Simple Sophistication

I know I mention this ALL. THE. TIME. but although I try to do my nails almost every night, there are a lot of nights that I'm pressed for time or it's quite late...so it's quick and easy to just pick a full size image to use for a mani, do the base prep and coat, topcoat, stamp, topcoat and voila...a mani change in no time flat!  I frequently use a holo base but this is one of these times when I was looking for something different; this is what I came up with.



Started with one base coat of FingerPaints Black Expressionism....yes, one coat!.....perfect for mani's when pressed for time......then topped with SV for more time savings so stamping can be done sooner with less dry time!



Stamped using Barry M Foil Effects 320 Gold using an image from FUN 5.



Topped with SV.




When I was doing this mani, I was going to do an accent nail with the opposite base and stamping polish.....I decided to do my right hand this way instead.



While I didn't mind this, I much prefer the black with gold stamping.  An accent may have been OK too...maybe another time.

Here's a look at FUN 5.















I was curious how this mani would look with a matte topcoat so the next day, topped with Essie Matte About You.



I didn't mind this look...but it didn't stay like this for long because I did this not too long after I took the above pix.



I didn't have a break or any real need to cut them other than there comes a point when longer nails slow down typing, plus a strong C curve on a couple of nails, particularly the middle finger, annoys me when they are long...so chopped them off!  This was just a few weeks ago...three, I believe.....and they are pretty much already at the length before I cut them.  Plus I like wearing short nails; I like doing mani's with funky frenches on them when my nails are shorter...plus gives me a chance to use stamps that don't fit when nails are longer.

I am so thankful that there are images like this one ..and polishes and fast top coat products.....that can create such a simple, sophisticated mani in no time flat!

Thanks for looking!

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Unknown Barry M, black, Essie, FingerPaints, FUN 5, matte

Digital Dozen; Fashion, Day 5

Day 5 of Fashion Week!  When I was thinking of fashion, it got me to thinking about designers....those who create the awesome fashions!  After searching through some pix on the internet and my plate stash to see what images I have that may relate to fashion labels, this is what I came up with.

I'll be honest; this seemed so much cooler in my head....and to top it off, there were a couple fingers that the stamping is so way off which was disappointing so what could have been "wow, really cool!" is just 'OK'.  

Anyhooo, base polishes used, starting at thumb and going clockwise are CQ Vintage, FingerPaints Black Expressionism, OPI Bride's Bouquet, Borghese Almondine and OPI Bride's Bouquet again; all two coats, topped with SV.

For the fabric look I was going for to mimic the Gucci purse, sponged index finger using Barry M Mushroom and Quo by Orly Naked.



Stamped using assortment of Konad special polishes using Handy 24 (thumb), Handy 26 (index) GA21 (lines), Handy 12 (Chanel logo), Handy 17 (index), and Handy 14 (pinky).



For a little added bling.....this is fashion week so I think it is appropriate....added a few colourful rhinestones to the index finger.



Topped with SV to finish.



(Still ticked at myself for really missing the mark on the Burberry and Chanel fingers!)

Here's a look at the Handy plates that have fashion images on them; there's a few more than the ones  used here.

Handy 23


Handy 14


Handy 13


Handy 12


Handy 26


Handy 17


Handy 15


Handy 18


A couple notes about these Handy plates; they stamp well and I was especially impressed with how well the very small, detailed images stamp. For example, the Gucci image used on the ring finger; to get images that small and in such detail is amazing for a stamping plate!  However, the full size images are on the smaller side and may not fit fully on the nail for those with long or wide nails.

These Handy plates and more can be seen on Mundo de Unas' FB page here.



Pix used for inspiration.

Here's the other ladies Day 5 mani's.




Hopefully you've enjoyed Fashion Week......thanks for looking!

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Unknown Barry M, Borghese, CQ, Digit-al Dozen, Fauxnad, FingerPaints, GA21, Handy 12, Handy 13, Handy 14, Handy 15, Handy 17, Handy 18, Handy 24, Handy 26, Konad, OPI, Quo by Orly, skittles

Nails from Last Summer!

I've had this mani stored in archives for a long, long time; since last summer.  Hard to believe that this much time has passed and I still hadn't posted it...so I thought before even more time goes by, I had better the pictures posted!

