Bananarama

Facts about Bananas:

• In 2001, Britain recorded 300 incidents of injuries related to bananas. The majority of these involved people slipping on banana peels.
• In Eastern Africa you can buy banana beer. This beer is brewed from bananas.
• A cluster of bananas is called a hand and consists of 10 to 20 bananas, which are known as fingers.  

These are MY banana fingers, a take on the, ever popular, Wah Nails Prada Banana Manicure:

I'm holding a banana, because there are bananas on my fingers - clever, I'm sure you will agree.

 Yep, my nails have had the chop. I had A LOT of unfortunate breakages, all at the same time, so didn't really have a choice! Thought about getting some Calgels on, but I have absolutely NO dollar at the moment! Full-Nail designs look great on both long ad short, so I'll be sporting them for a while! This is part of the reason for my unplanned absence, as well as trips to London, graduations, moving home and unpacking! 

I started with a base of Barry M Turquoise, my favourite blue evveeerrrrr - it's lovely and bright! I then made yellow crescent moon/banana shapes, using a fine brush, with Miss Sporty Taxi, and added a light yellow highlight using Rimmel's Lemon Drop. After outlining the whole thing using the striper in Claire's Black Nail Art Pen, I topped it off with a coat of Seche Vite. 

I realise it's not my best freehand work, pretty much if you can tell it's a banana, I'm happy! It didn't take very long at all, and is a really fun, summery look! I'm going to wear something different for my birthday, though, which is tomorrow! WOOPAH!

Hope you like it! Let me know which summer looks you've been wearing!

Nails Inc Mix and Match - Girly Turquoise Skittles

I think I must be on a turquoise kick! I won a years supply of Nails Inc polishes by entering the Tiger Mani into InStyle Magazine's Nail Art contest, and Haymarket - the polish I used today - was one of twelve that were sent as a prize! (Not quite a years supply for me, but it's still a great prize haha!)

I started with two coats of Haymarket, a muted, dusky turquoise - more blue-toned than green. You can't beat Nails Inc on quality, you get what you pay for, as these retail at £11 a pop - not something I can usually afford!

I added a different design to each nail, aside from the polka dots, which were added using Konad plate M79 with Konad White Special Polish, I used a paint brush for the details.

The pink polish on the accent nail bow, index and thumb is Collection 2000 Candy Floss, the silver is a Claire' Nail Art Pen and the white is Natural Collection from Boots.

Clearly a design for when you can't make your mind up! I quite like that it's all mixed up,it's very girly, all that's missing is hello kitty - as my mum said.

I promise I will get back to posting more regularly!

xxxx

And We'll Lie Beside A Turquoise Sea.

Sorry for not being around much this week, I promise I still read all of your comments and emails, I just haven't got around to posting - anyone who blogs will know it can be rather time consuming! Here is a Bundlemonster Konadicure for you, though, using Rimmel's Sky High as a base. Sky High is a gorgeous blue turquoise, goes on beautifully and opaque after 2 coats - I wore it on my toes for 2 weeks sans topcoat, and it didn't chip once.



I stamped the swirly image from the new bundlemonster set of image plates, BM201, using Konad's special polish in White. I think it kind of looks like art-deco style ocean waves, like a sea-themed mosaic!

 

I used Rimmel 60 Seconds as a topcoat - DO NOT WANT. I did not get on with it at all. Firstly, it smeared my stamping, which wasn't noticeable to the naked eye, but macro shows EVERYTHING! Secondly, it turned the white, stamped image yellow. You can't tell too much from the photos, as they are taken in bright sunshine, but trust me, the topcoat stained my manicure. I have NO IDEA how this can be, it's a topcoat for goodness sake! It is supposed to provide a clear coat over whatever I choose to use as a base! I'm baffled! Won't be using it again - money well spent...not. It's crazy how much I love Sky High, but hate this topcoat.

