Bordered Half Moons

Hello everyone! How ya'll doing? I can't believe it's going to be June tomorrow! It seems like winter lasts a lifetime, and then before you know it, it's 100 degrees and I'm dying from heat stroke. I'm just so glad that I live in such an arid climate and don't have to worry about humidity! Yesterday there were storm clouds hovering that raised the humidity to probably something like 3%, and it was getting uncomfortable. Haha. Well I know talking about the weather is so fascinating (okay, but it seriously is for me), so we will move on to the nails..

Glitzy Gradient Tips

Remember a couple weeks ago when I did my Glitzy Pinterest Nails? I said that you would probably see more combinations of these polishes in the future. Well it didn't take me long to do another one. My idea was to do a gradient with the cream and lilac colors. I knew it would be subtle as in, so-subtle-the-photos-don't-show-it, but I did it anyway. I still am working on my glitter gradients. I knew it would be hard with this polish because the glitter is so dense. But I managed! I love the sweet and girly party look with these. Even if I wasn't invited to any party...

Something Simple: Two Toned Skinny Triangles

Hello lovely ladies! Today I have some simple nail art that anyone could recreate. I've fallen in love with nail art since I started my blog last year. I get so excited when I pull off a mani that is super complex and detailed. Sometimes though, I need something that's a little more wear-able. The morning after I did these (I almost always do my nails late at night) I wasn't sure what to wear, but then I found an outfit that coordinated perfectly. I love it when that happens!

Glitzy Pinterest Nails

If you've spent anytime at all browsing nails on Pinterest, you've seen something like this. I've never done a mani quite like this, with the densely glittered nail. Yesterday I went to Sally Beauty and found these three polishes on clearance. When I brought them home I realized how great they looked together. It was destiny. I instantly thought of the manis I see on Pinterest all the time and figured it was worth a try to see if I liked it. Well, there is a reason there a bijillion manis like this. Because it's so darn sparkly and lovely!

Get Out Your Sunglasses Water Marble

Yay! It's May! That means the temperatures are getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and I can spend more time outside. The weather was absolutely gorgeous yesterday and I was compelled to break out the neons. It's not summer yet, but being the 2nd of May in Utah, it will be here in a flash.

For this mani I started with a base of white polish so the neon would really pop. Then I prepped around the nails with Vaseline to make cleanup faster. I still don't know if I prefer this method, or just using tape. The Vaseline can be really messy, but the tape can ruin the polish if you don't take it off carefully enough. 

Then I commenced with the water marble using Forever 21 Neon Green, Finger Paints Pink Perspective, and Sinful Colors Coral Riff. For more information on how to water marble, check out my Distressed Water Marble Tutorial and just skip the distressing part.

I love water marble manis because once you've found polishes that will work, it's pretty quick. Even when you mess up the same nail twice (my ring finger couldn't get it together), it doesn't take that long. Especially compared to other nail art I've done. I'm looking at you spiraling dots! I think I got this done in about an hour. With more practice I'm sure I'll be even speedier.

What do you think? Do you like wearing a mani that refuses not to be noticed?

What I used:
Sephora by OPI White Hot- base color
Forever 21 Neon Green
Finger Paints Pink Perspective
Sinful Colors Coral Riff
Out The Door Northern Lights top coat

Bonus Cuteness Overload photo

I found these little cuties while I was outside taking my photos.

So when does summer officially start in your book? Once the weather reaches a certain temperature? Once your kids are out of school? When the calendar says it is? For me summer always arrives on Memorial Day Weekend, when my pool opens!

31DC2013 Day 30: Inspired by a Tutorial

The penultimate day of the Challenge! Woot!

This mani was inspired by a tutorial, made by the very talented Rosie from Little Nails. Please go check it out because it is so good! It will give you a better idea of what I was aiming for here. Also, then I won't have to explain how I did this!

In the tutorial it's suggested to use a disposable paint palette, but I don't own any and forgot to buy it. I thought regular wax paper would work, but the polish never dried, even left over night. So I used a plastic ziplock bag and I got the polish off okay, but I struggled cutting it (the plastic). My scissors are a little dull and I just couldn't get straight lines.
You'll also notice a lot of bubbles. I think that was a result of not having the pieces completely flush on the nail before the top coat? Then the top coat kind of ate away at some of the pieces as I applied it.
This was quite the adventure! I have 100 times more respect for the work and skill that when into her tutorial!

What I used:
Sephora by OPI Pale is the New Tan
Finger Paints A Grape Catch
Finger Paints Sage It Ain't So

What do you think? Was it worth all that work? It was for me because it was a huge learning experience. There are so many different technique I'd never tried going on here. And I love that this is a look that couldn't be achieved by just painting it straight on the nail.

Last day of the challenge tomorrow!!