31DC: Day 30 - Inspired by a tutorial (Explosion nail art by Nailside featuring Zoya)

Hi everyone!!
I'm excited about today's post. Inspired by a tutorial! I decided to go to Jane at Nailside. I've wanted to try her "expolsion" design since I first saw it. I found it way harder to get the perfect explosion shape than it seems!! So each of my nails looks a little different, but I also love it that way. This one is pic heavy because I just couldn't edit out any of these ;)

 Zoya Trixie, Raven, Daul

 I applied 2 coats of my favorite silver, Zoya Trixie and let dry. Then I used Jane's technique of cutting tape (I used blue painter's tape because I have trouble with regular tape sticking to the nail when I peel it off) and blocking in star shapes. This was way more difficult that I imagined it would be! I painted over it with Zoya Raven. When that was dry I repeated the process but let some of the black show. The last step was to apply Zoya Daul from the Fall 2012 Diva Collection. I LOVE this one over black and how it shows different colors at different angles. Super pretty addition to my collection. I have nothing else like it.

 Love the burst on my thumb and middle finger that looks like 2 halves of one burst!

OK!! That's it for today I'm off to work on tomorrow's FINAL post for this challenge :)
xo, Victoria
See what everyone else did for their "tutorial"

31DC: Day 29 - Inspired by the supernatural (poltergeist nail art)

Hello!!
Just to set the record straight..I do not approve of this theme ;) I hate being scared, but this seemed like the perfect choice for today because this movie scared the daylights out of me. Yes, I saw it in the theater, with my older brother and 2 older male cousins. Not sure what the heck my parents were thinking or NOT thinking when they let me go too. Ugh. I was wayyy too young to see it. I had nightmares for ever! Anyway, I wanted to do the girls hands on the supernatural TV screen. And yes, I had this idea in my head before Sarah at Chalkboard Nails did her very ingenious tribal hands on the wall mani. I could either be really bummed she posted it first, OR I'm just going to be very proud that I thought of the same thing as one of THE most creative nail art blogs out there :)

 Pomegranate Cardigan, Misa Grey Matters, Rescue Beauty Lounge Moxie, Zoya Pippa

 I used Misa Grey Matters, 2 coats for the base. Then I cut out my little hand prints out of tape and placed them on my nails. I sponged on Pippa, Cardigan and then Moxie. Pulled off the tape hands and top coated. Are you scared yet?

And that's it. Glad to take these off :P
Have a great weekend I'm off to go food shopping, fun right?
xo, Victoria
Supernaturals from the other ladies in the challenge:

31DC: Day 28 - Inspired by a flag (Hungarian flag nail art)

Hey there!!
Can't even believe I'm almost done with this challenge!! My fingers will be happy when I give em a rest for a day :P
So for the flag nails, I also knew right away what I wanted to do. I was very close with all my grandparents growing up, and out of the 4 of them, only one wasn't born in America. That always fascinated me and I wish I could know more about that lineage! My dad's father Ben (my son is named after him) was born in Budapest, so I wanted to attempt the Hungarian flag. Very easy...except for the crest which I did freehand with the help of a small art brush. Take a look!

 Zoya America, Ciate Stilleto and OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls

 Hungarian flag!

I used HK Girl top coat on the thumb and saw it started smearing the red down the nail. GRR. So I switched to Seche Vite and had immediate shrinkage from of the green Ciate on the tips. GRR. (I gave it another swipe of green on the tips).

Overall, this isn't my favorite nail look...but I'm proud of it anyway :D Thanks for reading guys! I'll see you tomorrow xo
~Victoria
And the other flag nails:

31DC: Day 27 - Inspired by artwork (Stained glass nail art with Zoya)

Hi!!!
Really in the home stretch now! Only 4 more after today. Hard to believe!! I haven't missed a day yet. So this one...inspired by artwork...I've been wanting so badly to do some nail art with the Zoyas from the Fall Gloss Collection. And BINGO. I got it. STAINED GLASS. I started with a base of Paloma, just one coat. And I can't even tell you how much I adore all three of these and the perfect formula of sheer but pigmented glossy heaven that they are. Yes, I love the jellies :P
Well, after that first coat, I was just playing around, I wanted to see how they would layer with each other. I didn't even have a plan. Next time I'll have a plan. I really love the way these turned out though. <3 What do you think?

Zoya Paloma, Frida and Katherine from the Fall Gloss Collection.

 

 This has HK Girl top coat but it really didn't need it. These glossies are just that! GLOSSY. Did I mention I love them? :P 

Working on my next challenge and a lot more swatches to show you very soon :)

~Victoria 

Here's what everyone else did for their Artwork nails:

31DC: Day 26 - Inspired by a pattern (cross stitch nail art)

Hi everyone!!
I thought about this theme for quite a bit, and I have no shortage of "patterns" I'd like to attempt, but then I had a light bulb idea!! I follow patterns for cross stitching all the time, and I really love cross stitch... so let's do a real pattern on the nails! I tried to do Autumn colored maple leaves for this one. And I used a new tool to challenge myself. It.was.really.hard. guh!

