August NCC #2

*some items won or gifted*

Hey! Happy Sunday. Sorry I haven't been around this week. My parents are in town and I was maid of honor in my best friend's wedding, last night. I've had the mani done and photographed but tonight, I was able to sit down and edit pictures and chat with y'all.

As you know, this month's theme is Tea Party and it can be interpreted a lot of different ways. For this mani, I took inspiration from a vintage tea cup that I found on Etsy. After all, what's a tea party without the tea cups?

We'll start with the inspiration and the colors that I used.

[source]

I fell in love with this 1940's cup from an English tea set. Look at those little strawberries!!

I used four colors in this mani:

I used Nicole by OPI Yoga Then Yogurt, Gridlock Lacquer Bucket List (Niagara Falls Collection), Avon Garden Green, and Color Club Mamba

I already had my nails painted with three coats of Gridlock Lacquer Bucket List from the Niagara Falls collection that was released this summer. It's a pretty, pale, yellow-toned gold shimmer. Next time, I might layer it over a pale creme to save on the polish.

I stamped with Nicole by OPI Yoga Then Yogurt, that I won from stuff I (s)watched's 3rd blogiversary giveaway (Thanks, Rach!). I used an image from Bundle Monster Create Your Own set-plate number BM-406. Once that was dry, I used Color Club Mamba and Avon Garden Green to freehand strawberries. Here's the finished product:

I'm way behind this month but thing's should be quieting down so I can get the last two mani's in before September creeps up. 

Be sure to check out what the other ladies did, below!

xo, ali

NCC Black & White-Week Four

Hey! Happy Monday (that's actually an oxymoron).
I have my final Nail Challenge Collaborative post for the month of June, tonight. Nothing like going down to the wire!!

For this cute kitty, I started with two coats of Zoya Storm on all fingers but my ring finger. That one took two coats of NYC French White Creme. I topcoated everything and waited a few minutes. Once it was dry, I took Wet N Wild Black Creme and drew my kitty friend. I started with a half-circle outline, filled it, added triangles for ears and added detail using Color Club Flamingo for the ears and nose, and French White Creme, Icing Get Lei'd, and Black Creme for the eyes. I let it all dry and topcoated once again. It was super easy and I'll definitely be doing this again for Halloween :)

I took the top two pictures in indirect sunlight, so below is Storm in full sun so you can see all the holo-y goodness.

I'm really proud of myself for doing all four manicures. I really want to impress the girls in this group-I look up to them all so much and have been reading their blogs for a long time. I can't wait to work on next month's theme!!

Be sure to check out the grand finales from the other NCC ladies, below!

xo, ali

Nail Challenge Collaborative-Black and White #3

Hey there! I'm back with another Nail Challenge Collaborative mani. This is number three of four for the month. The fourth will be coming later this week.
I hope to have a little more time to do some other fun manis and swatches in the coming weeks as things should be calming down for a minute, aside from the concerts I'm going to-Phillip Phillips, Fitz and the Tantrums, Miniature Tigers, and Bleachers/Bear Hands/Cage the Elephant. That's just July!! I'm planning on seeing Andrew McMahon from Something Corporate/Jack's Mannequin in August. Buffalo just got a rad new radio station that plays newer alternative and they've been bringing a lot of awesome bands to Buffalo. I'm most excited for Bleachers. I love Jack Antonoff. Did you know he was in fun. and Steel Train?

Isn't he just adorable? And he can write songs that are catchy as HELL. I've been listening to the few songs that have been released, non-stop. I can't wait for the album to drop on 7/15. I have plans to do a Bleachers themed mani for the show. Bleachers.

Okay. You're not here for eye-candy and rockstars (but that is an added bonus). Let's look at what I put together.

For this mani, I used two coats of a frosty white Migi nail art pen. It covered well in two coats and I wasn't worried about brushstrokes because I knew I'd be covering it up with some stamping. For the stamping, I used an image from Konad plate m95 and Wet n Wild Black Creme. I love Konad plates. They stamp so well and so clear!! After stamping, I took the pink end of my nail art pen, and using the tiny, pinpoint end, I colored in the empty diamonds. To me, this looks like a harlequin clown's outfit and I'm really proud of this manicure because I managed to stay inside the lines for the majority!

I have something really cute planned for my last NCC Black & White manicure and that's coming later this week :)

Be sure to check out the other week three manis, below!

xo, ali

Nail Challenge Collaborative: Black and White-Week 2

Hello! Happy Tuesday! I hope that your week is going well :) I'm in planning mode because my best friend's bridal shower is on Sunday and I'm trying to tie up a few loose ends with the other girls in the wedding party.
Tonight, I have my second Nail Challenge Collaborative mani for this month's theme-Black and White. This time, I added a pop of color!