In other news, I loaned my nail art skillz to a little girl's birthday party, which was an exhausting 2 hours - kids are sticky and demanding! They loved my Del Sol Colour Changers though! (A post to come on those soon , once I've acquired Ruby Slipper!) I'd definitely hire myself out again, I've already been asked to do a wedding party - exciting stuff!

I also went to Parklife festival in Manchester this weekend (the reason Ive been so lax on the posts!) which was amaaazing, all the DJs we saw were fierce, and the crowds went mental! Skrillex was a definite highlight for us all, and despite the rain (and camping out for a couple of hours in a tea and cake tent!) we had a hilarious (if not muddy) time!

Leanne on my shoulders (yes, I'm a beast) and Sara during Chase and Status! Note the rained on makeup hahaha

The only one in wellies - soooo sensible

yes, the sun actually came out for day 1! Snapped in the Wagamamas noodle station with the dancing tigers. RIP reflective aviators, you shall be sorely missed (replaced)

Hey, look at that! Some of my real life made it on here! :D

I hope you are all well!

Snakeskin...

...'cus I'm classy like that. This is deliciously White Trash, I feel like I should be wearing a matching pair of trousers and Crocodile handbag. Mmmmm.

I reckon I'm probably building up to some sort of crazy safari manicure, with the theme of animal prints emerging! I had wanted to try this image from the new BundleMonster set for a while, I was just trying to figure out the colour combos, which I'm not sure I've got spot on! I started with a coat of Barry M Mushroom (I'm not sure if this is because it's quite old now, but this is now a perfect one-coater, though I'm sure it's not always been!). I then sponged on Claire's Jade Green, down either side of each nail. I used Miss Sporty Electric Beige to stamp with:

I remembered after the pictures, that I had used Electric Beige instead of Catrice Be My Millionaire!

I added Claire's Matte Topcoat over the design, and I really prefer it! What do you think? I love the feel of mattified nails as well, they're all smooth and velvety, I keep rubbing them on my face - weird? Yes.

 

Wooo hoo, snakey fingers, I'm off to explore the Jungle (and by Jungle, I mean Pub).

In keeping with the wildlife theme, I entered the Tiger Nail Art into Swaafie Blog's Inspired competition, and voting is now open! If you love me, you can head over and give me a vote! My design is number 3, and you've got until the 8th! There are so many amazing designs, and you can vote for your favourite three, so GO MENTAL! I would really appreciate you taking a look :D:D

"Check out Swaafie's contest, it's GGRRRRRRREAT!"  (I'm a loser) click here to see the original post

I hope you're all having a wonderful Monday!

Weekly Blog Round-up

Each week a few of us get together and pick our favourite posts from the week, and make a collaborative post, so you can see all the best bits in one post! Here is Week 10's:

Grace showed us her amazing Jessie J inspired manicure http://ooooohpretty.blogspot.com/2011/06/jessie-j-inspired-aztec-nails.html

Trisha tried out Sinful Colors peach http://ibeatpolish.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-pink-has-peach.html

Ladyluck tried out Hard Candy Beetle http://ladyluckbeauty.blogspot.com/2011/06/beetle-hard-candy.html

Lena felt a bit cheeky http://thestudentsguidetonailpolish.blogspot.com/2011/04/cheek-y.html

Sarah stamped a fluttery design http://spellbindingnails.blogspot.com/2011/05/hb06-butterflies-in-meadow.html

Theresa caught up on the latest trends http://theresabloor.blogspot.com/2011/06/guest-blog-on-summer-nail-trends-by.html

Sharon water marbled with some awesome holographic polishes http://polishinfatuated.blogspot.com/2011/01/water-marbling-with-holos.html

Stacie created some pastel stripes and flowers http://kawaiinailart.blogspot.com/2011/06/pink-stripes-with-flowers.html

Lingling met Deborah Lippmann! http://wuliaonails.blogspot.com/2011/05/deborah-lippmann.html

Jen gave us a great gradient tutorial http://moondancerjen.blogspot.com/2011/06/rainbow-gradient-nails-tutorial.html

