Happy New Year 2023

Happy new year! I have some nail art to share and when I went to do it I realised that I hadn't shared either of my new years eve looks so have decided to share them together in one blog post since I've already got a couple more to catch up on!

Look one - New Years Day. I started with a peel off  base coat followed by a layer of nude polish. I then added two layers of tinsel themed sparkly nail polish and a 'glitter grabber' to smooth it out a bit. I made decals on my Uber Mat for the thumb nail and middle fingernail using Mo You London's Noel 10 stamping plate. I hadn't remembered that it would be a reverse image so it's not really clear that the bottles are meant to say gin! The other images were stamped directly onto my nails and 2023 was freehand. I was pretty pleased with my freehand numbers though I wish the 3 wasn't disappearing into the corner!

Look two - New Years Eve. This look was to capture the still very festive feelings around new year and parties/celebrations. I also had a new red polish I wanted to try so gave that a go. Images are from Mo You London's Noel 15 and Festive 05 stamping plates and stamped in gold (pictured). This was simple and easy to do but I'm pleased with it. Captures the right vibes I think!

Colours used: Tinsel Garland - Fancy Gloss, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Watermelon - Barry M, Red Hot Rio - OPI, Gold Digger - Barry M

Red - Undisclosed, Bright Lights - Barry M

Angling for a new year!

Hi all! In my family we like to use the phrase 'angling for' as in 'she was angling for some chocolate!' so I decided to name my blog post that way as it features an angler fish, I might be reaching a bit... So when deciding what to do for this nail art I suggested underwater theme and my partner suggested an angler fish. I didn't have any stamping plates for that but liked the idea so went ahead anyway! The nail art is extra new year nail art for the latest Holo Taco competition on Instagram which closes today.

I started with a peel off base followed by two generous coats of Holo Taco's Black Holo Wish from their latest Christmas collection. Got to have glitter for new year nails! Meanwhile, I created decals on my Uber Mat for the number and fish nails. I painted each one using a small brush onto some clear polish and then added more clear polish over the top, peeling off to stick on my nails once dry. Fiddly but easier than painting directly onto my nails! While creating them I had the idea to add some lights as well as I was already going for a glowing theme. I added light images from Uber Chic's Happy Christmas plate. I then added a quick dry topcoat, and once dry I added the colours using an assortment of Sharpies.

I do quite like these, they are so weird and random and sparkly! I like to think it's an angler fish in the darkest sparkly depths of the ocean hanging up some lights for new year - perhaps it can light them with it's own light? Pictures came out a bit mixed but I enjoyed a couple of new hand poses!

Colours used: Black Holo Wish - Holo Taco, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Sharpies

A dream within a dream for new year

Hi everyone and happy new years for tomorrow! I'm getting my new year nail art blog post out today as it will be my 100th blog post in 2021! The most I've done in a year before is 99 so I feel the need to beat that this year! There has definitely been a lot more nail art from me since the pandemic started! So this year my new years nail art was left a little to the last minute and I couldn't decide which of my lovely new nail polishes to use! Last year I did two looks I loved so had a lot to live up to this year. I decided to keep it simple and just to some stamping directly onto my nails.

I started with my favourite base coat (Nails Inc Nail Kale) and then a layer of magnetic polish I was excited to receive for Christmas (colours listed below pictures). Once dry I added another layer and had fun with my magnet trying out different patterns on each nail. The patterns have spread out a bit now as I left it a while before top coating but I actually quite like that, gives it a bit of a crushed velvet look. Next I used Mo You London's Festive 05 stamping plate (a real go to!) to add festive images, the clock face is my favourite. Once dry I added a quick dry topcoat, and marvelled at the magnetic flare! I'm really glad I chose silver to stamp with, I think these were easy to do and came out just as planned :)

Now to get ready for this evening! Wishing you a fabulous new year!

Colours used: Dream Within A Dream - Cirque Colors, Foil Effects in Silver - Barry M

Happy New Year 2021!

Happy New Year! I hope this year brings you positivity and good things, and I hope it was better than the last! It feels strange to me that 2020 is over but I know we're not out of the woods yet, at least we're a bit better prepared for it now (I hope!). I created this new year nail art with a few themes in mind, I wanted a bit of a 20's vibe given that we are in the 20's again, and a party vide, and also really wanted to make a decal for my thumb nail with this cute image from one of my Christmas stamping plates.

