Technique Tuesdays: Santa Hats

So this isn't a major technique. But it involves free-handing a french tip, dotting tools, and applying jewels!

I have been seeing these hats all over the place (most recently by Sue from Creative Nail Design by Sue) and new I wanted to try it out. I think they are super cute. Now, mine aren't too perfect, some of the hat tail things are too big and look like they are bleeding but hey, I still think they are festive! Not bad for a first try! Hahaha! :)

I used Duri Rejuvacote as my base. I then free-handed french tips using Color Club Mamba and added the little "tails". Then I added a coat of China Glaze Ruby Pumps to add sparkle and festivness! Next I used my dotting tool and white acrylic paint for the fluffy part of the hat. Following that I dabbed a bit of clear polish on the tips of the hats and applied my jewels. I then topped it all off with NYC In a New York Color Minute Top Coat.

I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Neutral Mondays: Revlon Autumn Spice

Today on Neutral Monday I have a polish that I searched stores for weeks until I finally found it! This is Revlon Autumn Spice. It is part of their Parfumerie line. 

I've never had a scented polish before because a lot of times they are way too strong and perfum-y. But I heard so many good things about this one, I knew I had to try it.

This is two coats topped with HK Girl Top Coat. And yes, you can still smell the spice scent, even after a few days! I just love the color! It is gorgeous!

Funny story, while buying this polish (finally found it at Ulta!) the cashier said that this was the only good smelling one in the line. She said when they came in she sat there and smelled them all! Hahaha! 

I haven't tried any of the others. Have you? Do you like them?

TGIF: An Indie Christmas tree featuring Hit Polish - TMNT

Hey Owlets! Remember when I used to do TGIF: Thank Goodness, Indy Indie Fridays! Well I hope to bring them back! And today I am featuring TMNT by HitPolish! Can I just say how much I love this brand! And I am sad to hear that they are closing up shop. But they are having excellent deals right now!

First I started off with OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls. Then, using Sally Hansen Emerald City I loosely created a tree shape.

Then I painted Hit Polish TMNT over the tree. Isn't this polish just perfect for this! Yes, I know it's inspiration are the Ninja Turtles but seriously how cool is it as a tree! I added some bling for the tree topper. And used HK Girl Top Coat for seal and shine! :)

Please go and visit HIT POLISH and show them some last support and buy some amazing polish! (they are not endorsing this. I bought TMNT with my own money, I just really really love their polishes! In fact while writing this I ordered two more!)

Trendy Holiday Mani? Or is it? Muwahahaha!

Here's a little off the beaten path holiday mani for you today. These aren't your typical holiday colors, but I am seeing them around more and more in the holiday decorations at stores.

I personally love these colors together. Now, my design didn't quite turn out how I planned it. It looks a bit more plaque and pustules (now there's a word I never thought I would ever use on my blog!) than I had planned. Well, way more, because that isn't what I had wanted! Hahaha! "Bring out your dead!" (gotta love Monty Python!).

But sometimes you just gotta roll with it and say hey, who cares! This could be a great Halloween mani next year, or maybe there is a national CDC (Center for Disease Control) day that I don't know of and could do these again! Ooh! Yeah, I like that!

I used two coats of China Glaze Def Defying, dotted some OPI Solitaire, and used Lacquistry Winterberry as the accent nail. Also fished out some of the glitters to add to the other nails. I topped it off with HK Girl Top Coat. 

So what do you think: trendy holiday or CDC mani of the year? 

Hahahahaha!

Technique Tuesdays: Fan Brush

Welcome Owlets to another new feature that I want to try out: Technique Tuesdays! This is where I will try out those intimidated (to me at least) techniques that I have created a file of. And I will post them no matter the result! It'll kind be like those Pinterest Nail'd it photos you see (you know, where they actually really didn't nail it!)

I'm actually excited about this because if I don't completely succeed I am still going to let it be up on my blog. Because, gosh darn it, not everyone can do those nail arts perfectly! So some Tuesdays you will cheer with me when I succeed, other Tuesdays you can laugh along (or cry, there could be tears) with me! :)

So today is the fan brush. I used Neverland Nail Blog's: Fan Brush Gradient + Tutorial for reference. I used OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls as my base. Color Club Mamba and Sally Hansen I-Rush Luck were the colors I decided to use, trying to make a holiday gradient. I topped it off with Orly Prisma Gloss Gold and NYC In a New York Minute Top Coat. 

No I don't think this is a fail. I think my colors kind of muddied a bit. But I love the markings of the fan brush. So this is a win for me because I didn't totally botch it! :)

What do you think? Did I nail it?

Neutral Mondays: Essence - As Long As You Love Me

Welcome Owlets to Neutral Mondays! This is where I bring you the beautiful colors that I love: neutrals! So that means grey (or gray, however you want to spell it!), brown, beige, taupe, ivory, black, white, silver..etc.

Some Neutral Mondays may just be a quick swatch of a new neutral that I got! (Like today) And other Neutral Mondays will be how to spiffy it up, but neutrals are cool.......urm well, they aren't are they, they are neutrals (color theory humor for you). How about, neutrals are awesome! Yep, that works.

So today I bring you Essence As Long As You Love Me from the Beauty Beats Collection. 

Ok, so I was at Ulta looking around at the new collections and saw this grey. I knew I had to have it. But then I saw whose line it was......Justin Bieber! Ugh! I so didn't buy any of the NOPI of his line because I can't stand him! (Sorry for those of you who do, he's just not my type of music).

Have you ever not bought a polish because of the person the collection was associated with? I mean I know we've bought polishes for names alone, right? 

Bought I kept look at this polish and just gave a big sigh and sucked it up and bought it. It helps that the name of the polish is also a Backstreet Boy's song! Oh yeah, I liked them in high school! :)

This is two coats with HK Girl Top Coat. And like all my other Essence polishes, excellent formula! And look at the shimmer! It's a beaut! Definitely a keeper! 

Will add this to my pile of other greys. One cannot have too many greys, at least that's my motto!

So I hope you guys like this new feature where I get to feature my fav neutrals and prove I am the Neutral Queen (for nail polishes only, I am not a ruler in any way shape or form!) (Hahaha!)

The Digit-al Dozen Does Red, Gold, and Green: Dotticure Tree!

Happy Friday the 13th! Hope your day goes without any problems! :) 

Final day of The Digit-al Dozen Does Red, Gold, and Green, and to end it I decided to abstract dotticure Christmas trees. I say abstract because they sort of lost there tree shape a bit! Hee-hee! :)

I used China Glaze Ruby Pumps as my base (two coats). The dots are: Sally Hansen Emerald City, Sally Hansen Going Green, Sally Hansen No S-pear Time, China Glaze Starboard, and China Glaze Def Defying. I used Barry M Gold Foil Effects for the star all topped with HK Girl Top Coat. 

I had a lot of fun doing all these manis. I was surprised at how many greens I have and how many reds I don't have! Haha! 

Well, until next month, The Digit-al Dozen Week is done. But don't worry you can read our many different posts on our website: The Digit-al Dozen, come on, go check it out!

And don't forget to check out the other ladies and their manis!