GIVEAWAY TIME! $25 Apothica Giftcard!

 ***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!!! :D***

Hello everyone! It's Giveaway time! Aren't I good to you?! The lovely people at Apothica have kindly given me $25 for one lucky winner! Woo Hoo! Apothica.com is great, you can get loads of high-end beauty brands like Stila, Chanel, Smashbox and NARS for much cheaper than in the shops, and they carry only the best polish brands - Deborah Lippman, Essie, OPI and loads of others! And you could get $25 worth of it for NOTHING! AWESOME!

There's loads of palettes I want to try from Stila Cosmetics, including  "Live from the Red Carpet" - just look at all those colours! The packaging is so cool!

MMMM just look at Across The Universe! I've wanted some Deborah Lippmans for so long!

All you have to do to enter is:-

•  Be a follower of my blog via GFC

• Leave your email address (so I can contact you if you win!

One more thing, is you you must do ONE of the following. Don't worry, you don't have to do them all, just pick your favourite!

Option 1: Facebook1. Visit Apothica.com
2. Write on Apothica’s Facebook wall about what you think of Apothica
Bonus: Opt in to Apothica’s Newsletter

Option 2: Twitter1. Visit Apothica.com
2. Tweet about Apothica on your own Twitter Account
Bonus: Retweet Apothica’s tweet about this giveaway, or Retweet my tweet!

Option 3: Blog1. Visit Apothica.com
2. Write something on your blog about what you think of Apothica
Bonus: Write about Stila Cosmetics and link it to Apothica

Although Apothica.com does sell internationally, please be sure to check HERE that they also SHIP to your place of residence! Sometimes they will not ship nail polish internationally. :D

Your $25 is valid to spend at Apothica, SkinCareRx, and Skinbotanica, so what are you waiting for?!

The contest starts today, the 27th, and will end in TWO WEEKS on the 10th of August - Good Luck everyone!

Please fill in the form if you'd like to enter, any entries left in the comments section will not be counted! Thanks guys!

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! STAY TUNED FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES SOON!**

Stars, Skulls, Swirls, Sponging and Stamping. (Giveaway Winner, too)

God, I love it when an alliterative post title comes together.

The whole shabang for you today, I went a little stamp crazy...

All photos in natural light

Please ignore the smudge-tasic index finger! After all that work, there was no way I was re-doing it haha!

I'd been wanting to use the Skull image from the new Bundle Monster Image Plate set for a while, but was in danger of utilizing it to create some kind of gross emo-dream/Pirates of the Caribbean tribute! I decided, in the end, to keep the colours light, and add some swirly pattern and some stars :D

I started with a base of Barry M Turquoise, and sponged on Models Own Blooboo in differing places on the nail. I then repeated this with Silver, from Claire's Silver Nail Art Pen. Now, I've mentioned this before, but however wonderful this silver is (and it is), it gives you the WORST glitter herpes ever. You can scrub and scrub at your silver-stained cuticles but it Just. Won't. Go. Away. So, I apologise for the sparkly cuticles haha! I also added a little bit of Rimmel Sky High to the sponged base too :)

After adding a coat of Seche Vite to smooth it out, I stamped the swirly, planty image from BM225 using Konad White Special Polish onto different parts of each nail. Then, using THIS method, I mixed my own pastel Special Stamping Polishes and stamped some pink, green and purple Skulls from plate BM211. I then did the same with the Star image from BM206, adding them sporadically to make a pattern. I added some coloured rhinestones to the Skull eyes (a later addition - I liked it without, too) that you can get from Nail Art online store Born Pretty.

If people like this look, I may do a sponging/stamping tutorial, because it looks rather busy and difficult, but it's really very simple, when you know how!

Also, I'm going to quickly announce the Giveaway winner (I know it's been a long time coming, soorrryryyyy).
I have contacted her and she's accepted, the winner is...

Lily over at Beauty's Bad Habit!

Congratulations! I'll be posting your goodies after my exams (next week :D)

I used Random.org to select a random number, then simply found that numbered entry in my spreadsheet!

(Didn't want to include your email, Lily!)

So, there we are! My first Giveaway, over and done with! As you can see I had a colossal amount of entries, so they took a while to verify - thank you for your patience, and for entering in the first place!

I hope you enjoy your prize Lily, check out her blog Beauty's Bad Habit!

I also got some great feedback from the giveaway question "What would you like to see from me in the future", so I'll be sharing some of the suggestions with you soon! 

Thanks Everyone!

My Rainbow Manicure NEEDS YOU!

Last night I painted my my nails Rainbow Stripes, and, while I wasn't exactly stuck for ideas for what to do with it, it got me wondering how YOU lovely lot would finish off the design!
So here is the plan: For today (and maybe tomorrow), leave your comments below, suggesting what else you would do to the design, were it on your own nails - would you add a glitter topcoat? Freehand in some Rain-clouds? Add Black Crackle? Shooting stars? Add some Bling? I want you to decide the next step in this Manicure!
After a period of 24hrs or so, I will choose my favourite suggestion and bring it to life - the winner gets an extra TEN ENTRIES in my Giveaway (if you haven't already entered then I will enter you :D) and, of course, all credit and linkage will go to you! Here is what you have to work with, and to get your creative juices flowing!

All colours over white, using a striping brush.

