Fireworks & New Year! Why didn't I think of that sooner?!?!?!

After last weeks leopard print nails (lots of good comments about them in work.), I was wondering what to do this week, but I just couldn't think of anything!

I kept thinking about it, then it hit me, it's new year so I googled new years and fireworks come up and it was like a spark, of course you get fireworks at new years! so I started thinking how to do it on nails.

I kinda decided my base colour would have to be dark as after all fireworks only tend to come out at night when it's dark. So I choose My darkest nail polish - Boots No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in 'Betty Blues'.

I gave my nails two good coats of this (after 1st applying a base coat).

Once this had thoroughly dried I got out my chosen colours 

Using one colour at a time started drawing 'firework' type shapes basically feathery curve strokes in random places on my nail. I used all the colours in one 'firework' on my thumbs, then used the pink and Orange as two different 'fireworks' on all my other nails. I paired both with the really sparkly silver.

Once they were all done I added a glitter top coat followed by a normal top coat making sure to seal each nail tip (by painting top coat along the nails edge). I also allowed each coat to dry before applying the next.
I was very happy with the nails as they were at this point.

I could have stopped here, but I decided to add a bit of 'bling' in the form of nail gems in pink and clear. I added then using a wooden pointed stick (orange stick / BBQ skewer, etc) and dabbing a bit of top coat to the back of them to affix them to my nails. Again allow these to fully dry before sealing the gems with one final top coat, for me Sally Hansen's No Chips Acrylic Top Coat is a must for this final layer. It's the best top coat I have found by far.

And that's it! Go out and party with your new year nails!

Leopard Print Nails - A first attempt

I wanted to try my hand at some nail art using grey nail polish, but after painting the grey on, I was stuck as to what to do as a design and what colours to use.

Whenever I'm stuck for ideas it's Google to the rescue! I did an image search for 'grey nail art' and found this Grey and white leopard print manicure. I thought it was beautiful, but wondered if I would be able to actually do it. I carried on looking at the other images but kept on coming back to this same one.

I decided to try drawing it out with the nail varnish on a piece of paper with my left hand (as I am actually right handed so thought If I can manage to do it with my left then I'm sorted and would easily be able to do it with my right hand. Below is my paper practise.

I was happy with my test so I got my new Dotting Tools (eBay £2.65 for set of 5 with free p&p UK seller too) and started putting white dots randomly on my nails.

Once I had done that, I got my black nail colour and using the nail art brush made lines and 'V' shapes around the white dots and around them too.

It wasn't too hard to do and I think the final look isn't too far off the original image that inspired me, Well I'm happy for a 1st attempt anyway, even did one of the girls at work the same design, but hers had yellow where mine is white **NB using yellow meant I had to first dot the nails with white then go over them with the yellow so it would show up, then add the black 'Vs'**

Nail Art and me.

For years I loved doing my nails and having kids meant I kinda run out of time and space to keep it up. Having kids changes your priorities and nail art just fell into the not essential pile.

But, just recently I have decided now the kids aren't so much babies I should start looking after myself again and take some time out to re-discover me. Taking a look back through some old photos of my nail art (which I will share with you), it gave me the push to try again.

I've had some lovely comments on my nails at work from my colleagues (including the men) and staff from the airlines I work with. I've also had a couple of the girls ask if I would do their nails, so feeling on a high I decided I'll get back into my former love and hopefully improve my skills while I'm at it. :)

I will share some examples of my work, all pretty simple but I'm hoping to improve and be able to do more complicated designs on my own nails myself.

Also just to let you know all my nail art is done on my own natural nails.

Why not call back and take a look? I will be posting my progress.