Gradient nails

Hi lovelies,

This is my first attempt at a gradient manicure. This challenge was thrown by Plump and Polished.

I used a tonal gradient in green to make it easier for me. But I realised that doing this manicure was not as tough as I thought it would be.

I used a glitter as a gradient on matte polish. I loved the difference in texture it provided. Also, the glitter kept it Christmassy! 
Liked it? Don't forget to leave a comment.

Polishes used:
LA Girls Matte Alpine Green (base)
China Glaze Winter Holly (glitter gradient)

Deck the halls...

Hello fellow lacqueraders,

When Crumpet's Nail Tarts put up Festival of Lights as a theme, I was slightly confused because in India, Diwali is the Festival of Lights. But I guess in Christian countries, that would be Christmas. I combined it with  Plump and Polished's theme 'My Favourite Carol/Song'and Polished Art's theme 'Deck the halls' because in my house, the lights decorate my hall. Only a star adorns the outside.

For my ring finger, I found a konad stamp that I thought looked quite like candle holders. And the pointer is decorated with ornamental bulbs. 

I used a silver, metallic green and metallic pink for the three bulbs on my pointer. I now realise I should have used some other colour instead of pink, which looks just silver in the pictures. My hall is also decorated with silver bells and beautiful bows. Even though we do not get holly in my part of the country, I just could not avoid using it on my nails :)
Liked my manicure? Do leave a comment below and do not forget to check out my other nail art.

Polishes used:
Deborah Milano Sense Tech no 3 (matte dark blue)

For stamping:
Revlon Gilded Chrome
Plates: Konad M74 (candles), Bundle monster 318 (ornamental lights), Red Angel 121 (bow), Konad M12 (bells and holly)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Hi lovelies,

I am back with snowflakes. The first time I did snowflakes was for my favourite song theme. This time, it is for Day 7 of Pink & Polished and Overpolished's Christmas challenge themed 'snowflakes'.

I love the base which is Deborah Milano sense tech no 10. It is a beautiful shimmery blue, and unlike matte polishes, it does not dry too fast or leave streaks. It perfectly offset the white stamping.

I love the single snowflake on my accent nail. It is so detailed!

Despite the dinged pointer, I love this manicure. What about you guys? Don't forget to leave me a comment. And please do check out the other Christmas challenges I could upload only now due to my whacky Net connection.

Polishes used:
Deborah Milano Sense Tech 10 (shimmering blue matte base)

For stamping:
Konad white (snowflakes)
Plates: Bundlemonster 323 (full snowflake design), Bundlemonster 14 (solitary snowflake)

The Grinch who failed to steal my Christmas

Hello lovelies,

From my title you would have guessed what this manicure is about. Yes, it is the Grinch 
from How the Grinch Stole Christmas! which is a children's story by Dr. Seuss. This one is for Plump and Polished's challenge 'Favourite holiday book/character'.

The Grinch, a bitter, grouchy, cave-dwelling creature with a heart "two sizes too small," lives on snowy Mount Crumpit, just north of Whoville, home of the merry and warm-hearted Whos. From his perch, the Grinch can hear the noisy Christmas festivities that take place in Whoville. Annoyed and unable to understand the Whos' happiness, he makes plans to deprive them of their Christmas presents, Roast Beast, Who-hash and decorations and thus "prevent Christmas from coming." 

However, he learns in the end that despite his success in taking away all the Christmas presents and decorations from the Whos, Christmas comes just the same. He then realizes that Christmas is more than just gifts and presents. Touched by this, his heart grows three sizes larger; he returns all the presents and trimmings and is warmly accepted into the community of the Whos.

I am keeping the posts short as I couldn't update my blog due to Internet issues, and have to catch up with the pending posts. 
So, do you like my Grinch? Don't forget to check out my other posts and leave a comment :)

Polishes used:
LA Girls Matte Alpine Green (green base)
China Glaze Winter Holly (glitter topper)
Zoya Harlow (Hat)
Zoya Mitzi (Base for grinch's face)
Acrylic colours red, black, yellow and white for the grinch's features. 

