea M. - http://www.summer-gold.com
• Anca - http://o-fata-simpla.blogspot.ro/
• Romina- http://sparkleandlove.wordpress.com
• Madalina - http://misshappyandhernails.blogspot.ro/

Skittle Mani (+ Tutorials & The Techniques Challenge)

Hello!

I'm back with yet one more skittle mani! (Sorry for the background, I took these photos this morning while I was still in bed..)

 I decided I've been using too many glequins lately, so I chose to replace the middle gleguin pattern with a gradient Spun Sugar, the pinky with a Cut-Out and the thumb with a layer of a row of glequins and a dark blue jelly.

I can't list  all the polishes, they were quite a few, but I can show you the (quite big) mess I've made doing my nails:

And that doesn't include the Cut-Out, the grey accent nails and the jelly layering on my left thumb nail.

"Wait, grey accent nails? They don't even have a specific pattern on them!" Exactly, that's the point! I decided I can't ruin the gorgeous iridescent pink glow with any pattern, so these are the actual accent nails.

I also made some step-by-step tutorials (one of them isn't included in this manicure, but it was supposed to.. The layering was a complete mess.):

(Glequin placing - use a the very end of a tothpick dipped in clear polish to place the glequins one by one)

(Glitter & jelly layering - let each coat dry for 5-10 minutes to prevent smudging!)

(Jelly layering - let each coat dry for 5-10 minutes to prevent smudging; in order not to cover the first-drawn stripes, do them thicker, or redo them after the 2nd layering!)

Keep your eyes peeled for The Techniques Challenge! The first post will be up next Monday. Kisses! xx

Fallin' For.. Glequins! (+ Lacquer Land Info)

Hello, everybody! (take your time to read the whole post, please!)

First, I want to mention that, currently, I'll only ship Lacquer Land polishes to Romania. Maybe at some time in the future I'll be able to ship polishes worldwide. I'm really sorry, but I promise, if you place any international orders, the delivery delay might be massive, but you'll surely receive your polishes!

Now, as promised, I returned with a full glequin mani!

The base is 2 coats of Leydi 761 and, for the accent nail, Essence Grey-t To Be Here.

I applied the glequins using THIS technique (thanks to Sammy for the tutorial). Can you believe it only took me half an hour for all the nails? (maybe it's because they're quite short.. really short!)

Oh, and I found some gorgeous shoes in a Deichmann store, and my nail just couldn't miss the chance to take a few pictures with them!

And also, I took a few more pictures with this lovely PowerCam filter named Holiday. Just check the pictures.

(I simply love this ring I got last year from a SIX store in Munich!)

Sorry for the last 2 photos, which are a bit blurry, my hand's kinda shaky.. Oh, and below are also some pictures of my "naked" nubs.. That's it for me, I'll see you soon with the very first Lacquer Land collection, "Crazy For Greens". Kisses! xx

Skittle Mani (+ Giveaway Entry)

Hello!

I won't talk too much tonight. Josephine at Rainbows In A Jar is having a giveaway! You can send your entries via email or upload them on her Facebook page until Aug. 5! More information right HERE!

This is my brand new skittle mani, and also my entry. I have to say, I expected to want to keep it for longer, but I knew the cleanup would take a lot of time, as glitter can be such a pain in the behind sometimes! So, the best thing to do -being in a hurry- was peeling off the polish.

"Seriously? Peeling it off?! Like, isn't there any other, more nail-damaging solution?!" Yeah, I know, this is the main reason that caused my nails to have ridges (and a razor slipping on my left thumb nail, but it's a bit better now) but I wanted to get that damn black glitter off my nails! I promise I'll soon do a glequin mani, though I'm not sure when..

Uhm, no, that black thing is definitely NOT a liquid sand/textured polish. I applied a thick coat of Essence Black Is Back over Leydi 700, dipped my finger in matte black glitter, then brushed the excess off and applied a coat of Leydi 700 to make the glitter stay in its place.

For the rest of the nails, I used the jellies, glequins and Fimo bows listed in my latest post. While my left ring nail chose to wear a cute bow, the right one seemed to hate it, so I applied the diamond glequins (which will also feature in a new Lacquer Land "Crazy For Greens" polish, along with the orange bar glitters and the golden glitter topper from Leydi).

I won't give you too many details about the 2 new mixes, just that one resembles coffee (at least, that's what I relate it to; and another detail: for this one, I had to ruin the lovely pink on my ring nails). That's it for me, I'll see you soon with a glequin mani. Kisses! xx

(Josephine said she loved both my nails and the tag. Get it? A rainbow in a jar? The blog's title? No? Oh, okay then..)

Attention! Frankening In Progress!

Hello!

Short and to-subject, here are some newbies for my upcoming Lacuer Land collections: Leydi 845 (golden glitter), Leydi 761 (I like to call it a bright apple green crelly), Gabrini 308 (cotton candy pink), deep blue diamond glequins, orange bar glitters, Fimo bows, black glitter.

A bit about the prices: the Leydi polishes were $0.59, the Gabrini one was $0.89, the tiny bottles were $0.29 each, and the black glitter was $0.75. Great prices, AND the greatest shop! My sister suggested it to me after buying me some light pink caviar beads, a few polishes and a "flower" press-on nails display. I also found flocking powder, nail charms, gold and silver foil, LOTS of polishes, nail treatments, nail art brushes (from stripers to clean-up brushes and even fan brushes!), acrylic paints, millions of sorts of glitters, caviar beads, rhinestones, glequins, nail tools, nail art stickers, tips, Fimo bars, I think I also found some water decals, and MAAAAAAANY others! The prices are great, I think I should start saving money, I NEED to go back there as soon as possible!

Don't forget, I'm still working on the first two collections, and soon opening an Etsy store, yayyyyyy! Sincerely, I never thought I would do this, my mom used to tell me it's not something I can earn money out of, but it seems her and dad are actually supporting me!

No mani, sorry guys, I'll post something tomorrow, maybe. Kisses! xx