Summer Challenge - Mermaid

Sorry I am late with this post. But here you have it.

I <3 mermaids, one of my biggest wishes is to get a monotail from the Mertailor in USA. He is such a good tailor! Sadly they cost like $ 2000 (!!) but they are SO gorgeous.

Anyhow... back to nails.

Base

1 coat

2 coats

So thats my mermaidtails. 

Summer Challenge - Fruit Salad

So this was also one of the Challenges I just didnt have time for, when it arrived.
But here it is.

I used a ton (!) of polish for this.

ESSIE - Licorice  (dots on strawberry)
FNUG - Clogs (dotted grapes)
FNUG - Bandana (dotted blueberry)
L´oreal - Green Couture (leaves on strawberry, top on banana and random "grass")
H&M - Red Nail ( Strawberry)
H&M - Yellow (banana)
Rimmel - Chic Cherry ( grapes)
L.A. Colors - Current (base color)

You might not see what I had in my mind making this, but even thou, its really pretty.
So lets just enjoy the view.

Summer Challenge - Orange and Green

One of the Challenges we recently had in the Crumpet Nail Tarts - FB group, is Orange and Green mani-day.

I started out with three coat of Lemon Tree  from H&M. Took a sponge and dabbed Summer Peach from Sinful Colors over. I used two "coats". Then I took Irish Green from Sinful Colors, and sponged over two times. As a finishing touch, I added wavy french at the very tip.

I have had some questions how I achieve the sponge-look that I also had in my Whiskey Sour mani . So this time, I added a picture of the sponge that I use for this. Just in case its a sponge / using neon - thingy.

Summer Challenges Bumblebee

One of the Challenges I haven't done yet, is the Bumblebee.
I missed out on it, because of work, so I decided to do it today.

For this manicure I used ESSIE - Licorice, H&M - Yellow, and a dotting tool.

Summer Challenge - Needle drag

Good morning ladies.

This challenge post has taken a while to get out there. But here it is. 

I am calling this mani; "Toxic Pink Love". I think you will understand why, in a while. 

Summer Challenge - Surfin USA

Good evening ladies!

I took this challenge a bit different that a lot of the other girls did. 

I had art-block, and  Mishka from Lacquer or Leave Her! and I was chatting last night over Skype. 

We came up with the idea of focusing on "Surfin", and it made me think about "Surfin on the webz". And Mishka said I could make a computer mouse with the cord going over my nails. 

Needless to say: I loved the idea.

One coat of Sinful Color - Snow Me White.

- A bowl with a few drops of vodka ( I find it to work excellent for this, and we hardly drink it, so why not?). 

- A piece of paper.

Newspaper nails

Print a design you want on a piece of paper, use the "reverse printing" option on your printer. (most printers has that option) . Cut out a piece that fits your nail (leave some extra to make it easier to peel of), soak it in alcohol for 30 sec. Place the paper piece onto your nail (print down), and press it firmly down. I like to close a fist over the finger, while the alcohol dries, and the print transfers. This will take about 1 min. Take the paper of. Take a dry finger and rub it gently over the nail, to remove access paper. This will not smudge your design, so don't worry. 

Add topcoat to protect your design. (Some brands might smudge the print.)

But we are not done yet! We need the computer mouse. Its no Steelseries, but it will do.

Summer Challenge - Summer in the Hamptons

When I think of The Hamptons, I think of fashionable ladies in designer outfits, attending theme parties, and playing tennis. I am sure its not like that at all, but I like the idea of it.

The Elitist in my approves.

I was searching for inspiration for it, and I found a dress I liked, the dress is from Stylehive and their "Summer at the Hamptons Dresses"

Sorry for the condition of my cuticles and skin, this week has been hard on them. 

Summer Challenge - Day at the Seaside

Back and being cheerful. Today I have been at the Farmers Market, and bought some Honey. I get my honey from the same farm every single year, and its so good (!!). They live a few hours away from Oslo, so I cant really get there and buy whenever I am out of it. So the Farmers Market is my only shot at getting it. I was so excited!

I also had burger that was made with venison from Red Deer from "Løiten Gård", I visit them every year, and its the best burger I have ever had. Happy belly, lets get over to some polish.

