Movin Mani- Metallic Purple Vintage Plate

Maybe I mentioned this before... I can't quite remember... but fiance and I are moving!  We are heading across the country from lovely Oregon where I've been going to school for the past 3.5 years to my hometown in Maryland.  We head off on Saturday morning to drive across with our dog. It's going to be an adventure for sure, and while I packed the majority of my nail polish a few weeks ago, I kept my favorites until the very end... and just packed them today.  But have no fear, I kept out a select few bottles... and my stamping plates... for the drive!  

We packed the computers today, so please bear with me and my iPhone pics that will simply have to do for the next ~1.5 weeks.  Also I packed these bottles... doh.... so once again we have me making my very best Claw hand.  And I also don't remember the name of one of the polishes or which plate number I used.  Useless, I know, but I thought this design was cute so I just had to share anyway.

This design reminds me of vintage china plates that my grandmother has.  I think my mom might have them in blue... but I used metallic purple and I think it looks lovely!  

icky dry cuticles, yuck yuck yuck!!

Products Used:

OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls

China Glaze (ack I forgot!!!)

Ten Minute Mani: Purple Polka Dots!

Sometimes I love spending an hour on my nails, hand painting with toothpicks or tiny paintbrushes or whatever, and sometimes I just want something that's done quickly and looks nice.  This was one of those times.

I wanted something fun, but that would also be ok to wear to my internship.  I decided to do some subtle stamping.  I chose my colors based on some of the nail mail I got from Ulta that's been sitting next to my desk for over a month- China Glaze Devotion was the one that I chose for tonight, and I paired it with OPI Rumple's Wiggin, my go-to light purple.  Some quick polka dot stamps, and voila!  A manicure that didn't take much time, and got me several compliments from the kiddos at my elementary school.  Success!  This is FOR SURE one of my favorite manicures I've ever done, and so simple!  I am definitely going to save this idea for a rainy day.

I seriously was racing the sun home to get these photos.
Totally forgot about Daylight Saving's Time screwing with my afternoon sunshine!

Products Used:

OPI Rumple's Wiggin

China Glaze Devotion

Bundle Monster plate BM19

Simple, Quick- Rumple's Wiggin and Fuchsia Shock

I really liked this one, and it only took like 4 seconds to do!

Rumple's Wiggin is one of my favorite purples.  And I love the pink on top!  Very simple, but fun.

Products used:

OPI Rumple's Wiggin'

Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat in Fuchsia Shock

Sally Hansen Double Duty

Chalkboard Nails

I had this brilliant idea.  I've been wanting to do a mani with crackle tips, and I've been wanting to do a mani with matte pastels, so I thought "why not combine the two!"  Well... I tried it.  And I kind of don't like it at all.  The pastel green with the matte topcoat reminds me of sidewalk chalk.  And I guess I'm just really bad at doing tips or something, but I also kind of hate the crackle tips on me... on everyone else they look so awesome!  Maybe if I'd been able to find my silver pen and do a line in silver like I wanted to, rather in black...

But anyway, here it is!

Products used:

Revlon Minted

OPI Black Shatter

Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen in Black

Essie Matte About You

And here's another one for good measure: 

We haven't seen Abby in a while, but she made her presence known today!

Monet Polka Dots

For Easter I wanted something quick and easy, so I went for this great Monet-inspired polka dot manicure.

I love them!  So does my boyfriend.  He is so supportive (when the manicure is finished.. not so supportive when I'm buying MORE nail polish haha!)  This was an effortless design to do.  I used the fat, thicker end of a toothpick to make the dots.  Easy as pie!

Products used:

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Beige Blast, Lightening, and Snappy Sorbet

OPI Rumple's Wiggin'

OPI Gargantuan Green Grape Matte

Revlon Pink Chiffon

Maybelline Express Finish in Pie in the Sky

SV Topcoat

Toothpick!

Guess What IIIII Got

That's right!  Someone got herself some crackle nail polish finally!  I am super in love with it.  My boyfriend likes it a lot too!  

Products used:

OPI Rumple's Wiggin'

OPI Black Shatter

SV topcoat

And here's a bonus picture of Jack, who is also SO ENTHUSED 

about crackle nail polish!

Interview Appropriateness

In case you didn't know, I am a graduate student in my second year of a three year program.  The third year is an internship year, for which we have just started interviewing.  My goal was to find a nice neutral nail that I could wear on these interviews.  My issue is that I kind of hate baby pinks and I wanted to try something new.  I definitely have a favorite taupe and a favorite "greige"ish, but I wanted something lighter.  I started with a french mani using essie Guchi Muchi Puchi- but I HATED it.  I don't have any pics because it chipped the morning after I painted them and by that afternoon I had peeled it all off angrily.  It was just too baby pink for my taste.  So I rummaged through my box of polishes and stumbled across OPI's Moon Over Mumbai, which I purchased who-knows-when and have never worn.  I figured "why not, at least it isn't pink" and put it on over the OPI ridge filler base coat.

Fuzzy blankets worn like snuggies make excellent backdrops, right? 

I really feel that these photos don't do it justice!  I really like it a lot.  This is three coats on top of the ridge filler base coat and SV on top.  I wish I had done another layer, because I am neurotic about streaks and ridges and I think one more layer would have really done it for me, but I really really do like this.  

And of course my dog, Abby had to get in on the picture action.  This might end up being a blog feature, considering how in my face she always is, especially when there's a camera involved.  

BALL!