Hot Air Balloon

Hello all! 

This weekend's mani is based on a friend's precious, little wallet that I adore (shown below).

I used three coats of Sinful Colors' Cool Gray. I only needed two coats, but I waited an extra days before hunkering down and actually doing the design. The tips went through some wear and tear that needed to be covered up with an additional coat. I used white acrylic to paint on the outline of the hot air balloon and a few creases on the balloon.

Okay, my wonderful sister gave me the best Christmas present two years ago that I've been too intimidated by to use. She got me 25 Transfer Rolls of foil plus four free adhesive glue bottles were included! The glue is basically in a slender nail polish bottle, so when you unscrew the top there's a polish brush attached to the cap. She even went to Michael's and put it all in this organized container. Foils and other nail accessories can be found at dollarnailart.com, and as the website says, all of their individuals products are $1 each.

The four free bottles of glue

Once the paint dried, it was time for the daunting task of foiling for the first time. I cut off an inch and a half section of Sea Glass - a metallic, foam green color. I then opened the glue, scarped off the excess glue off the brush, and applied it to the inside of the hot air balloon. The glue goes on white and dries clear; once it dried, I took the piece of foil and pressed it against the glue with the colored / patterned side up. After firmly rubbing down the foil, all you have to do is peel it off and it sticks to the glue. Keep repeating that wherever you put glue and than top it off with a clear coat!

I noticed that you don't have to take extra time to place the foil on, stop, and rub. All you have to do once you get the knack of foiling, it quickly press the foil down and pull it off. I didn't know how much fun foiling would be, and I'm so pleased that it's quick and easy to use! Plus, the foil adds such a neat touch. Yay, foil!!

Tamz

Virgo

I had to use another stamp this week after my break through on the last mani! I started off with three coats of Sinful Colors' Firefly on my sister's nails. I dabbed on Sinful Colors' Cloud 9 in an L shape on each nail using a piece of make up sponge. 

I then used the Virgo stamp from the Zodiac sign plate since it's the time of the Virgo from August 23rd to September 23rd. I used Sinful Colors' Hot Hot Heat -  a deep, alluring red shade that I adore - as the stamp color. I applied Cloud 9 in an L shape just for this engraving since she takes up that space.

Unfortuntely, Hot Hot Heat was a little too hot. It overpowered the yellow to orange gradient underneath, so it looks like an orange-y, golden rod. The gradient became obsolete, sadly, but practice makes perfect and what not. I'll keep experimenting!

Taken indoors, boo colder weather.

Tamz

Sapphire

Ahh, so much to do, yet so little time! It's the third week of fall semester, and I don't know how I'll be able to balance classes, homework, work, and my much needed leisure activities.. Anyway, here's two sparkly coats of Sinful Colors' Blue By You. The glittery dimensions in this polish astonish me when the sun hits it. 

I decided to try nail stamping again after making zero attempts since June. I sat down with the m64 plate ( I used the top right design ) and Sinful Colors' Tokyo Pearl - a white, silvery pearl number. After several frustrating misfires, I finally looked up stamping tips / hints. Boy, did I feel silly. I've been pressing the stamper really hard against the plate, thinking it would pick up all of the polish. But that only resulted in bits of the image transferring over. You have to do the complete opposite of that, you only have to quickly roll the stamp over the image plate. Finally, I was able to pick up the entire, frickin' design!!

I'll be going on a stamping frenzy after my life changing experience.

Tamz