Wednesday 22 February 2012

NOTD Polka dot nails

I've had so many lovely compliments on my nails today already! so I couldn't wait to share my NOTD with you!

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This "nail art" if I can even call it that is so simple and easy to do, and can be easily achieved by using the end of a bobby pin or hair grip! So you don't even need to go out and spend any money on a nail art pen or dotting tool! how great is that?!

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I just love this colour combo too! I love Essie Bobbing for Baubles anyway but this combo just feels very nautical themed and retro <3 it!

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Let me know if you have tried out polka dot nails!
or if you have any colour combination I should try :)

xoxo

Tuesday 14 February 2012

Valetines Day 2012 - Cutesy hearts

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This super girly and pink manicure was inspired by Sayanythingbr00ke's Conversation Hearts tutorial on YT.


for those of you asking how I achieved this look it is pretty much the same as Brooke describes in her video (and its really easy)!

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Hope you all had a wonderful Valentines Day and spent it with your loved ones

-xoxo-

Valentines Day 2012 - Pink Ombre

Or maybe I should say a failed attempt at an ombre manicure, I will let you decide

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-xoxo-

Valentines Day 2012 - My Naked Valentines


I was inspired by this video from MissJenFabulous on YT


But I love the idea of mixing nude and black, I think it looks very chic when done properly. So here's my take on Jen's A Naked Valentine Nail art tutorial.


I used OPI Tickle my France-y, one of my favourite nude polishes.

Have you tired MissJenFabulous' tutorial?

-xoxo-


Monday 13 February 2012

Valentines Day 2012 - Polka Dot Hearts

Valentines Day 2012 - Polka Dot Hearts

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Happy early Valentines! I think I may have left my Valentines nail art ideas a little too late :( but I will try to upload all the pics over the next couple of days, please be sure to comment and let me know which you like/don't like and what you have tried out!

-xoxo-

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OPI Vodka and Caviar
OPI Alpine Snow



Valentines Day 2012 - Tuxedo Nail Art


**WARNING!! this post is picture heavy**

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Zooey Deschanel started up the Tux nail art trend at this years Golden Globes. But are you willing to dress up your nails in tuxedos?

Here's how I did this cute and simple nail art ....

I started by painting my nails all white, this is OPI Alpine Snow.

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Then I drew "V" onto every nail to make the outline of the shirts.

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and filled in the "jackets," here I am using OPI Black Onyx

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Now add bow ties and 3 little buttons ...

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You could finish here ,add your favourite top coat for a high gloss finish, but I decided to try out my new Barry M Instant Nail Effects in Silver Foil - which is perfect for nail art as it is opaque (even over black) in one coat.

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and for an accent nail and a pop of colour I added a little rose on the lapel - perfect for Valentines

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Have you tried out this nail trend?

Please share your photos with me on my FB page I can't wait to see all your fabulous nail art!

-xoxo-

Sunday 12 February 2012

Pretty Little Liars: Aria Inspired Manicure

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Last Tuesday I was just sitting down to paint my nails and watch some TV, all my favourite shows it appears air on Monday in the US (GG and PLL) so here in the UK we get to watch them online the day after :)

I knew I wanted to paint them with OPI Mermaids Tears, the stand out, unique shade from the Pirates of the Caribbean Spring mini collection. A colour that became an instant favourite with me. But that's all I knew.

So I clicked on Pretty Little Liars and began painting my nails, when I had to pause PLL on Aria's nails ...

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Now I am aware that this isn't the most adventurous manicure nor does it require really any skill at all, but it still had me reaching for OPI Jade is the New Black.

Here's my Aria "inspired"nails ...

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My next post will probably be some cute and fun Valentines nails :)

xoxo



Saturday 11 February 2012

Lena White Sale Haul with Swatches

I made 2 discoveries this week

1) Snow + Sun = great condtitions for swatch photos

2) Lena White's January Sale is dangerous, especially when armed with a 10% off promo code


However I managed to restrain myself and I only bought a handful of polishes (at £4.50 a pop it was hard to do) and at just £3.50 OPI's Nail Apps were too hard to resist, and I may have purchased a disgusting amount. But that is another (disappointing) tale.