P.S. For those wondering about the black mark on my index finger, its indelible ink. Gujarat Assembly elections were held in December and that mark tells all that I officially showed them my finger ;) Okay, I voted :D

Gift wrap nails

Hi lovelies,

Today I bring gift wrapped nails for you. I am technically running behind on the challenge schedule. I say technically because I have been meeting the challenges but problems with the internet prevents me from uploading the pictures. It is times like these when I feel I belong to a 'developing' country and not a developed one. But on the brighter side, we have made progress by leaps and bounds from where we were even a year ago!
Coming back to the challenges, this meets the Gifts theme set by Pink & Polished and Overpolished, Plump and Polished, as well as Presents and Gift Wraps theme set by Crumpet's Nail Tarts. 

I just love, love, love the blue used to create the gift-wrap pattern.

You can see the pattern more clearly in this sharpened picture. 

I used bornpretty glitters to add a bit of glimmer to the wrapping. So, did you like it? Don't forget to leave a comment!

Polishes used:
OPI Alpine Snow (white creme base)

For stamping:
Colorbar Exclusive 14 (gift wrap pattern)
Revlon Grape (bow accent)
Plates: Bundlemonster 204 (gift wrap pattern),Konad M61 (Bow)

Frosty Snowmen nails

Hi fellow lacqueraders,

Pink & Polished and Overpolished threw snowmen up as a Christmas challenge. 

I had planned on doing some other design for my nails. After seeing how this turned out, I am kicking myself for not following through with my original idea. Time dictated that I stamp instead of paint and the end result proved to be disastrous as you can see here. But since I did not have time to redo it, here's my sorry excuse of a manicure :(

Nothing really worked out for me. The snowflakes would 'flake' off and the red/white snowman I had planned on the accent nail just could not take the heat. It melted  :P

And that is the last photograph of the torturous manicure that I have forced you to look at. Good or bad, don't forget to leave me a comment. I love to read all your inputs. 

Polishes used:

Deborah Milano Sense Tech Mat Oil Blue (Half-mani base)

Jade Psicodelica (silver holographic at the tips)

Stamping polishes:

Konad white (snowman)

Revlon Grape, Earthquake, Orchid Chrome for snowflakes 

Stamping Plates:

Snowman: Bundlemonster 318 

Snowflakes: Bundlemonster 14, Bundlemonster 323, OB 19

Holiday Movie nails

Hi lovelies,

When I saw this challenge at Plump & Polished, and also at the one jointly hosted by Overpolished and Pink & Polished,  I was stumped. Would you believe I hadn't watched a Christmas movie?!! I couldn't believe it myself. So I researched on some holiday movies, did my nails and then got down to watch the movie. Kinda kooky, but guess what I ended up watching?

Yup. It's the 2003-starrer Elf! Starring comedy star Will Ferrell and the lovely Zooey Deschanel.

The story is about a baby boy who is brought up as one of Santa's elves. And when he learns of his true identity (that he is a human), he goes to New York to meet his biological father. In the process he spreads Christmas cheer all around.
I really, really enjoyed watching the movie. I love comedies. 

Coming back to the nails, I feel I should have made the legs thinner and longer, like a drain pipe. Better luck to me next time! So, which is your favourite movie? Have you watched Elf? It is good for a great laugh. Don't forget to comment on my manicure :)

Polishes used:

LA Girls Matte Alpine Green (base)

NYX Blue glitter (layer of iridescent glitter)

OPI Alpine Snow (ascent nail base)

Acrylic colours in white, yellow, light green, dark green and blue. 

Candy Canes and Gingerbread Man

Hello fellow lacqueraders,

It is red, white and Christmassy. Yup, candy canes it is. 

Day 3 challenge hosted by Pink and Polished and Overpolished is Candy Canes. This combined beautifully with the Crumpet Nail Arts' Day 2 challenge of Candy Canes and Gingerbread Man as well as Plump and Polished's Candy Cane challenge.

The candy cane on my pinkie has melted ;) thanks to a highly uncooperative XL stamper. I somehow seem to manage better with the Konad stampers. Strange. Has that happened to you?

Candy canes seem to be an integral part of Christmas. But they are not easily available in India, if it is available anywhere at all. Every time I see pictures of them, I wonder how they taste. I imagine them to be cinnamony or pepperminty. (Is there such a word?). How do they taste?