I started with a base of deep purple and pale grey (colours listed below the pictures) after seeing the purple one advertised again on Instagram - I love it so thought I'd get it out again for this. On my index and little finger nails I used images from Mo You London's Back To The 20's 04 stamping plate, and for my middle finger their Noel 09 plate. The fireworks were done with the Festive 05 plate, and though they don't show up as well as I would have like I kind of like the subtle look. I used MYL's Typography 04 plate to add the 2021 numbers over the top. I do wish I'd started a little further to the left but I'm please with how crisp they are - the Dance Legend stamping polish is great!

On my thumb nail I created a decal using the advanced stamping technique, you can see how here. I'm pleased with how the colours came out and how the skirt matches my other nails. The image is from MYL's Noel 01 stamping plate. Overall although there were a couple of tweaks I'd make (as above) I'm really pleased with these!

P.S. My nail new years resolution this year is just to keep trying to improve my nail pictures :)
Colours used: Madeline - ILNP, Paper Route - ILNP, Foil Effects in Gold - Barry M, Foil Effects in Lilac - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend

Happy New Yeap!

The title of this blog post is not a typo... I just couldn't quite fit the happy new year wording on my thumb nail and this is what I ended up with -see below! This is another day late prompt for the Glam Nails Challenge December, I shouldn't really be late at the moment as I have time off, but between the walking and cooking (I've been trying some new dishes that take ages!) and general other things around the house I've been doing I somehow seem to have got a bit behind!

For this look I started with a base of Play Rose from Holo Taco as I think it's the perfect new year shade and so delightfully glittery! I used three layers over a peel off base. I then used images from Mo You London's Festive 05 stamping plate which has a new year theme. It's my only new year plate and is  a great go to for my new year nail art! I picked a few images and stamped them all in black. It's a good job I forgot to file my thumb nail as I struggled to fit the image on as it was! My favourites are the clock and champagne nails.

I'm pleased with these, how could I not be when they are so sparkly!! Couldn't be more new year-sy in my opinion! I have another new year look on my other hand which I hope to share tomorrow. Happy new year!

Colours used: Play Rose - Holo Taco, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend

Happy New Year 2020!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a lovely new years eve, whether it was a big night out or a quiet night in. I had a family new years eve this year which was good fun, although I'm annoyed with myself for missing a trick and not having a 20's themed party!

I had this idea a few weeks ago for new year and am pleased with how it turned out, definitely one of my best new year looks. I started with a gradient of two shades of purple (colours listed below pictures) and then used some metallic polishes for the fireworks using Mo You London's Festive 05 plate. I also used this plate for the Happy New Year wording on my thumb. I was going to get 2020 in there somewhere but it didn't work out that way in the end, also now thinking I should have done some 20's nail art! Ah well, plenty of time for that over the next decade! For the London skyline I used the clairestelle8 plate from Maniology, it turned out to be the perfect size.

I'll keep this blog post short and sweet but as mentioned before, really happy with these! Wishing you lots of positive things for 2020 and beyond!
Colours used: Wardour Street - Nails Inc, Wigmore Street - Nails Inc, Foil Effects in Gold - Barry M, Foil Effects in Silver - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection

Happy New Year!

Happy new year! I have some new year nail art to show you and a round up of a few of my favourite nails from 2018. I was going to go for new year glitter but was keen to try out a couple of Jessica polishes my boyfriend got me for Christmas. I went for something a bit subtle as I wanted to keep the lovely blue and bronze shades visible. I used the Mo You London Festive 05 plate for the champagne glass images. I was going to colour some of it in with sharpies but left it as it is as I like the simplicity and the contrast.

So my new years resolution this year is to try and see more of my friends who don't live close to me. I also have a blog resolution each year. When looking through my blog from last year I noticed my nails look too long for me in a lot of posts! I just don't think they suit me that way. I think how I have them in the pictures below is about as long as looks good on me. So I need to remember to file!

