Planks A Lot + Bride of Franken

Hello!

A while back I did a huge Nail Mail order from a company based out of Montreal. I took the opportunity to grab polishes I'd always wanted, but never got around to getting, or were sold out at my local Trade Secrets, etc. The point of this rambling paragraph is that I got OPI Planks a Lot, from their partnership with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

When I saw posts of these shades, I didn't quite know what to make of them. They were pastels, but not quite pastels. They were murky and dirty. Not a boring ol' pastel, but acting as if they were hiding something. Now that I've anthropomorphized nail polish, let's get on with it:

I like this a lot better than another OPI purple pastel, Do You Lilac It?. So much more interesting!
And to kick it up a notch, I added a layer of Bride of Franken from Lynnderella. Not quite a flakie, but it does add a little something extra.

Cheers!

OPI Russian Navy and Zoya Maisie

Hello all!

An oldie and a new-ie (newie? Newy? Am I questioning this too much?) today. OPI Russian Navy, originally from the Russia collection but has since been added to their classic permanent collection and Zoya Maisie, part of their new-ish Flakie collection. LOVED THEM BOTH.

It is a lovely deep shimmery navy blue with some purple flashes. I totally understand why this was bumped up to the permanent collection!

I decided to layer Zoya Maisie over top. Stunning! Maisie is a green-blue flakie that adds a lovely effect to the navy. It's almost a lagoon effect!

Hunger Games!!

IT'S HERE, PEOPLE!

Hunger Games comes out today!!

!!

I'm obviously SUPER DUPER EXCITED. I'm seeing it tonight, and in honour I made Hunger Games Nails! Now, these aren't the China Glaze Capitol Colours Collection (which I will purchase when Lent is over because I sort of gave up buying new polish for Lent...) but designs made from colours I already own. Also, these are definitely not as good as some of the ones I've seen on the internets, but it's mine :)

I used Deborah Lippmann Hit Me With Your Best Shot as the base. It is a fantastic gunmetal grey shimmer. Gotta represent District 12, y'all!

On my ring finger I did a flame motif for Katniss, the Girl on Fire. I used OPI Need Sunglasses? for yellow, China Glaze Papaya Punch for the light orange, Essie Orange, It's Obvious? for the dark orange and Kenne-bunk port for the red.

On my thumb I attempted to draw the mockingjay pin. I used OPI Take the Stage.

May the odds be ever in your favour!

St Patrick's Day Nails!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I wanted something funky and cheesy, so rainbows on a green field with gold glitter coins! Huzzah! I don't think "huzzah" is Irish, but I think we'll be OK.

I used: A-England Dragon for the base (a lovely green holo), OPI Kenne-bunk Port for red, Essie Orange, It's Obvious! for orange, OPI Need Sunglasses? for yellow, Sally Hansen Emerald City for green, OPI Ogre the Top Blue for blue and OPI Honk If You Love OPI for purple. The "gold coins" are from Lynnderella's Change. That woman makes some fantastic glitters, I tell you.

No Flash - geez, aren't I such a steady hand?

With Flash

 Wooooo, I enjoy these nails! Fun and colourful and only slightly skewed because I can't draw but insist upon doing it, anyway.

Enjoy the day!

Butter London The Black Knight and Tart with a Heart

So, once upon a time I saw this post on Scrangie and fell in love. I usually don't get Butter London since they are so expensive, and the display at Holt Renfrew didn't really have any colours that screamed BUY ME BUY ME BUY ME. But that Scrangie post preetttyyy much made me go insane. Eventually I broke down and ordered them. And they really are breathtaking. Sparkles! Black base! Mulicoloured sparkles! Layering!

Black Knight No Flash

Black Knight Flash

Black Knight and Tart with a Heart No Flash

Black Knight and Tart with a Heart Flash

LOVE. Black Knight is gorgeous by itself, but the addition of Tart with a Heart just kicks it up a dozen notches. Scrangie likened them to a galaxy, and I concur. Different colours of sparkle over a black base = happy space nails for me!

Orly Galaxy Girl

I started a job this week, one in a traditionally stodgy environment. I tried to do a basic pink, really! I applied A England's Iseult, a pretty soft pink with a delicious shimmer. Took it off before it even dried. I cannot be contained! I asked my nephew what colour should go with, and he responded "Purple and green." How...? Children are insane funny creatures. But I sure showed him! I did use purple and green!

Enter: Orly Galaxy Girl from Cosmic FX. Deep sheer grape base but with.. wait for it... mother-kissing green sparkles! How awesome is that? It is pretty sheer, so I used three coats. And started my job in STYLE.

Orly Galaxy Girl :

Without flash

With Flash

With Flash

I really, really like this. It's "weird" in the best sense of the word: different, eye-catching, unsuspected, gorgeous!

China Glaze Papaya Punch and Lynnderella Cauldron Drippings

I'm back from vacation! We went to Cuba as a family and therefore, my nails needed to be fabulous. Obviously, bright orange was the clear answer. I recently got some of the China Glaze Island Escape collection (in preparation for my trip, natch), and I decided on the delightful Papaya Punch for my fingers.

It is a bright orange, but the formula. Oh, the formula. I was so disappointed. It was thick and goopy, but it didn't cover evenly. I needed three coats! Just... I don't know China Glaze.

I also felt that it needed more of a touch of something extra, because I am anything if subtle. Ha. So I added a layer of Lynnderella's Cauldron Drippings.

Natural Light

With Flash

According to my family, my nails were definitely bright! I think "high on acid" might also have been thrown around at some point, but I take that as a compliment.

This manicure lasted 3 days. I think the chlorine from the pool plus the sun plus salt water plus... it started to chip and then I promptly peeled it off. It was nice while it lasted!

All in all, except for the formula misstep which is so rare for China Glaze, I enjoyed this acid trip. Sparkly AND super bright. Score!