Even gingerbread can't be found in bakeries here. Though to be frank, there aren't very many bakeries in my city. But with the Indian market opening up to foreign goods, I hope to see them soon sometime :)
So, did you like what I did? Don't forget to leave a comment :)

Polishes used:
OPI Alpine Snow (white creme base)

For stamping:
Colorbar Exclusive 48 (red swirls)
Bourjois Paris 1 seconde Rouge Obscure (gingerbread man)
Revlon Forest Green (holly leaves)
Plates: Bundlemonster 222 (gingerbread man), Red Angel 110 (Candy swirls)

White Christmas, Snowy Christmas

Hello lovelies,

How are you doing? Today I bring to you snow white nails. Erm, they are not exactly snow white, but you get the idea :) 

As you know, I am taking part in a couple of challenges at the same time. Sometimes, they all work out together. Today, Pink & Polished Challenge (Day 2) threw up Favourite Holiday Song while Crumpets first task is themed snow/snowflakes. The Holly Jolly Challenge (Day 2) for next Monday is 'Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow' while Plump and Polished (Day 3) seeks a tape manicure. 

So can you guess my favourite Christmas song? One of my most favourite bands is Boney M. I love all their Christmas renditions but my favourite is 'White Christmas.' I just love this song. Maybe it is because it never ever snows in Ahmedabad. In fact, it is bloody sunny even in winters as you can see  from the above picture :( 

This song is how I imagined they celebrated Christmas in the cold countries. Such beautiful lyrics: Where the treetops glistened and children listened to hear sleigh bells in the snow!

I used craft scissors, scotch tape and A-England St George to create my abstract treetops covered in snow. Here's an upside-down shot of the snowed-in world :)

Another shot of the manicure. Can you spot Nubar White Polka Dots on my nails? (Psst... check out the pinkie.)

So, do you like my manicure or think it is a fail? Don't forget to comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.  

Colours used: 

Revlon Powder Puff (matte white suede base) 

Nubar White Polka Dots (pearlescent micro and medium white glitter) 

A-England St George (Scattered teal holo for the tips) 

Stamping: 

Revlon Orchid Chrome 

Revlon Budding Chrome 

Snowflake plates: Bundlemonster 14, Bundlemonster 323, OB 19

Christmas Penguins

Hi lovelies,

I am loving the Christmas challenges. How about you? I will leave you with a short post here because I have to meet three other challenges today. These are my penguin nails for Day 2 of the Plump and Polished Challenge.

Though I did them yesterday, I had no time to post it till now. Better than never! The challenges are pushing me to try new styles I hadn't used before. This is the first time I used acrylic paint on my nails. I had no idea they were so easy to work with!

This was the penguin on the thumb. I found these Santa penguins on a Youtube tutorial by Pretty Nails. Aren't they cute and goofy?

That was the final shot. Did you like them? Don't forget to leave a comment!


Polishes used:
Colorbar Exclusive 14 (blue creme)
Wet N Wild Wild Shine Kaleidoscope (micro holographic glitter)
Acrylic paints: Dark blue, red, yellow and white

Christmas tree nails

Hi lovelies,

You must be wondering at the sudden spurt of activity on my blog. Well, I have decided to get my act together for my favourite festival: Christmas. This is one is for the theme Christmas tree.

I decided to keep these nails sparkly because I live in the state of Gujarat in India, where it is sunny the whole year through. Pine trees are out. We have to do with artificial trees. I used to decorate a tree, made of shiny paper, till someone managed to get me an artificial tree from the US. So, this is in rememberance of my sparkly X'mas tree.

Here's an upside-down shot

I really love how this one turned out. What do you think? Do leave a comment. I would love to read your views.

Colours used:
Colorbar Exclusive 48 (red creme)
Color Club Holiday Splendor (green glitter on accent nail)
Bornpretty loose green glitter
Kleancolor Blind Date (The star accents)

12 Days of Christmas: Red and green nails

Hi sweethearts,

This is my first day of the 12 Days of Christmas challenge. The theme is Red and Green nails. Since I am still new to the nail art world, I have kept it simple. 

This is the first time I used the 'glequins' from Bornpretty store. I got the set of 12 glitter boxes they offer for a little more than $6. They are easier to use than what I had expected. The accent nail is CC Holiday Splendor. It is the greener version of China Glaze's Atlantis. The name is so apt to start my challenge with.

