Gradient Hearts

Hi Dolls:) Can you believe it is February already!!!! So my first few posts this month will be all about Valentines Day. For my first mani, I just had to use classic V-day colors:)  Zoya Rooney a bright bubblegum pink and Zoya Hannah a bright cherry red, seemed perfect to me!!!  I did a simple gradient on my ring and pinky fingers with some free handed hearts in white. I did a plain white creme base on my pointer and middle finger with freehand hearts in Rooney and Hannah.

Classic Colors and hearts are perfectly festive for V-day. I do think this mani was either missing something or has too much of something, I just can't seem to put my finger on it! I debated on whether or not to even post this mani because I didn't love it. But right or wrong not all mani ideas turn out the way we want them to!!!

🎔 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

Water Jelly Mani:)

Hey Dolls!!! So it has been 2 whole weeks since my last post and unless you have been hiding under a rock, I'm sure you have heard about the devastating flooding Hurricane Matthew brought to Eastern NC:( We were very lucky here at my house and didn't get any damage but I know several people who lost everything... The waters didn't get quite as high as they did with Floyd back in 99 but it did bring up a little bit of PTSD for me (my family lost everything that year in the floods). So I wanted to do a water mani because water is beautiful and life giving. But it is duplicitous in its destructive nature.

For the base I used China Glaze Let's Jam the perfect lilac with a rich blue shimmer. I smashed on China Glaze Ride the Waves and Zoya Paloma with some saran wrap. I cleaned up my edges and added a coat of SV to finish this off!!

Both polishes I used to smash are jelly finished as to give the feel of water:) To me its like the river at sunset with the purple, blue and pink light reflecting back at you!!!  Next week is a prep for Halloween and Oh boy do I have some fun manis to show you!!!

♥ Melissa

Blue and Green Simple Nail Art

Hi Dolls:) I have some new easy nail art for you today! For this mani I used Zoya Dory, Barry M Greenberry, Sally Hansen White On. For the Silver I did a 2 step process with China Glaze Check Out the Silver Fox as a base and Salon Perfect Twinkle Twinkle sponged over.  I used striping tape for the design on my ring finger; and a sponged gradient and dotting tool for the design on my middle finger!

The only gripe I have about this mani is the drying time... When using striping tape on any mani you have to let the base dry COMPLETELY before putting on the tape or it will rip it up:( 

♥ Melissa

Gradient Cheetah

Hey Dolls!!!! A quick fun wild mani for you today:) I did a easy 3 color gradient using China Glaze Sorry I'm Latte, Zoya Nyssa, Sinful Colors Black on Black. I then stamped the cheetah design using BM 221 plate and my clear stamper (link) in black. I followed it up with a quick coat of SV!

I grabbed the idea for this mani off of pinterest ages ago... I can't even find the pin for it now:( I like it even more now... the stamping fading into the gradient just does something for me!

♥ Melissa

Sunset Rainbow Gradient

A quick bit of an update and a little mani fun for you dolls today!  I have been in a bit of a funk lately with blogging:( So I am gonna switch things up for a while and see how it goes. When Zoya released the Sunsets collection I knew I would have to do a sunset gradient! So here it is:) I used Dory, Liv, Dixie and Cam, over a white creme base. I did a quick top coat of SV and Done!

I like the way this turned out but I think it needs something more:( not sure what yet but I'll figure it out!!! 

♥ Melissa

Modern French with a Twist

Happy Friday Dolls!!!! I have really had a surge of inspiration for nail art lately, I feel like I am finally getting back into my groove :) So for today's mani I did a modern twist on the classic french mani:) I did a creme gradient with full coverage pink and white, stamped on a square pattern in white and then matted the whole thing!!! 

I used China Glaze Pink or Swim and White on White for the gradient, stamped Konad White using Bundle monster plate BM-320! I finished this mani with China Glaze Matte Magic:) This is a super easy mani to wear, just like a classic french it goes with everything!!! Hope you all have a great weekend:)

♥ Melissa

Blue Gradient!!!!