Here is a list of what I own so you can make sure your design is possible, with the equipment I own, before you suggest something involving unicorn tears, or phoenix feathers:

• Freehand - ANYTHING GOES - I love a challenge, and have nail art brushes and pens/polishes in every colour, so go wild - anything from your favourite cartoon to a polished reconstruction of your life story is coool with me.
• Scotch tape - would you tape a section (or sections) off, and change the colours around? Any colour goes!
• Glitter topcoat in any colour, including holographic and big hex glitter
• Loose glitter in silver, purple, pink
• Crackle Topcoat in black (Barry M)
• French tips
• Fimo cane ( the usuals: fruit, teddy bears, butterflies, flowers etc) see this post for a selection
• Rhinestones in clear, pink, yellow, lilac, green, mint green, gold, little red stars.
• All of the FIRST Bundle Monster set, for stamped designs
• Konad M57, M79, M73, M29
• Born Pretty Store Hello Kitty plate
• Matt topcoat
• Sponges for a gradient effect
• Kiss White Daisy Nail Stickers

Easter Manicure

I wanted to quickly show you what I was sporting on Easter Sunday, but first - I have reached 500 followers today! How cool is that?! Thank you so much to everyone who reads! If the 100 follower Giveaway wasn't already running, I would do something to celebrate - I'll rack my brains for something after it's ended!


For this Manicure I used a base of Models Own BlooBoo for all but the ring finger (Rimmel Lemon Drop)  and thumb (American Apparel  Coney Island). I then used Claire's Nail Art Pens and a dotting tool to create the nail art. If you have any questions about any colours, just pop it in the comments and I will let you know - there are too many to name!

 So we have an Easter Chick and an Easter Bunny, who has dropped some eggs off in the grass :D

I love Pastels and Creams, so this was a nice Mani for me to have on! I hope you all had a lovely day and you're not getting as fat as me from over indulgence!

Sorry for the rather sporadic posts, after this MASSIVE piece of work is handed in to Uni, I will be back on form :D

If you haven't already, enter my International 100 Follower Giveaway - PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pop your details in the Google Docs form! I can't accept entries that are added to the comments! Good Luuuuck!

Spellbinding Nail's Giveaway

Just to let all of your know, Spellbinding Nails is hosting an amazing giveaway! A fantastic blogger, local to me, who has such amazing stamping technique - her blog is so fun to read!
Click the Pic to enter!

Look at all those plates! Mmmmmmm! Off you go then!

It's Here!!! The 100 Follower SUPA GIVEAWAAAY

* GIVE-AWAY IS NOW CLOSED! STAY TUNED FOR MORE SOON!*

Giveaway Time!!

Well, I’ve finally got my act together, learnt how to use Google Docs, and organised my 100 follower Giveaway for you!!

I really wanted to thank everyone for continuing to support me over the last month or so, commenting enthusiastically on posts, and making this one of the funnest things I’ve ever tried my hand (quite literally) at!

It will be one prize, given away to one lucky winner, and is open INTERNATIONALLY.

Here is what you can win!

I have included some of my favourite polishes of the moment, a range of brands and some limited editions. You also get the spotty make-up bag haha :D

From left to right, they are:-

• No. 7 Stay perfect "Totally Teal"
• Technic Glitter Nails in "Bonanza" (blue glitter in a black base)
• Boots 17 NEW Goldy Silvery "Crackle Topcoat" see HERE
• Accessorize Illusions Range in shade 41, "Bronze" (Duochrome Bronze and Magenta)
• Models Own Juicy Jules (small holographic glitter)
• Andrea Fulerton "Gemstone Overcoat" (Irridescent Flakies - think Sally Hansen "Hidden Treasure" or Nubar "2010")
• Barry M Boots Ltd Edition (blogged about HERE)
• Barry M "Acid Yellow" (though it's more of a bright Lime colour to me!)
• Barry M Hologram Hexogram (blogged about HERE)
• Barry M "Dusky Mauve" (Dupe for Chanel's Paradoxal.)

Here’s some close ups of some of the more attention grabbing shades!

a blurry one so you can see all those sparklies!!!

How to enter:-

Fill in the form below with your details – email addresses will never be given out to anyone else, and only used to contact the winner. All you have to do is:

•  Be a follower on GFC so I can keep track of entries
• Provide your email address.

EXTRA ENTRIES:- 

• Blog about this Giveaway using a link and the picture above, if you’d like (3 entries)
•  Provide a link to this giveaway on the side of your blog or on a giveaway page (2 entries)
•   Follow Emilysnailfiles on Twitter (Button on the left!) (2 entries) 
•   Tweet about this Giveaway ( 2 entries)
•   Add Emilysnailfiles to your blogroll (2 entries)
•  As an extra Thank You, regular commenters to my blog will get an extra entry each :)

All in all, that’s 13 (unlucky for some?) entries up for grabs :)

This Giveaway will close on the 30^st of April, with the Winner announced shortly afterwards.

I have purchased all prizes myself and am in no way affiliated with any of the aforementioned companies.

I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS!!!! I hope you have fun!!!! Good Luck!!!! Any questions/problems, leave a comment or contact me at "emilyvslife@gmail(dot)com.

*GIVE-AWAY IS NOW CLOSED! THERE WILL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES SOON!*

A Super Generous Giveaway!

First of all, sorry for the lack of post these last few days , I am currently back at home in Nottingham and away from my Laptop and Camera! I do have some lovely things in store for you, so stay tuuuuned!
One of my lovely new Followers Hayley has a FABULOUS giveaway over at her totally inspiring blog:-
http://xminidivax-minidiva.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-first-blog-giveaway.html
She also must be telepathic, because its all my favies! HELLO SOAP&GLORY!!!!
Get over and check it out, she's also super lovely and been very supportive of me and my new baby blog on the comments!

peace out bros, more manis and ramblings from me after le weekend!
<3