Ooh! Ain't the colours Christmassy! Hmm... I am off to get my apple-cinnamon incense sticks and spread the joy around. I would love to hear how you liked this manicure. Don't forget to comment :)

Colours used:
Colorbar Exclusive 48 (red creme)
Color Club Holiday Splendor (Green holographic glitter)
Bornpretty loose green glitter

Nailing Christmas!

Hi fellow lacqueraders,

December will turn out to be quite a challenging month for me. Because I am joining a couple of Christmas challenges! Life has been a bit too busy for me so this is my way of trying to stick to my love of polish and nail art.

 First up is Plump and Polished's 12 Days of Christmas Nail Art Challenge. The days are as follows:

Next up is the Pink & Polished and Overpolished's Christmas challenge. The themes are as follows:

Polished Art has thrown a Holly Jolly Challenge. There's still time for others to join in.

The Crumpets Nail Tarts group on Facebook is also hosting a Christmas challenge. It starts on December 5, and runs twice a week till the end of the year. 

I might also be part of the Let It Snow challenge. This is a weekly one and reassures me by asking challengers to 'go at your own pace' :)

I may have bitten off more than I can chew. But then again, if it were not so, what's a challenge? Right! I plan to modify a couple of my entries to suit the other. I will definitely have to plan on my creativity. 
So, wish me luck sweeties. I definitely need it. 

Floating on Floam

Hi lacqueraders,

Do you ever get tired of a colour? I do. Red is my nemesis. Except for Barielle's Elle Spell which I sported here, there has never been a red I could stand for more than two days. And even that is a feat. I usually want to take it off as soon as I put it on *shrugs*.
I love the blue-green combination. Therefore, it was a surprise for me when I could not figure out what the hype about Floam was all about. I got Sticks and Stones from Ninja Polish and added Floam to the basket just to see why bloggers were going so gaga about it. Well, now I know... and how. Be ready to be picture-bombed!

Isn't this a beauty?! This polish was first frankened by Amy from the blog I'm Feeling Nail-Venturous. But Ninja Polish started producing it later with her permission.

 It has matte green and neon blue glitter with a smattering of yellow, too, in a clear base. The polish is thick, but it dries fast and hard. This one did not chip even after I sported it for over eight days! Do wait in between coats to avoid bald spots.

Since this polish has been around for some time now, I learnt that it was very hard to get off. So I layered it over my blue peel-off polish. This polish can be used as a layer polish with one coat or lend full coverage with three coats.

The finish is slightly gritty. The matte glitters do not shine. But I loved the way it looked and did not topcoat it. Also, like with all glitters, this one cannot be wrapped around the nails either. But that should not be a problem with this beauty's amazing staying power!

This is such a striking polish, everyone, and I mean absolutely everyone, will take notice. It has a very tropical feel. The photos do not do justice to its neon-iness. It will definitely grab eyeballs and compliments! 
Here's a macro shot to drool over:

Product: Floam

Brand: Nail-Venturous/ Ninja Polish

Collection/Range:  Floam  (Check out the other versions: Girly Floam, Humblebee Floam, Pinkerbell, Sunny Floam and Spooky Floam which is glow-in-the-dark!). 

Colour: Matte neon glitter in clear base
Finish: Slighty gritty
Qty: 15 ml
Price/Availability: $9 (Rs 500 approx). It is not available in India. Can be ordered through Ninja Polish.

Wishes and celebrations

Hi fellow lacqueraders,

In India, we celebrate the Festival of Lights (as it called) by bursting crackers, drawing rangolis, meeting each other and wishing each other love and prosperity. I had painted my nails red and gold, but later, I stamped over it...

I stamped them with Revlon Gilded Chrome. My pinkie had diamonds (BM 09) and ornaments(OB 13) to show prosperity, the boom (CH 47) on the ring finger, the starburst (BM 202) and the explosion (BM 02) for the celebrations.

 The middle finger contained a design symbolising rangoli (BM 214). For those who don't know,  rangoli are decorative designs made using flowers, rice powder or coloured powder on the floors of living rooms and courtyards during Hindu festivals. Rangoli designs can be simple geometric shapes, impressions of deities, flower and petal shapes (appropriate for the given celebration), or  they can be very elaborate designs, too. These are drawn free-hand.

The pointer had peace and love wishes (OB 11). 

Did you like it? Thanks for visiting and don't forget to leave a comment!