Happy Thursday Dolls!!!! It has been a COLD couple of days here!!! I am SOOOO ready for spring, and some warm weather!!!! So for a couple of weeks now I have really gotten in the habit of having my hubby pick out polish colors for me... I get so overwhelmed looking at all the pretties!!!!! So for this mani he picked Zoya Oceane and I went back and grabbed Zoya Talia:)  I did a simple sponged gradient with Talia as a base and Oceane sponged on the tips! 

I love the way this turned out and love the fact that cleanup was a breeze thanks to Chirality Tactical Shield!!!! Gradients can be such a pain in the butt to clean up, especially if there is any shimmer!!!

♥ Melissa

Sheer Madness

The newest collection by Chirality is Sheer Madness, and it is madness how beautiful these six polishes are!!!! This collection is 6 sheer holo toppers in an array of colors:) These gems are perfect for adding a little something sweet to your existing mani or to play with some fun layering!!! Here is the first mani I did with this collection, a simple skittle gradient (with no sponging needed)!

*press sample*

 Feeling Blue Cheese is a sheer bright blue:) 

I Donut Like Puns is a sheer bright pink!

Jalapeno Business is a sheer seafoam green:)

 Raise the Steaks is a sheer maroon with a slight lean toward purple! 

 Currant Events is a sheer charcoal gray with a hint of brown:)

 Turnip the Beet is a sheer bright lavender!

For all of the swatches I did 3 coats on my pointer, middle and pinky finger, 1 coat over black on my ring finger! 3rd pic on all colors is Direct sunlight:)  The formula is phenomenal for all of these beauties!!! Sheer and Jelly like, but great at self leveling (no streaking here)!!!! and the Holo-y goodness is undeniable!!!! This Collection will be available Jan 23rd and will be $10 per color at http://chirality.bigcartel.com/  

♥ Melissa

*Press Sample: Some of the products in this post were sent to me for review. I was not paid for my review of this product and all opinions are my own*

Circle Gradient!!!!

Hey Dolls!!!! I decided to challenge myself a little this week and do something I had never done:) Now don't be harsh as this is my first attempt and although it is not perfect I'm pretty happy with it!!!!  I did a circle gradient:) I used Sinful Colors Snow Me White as a base and then sponged China Glaze Bizarre Blurple around the edges to create the circle:) I Love the contrast between the white and purple!!! This was a bit more difficult than I first guessed but I bet with some practice it will get easier:)

I received a ton of compliments on this mani this week and I am really looking forward to trying this out in other colors!!!

♥ Melissa

Chirality Halloween Gradient:)

Okay so it has been a couple of weeks since I have posted:( Nothing crazy going on I just haven't been feeling it... But I had to show off this easy Halloween mani!!!! The polishes I used are from Chirality, one of my all-time favorite indie makers EVER!!!! For this mani I used Just Before Dawn a pumpkin orange scattered holo beauty:) I then added a gradient of Dark Matter a simple creme black on just the tips!!!! 

A simple but super festive mani!!!! 

♥ Melissa

Blue and Green Fun

Hey Dolls:) Don't you just LOVE summertime!!! One of my favorite things about summer are the colors!!!! Everything is so bright and colorful, one of the saddest things about winter is everything is brown :(  I am a sucker for blues and greens so I grabbed 2 of my favs and threw this mani together!!! The colors I used are Barry M Greenberry, Sinful Shine Most Sinful and Sinful Color White on White.  I did some quick dots and added a gradient for fun:) 

I Love the look of this mani, But I did figure out that Sinful Shine Most Sinful is a pain to gradient:( No matter how many times I tried I couldn't get the fade smooth or completely covered:( But it still turned out good!!!

♥ Melissa

All products in this post were purchased by me and all opinions are my own

Mood Boosting Mani:)

Happy Wednesday Dolls:) I have a random mani for you today!!! It is cold and rainy here today, so I needed something to brighten my mood!!! I used CG Shocking Pink as my base, added a scroll work stamp (BM -314) with Konad Black and then sponged a black gradient tip with Sinful Colors Black on Black!!! I really like the way this mani turned out!!!

 What do you think of this mani??? and what is on your nails today???? 

♥ Melissa

All products in this post were purchased by me