Neon Double Stamping and some thoughts on blogging

So it has been a while since I have posted. I just haven't been feeling up to blogging much lately. The world of blogging has changed so much since I started... It is way more about photo-shopping skills these days for both bloggers and makers. I used to look at 40 - 50 blogs per week, looking at new collections, swatches, nail art designs. Now I look at maybe 4 for swatches because I trust those bloggers not to photo-shop the polish (for color, effect, holo-ness). It is so disheartening. There are several other reasons too, but I am still painting and doing nail art all of the time! Here is a mani I did a couple of weeks ago. 

I did a base of white with a coat of Nina Pro Solar Flare, a highlighter yellow neon!!! I double-stamped black and holo using a clear jelly stamper and Ejiubas plate EJB-02. This mani turned out exactly as I wanted it to. But it did make me realize I need some new stamping plates!!!

🎔 Melissa

Snowflake Gradient

Hi, Dolls!!! So we had our first and probably only snow last weekend (turned out to be more ice than anything) but we did have some awesome visible actual snowflakes toward the end of it!!!  This is the first time I had actually seen a "traditional" snowflake so I was pretty excited!!! So of course I had to do a mani inspired by it!!!

I did a base of white and a gradient of China Glaze So Blue Without You (this gem is from their holiday collection 2013)! I then stamped on some white snowflakes using Ejiubas EJB-

03. Followed it all up with a coat of SV!!!

 I love the way this turned out!!! and this China Glaze is one of my favorites, it has a foil like finish and is such a bright color:)  

Here is a pic I snapped of the snow flakes:) 

 🎔 Melissa

Red Gradient and Gold Stamping

Hi Dolls:) So today I have a festive Fall mani for you, even though Fall is almost over:(  For this mani I used a base of Zoya Janel and did an added gradient of Courtney. I then stamped on a feather design using Essie Good as Gold and Ejiubas Plate EJB-01.

Lately I have become a bit wary of full nail stamping on all nails, mostly because I generally think less is more. Also it seems that nail trends are changing as I am seeing less and less full-on Nail Art mani's. But at the same time I think that trends are a waste and you should do whatever you want on your nails!!!!  

❤ Melissa

Neon Corner Nails

Hey Dolls:) I have a fun mani that I sported over the weekend that I wanna share with you today:) I did a white creme base and then flicked a random line of China Glaze What I Like About Blue, That's Shore Bright, Pink Voltage, and Home Sweet House Music in the bottom corner:) I top it off with a partial nail stamping using Ejiubas Wonders of Life plate and Konad Black :) Followed it up with a quick coat of Seche Vite!

Super Easy and quick!!! I love manis like this because the are really hard to screw up (which I do often) :) Have a great weekend!!!

♥ Melissa

Reverse Stamping Take 2

Happy Friday Dolls:) So for today's mani I did a reverse stamp. Now I have tried reverse stamping method before and it wasn't a real success as it peeled half way through Day 2:( So I tweaked some things and gave it another shot! I used just a silicone baking mat to do this method, but you could use a beauty mat or something similar. I put my SV top coat down and then stamped in black the pattern that I wanted. I filled in the design with OPI OPI on Collins Ave., Essie Good as Gold and China Glaze Too Yacht Too Handle. Once this was semi-dry I put China Glaze Girls Just Want to Have Sun over top of the design. Now working one nail/decal at a time I top coated the decal... waited a few min and put a base of CG Girls Just Want to Have Sun on my nail.  I carefully peeled up the decal and placed it on the wet base. I then cleaned up the edges and then top coat it again making sure to seal everything in. Rinse and repeat for the other 9:) Here is the finished product!

I am really proud of how well this mani turned out and it lasted 5 full days:) I still managed to smudge a few spots and it took a lot longer to do this method than I thought it would. There are lots of youtube videos that give great tutorials on this method. I found after several failed attempts to not let the decals dry completely, but you don't want them tacky either so somewhere right in between! That way the decal doesn't curl up and will lay down completely on your nail. I will definitely use this method again in the future!  Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

♥ Melissa

Springtime Fun!!!

Hi Dolls!!! Now Springtime is full swing and pollen is EVERYWHERE:) They say inspiration can come from the strangest places... so here is my pollen inspired mani:) For this mani I used China Glaze Girls Just Wanna Have Sun for my base! I love this pale yellow creme it is so gorgeous!!! I stamped Zoya  Tilda a light grass green creme using Ejiubas plate EJB-01 from the Wonders Of Life collection:) 

This mani turned out better that I could have hoped!!!! I have always stayed away from stamping with colors mostly because it is so hard to find colors that stamp without having to buy "stamping polish"!!!! But really it is just trial and error to see what works, and this clearly works:) Hope you are having a great week!!!!

♥  Melissa