Ari tried out Sephora by OPI silver shatter http://ari-sweetdelight.blogspot.com/2011/05/blasted-silver.html

Finally introducing Alhrayth’s blog http://pallinogirl.blogspot.com/

American Apparel African Violet

Gooood Morning! I picked up a couple of American Apparel polishes lately, I already owned a couple and had high expectations, as the formula is PERFECT. I wasn't disappointed, these are just as good, and the one I have for you today is African Violet, a deep purple cream, smooth, easy to apply, and perfect in two coats. I added the flower image from BM221 , the new set of plates, using Miss Sporty Electric Beige (GREAT for stamping with!)

Do you have any American Apparel polishes? It's bad because they're not as cheap as the drugstore polishes, but I'm addicted! Their colour selection is SO COOL, and you get 14ml, which will last a polish fiend like me that little bit longer! African Violet is such a lovely, deep, shiny "Cadburys purple". LOVE ITTTT!!!! I also bought Manilla and Summer Peach, but they are for another day, don't be greedy!

Tiger Nails - Tutorial!

Well, my exams are finally over! Wooooohooooo!!!! Back to regular posts! I promised I'd be back on form with the nail art, with a bang, so today I've got a tutorial for you, for FIERCE tiger nails!

 

This looks complicated, but its really very easy when you break it down into steps! For the base of the tiger print design, I used the sponging technique to make a colour gradient. The only piece of equipment you will need for this, is a piece of sponge, I use the corner of a kitchen scrubber:

 

Select 3 polishes in "tiger" colours -  I am using Nails Inc Candy Orange , Essence Show Your Feet in Juicy Orange, and Miss Sporty Taxi:

I started with the middle shade, Candy Orange, and sponged on the darker shade, Juicy Orange, onto differing areas of the nail. It works best if you dab a small amount of polish onto the sponge, and lightly build up the sponged area, adding a little bit at a time. I then did the same with the yellow, Taxi, and these are the results:

 

After cleaning up the cuticles with a cotton bud and nail polish remover:

 

Next comes the stripes, I did two sets of stripes in black and gold, but you could just do the black if you wanted. I used Claire's Nail Art Pens in Black and Gold (the striping brushes inside), but you could easily use a striping brush or regular brush and polish if you don't have pens:

 

get a small bead of polish on the end of the brush, and starting at the nail edge, draw horizontal stripes that don't touch, but interlock to make the tiger print, zig zag pattern. It works best if you almost flick the striper towards the centre of the nail, as it makes a neat, tapered point. Start with the Gold stripes.

 

Once it's dry, you can go back with the Black striper, almost exactly on top of your gold stripes:

 

Add a coat of Seche Vite or your favourite topcoat, and you're done! I added the tiger face as an accent on the ring finger. Take an eyeshadow applicator (as the sponge is smaller and denser!) and add a small amount of white polish. Dab on the orange base like so:

Next, take a green, pink, grey and brown polish . with a dotting tool or brush, add two green dots to the bottom of your white sponged eye areas, and with the pink polish, draw a 'T' shape towards the nail edge. Contour the tiger's nose with two fine lines in brown polish. I added some grey whiskers with a fine brush.

 

All that's left to add is the black details, for which I used Claire's Black Nail Art Pen. Add your topcoat. You're all finished! Longest. Tutorial. Ever! Rest your tired eyes.

I hope you like them! Let me know what you think! Will you be trying it?

xxx

*EDIT* Because this post took BLOOMIN' AGES, I completely forgot to mention the reason I did this manicure in the first place! I knew Swaffie Blog was having an "inspired" competition, and I really wanted to enter. I was watching a documentary on endangered species, and decided to let the segment on Bengal Tigers be my inspiration! Here is the link to the competition, you can vote for me if you want my love and affection forever and ever and ever, I would really appreciate it :D:D. I am entry number 3! There are some fantastic entries, and you can vote for your favourite three, which I think is a great way of doing it, giving everyone a fair chance! :D