Below are links to my top five nail art designs from 2018, in no particular order:

Untitled moon/rune nails!
Sparkling succulents 
Layered snowflakes
Mattified swans
Isambard Kingdom Brown Owl

Let me know your thoughts and and if you have any nail resolutions this year!
Colours used: Star Sapphire - Jessica, Gingersnap - Jessica, White Stamping Polish - Emily de Molly

Happy New Year 2018!

Happy New Year! Today's nail art is of course my new years eve nail art for 2017-18. I wanted to go for something glittery and new year themed, but also Harry Potter themed as we went to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child yesterday. They came out suitably new year themed and sparkly but not very Harry Potter. The deathly hallows symbol didn't quite turn out as planned. I think it all looks a bit Dr Who!

For the galaxy nails I used tiny pieces of sponge held by tweezers to sponge on some glitter and shimmer, and then a dotting tool for the white stars. For the middle finger I put a holo topper over black, and made a decal for the symbol. I painted clear polish onto my Uber Mat, painted the image over the top, added another clear layer, and then peeled of to stick on my nails once dry. I did the same for the 2018 nails. For the sparkly nails I used holo powder from Twinkled T. I tried glitter burnishing but wasn't entirely successful so dipped instead and was pleased with the result.

On the thumb I used an image from the Mo You London Festive 05 stamping plate, and then a small brush to fill the glasses. I would have gone for a champagne colour but I didn't think it would show up well against the silver glitter so I went for red wine instead.

2017 has been a great year for me, although maybe not so much for the world, so I hope 2018 is a much better one for the world, and the same for me! Last year I made a New Years blog resolution to improve my nail pictures, and I think I've finally done that towards the end of the year. Still some way to go though I think! This years will be to start doing a few videos, either to add to my blog or Instagram.
Colours used: Aruba Blue - Essie, Mega - ILNP, Holocopter (loose glitter) - Twinkled T, Lady In Black - OPI, White Knight - Mo You London, My Private Rainbow (S) - ILNP, Indigo Glow - Jessica Polish, Diamond Glitter - Barry M, Garnet - Cirque Colors

Happy New Year!

Happy new year! Today I of course have new year nail art (pictures below and polished used at the bottom of this post). As part of a Secret Santa I was given a new year stamping plate from Mo You London (Festive 05) so I was excited to try that out. I knew I was going to use my peachy champagne coloured glitter/shimmer polish for this design as it's just perfect for the theme! I also used black and white as I thought they'd work well with the designs, and compliment the champagne colour best.

I used the advance stamping technique for this design, using by Uber Mat to make decals our of nail polish for all nails except the firework ones which I stamped directly onto the nail. The only exception was the 2017 nail which I painted using a small nail art brush and black nail polish. I can't quite decide which my favourite hand is, I particularly like the clock and the champagne glasses. The only downside I had creating this was making the mistake of trying to use a quick dry top coat to make decals. They dried to fast and went hard so it was very tricky to get them to lie flat!
I've made two new years resolutions this year, one of which is a blog resolution. My aim is to improve my nail photography, as I think mine is a bit shabby! So I'll be trying to get familiar with the functions of my camera.

Best wishes for the new year! I hope it is a happy. healthy and productive one.
Colours used: Morganite - Cirque Colors, Alpine Snow - OPI, Lady In Black - OPI, Black Knight - Mo You London, White Knight - Mo You London

Happy New Year!

Happy new year everyone! I originally intended to post this on new years eve, and for it to include a specifically new year theme, but I was far too attached to my Christmas day nails, so didn't get started on these till last night. I'm yet to actually try a new year design, not sure why but they never appeal to me quite as much. I think all you need for new year is something super shiny or sparkly!

I thought of the below design as I wanted to use these two polishes together again. I got them both for Christmas 2014 and think they make a good combination. I started with a base of Topshops Fear and Loathing, which is from their matte metallic collection. I absolutely love their matte metallics and have quite a few of them, they were a real favourite from last year. I think how subtly they shine, and how they somehow look matte and shiny at the same time!

As you can see below the thumb on my left hand turned out best. I've found the fishnet metallic effect harder to use than other magnet polishes, even by the same brand, but I love the effect when it does work!

I hope you've all had a lovely break and wish you a happy and successful new year!


Colours Used: Fear and Loathing - Topshop, Piccadilly - Nails Inc