New 31DC: Inspired by Childhood

This one is late.  So it goes.  I needed sleep last night and, much more than that, could NOT decide on what to do.  So, I did a little skittle today for a child of the '90s.

*I used a LOT of polishes here, some just for a dot or stripe, so I'm not going to list them all.  If you're curious about anything, feel free to ask and I can tell you what I used!

For my thumb, I made binder paper.  I've been a writer as long as I can remember.  That sounds so pretentious, but it's just a fact.  I've always loved language and using words.  I've also always been a total nerd, the teacher's pet all the way through college.  It's in my blood.  School, and writing, are a part of growing up for me. 

My ring finger is for television.  I know there is an eternal debate about kids watching TV, but we did my house.  I loved classic Nickelodeon and Disney shows, Saturday morning cartoons, T.G.I.F.--we're a TV family.  My parents and I will even sometimes "watch" shows over the phone (I'm waiting for you to come back, Amazing Race!).  This is Chuckie Finster's shirt from Rugrats (I tried to watch this again recently--some things were way better when you were young!).  I killed myself again with impatience and streaked my red when I added my top coat, but overall like how this one turned out!

Much like TV, I am a movie girl, from a movie family.  We love to watch movies, and Disney was/is a staple.  I used Leslie's work from Polish Art Addiction as inspiration and painted a seashell tip for Ariel on my middle finger.  The Little Mermaid has been a favorite of mine forever, and this turned out better than I hoped, so I may need to try a full mani in the future!

Just as much as I love TV and movies, I am a reader.  That's what English majors do.  From Golden Books to Shakespeare, Lewis to Moore, I can't remember NOT reading.  We spent so many hours with my parents, snuggled up around a book.  On my own, I spent even more time disappearing into different worlds.  My index finger is Mama Bear's dress from the Berenstain Bears.

As a final touch, I couldn't really feel nostalgic and ignore the fact that I have Floam waiting to be worn!  This is 4 coats over Sally Hansen Green With Envy.  I wish I hadn't use a green the same color as the glitter so that it would have stood out more, but weird things like Floam were part of growing up in the 80's and 90's. 

So, now you know a little (lot) more about me and what made me who I am now.  It's hard not to get carried away and nostalgic as I think about childhood. 

New 31DC: Geometric

I was very unsure about what to do for today's challenge.  I looked for ideas on Pinterest (sense a theme here?) and tried to think of something that suited me.  Geometric really isn't something I'm drawn to, when it comes to designs.  Then, it hit me--a flash of genius.  The ultimate in geometric shapes:

TETRIS!

*1 coat Yello-Out
*2 coats China Glaze Fast Track
*Color Club Almost Famous (pinkie)
*China Glaze Gothic Lolita (ring)
*Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Sun Kissed (middle)
*China Glaze Aquadellic (index)
*Zoya America (thumb)
*Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Black Out
*1 coat Out The Door

I LOVE Tetris!  My favorite was Tetrisphere for the N64.  In my current retail hell, people are always amazed at how well I pack bags and carts.  Tetris!  I could not decide on the right base for these and was going to use my go-to nude by Julep, but it's a little bottle and takes 3 coats and I don't know that I want to spend the bucks to get a new one if I run out, so...I went with another gorgeous neutral.  I love Fast Track for so many reasons, not the least of which is that amazing shimmer!

I was really sad when I outlined these because those skills need some work.  I taped off the shapes and did such a great job that I almost left them alone (my tape skills are getting SO much better!), but I had to get those iconic boxes in. 

Really, away from the cruel macro setting of a camera, these don't look bad at all!  I wish I had the time, patience and skill to do these on my right hand too so I could wear them tomorrow, but that would just be disaster.  I can't wait to give these a go when I get some striping tape because I think those sharp lines will make these little pieces awesome!
 

New 31DC: Skittle

Today's skittle manicure is both boring and exciting.  I didn't do any designs or art work, though there are some cute skittle designs I want to try out.  Instead, I just painted/swatched each nail.  Boring.  BUT, the exciting part is what I swatched them with...

 

Color Club Halo Hues!

My Harp On It had met a tragic end, and I have not been able to get any response from Crowd Cut, so I've written it off.  (Sidenote: this makes me really appreciate the other companies and ladies who have wonderful customer service!)  Each of these is just 2 thin coats over Yello-Out, with 1 coat of Out The Door on top to seal them.  Perfect application!  My pinkie has Cherubic, a golden beige holo.  These are all strong linear holos, not particle/glitter ones.  This is probably the must subtle of the bunch, but it still is very strong when you get it into the sun or light!

Blue Heaven is on my ring finger--a light, cool blue holo.  It is a really pretty blue, bright pale and amazingly holographic!

 

 

With the disaster in my box, I not only had a lot of clean up to do on my bottles, but I lost labels.  On my middle finger is the lighter of the pinks, Cloud Nine (I think).  It almost has a lavender look to it and the same intense sparkle as the rest.

 

 

 

My index finger is Angel Kiss, the light minty green shade.  It is a warm green, almost aqua, which doesn't really translate to the photo.

 

My thumb has the darker of the pinks, Halo-Graphic.  It's a darker, more magenta pink than Cloud Nine and warmer. 
All of these applied like a dream and sparkled like nothing I own!  The holo shift is unbelievable and hard to take your eyes off of!  Inside they almost have a metallic look to them, a bit frosted.  I'm so excited to play with these and find ways to use them with other polishes.  Do you own any of these?  How have you used them for nail art?