Abstract origami dinosaurs

Rawwr! Origami dinosaur nails to share with you today, which is something I've not done in quite some time! I got the awesome Origami 05 stamping plate from Mo You London years ago and it has the perfect combination of origami creatures: sea creatures, dinosaurs, a unicorn and a dragon! Recently I saw r4ch3lcakes on Instagram created an awesome design using the sea creature images, and I commented on how much I loved the design and the stamping plate. She suggested we do a twin mani with the dinosaur images so here we are :D. We agreed we'd use a white base, Hygge from Cirque Colors and another shade of purple of our choice for the colours splashes.

So I started with a base of white, then added splashes of light blue then purple with the brushes from the polish bottles. Once dry I used black stamping polish to add the dinosaurs. The one on my little finger is a bit wonky but I suppose that is true to how origami can look - certainly when I do it anyway! I then used a bit of clear nail polish to add some gold leaf from a craft shop, which I think really adds a little something extra. I made sure to add it where the flames would be for the dragon!

In conclusion I'm really pleased with it, I think it's a fun twist on the abstract look and can't wait to see what Rachel created too!! (We will be sharing them on Instagram shortly)

Colours used: Floral Street - Nails Inc, Hygge - Cirque Colors, Concord - Cirque Colors, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Gold Leaf - Craft Store

Constellations

Hey everyone! Going to keep this one short and sweet as I have a dreadful back ache and would like to get to bed! I fancied trying one more of the Glam Nails Challenge prompts for this month and settled on today's which is constellations. It was a bit of an experimental look for me!

I started with a base of metallic multi-chrome blue/purple, and then a layer of Fun Lacquer's magnetic polish Platinum Diamond (the regular version). I had a play around with different magnet shaped and got some pretty cool effects. Following this I used silver polish to add mountains (Mo You London Sailor 18 stamping plate) and stars (Kelli Marissa Bundle Monster plate). Finally I used white stamping polish to add the constellations over the top (also from the Kelli Marissa plate)

I have mixed feelings about this look. I think the thumbnail is pretty cool, but I wish I hadn't added stars on my little finger and index finger nails as they hide the magnetic effect and the constellations too. The colours are lovely though!

Colours used: Pixie Parade - Tonic Polish, Platinum Diamond - Fun Lacquer, Foil Effect in Silver - Barry M, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection

Planetary Nails

Hey everyone! Hope you're having a good week :) I'm feeling pleased with myself as we've done some gardening and I'm enjoying the difference it made. My partners parents came to help us which made a big difference and was fun too! So todays nail art is for the Glam Nails Challenge again, and it's late...again. I have a good excuse this time though in that my 1st dose of the Covid vaccine got in the way (felt absolutely fine - just a bit tired). I had so many different planet nail ideas in my head, and this is what I ended up with!

I started with a black base with one coat of sparkly silver (colours listed below pictures). I then used the Mo You London Sci Fi 10 plate for the planets. I started by using white stamping polish to add circles for the planets, so that the colours would stand out more against the black background. I then used a variety of colours to stamp over the circles. Finally I used gold and silver metallic polish to add the outlines/patterns to the planets. The only exception to this is the ringed planet on my thumb (which I'm considering to be Saturn) where I used the advanced stamping technique to create a decal (still added over a white circle). I think this one is my fave, especially when the sparkly orange shines through in bright lights! I have a real thing for orange polish at the moment.

Overall I'm pretty pleased with these and would definitely like to try planet nails again with some different colours and styles.

Colours used: Lady In Black - OPI, Diamond Glitter - Barry M, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, If You've Got It Haunt It - Uber Chic Beauty, Indigo Ink - Nail Paint Palette London, King Tut's Gem - Jessica Polish, Pixie Parade - Tonic Polish, Prima Donna - Jessica Polish, Foil Effect in Gold - Barry M, Foil Effect in Silver - Barry M

Neon Chevron's and Shapes

Hi everyone! Got something bright and fun to share today - which is brightening up my days while it rains and rains here in the south of England! I was inspired by Piontkowaa on Instagram to try some zig-zag gradient nails - it's been on my list for a little while so I'm glad to finally get round to it. I also thought it would go quite well as a base for by contribution to the latest Nail Addicts Collab. The theme was in celebration of them reaching 1,000 followers. I've included pictures below of the full look, and some right at the bottom of just the zig-zag look.

I started with a base of cream (colours listed below pictures) on all nails. Once dry I used Mo You London's Tropical 34 stamping plate for the zig-zag pattern. I used a selection of pastel neons to create a gradient for each nail. Unfortunately one of my neons has changed from purple to pink so the thumb doesn't really look like it has a gradient, but it kind of went purple when I did the blue/pink gradient on my index fingernail. Over the zig-zag pattern I used black stamping polish and the Mo You London Typography 04 stamping plate to add the number 1,000, and the Uber Chic Beauty Basic Shapes 01 plate to add some triangles on my other nails.

In conclusion - these are good fun! I think the ring finger one is a bit washed out but all in all I like them. Next time I'll remember to blend the blue and pink to get some of the purple colour on my thumb nail!