 First I applied 3 coats of Ciate Cream Soda. I wanted to mimic the grey skies we are seeing in NY right now. Then I mixed up separate containers of a few different Autumn colored acrylic paint with water to thin it down. Getting the right consistency was just trial and error. Then I used a calligraphy pen to draw on the X's. Also a lot of trial and error. Often frustrating. I see a lot of room for improvement on this one, but overall I'm pleased.

 I tried to get different angles of the leaves so it seemed like they were falling and random. Not too confident that I succeeded with that ;)

Always learning in this nail art world!!! I love it.

*Just want to UPDATE I saw a pin on Pinterest about using a calligraphy pen, and of course, now I can't find it!! I just didn't want to take credit for coming up with the idea myself. Though using it for the cross stitch idea, that is my own :) 

Thanks for reading guys! So happy to have you :) 

~Victoria 

Here are the other "pattern" nails!

Smitten Polish Hocus Pocus and Candy Kisses Swatch and Review

OH look at these I have to show you from Smitten Polish today. I love them both too much! Here's her info and then I'll get right to the pics :) Follow her on Facebook.  Noelie has a beautiful blog too, where you can see her own swatches and keep up with what's new. Purchase at her Etsy shop. You can also purchase from Llarowe.com.

 Smitten Polish Hocus Pocus

 This is 2 coats with HK Girl top coat. Application was a wee bit difficult, but not at all unusable. I mean look....how...pretty!!! It's just a jelly finish with this much pigment and glitter is hard to accomplish I think. It was a tiny bit thick and therefore it doesn't like to be spread around. It didn't come out gloppy or thick on the nail and is so pretty with so much depth on the nail.

 Smitten Polish Candy Kisses

 This is just a dreamy girly white based glitter polish. That is all. Noelie has really mastered the white based glitter polish. She could do one in every color combination and I would need them all. This is 2 easy coats with HK Girl top coat.

 Another two winners for me from Smitten. Do you agree? Which is your favorite?

xo, Victoria

*Disclosure - Product in this post was sent for my honest opinion and review.

Berry Polished Blogger Bio

Hi everyone :)

I'm working on my challenge mani for today and some swatches of beautiful Smitten Polish, in the meantime, head over to the "berry Patch" - Berry Polished's Blogger Bio Series is about me today!! 

http://berrypolished.com/blogger-bio-series-9-manicurator/

I'll be back later!
xo

Great Big HUGE Halloween Giveaway!

Hi everyone!!
Check out this giveaway I'm participating in!! Heidi from DIY Polish organized this tremendous giveaway for you guys :) There will be so many winners and some AMAZING prizes including Indies, Halloween exclusive polishes, nail art supplies and more! I am donating 2 Indies and an OPI!!

Here is a list of all the bloggers taking part!

Myself, of course!
The Jedi Wife
Jilltastic Nail Design
Love for Lacquer
Taneja's Bride
XO Noelle
Nails by Ms. Lizard
Polished Paradise Nails
Lacquerologist
Munchy's Nails
Nail Polish Anonymous
Demi's Nails
Set in Lacquer
College Polished
SoFlaJo
Beyond Beauty Lounge
Princess Polish
Polished Cousins
Cosmetic Sanctuary
Sweet Surcee
Mandie's Manicures
Tall Girl in Heels
You Had Me At Makeup
Beauty Gnome
Peace Love Lacquer
And of course, Heidi, who is linked above. 

Enter here!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK and thanks for being a supporter of all these great beauty/nail blogs :)
xo, Victoria  

31DC: Day 25 - Inspired by fashion (Glitter glue nail art)

Hi everyone!
So, um, yeah...I cheated for this one. I didn't use nail polish! I know, I feel weird about it, but hey...if beaded nails are nail art, well then this counts too. Right? I saw this on Pinterest and immediately fell in love. I wanted to show the glittery-ness of this skirt so I used glitter glue. It took a long time to get it done and each nail stayed wet for like forever. Not sure how I like the end result but I had fun trying it out.

INSPIRATION:  Emilio Pucci sequined skirt

I used Martha Stewart Glitter Glue in the small squeezy tubes.  The first 3 photos are without top coat. The following 3 photos have HK Girl top coat.

 I sent my husband a pic of this (he was at work) and asked what he thought. He very diplomatically said "Do you like it?" He's a keeper, eh? Anyway...Do YOU like it?? :)

Thanks for being here!
~Victoria
Here's the other looks for Day 25: