Flip Flop #16: Animal Print

The other choice for today was stripes, but as is I was going to choose that over animal stripes!

Now I had a long hard think about this.  I've done a lot of leopard print and zebra print manicures, I've had a go at tiger and poison dart frog.  So what to do this time...

Well, after mulling it over, coming up with some new ideas, I finally settled on....leopard print!

Yeah ok, so not exactly new and exciting. BUT it does have a little twist.  Flocking powder!

I used Barry M Gold Foil, with OPI Warm and Fozzie for the spots.  Then I outlined my spots using a black nail art pen, and sprinkled on some flocking powder.  I think this is a pretty awesome idea, and how good would fuzzy zebra stripes look??  However, I think it needs more fuzz.  Maybe brown fuzzy spots as well?  I shall have to try it!  Maybe when I'm back in my flat though, I've got more than enough flocking powder on the hotel carpet.  And bed.  And chair.  It's their fault really for only having teeny little sheets of paper...

Anyway, I believe I'm currently three days behind.  I'll definitely catch up at the weekend if I don't before then (assuming I'm back in my flat by then!).

Flip Flop #5 and Polish Days Mash Up

Hello ladies :)  I only have one day left in work this week, happy days!  Honestly, what are they even paying me for lol.  I'm going on a visit to Elekta on Thursday, which is a company that make linacs for radiotherapy, so that should be interesting!  For my new followers, I'm a trainee medical physicist by the way :)  Then on Friday I'm going home for a long weekend.  It was my little sister's birthday last Saturday, so I'm going back to spend some time with her shopping and drinking milkshakes.

So anyhoo, today is day 5 of the Flip Flop Challenge, and the theme was 3D or decals.  (As an aside, my right hand is so cold I'm actually struggling to type...time to put the heating on I think!)  Um...yes, so, as it happens, this theme fitted perfectly with the manicure I'd already done for this month's Polish Days!  Is that cheating?

This month's Polish Days theme is nature.  I've been loving The Polar Bear Family and Me on the BBC (I haven't seen the last episode yet, and god help anyone who tries to ruin it for me *glaaaaare*) so I created these cute little polar bear nails!

More velvet nails!

I used Barry M Matt White under the flocking powder, and Barry M Blueberry Ice Cream with a rubbish Saffron glitter that never dries, hence the state of my thumb nail.

I literally love polar bears so much.  The guy on the program got to hold a little baby one, and I don't think I've ever been so jealous of anything ever.  He did also have a bear having a good go at eating him...not so jealous of that one.  If anyone's interested, the program's on You Tube (as I discovered when I went to watch the second episode on BBC iPlayer and it was gone!  Almost ruined my day!).

I drew the face on with a Sharpie.  I then went and did some dishes (a rare occurence) and both face and flocking powder were still intact.

New Technique: Velvet Nails

This week you voted for me to have a go at velvet nails!

My boyfriend's sister bought me a selection of flocking powders for Christmas (and some adorable owl water decals that I neeeeed to use).

I used one coat of China Glaze Man Hunt and covered it in flocking powder while it was still wet.

For my little finger, I attempted to stick my nail in the tub, which ended up...er...a bit of a mess.  Had to take that off and redo it.  So for the other nails I picked a bit of powder up and put it on each nail.  I lightly pressed it down, and then after leaving it to dry for a few minutes, I used a fan brush to brush of the excess powder (on to a sheet of paper so I could put it back in the pot of course!).

I'd recommend using two coats of polish underneath.  Or rather, however many coats you need for it to be opaque, as I think these look a little patchy?

I'm a little bit in love with them though...  Will definitely be doing this again!  And I have 11 other colours I have to try :)

Have you tried velvet nails?  Or is fluffy not your thing?