Colours used: Cream Soda - Barry M, Bikini Bombshell, Down At The Deep End, Hello Sailor, Joyful L'il Jellybean, My Mate Illuminate, Peachy Beachy - All Wikkid Polish, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend

A Skittle of Lush Bath bombs

Hey everyone! Rather psychedelic skittle mani to share today! After enjoying a few Lush bath bombs I decided I might try and re-create them on my nails. The bath bombs always look too lovely to use (and the bath water looks even lovelier!) so I thought I could keep them alive  a bit longer on my nails! It was a good fun and quirky long which I enjoyed doing! I've explained each nail below.

The index finger is based on The Goddess Bath Bomb - I don't think it looks anything like it to be honest! The bath bomb was sooo gorgeous and made the bath water shimmery and purple. I used lilac polish with an iridescent topper and then used a small nail art brush to add the rings,

The middle finger is based on the Shoot For The Stars Bath Bomb which smells absolutely amazing! I haven't actually used it yet but I have saved it till last as it looks and smells so lovely! It will be tough to beat The Goddess though! I started with a blue base and then used gold metallic polish and the Kelli Marissa Bundle Monster plate for the star image. I removed some of the additional spots to make it look more like the bath bomb.

The ring fingernail was inspired by The Comforter Bubble Bar, one I've had a few times as they've done it for a while, it's smells sensational! I don't think I captured the spirals quite well enough but it's fairly true to what it looked like - shame I can't make my nails smell that good too!

My little finger nail was inspired by the Intergalactic Bath Bomb which I received as a gift as part of the Bath Art gift set. I was blown away by it's lovely colours and shimmer! I quite like the way this one came out on my nails too. For this and the above I used a small nail art brush and regular nail polish.

The thumbnail was inspired by the Dragons Egg Bath Bomb. This one reminds me of University as that's where I first tried it, and it's still going! It's got orange and gold inside like little baby dragon flames which is good fun! For the nail look I used a dotting tool to recreate the little coloured patched on the bath bomb.

Colours used: Wardour Street - Nails Inc, Jellyfish - Barry M, Oasis - Jessica Polish, Seymour Walk - Nails Inc, Hello Sailor - Wikkid Polish, Cream Soda - Barry M, Notting Hill Carnival - Nails Inc, Bikini Bombshell - Wikkid Polish, My Mate Illuminate - Wikkid Polish, Foil Effect in Gold - Barry M

Catstronauts!

Hey everyone! Back with another space themed Glam Nails Challenge prompt! The latest prompt was astronauts - I don't have a lot of astronaut images but thought these little cat ones would be perfect! 

I started with a base of Queen of Shade from Quixotic Polish. I wore this once before and wasn't that wowed by it and I can't think why - it's gorgeous! It's hard to do it justice in the pictures but it's a beautiful and unique polish, and the magnetic effect works so well. I used the Sci-Fi 10 plate from Mo You London for the cat images and the planets. For the stars on my ring and index fingernails I used the Kelli Marissa Bundle Monster plate.

This look was so easy to do and I absolutely love it! The base colour is so pretty and I love how it looks like the cats are playing with the planets. I particularly love the thumbnail though I struggled to get a non-blurry picture of it!

Colours used: Queen of Shade - Quixotic Polish, Foil Effects in Silver - Barry M

In a (neon) galaxy far far away...

Hi again! Catching up a bit so today's nail art is for yesterdays Glam Nails Challenge prompt, which was 'galaxy'. I haven't done a galaxy look in a while so I found a tutorial on YouTube which inspired me to give it a go with some neons (colours listed below the pictures). The base is a Nails Inc shade I've had for ages and enjoyed digging it out again. I've found I haven't bought much nail polish this year and while I'm sure that won't last it is quite good having the motivation to go back and enjoy older shades rather than just focusing on the newer ones.

Once the deep blue metallic base was dry I used a small piece of sponge held with tweezers to dab some white stamping polish across my nails in roughly diagonal lines. I then added patches of neon polish over the top, trying to keep it lightly applied. Once dry I added a sparkly top coat and then a few little start images from the Kelli Marissa Bundle Monster plate. These stars are perfect for adding to galaxy manicures as they're small and just the right shape, saves me having to attempt freehand!

Overall I'm quite pleased with these, it was something a bit different for me but easy to do and with a fun result!

Colours used: Chesham Place - Nails Inc, Down At The Deep End - Wikkid Polish, Joyful L'il Jellybean - Wikkid Polish, Hello Sailor - Wikkid Polish, Wardour Street - Nails Inc, Diamond Glitter - Barry M, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection

A Stargazing Bear

Hey everyone! Going to keep this one short and sweet as I'm tired this evening, but here we have a stargazing bear! It's for the Glam Nails Challenge again and it's late! I'm not going to do all of the prompts this month but couldn't resist a few as they such cute themes. For this one the theme is stargazing.

I started with a base of purple (it was fun to get Cirque Colors Concord out again!) and then added some stars, moons and wording from Mo You London's Fall In Love 10 and Noel 06 stamping plates in silver and gold. I did this while the decals I made of the mountains, trees and bear were drying. You can see how I made them here.

I like these but I think I should have done the bear in different colours as the detail doesn't show up all that well. Out of the corner of my eye I keep thinking it's a huge chip in my nail polish! I love the theme though and I do think it's a cute look :)

Colours used: Concord - Cirque Colors, Foil Effect in Gold - Barry M, Foil Effect in Silver - Barry M, Lady In Black - OPI, Chelsea Embankment - Nails Inc, Basil Street - Nails Inc, Little Bo Beep - Rimmel