Week 24: Flag Manicure

Welcome to Week 24 of the 52 Week Challenge: Flag Manicure.  This week was supposed to coordinate nicely with Flag Day (June 14th) but I'm a bit behind in my year-long challenge.  I used this post from heart NAT as inspiration for my nails.

I used Zoya America for my middle, ring, and pinky fingers, and China Glaze First Mate for my thumb and pointer.  I've said it before but I feel I need to say it again: the formula on America is fabulous.  One coat perfection.  This was my first time using First Mate; the first coat was streaky but with the application of a second coat everything evened out and was covered nicely.  For the stars and stripes I used Bundle Monster plate BM20 and Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear White On.  I've filed off some of my nail length in the last week, but the Bundle Monster plates are still too tiny to fit most of my nails (middle and thumb especially). Oh well.  I do really like how this ended up turning out!  

Be sure to check out what others have done for this challenge by visiting their blogs:

LizMarie at I'm Simply Complex • Jenna at I'm Still Thinking... • Caitlin at Addicted 2 Nails • Sarah at PrncessSarah02 • Charlotte at Charlotte's Nails :) • Shally at Polished & Not Quite Put Together • Rachel-Karina at Polished Criminails • Liz at Nothing But Nail Polish • Fun With My Nail Polish • Operation: Nail It! • Lauriestrodes Fun With Nails • Square Polish • Only Always Soccermom  • Hurr Did, Nails Did • Olivia Writes • The Dragon Lady • Kaki at Glitter Obsession • Isa at IsaBella's World • Gypsy at Gypsy's Glitter • Jackie at MeMa's Mani's  • Lissa at Lissa's Nail Blog  •  Marie at Polish, Polish, Polish...  • ChiChi at... •  Esra at Oje Sihirbazi (Wizard of Polish) •  Nails, Actually • Treselaine at Tres Chic Nails • Carol at Nails by Carol

Seeing Stars

I'm kind of in love with this technique of double stamping.  Why do a manicure with one or even two colors when you can do three, four, or even five colors?  (Cue the crazy laughter here)  This is three different colors. I plan on working my way up.

Credit for the design goes entirely to the awesome blogger That's So Fresh - go check her out!

I use three coats of OPI A Grape Fit! as my base, stamped an image from Bundle Monster plate BM20 on top using Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Brisk Blue, then stamped another image from Bundle Monster plate BM 20 on using Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Black Out.  So pretty.

Electric Flowering Beat

This past weekend I was able to go polish shopping!  For the last several weeks I've been locked up in my apartment studying for an examination I had last week.  Most of my posts over this period were scheduled in advance so that I wouldn't have to worry about trying to maintain my blog when I had other stuff going on.  This past weekend I was able to do many things that I've wanted to do but haven't had the time for; such as taking down my Christmas decorations, going polishing shopping, playing video games (anyone play SWTOR??), wash my car, clean my apartment, and spend some quality time with my boyfriend.  I had a pretty awesome weekend!

One of the polishes I picked up this weekend was China Glaze Electric Beat.  There were two polishes I wanted from the China Glaze Spring 2012 Electropop Collection: Electric Beat and Make Some Noise.  I was very happy to find them both!

Today I have China Glaze Electric Beat for my base color, with China Glaze Platinum Silver stamped on top using Bundle Monster Plate BM20.  I can't tell you how many times I've picked cat fur off my hands only to see another strand I missed showed up in the photos.

My short little nails make me sad but I know they'll grow out.  Just not as fast as I want them to!

Day 15: DELICATE PRINT

Welcome to Day 15, delicate print day, on the 31 Day Challenge.

For my delicate print manicure I used Avon Amethyst Shimmer as my base with China Glaze Platinum Silver stamped on top using Bundle Monster plate BM02.  I've had Avon Amethyst Shimmer for at least 15 years now and I'm surprised that the formula has held up so well!