Christmas Nail Art Challenge - Day 9 - Wreath

Hi everyone!

I'm a day late! First time in this challenge I've missed a day, but in my defence I went out last night pretty much straight from work so didn't have time, and I haven't lined up any posts like I was planning to, so it had to be today.  I had a brilliant time last night, lovely food with lovely people.

I have one more present to get, so I'm going out to the shops soon, not looking forward to that, it's blowing a gale and throwing down with rain, but am having my groceries delivered this evening, so that's a bit of Christmas pain I don't have to go through at least. 

Todays (yesterdays) challenge is to do a manicure based on a wreath.  I'm pleased as punch with what I came up with, I hope nobody came up with the same design, I haven't dared to check in case they did. 

One of the things that's really struck me during this challenge is how you can take a pretty straightforward task, such as the ornament one, and everybody comes up with something unique and imaginitive.  The nail art community has got so much creative energy, it's a privilege to be a part of.

So, on to the pics:

The base for this is Orly Platinum, and it was in a baaaaad mood today.  It flooded my cuticles, bubbled, and dented.  I'm sure it wasn't like that last time I used it, maybe it doesn't do well in cold weather, not sure.  Anyway, I'm glad I persevered because it was exactly the right colour for this manicure, pearly white.

For the wreath I used acrylic paints, and, as it came out looking alot more difficult to do than it was, I thought I'd make a mini photo tutorial so that you can all do it too.

I didn't bother with the 'paint your base coat' picture, you know how to do that, right?

Then mix up a few different colours of green by making a few biggish size green blobs and mixing black or yellow or white to them to change them.  Or if you've got more money than me you might already own lots of different green paints, in which case, just use those haha. 

You could even use different colours of green nail polish and a nail art brush, but to be honest I couldn't be bothered to experiment to see which were opaque enough, which is why I used the paints.

Then using your first colour of green, make some random blobs, none of these have to be perfect, as they're from nature, and she's pretty random and perfectly imperfect too:

Then, using a different green, do the same again.  Start to form the wreath shape on your middle two nails:

Then, just keep blobbing until you've got something you're happy with.  You can see on my little finger that I did a massive blob, but that's ok.  Leave a bit of base coat showing through so it doesn't end up looking too muddy.

 

After that, add some bright red dots to represent berries, et voila!  This is what it looked like before the top coat, which I actually prefer because of the texture, but it would wear off too quick.  I tried to do the berries in a round design so that it looked more like a wreath shape.  On my thumb I made a berry french tip:

 And there we have it, I hope you try it, be sure to show me if you do!  As you see, alot more simple than it seems.  I think I will re-do this for Christmas Day, it's my favourite looking manicure for a while.  Hmm I wonder if I can find a way of adding some glitter to it?

 

Fa la la la laaaa

 

Until next time...

 

MASPOOASE x x x

~Wendy~

Christmas Nail Art Challenge - Day 7 - Snowflakes

Hi again,

I finally got all my Christmas shopping finished today, yayyy! I just have my cards to make and the wrapping to do, and I'm all done.  AND I managed to go into TK Maxx twice without buying any polish, so my self control was laudable. 

Although I did manage to pick up other halfs present to me, he didn't know until I got home haha, he bought me a sewing machine that was in the sale at BHS, I already have one but it doesn't work very well, which puts me off getting it out.  This one's only small, and pink, and hopefully it works ok, if not I'll take it back after Christmas.  It was reduced from £50 to £35. 

Speaking of pink, lets get on with the nails.  Todays challenge is snowflakes, and I decided to go pretty much straightforward, aside from the colour scheme:

I love light pink and black together, I think the black stops the pink from looking too twee.  The pink is my favourite light pink, OPI Mod About You, this is two coats.  I then painted the snowflakes on in black acrylic paint, and topped it off with an unknown Claire's Accessories multicoloured pastel glitter, which looks so much prettier in real life.  Here's another pic:

As you can see the cuticle on my ring finger is playing up, I have no idea why, I must have caught my finger at some point and not noticed, never mind!

I did a similar mani last year:

I can't remember the red I used, but the glitter topcoat is Nails Inc Electric Lane, and the snowflakes were drawn with a Claires Accessories white striping polish.  I think I actually prefer it!

Well I hope your Christmas shopping is nearly done too, just over a week to go!

Until next time...

MASPOOASE x x x
~Wendy~