Black & White Challenge #2: Stamping

I WILL get this posted today!  Don't know why I'm feeling so lazy recently!  I also need to pack for a weekend at home, but I've been sitting here watching TV all night instead...

Anyhoo, yes, today the challenge prompt is stamping!  Ok...I can do that...maybe only on one hand, but all the same...

Here's what I came up with:

Of course, once again I used Barry M Matt White and Black, with a Barry M nail art pen on the black nails, and Konad M73 on the white nails.

Sorry, just a short post today!  I need to go and pack all my nail polishes for the weekend!

Don't forget to have a look at all the other black and white manicures!

Black and White Challenge #1: Get In Shape

Nail Art Challengez is yet another Facebook group that I've been a member of for longer than I can remember, but have yet to join in a challenge in.  But, today is the day!  They're currently running a black and white nail art challenge, hosted by Yohana at Beauty-Shoes-Nails-Fun.

Here's the challenge schedule:

After much discussion in the group, it has been clarified that YES black and white means ONLY black and white (but if I mix black and white together I can use the grey right...?  Or I can just use a grey polish and lie to you all :p ).

Anyhoo, the first challenge is geometric.  I painted a few nails with Barry M Matt White, and a few with Barry M Black, and then went to town with my Barry M nail art pens.

All in all, a bit of a Barry M fest.  You'll be seeing a lot more of these over the course of this challenge as well...

She Who Does Nail Art: Stickmen

I've been a member of this group on Facebook since its inception, but somehow I haven't got around to joining in with a challenge until now!  There've been some awesome themes that I'v missed as well, silly me!

So the idea of this group (which you can find here if you're interested) is that each week there's a different theme, and you can post as many manicures (or as few in my case..) as you like for that theme.  It's a bit more laid back than other challenges, there's no specific day you need to post or anything, so it's worth checking out if you're looking for a relaxed challenge.

The theme for this week was stickmen.  Now...this is rather embarassing.  I actually did this manicure Tuesday night.  I was using my Sharpies, so I painted my base, seche vite'd and left plenty of time to dry before drawing on my design and all that faff.  I only did it on one hand, so obviously I removed it for work the next day!  So I'm in work on Wednesday morning, and as I was washing my hands I was thinking about the manicure, and the thought hit me "er...I don't remember taking any photos of it...".

So yeah, I'm an idiot.  This is version 2 of the manicure, that I repeated on Wednesday night!

I used Barry M Matt White for my base, and then just doodled with Sharpies.  The skinny ends of my red and green have dried up though, which is annoying!  I shall have to invest in some more I think.

What do you think?  Have you had a go at notebook nails?  They're actually something that's been on my to do list for ages, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get them done!

Royal Baby!

So it's just been announced that Kate and William have had their baby today, and the country has a new little prince :)

Think that means it's time for some nail art!

I prepared these a week ago, hence the blue and pink!  I've been waiting very patiently for her to hurry up and give birth so I could post this.

I used Barry M Lemon Ice Cream, OPI Can't Find My Czechbook, Nails Inc Grosvenor Street, MUA All Nude and on my little finger I used my pink Barry M nail art pen.

I did intend to give the duck a crown, but evidently I forgot!  Any guesses what they're going to name the baby?

Orly Miss Conduct

I have a rare swatch post for you today!  Photographing this polish reminded me why I don't do swatches...such a pain getting a polish to look totally colour accurate.

Anyhoo, a little while ago I bought my mum a set of three Orly polishes, which included Miss Conduct.  It caused me genuine physical pain to hand it over to here, having seen Miss Conduct all over the blogosphere.  I couldn't justify buying myself a set as well, because the other two polishes were just a red creme (and I definitely have enough of those!) and a glitter that looked pretty similar to China Glaze Pure Joy.  I did contemplate deconstructing the set and just giving her the other two polishes, but I thought that wouldn't have been very daughterly of me...

But then!  A few weeks later there was a different set!  Still featuring Miss Conduct, but now with Halo and Angel Eyes, which I could TOTALLY justify adding to my collection!  So, at last, I had Miss Conduct.

Then...er...it sat untried for a couple of months.

So I finally whipped it out to have a play last week.  I actually had thought it was a full coverage glitter (I have no idea how when I had looked at swatches), so I was rather surprised!

It's actually a rather fabulous magenta polish, with a very fine scattered holo.

I used two coats for these swatches, plus a coat of Seche Vite.

The colour is just totally stunning.  And the holo...well, it's holo, what more do I need to say?  It's quite a subtle holo I think, like at times you almost want to call it a shimmer, but it's definitely more than that.

Application had no problems.  No dragging or patchiness that you get with some holos.  And I wore this for a fair few days and didn't have any chipping, just minimal tip wear.

Do you have Orly Miss Conduct?  Or is it a polish you'd like to add to your collection?

I just need a blue holo now...