I recall at the time that I had just bought new FingerPaints colours at Sally's so was eager to try them out; remembering that one of these, FP Plum Startled, was getting lots of loving at the time.  So did skittles using them, alternating FingerPaints Plum Startled with FingerPaints Fall-ing For you; two coats each, topped with SV.  The picture below was taken in natural daylight.

This picture was taken in the shade.

Stamped using SdP 67 using CND Gold Chrome polish.

Dotted centres of the flowers with the opposite base colour.

Topped with SV.

I remember thinking that these colours would work well for a Mardi Gras mani; I'll have to try to remember this for next Mardi Gras!

Have a fantastic weekend; thanks for looking!

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Unknown CND, FingerPaints, green, Mardi Gras, purple, SdP, SdP 67

Digit-al Dozen, Books; Day 4

Another mani based upon a book I finished not too long ago....can you guess which book this mani is based upon?

It's a book I've had for a while even thought I just finished reading it recently.  I also have the DVD that was based upon the book too, but haven't watched it yet.  I'm kinda funny when it comes to movies that have been based upon books in that I won't watch the movie until I've read the book.  This is for a couple reasons but mainly because I find the book more entertaining than the movie so I want to read the book first so I'm not privy to any spoilers by watching the movie first.  Another reason is there are so many times I've watched a movie and then read the book only to find so many liberties have been taken in the movie that I'm disappointed when I read the book because I'm expecting something else to happen...or maybe this means I'm disappointed in the movie.....if that makes sense!  Sometimes too I have great expectations in the movie as I loved the book and then, the movie is a let down.....looking at you, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown...loved the book...the movie was just so so.  So if I know that a book has a movie based upon it, I generally always read the book first and then watch the movie/DVD.  So this means that I've never watched the Twilight movies (I have the books, just haven't read them yet), Harry Potter series (same...but I have to admit I've seen snippets of the movies here and there while my kids have watched the DVD's), I just finished Time Traveler's Wife last month and while I've had the DVD for ages, just haven't watched it...as I wanted to read the book first!!! lol (makes me sound nuts even typing this!).  In the case of the Time Traveler's Wife; I hope the movie is better than the book! 

So....did you guess......

Started with a base of OPI Bride's Bouquet (two coats) and FingerPaints Black Expressionism (one coat); topped with SV.

Stamped using black and white Konad special polishes using Apipila 03 (ring and thumb) MJ II (pinky), FUN2 (index) and MJ VI (middle).

Topped with SV.

I plan on watching the DVD of The Help over the weekend now that I've finished the book...I hear its pretty good!

Here's the other ladies Day 4 mani's!

Thanks for looking!

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Unknown Apipila, Apipila 03, Digit-al Dozen, FingerPaints, FUN 2, MJ II, MJ VI, OPI

Digit-al Dozen, Animal Week; Day 5

I'm a little late in posting my Day 5 challenge mani for animal week; this is what I came up with!  A warning; this post is very picture heavy!

Started with a base of one coat of Sinful Colors Cool Gray, no topcoat.  This was pretty good coverage for one coat; I didn't do two as I knew I'd be layering it.

Added Barry M Grey at tips with sponging.

More sponging using FingerPaints Black Expressionism.

Decided the sponging on the thumb wasn't quiet was I was looking for so added a bit more, then did cleanup.

Prior to adding stamping, sponged in a little grey at the cuticle on the thumb.  Added the wolf using LLC10 which was stamped using black Konad special stamping polish.  Also added the moon using A53 using yellow Konad special polish.

Added tree branches using LLC B using black Konad special polish. In hindsight, I like the look of the mani at this stage, but I did add more.

Added stars using NC02 using white Konad special polish.

Stamped in a few clouds using grey FUN stamping polish from Konad m79.

Added a few more clouds with a custom blend I made on the image plate as I went along by mixing grey FUN stamping polishing with a drop of white which was mixed with a toothpick on the plate, then scraped.

Using a brush, extended a few tree branches using black Konad special polish.

Topped with SV.

(Couldn't decide which pix I liked better!)

Here's the other ladies Day 5 mani's; they are fantastic!

Hope you're having a good weekend; my next post will announce the winner of my impromptu giveaway....thanks for looking!

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Unknown A53, Barry M, Digit-al Dozen, Fauxnad, FingerPaints, FUN stamping polish, gray, Konad, LLC 10, LLC B, M79, NC 02, sinful colors, Sponging