Summer Designs with MoYou Nails!

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I don't now if YOU know this, but Father's Day this year was also the first official day of summer!  So I created two nail designs to celebrate the new season using MoYou Nails stamping plates, polish, and rhinestones ^_^

The first design is based off one of my top favorite images that come to mind when I hear the word "summer" - sailing!

I did a gradient using "Lei It Again" and "Rum Me The Right Way" by KBShimmer, and painted a wave pattern using "In Yacht Water," also by KBShimmer.  To get the subtle waves look, I used a holo topcoat and OPI's Nail Envy in a watermarble pattern.  I then used my MoYou Nails Black nail polish to stamp the boat silhouettes, and a dark blue stamping polish from somewhere (I honestly don't recall, it's in an unmarked tiny bottle) for the dolphin silhouettes, all from MoYou Nails Plate 70.  I painted a light grey inside the dolphin lines because they just looked odd as outlines :P  I topped it all with my OPI Matte topcoat, and I'm pretty pleased with the end look ^_^

My second design is a bit more fun :)  One of my favorite activities I remember doing as a kid in the summer was making tie-dye t-shirts and whatnot.  So I thought I'd re-create a nail design to sort of emulate that look:

I used the entire Live Love Neon collection by Seventy-Seven Nail Lacquer for the watermarble designs.  I then stamped over using my MoYou White nail polish and a beautiful butterfly design from Plate 212.  Over the sun part of the butterfly image I placed a diamond rhinestone for an added sparkle :)  I totally love how this design turned out!!!

I'm always pleased with MoYou Nails plates and polishes - they all stamp so smoothly!  I've noticed that they pick up with different types of stamper heads, too, which is always nice.  Some of my polishes will only pick up with a super sticky and squishy stamper, others will only transfer on a more solid type of stamper.  All the MoYou Nails polishes pick up with both types so far.  I used my MoYou Nails stamper, which is not too sticky and is stiffer, for all these image transfers in the above designs.

What do you think of these designs?  What are some of the first things that come to your mind when you think of Summer? :)

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MoYou Nails supplied their stamping plates, polishes, and rhinestones for this review.  Opinions and experiences with the product are my own and are 100% honest.  Results may vary for everyone.

Press Release: KBShimmer Summer Collection

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Happy Monday to you all!  I've got a press release for you today explaining each of the 3 parts of the massive new Summer collection soon to be released by KBShimmer!!  It's pretty incredible, and your bank account will probably start weeping already by the end of this post ;)

Tempted yet?  Maybe?  Alright, how about these:

Still on the fence?  This should send you over:

I have determined that I only really need one kidney, so I can sell the other one and use the profits to buy these, because they are all AMAZING!!  This is the first time in a very long time that each and every color coming out in this Summer collection is one that I really want!  I have a few of these lovelies I'll be swatching and showing you in the next week or so, so keep your eye out!  

Until then, you can follow the KBShimmer Facebook Page, Fan Group, and Instagram for updates, sneak peaks, and all around fun!  See you soon <3

Gothic Gala Lacquers Beach Duo + Nail Art

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I tell you what, allergy colds that last over a week can just go off and die.  Going on day 9 now, and I'm finally able to hear fully out of my left ear.  Good thing it doesn't affect my nails, eh? ;)

Today I've got a perfect-for-summer brand new pair of polishes by Gothic Gala Lacquers to show you.  It is called the Beach Duo:

Let's take a closer look at the polishes individually, starting with "Ocean:"

Ocean is a lovely blue/green polish with an aqua blue/green shimmer throughout.  The polish applies like a dream and is opaque in about 3 coats, depending on how thick you apply (I always apply in thin coats, and am wearing three in the photo above).  It also dries very quickly in under 5 minutes to a shiny finish.

The second polish is "Sand:"

Outdoor shot in direct sunlight so you can see the glittery goodness of it!

Sand is a gorgeous micro glitter topper consisting of gold and brown glitters, as well as blue and green flakies that represent beach glass.  Because it is a micro glitter, there's a lot more coverage in each layer, so this polish could be full coverage in 2-3 coats (again, depending on how thick you apply).  It dries in under 5 minutes to a textured finish, so a nice coat of Smooth Me Over would even it out nicely, and a quick coat of HK Girl Glisten & Glow would make it shine nicely, and really bring out that shimmer and glitter.

