New 31DC: Flakies

I didn't think too much about today's challenge because I like flakie glitter and have an amazing untried.  So, I wore a simple swatch of Cult Nails' Seductive today:

*1 coat Yello-Out
*1 coat Maybelline Plum Paradise
*1 coats Cult Nails Seduction
*1 coat Out The Door

 

I wish that I had planned better for Seduction. I used a thin base without realizing how sheer the tint of this is. In the future, I'll build my base much cleaner and better. This polish is packed with red to green duochrome flakes with scattered blue ones too. I did a horrible job of getting the color shift to show, but know that this is a-mazing! I bought it when it became pretty clear that Clairvoyant will never come back, and I think I'm okay with that. I'm dying to see this over something with more contrast, like black...

After I got home with chips in my nails, I reconsidered my flakies. Today is my best friend's birthday! She is amazing and, even though she is really not into nail polish, she stops by here to see what I'm up to. She's on the other side of the country and I miss her so much, so I wanted to do a special mani for her today. AND, I even worked in some flakies!

 

*1 coat Yello-Out
*2 coats Color Club Take Me To Your Chateau (pinkie and index)
*2 coats Julep Dendrie (middle and thumb(
*2 coats Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Black Out (ring)
*2 coats Finger Paints Motley (all but ring)
*Sinful Colors Snow Me White
*Cover Girl Candy Corn
*1 coat Out The Door

I decided to use Finger Paints Motley as my flakie.  I layered it over Take Me To Your Chateau and Dendrie to look icy.  I alternated those two because I just couldn't decide which look I liked better.  Both a clean, cream finishes.  Take Me is a pale sky blue, which has streaked a bit each time I used it, but definitely not enough to ditch it!  Dendrie is a pale, warm gray (is that possible?) that also covered really easily in 2 coats.  There were not really any streaking issues with this. 
I used 2 coats of Motley to amp up the flakes.  It's funny that, in these photos, the green really shows in the flakes because in real life, the blue is much more dominant.  My middle nail (gray base) is the easiest to see both colors on--blue down the center and green on the sides.

I used Black Out for my penguin (bestie's favorite animal!), with Snow Me White brushed on for the tummy.  I dotted on the eyes and used Candy Corn to dot on the feet and beak.  I'm pretty proud of how these little guys turned out!  I'm definitely going to use them again sometime--they were pretty easy and super cute! 
So those are my flakie nails--both the ones I wore and the ones I painted tonight to celebrate an amazing girl!  Do you like to paint your nails in honor of others?  I love looking down and seeing something that reminds me of people I love! 

31DC: Half Moons

I'm actually pretty excited about this one!  Half moon manis aren't really my thing.  I don't really understand the appeal and have never felt compelled to do one before, which made me kind of dread this challenge (see also: tribal!).  Then, while quickly glancing at Pinterest (a.k.a. not realizing how many hours I had wasted) I found this adorable art and knew I would have to give it a try.  She painted the tips of her nails, so I almost didn't see it, but luckily my mind moved a little faster than my brush on this one!

*1 coat Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Hardener
*2 coats Finger Paints Tiffany Imposter
*Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Green With Envy
*Finger Paints Motley on tips
*Sinful Colors Snow Me white
*Color Club white striper
*Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Black Out
*1 coat Seche Vite

Kermit the Frog, here!  I'm kicking myself for not cleaning up my cuticles, because that would have made these even better, but I really like how they turned out!  The only glitch was my ring finger, which got a little smudged in the pupil, but I like the rest!
I used Tiffany Imposter as a background because it just seemed froggy!  I added a little Motley on top to glitz it up, but you can't really tell in the pictures. 

 

I used one coat of Green With Envy (the only untried) at the base of each nail and added an outline with my white striper.  Then, with the end of my paintbrush handle, added the eyes close and centered on the outline.  With my dotting tool, I added the pupil and used a small art brush to add the little lines on each side.  This is where the ring finger got a bit smudged.  I think that I will try these again sometime, and will just need to take more time with the little details. 

Overall, I liked how these little Kermies turned out!  Like I said, I always overlook the clean up that will make them look so much neater, and the eye is a little wonky, but I'm pretty proud of these little guys!  What are your thoughts on half moon manis?  Love 'em?  Leave 'em?  Found a creative way to use them?