Monday, November 30, 2009

The Sheer Blush Colors I Use

I Keep getting requests for the name of the sheer blush color I use for the base color with french tip designs. I have used both store bought colors, and ones I have "frankened" myself.
Here is the China Glaze polish I use...though it has a slight peachy color to it. you can see what I mean in this picture above. Recently I have add a few drops of a china glaze color ( red one...don't have the name off hand) to "blush" it up to my liking.
Here is a picture of the one I have made. It seems really pink in the bottle, but goes on sheer and light pink. Just the perfect color to make your nails look fresh.

Make it yourself. You will need a clear bottle of polish, slightly emptied. Add a few drops at a time of any nude/beige color you have. Then add a couple drops of red to the polish....one drop at a time until you get the desired color. I don't have an exact recipe here (much like my cooking) just work it to your liking...it's not a science. Don't forget to swatch it now and again during to process to check the color.
Good luck, now go franken your own!


Friday, November 20, 2009

m45 Black & White

I have only ever done this plate design once, but i definitely like it. It could be done 2X in different colors, slightly offset to make it look like plaid. I plan on trying this technique for Christmas.

Here's what you will need: m20, m45, a sheer blush ( I used china glaze here, but i have added more red to it so it has a more blushed color) any white for the french tip, SP in black, and a polish pen stripe brush for the aqua line & dots on flower.
Here's how to do it:

1. Polish your tips white and stamp tip design m45 over the white.

2. Clean the smile line to wipe off any extra white. Paint sheer blush on the bottom 1/2 of your nail.

***** If you have a steady hand, and can paint a french tip freehand WITHOUT having to clean up the smile line, then go ahead and start with the sheer, then paint the tips, and follow with the stamp....actually, because you will be painting the stripe over the smile area, you don't have to be perfect. I originally planned on just doing the tips, that's why I did it in this particular order. The stripe was an afterthought.


4. Stamp m20 flowers on your thumb

5.Finally use the polish pen/skinny brush to paint a line along your smile. finish with dotting the center of your flowers with a co-ordinating color or the same color.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Grey Floral Leopard

Its been a long time since I have blogged. Believe it or not...I have been doing everyones' nails...gels too, plus my own, so I have been spending waaaay too much free time playing, not blogging. I am putting aside a day to upload pics and design the demos. I may save them so I can post more regularly. Thanks for peeking in to see what I finally posted.
I did these on my mom. Wild for her, I know...but she loved them anyway.
Here are the supplies I used: plates m31 & M57, a base gray color (drugstore find Sally Hansen Gunmetal) Konad SP polish in black & white. you can add crystals to the flower to finsh.

Here's how to create these nails.

1. Apply base color

2. Stamp leopard print over entire nail. Layer white flower over each nail. I used just one of the flowers from the image. to do this, either paint only one flower & scrap away from the other ( avoiding it) or simply just remove the unwanted flower.

3. Bling. Add crystal to flower center. If you don't have any crystals...simply drop a dot of your favorite sparkle/glitter polish.

Crystal Caviar Cuticles

Working with Caviar beads is a little challenging.  You need enough gel under them to help them stick, but not so much that they drown and ...