Lets start out with an aqua color, by go to aqua is Depend 246. As seen bellow.

Lets add some waves to create the sea. BM - 209 has the perfect image.

I love this color, its amazing. Its so bright!

I left some space at the tips for a french, I used China Glaze -Blue Iguana. 

Makes me dream of going back to Spain, where my hubby's family has a house. Just lean back and relax. 

Summer Challenge - Cocktails

Hi girls, I am so glad its finally weekend!
Its been a long week, for sure.

I have been filing documents, and working in the archive all week, and my cuticles are starting to feel it. I had to swap lotion, and have been using Hemp protector from Body Shop since Wednesday, my hands are just so dry. Usually I don`t swap to the Hemp Protector until winter arrives, but it was needed. They feel a bit better, but they will be needing a lot of love and care.

Tomorrow there is going to be a market, close to where I live. A Farmers Market. I love those. And my favorite supplier of Honey is going to be there, and that's good, cause I am almost all out of my lovely honey. And I would die, without my honey in the morning tea.

So, that's why my manicure today, kinda looks like my Hony-mani, I did last month. haha!
I better stop talking now, before I cry over my empty honey jar.

As Michelle from Lacquer or Leave Her, pointed out, I totally forgot to mention how I achieved this look. 

Polishes:

H&M - Yellow

H&M - Lemon Tree

Sinful Color - Neon Melon

Depend - nr. 124

You need:

a plate/sheet of paper, somewhere to pour  polish.

A makeup sponge.

I started with 5-6 drops of Yellow, dabbing it over the nails from the base and upwards. 

Then 3 drops of Lemon Tree, and went a bit higher up, and focused on getting it on the sides. 

3 large drops of Neon Melon and just dabbing all over.  Going in with 124 and the bald spots, and the tips. Some Yellow at the tips at the end. 

I used the same piece of sponge for all of these steps, I wanted it to look like the "muddiness" you sometimes find in some Whiskey Sours. 

To finish it of, I took the wheel I bought at Claire`s in Spain, with Fimo citrus. 

Summer Challenge Deck Chairs

I am late with this post, I know, but its my NOTD!
I was all out of inspiration for this one, and decided to do it later. I am allowed to do that right?

Its not cheating, right?

For this mani I Googles Deck Chairs, and decided to use this as inspiration.

From http://www.furniturehomedesign.com/

That looks really comfy.

I grabbed my ESSIE - Licorice and Sinful Color - Snow Me White.

Licorice is a 2-3 coater (grr hate you), and I can easily get away with one coat of Snow Me White (I love it!!) Haha.

May I just say.. I am really happy over how nice my nails are looking. Just need that little finger nail to grow out like the rest of them, and my right hand to catch up with my left hand, then all is good.. :)

Summer Challenge - Bastille Day

Bonne fête nationale!

When I heard we where doing a Bastille Day - mani for the Summer Challenge, I knew I had to, somehow, incorporate something french, and not just the flag, like I did for the 4th of July - mani. I don't have "french" stamps either, so it had to be free-hand.

Lets take a look.

I started out painting my nails in Blue, White, and Red, like the French Flag.  I was really hoping that LA Color, would be the right shade of blue, but by the look of it, it`s a miss.

Then I took out my new stripers, and went from simple nail art, to crazy. Even my bf approved of it, to be some of my best work.

Taken in the sunset. Ye,bright.

Its Bastille! Formally know and Bastille Saint-Antoine.

For Bastille Day, I have painted a "bastille" (fortress), named Bastille Saint-Antoine.


HaHa
I`m so funny...

Summer Challenge/MSMD Pink n Purple

Oh Its a Summer Challenge, no, its a MSMD!. WoW, its BOTH!

Todays MSMD is taken from Lucy`s Stash.  She did a striping tape nail art manicure with SpaRitual Imaginarium and Illume. Today is also Summer Challenge - Pink and purple, very fitting.

Lucy`s Stash - Striping tape nail art manicure with SpaRitual Imaginarium and Illume.

 I dont have any of those colours, so I had to be creative. I decided to use my new Tropicalia from WnW, and Lilac Lace from Max Factor.

My first time using striping tape like this, so its a bit muddied at the tips. But I had fun doing it.