Julep Bunny, Zoya Raven, and Urban Outfitters Bandeau

For this mani, I did two coats of Julep Bunny, which is a white creme with faint gold sparkles throughout. The formula is actually pretty decent for a white if you take your time. I used Beauty Plus Salon top coat and waited a few minutes. Next, I placed a piece of washi tape on each finger at a diagonal and painted Urban Outfitters Bandeau, which is a blue-leaning purple (and that's why it looks blue in my pictures). I top coated and waited. Once those layers were dry, I used more washi tape to create a french tip and used Zoya Raven-black with sliver shimmer. After removing the tape, I top coated once more.

I love this mani. I've done it a few other times with different colors and it just looks so cool and really modern to me.

Be sure to check out the other Week 2 manis from the talented members of the NCC!

xo, ali

The Nail Challenge Collaborative-Black and White #1

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. I know I did :) Saturday was my busy day-my dude BFF from this post came to visit and we went hiking. We got lost in the woods, but we made it out without snapping or yelling at each other, even once. After he left, I went to my other best friend's birthday party for a bonfire and some snacks. I was happy to be lazy on Sunday, have a Google+ hangout with my mom and play with some legos.

I also did a manicure for June's theme of the Nail Challenge Collaborative, which I was just accepted into. That was a very exciting day for me. I am in some amazingly talented company and I definitely have my work cut out for me. I'm really hoping that this will help me to hone my nail art skills and step out of my comfort zone.

For this mani, I started with two careful coats of NYC French White Tip and topped it with my quick dry Beauty Plus Salon. Once the white dried, I took washi tape and placed it at a diagonal. Then I used Color Club Revvvolution, which is a gorgeous black, linear holo. The finishing touch was a few dots of contrasting color on each side of the diagonal. More top coat and it was a done deal.

I really hope you all liked my very first NCC mani. I have lots of ideas for the remaining three manicures and I absolutely can't wait to see what each month brings.

Let me know what you thought in the comments and be sure to check out what the other NCC ladies did for their first mani of the month!

xo, ali

Black and White and Red All Over

Happy Friday! I'm here with another installment of The Crumpet's Golden Oldie Thursday challenge. And just like last week, my Thursday night was booked and I keep forgetting to schedule posts. I had good reason, though! My best friend is getting married in August and I'm the Maid of Honor :D We went dress shopping last night, for the first time and she just looked gorgeous :')

I did have a mani done for this week's prompt, which was dots. And coincedentally, it was in the wedding color scheme. I must just have it on the brain lol.

Let's get to it!!

For this dotticure, I started with two easy-peasy coats Wet N Wild Wild Shine Black Creme, which went on so easy. It's also my go-to for black stamping. I did an accent of three coats LA Colors Energy Source, which is your typical white. It took three coats to even out the streakiness. I top coated with Color Club 0-60 Fast Dry top coat. Once that dried, I got out my dotting tools in assorted sizes and OPI Danke-Shiny Red and did my pattern. I lovelovelove this polish. It came out as part of the 2012 Germany collection. It's a bright red that has that lit from within effect, thanks to a shot of shimmer. You'll definitely see this on the blog again as a full mani but I knew it would be great for this dotticure.

I liked keeping it simple with just a pop of color. Black, white, and red is so classic and lends itself to so many puns (as in my subject line).

Be sure to check out what the other Nail Tarts did for this week and have a great weekend!!

xo, ali

The First Nail Fail

Good evening, lovelies!
Sorry for the unexpected hiatus so soon after starting. I feel terrible but I somehow ran out of time or energy to update.
I have a really quick one for you tonight...the first documented nail fail. Usually any polish I buy without looking at swatches of first turn out to look great and I love them. That wasn't the case this time. See exhibit A.

Covergirl Outlast-Silver Lining

Artificial lighting

OPI Nail Envy Matte base coat

2 coats polish

No top coat

I didn't top coat this because I knew it was coming right off. I did not like how chalky it looked on me. I was really disappointed because I bought this based off the shimmer I saw in the bottle and it was gorgeous. It just did not translate onto the nail. 

Application was kind of a mess, too. The formula was kind of thick and went on patchy/streaky.

Due to the thickness of the polish, this may be good for stamping so I'll keep you ladies posted.

I don't have much experience with the Covergirl Outlast nail polish line because most of the colors are like ones I already have. I do have a few others that I will be sharing with you soon.

What has your experience been with the Outlast nail polishes?

Stay tuned, because I have a lot of ideas for the coming months!

--ali