Three of the polishes in this haul are from OPI's Pirates of the Caribbean collection, I didn't buy them when the collection was first released as I was trying to save money for holidays (blah blah blah boring stuff/saving money), they looked too similar to quite a few polishes I already owned but I always regretted not buying them.

Every nail blog raved about the formulas, the colours etc etc. so I finally decided why not?! after all it is a Disney themed collection, they were all colours that I love for Spring/Summer and I do have a nail polish addiction. So here's what I picked up ...

Steady As She Rose.


I can't believe I didn't buy this one! it is my new favourite pink, Its a very interesting shade, not a true pink, it has a mixture of lavender and grey. I love how this looks on the nails.

and to prove to my bf that I don't just buy the same colour over and over again, here it is swatched against other colours from my collection ...



Sparrow Me the Drama.


and again swatched against similar colours



At first I thought it was identical to OPI Por Favor, but without the subtle shimmer, but no they are different. Its a very nice bright pastel pink, not sure how much wear I'll get out of this one.

OPI Planks A Lot.


A bright purple cream. One of my favourite colours of nail varnish besides blue. I expect this is very close to OPI Do You Lilac It? but I don't own it, so here it is against OPI Done Out in Deco and Parlez-Vous OPI?



Vodka and Caviar.


An old favourite reunited. This is the only red I will happily wear, I did own this until the bottle smashed and the varnish leaked all over my bed. I was not happy.

So that's my haul :)

Did you get any bargains in the sales?

xoxo


Friday 10 February 2012

NOTD - Strawberry Margaritas in the Snow!

Most of you will know by now via excited tweets and FB Status' that snow has finally arrived in the UK :) (see below for pics) and it is fooking freezing!! so in an attempt to cheer myself up I did something I NEVER do... I reached for a hot pink shade *dies of shock*

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I am NOT a pink girly, never have been, never will. But for some reason I do find myself owning a bright pink shade, bought by mistake almost two years ago when I first started collecting OPI, Strawberry Margarita is the shade in question. I bought it online from America thinking it would be a creme formula, I forget why I thought this, but on arrival it was swatched, I was not impressed and so it was thrown to the back of my collection for maybe the occational use for nail art or a future blog sale. I was never expecting to wake up one day and want hot pink nails!

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But today the unthinkable happened, and I actually was impressed. Application was amazing! 2 coats to perfect colour. I think I may even add a few more pinks to my collection, currently eying swatches of Shorts Story which may be next ...

As promised here's some bonus pics of the snow

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Kittys in the snow

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If your in the UK I hope your enjoying the snow!

xoxo

Sunday 5 February 2012

Paris musings

If you follow me on twitter you will have undoubtedly heard me droning on about holiday planning, Paris and dresses, if not! well this post is for you.

I'll be quite honest, I've never quite got the allure of Paris and I don't like the Eiffel Tower or the people that will approach you on the streets to attempt to weave a bracelet around your wrist (if you've ever been you will know what I'm talking about). But I can't deny the city does have a certain charm and I can hear it calling my name, it may just be Laduree its hard to tell ;-)

So something in me must have changed, while shopping for cute summer dresses online (the spring/summer stock is yet to hit the UK shops) I came across these gorgeous creations from the amazingly talented and beautiful Bernie Dexter<span class=parisienne1.5" width="500">

Heres some close ups of the dresses and the prints

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I am in love!!

and look at these fab wedges to team them with in the evenings ...


Can't wait to be back in Paris.




£55 - clarks.co.uk

£6.25 - pasttimes.com

£28 - brolliesgalore.co.uk

$62 - sephora.com

£8.80 - amazon.co.uk