This duo is so totally perfect for a beach scene!  It definitely reminds me of beach trips in the summer - so much so that I decided to do some nail art to emulate that feeling:

Little fishies and beach stones ^_^  That was my childhood growing up in Washington, taking trips to Puget Sound to play along the water's edge, flipping over stones to look for fun critters and crabs underneath :D  

You can find this lovely duo here.  And you can keep up-to-date with Gothic Gala Lacquers at these social links:

Store: Here

Facebook: Here

Facebook Fan Group: Here (get sneak-peaks and early access to upcoming polishes, as well as group exclusive polishes!)

Instagram: Here

Twitter: Here

What do you think of this duo?  Does it remind you of the beach?

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Polishes provided by Gothic Gala for photography purposes.  All opinions are 100% honest.

Birthday Mani!

You know what I really can't stand out here, besides the disgusting heat of the Monsoon season?  Scorpions.  I hate them.  Last year, when we first moved down here, my husband was working back in Seattle for 3 weeks at a time and would be home for 1 week.  The first time he left, that very night I found a baby scorpion.  I lost it, freaking out because I did not realize scorpions could be THAT SMALL.  So as a mother, my mind instantly went to, "Oh my gosh, what if they are in the kids' beds in their sheets?  Or hiding in their toys?"  It pretty much drove me crazy, and I didn't really sleep much that night.  Luckily, my parents knew a great pest company who sent someone out to spray the inside and outside of my house.  Didn't really have any issues inside anymore, but I kept finding them in my backyard along the stone walls that surround it.

So I squished them with a rubber mallet.

Scorpions are nocturnal, and when under a black light, they glow green.  So I took my black light out back at night with my mallet and every time I found one on the walls or in the rocks, I squished it.  My total count by the end of the season (which lasts 2-3 months) was in the high 70's.  I frequently posted my adventures on facebook and apparently garnered a small following, because I had several people ask me how my "Scorpion Wars" were going, and referred to me as the Scorpion Hunter.

I was really hoping this year that I wouldn't have to deal with them again, since I've taken more precautions this year in preparing for them.  However last night, I found a juvenile one in the kitchen on the floor.  Not sure if it was in the house for a while, or if one of my dogs brought it in on their fur.  I went outside last night and found (and killed) 6 more.  I'm hoping it's just outside - I can handle them outside.  I just hate the thought of them inside my house.

Anywho, on to less spine-tingling subjects.

My birthday was this last Saturday the 28th!  Originally we were going to go to a lake and my dad and I were going to scuba dive, but due to a miss-communication, there wasn't any gear available to rent.  So, my mom and I had a girly day instead ^_^  Went to breakfast at our favorite French-themed restaurant, then a quick shopping trip at Penney's followed by our traditional birthday pedicures.  My mother never used to like the idea of someone touching her feet, but after I persuaded her to at least try a pedicure, she has been hooked ever since, and now for every birthday and mother's day, we go :D  I'm so proud <3

That evening I had more family over for a potluck styled dinner and some cake (duh).  It was a lovely birthday!  And of course, I did a special manicure for the day :D  I wanted to do something that reflected a part of me.  So I decided to try a scale pattern, because I not only love fish, I also love mermaids (and secretly long to be one).  Now most scale patterns I've seen on nails are painted over a gradient or solid color.  I did it differently, because I not only lacked a teeny tiny paint brush, I also lacked the ability to paint smooth, even scales.  I instead used my dotting tool and did individual dots (yes, it took me a very long time).  I think it looks pretty good for a first attempt, and a little more detailed!  Check them out:

Outdoors in direct sunlight

Outside in the shade

Light Box

Macro

I used Model City's "Fairy Godmother" for the base color, You Polish's "Rowena" for the dark blue, Colors by Llarowe's "Surf My Wave" for the medium blue, and a specially made light blue from Above the Curve.  All the colors went very well together, as you can see.

Like I said, not too shabby for a first attempt!  I was happy :)  And I didn't want to cover each nail completely, I wanted to be a little unconventional and do "patches" of scales on the other nails.  I got quite a few complements on them, too!  Hooray for progress!!  Next step is to try doing it the way I always see it done - by painting the scales on.  I better start looking for a teeny tiny paint brush!

I hope you all survive your Monday!! I'll have another new post for you tomorrow morning!