Snow in Southtown?

Today's post is for two reasons.  First, I am reviewing a plate from Online Nail Bar and I got a new camera!  I haven't figured out quite yet how to work the camera so most of the pictures are blurry on the edges.  It's crisp and clear in the center-but outside edges not so much!

I was asked by Carrie at Online Nail Bar to review her plates.  I am always looking for new plates so of course I said yes!  The weather was also calling for snow the day I did this post, so I thought I'd do a winter mani.  It hasn't snowed at all in Virginia this winter. So I was looking forward to seeing some snow!

First up, the silly bottle shot with my new camera.

This is Girly Bits Cosmic Ocean, Essie Coat Azure, Orly Royal Navy and Girly Bits January Morning.  Yes I continue on with my addiction to Girly Bits polish!

I started with Orly Royal Navy.  I had swapped with my bestie Iris at Polish Amor and asked her to get me this one. When it arrived in the mail, I had deja vu.  Turns out I already own it!!!  We had a good laugh about that saying only a polish hoarder forgets what she has!

I decided I'd better use it so I'd remember I owned it!  Royal Navy is a stunning blue with blue shimmer.  It's really pretty. The sun was hiding and I'm learning my new camera so cut me some slack ok?  Here are your shots.

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Isn't this a stunning blue?? I just love it!  I then took Sally Hansen Whirlwind White and stamped snowflakes with M5 that was given to me for review.  I then did a layer of Girly Bits Cosmic Ocean, my funky french with the Essie Coat Azure and then topped it all off with a layer of Girly Bits January Morning.  Are you ready for something special?  Here it is!

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Literally thirty minutes after I snapped these sun shots, the sky went black, the winds blew and it started snowing!!  Of course, it lasted about an hour and didn't stick but it was still pretty!

Don't you just love the sparkle on this?  The plate worked just fine.  I had absolutely no problems with it.  They sell very reasonably on her website.  It's in the UK, but she ships internationally.  Go check out her site, she also has polish and rhinestones etc!  She's trying to talk me into doing a YouTube stamping tutorial video. What do you guys think? Should I do it?

Regardless, this mani is so pretty.  The sparkle is like snow flakes glistening on my nails.  I just love it!  In case any of you were wondering-the title is from my favorite Christmas cartoon, "The Year Without A Santa Claus."

So people, are my pictures better with this camera?  Can you even tell the difference? I'm still learning so hopefully the next post won't be as blurry around the edges!

Any thoughts out there?

Another brown has come into my life-

Today I decided I needed another brown day.  My life has been a little stressful lately and I always turn to my soothing brown to comfort me!

I recently got the new Manglaze Santorum so I decided I'd try that one out.  I am not a big matte fan, I always top them with a shiny top coat.  I didn't buy Santorum for the matteness.

First up, we have your silly bottle shot.

This is Orly Au Champagne, Manglaze Santorum and Girly Bits January Morning.  Oh yeah, another post with my Girly Bits! Get used to it!

I started with Santorum.  This could have been a one coater if I was more careful.  The sun was hiding and it just looks black here.  But in real life there are deep shimmers of golds, reds.  It's actually quite pretty.  Here is what I got.

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Isn't it pretty?  I know it looks black, but trust me, it's a lovely dark brown.  I then used Au Champagne and Cheeky plate CH6 to stamp the design.  I then added some dots with my art pens, topped it off with my funky french in Au Champagne, covered with January Morning.

The results are really pretty.  I wish the sun would have come out for this!

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I thought about putting a layer of January Morning over the top of the design, but when I tried it out on my thumb, it just covered up the design too much.  I just love the sparkle from the January Morning.

The only bummer is that this came after my fabulous aquarium nails.  It's like a let down to me that I couldn't top that one!  Plus, this Santorum is a PITA to remove.  Big time PITA!

Until next time people.  Any thoughts out there?

My mani under the sea

Today I have what I think is my all time favorite mani to this date.  I am incredibly happy with this one and I owe it all to my bestie polish friend Sarah at Spellbinding Nails.  Her manis are so spectacular that she inspires me to push myself to try and do more and more difficult and  intricate designs.  If you have never seen her designs you are seriously missing out!

I ordered my first actual Konad plate just for this design.  I usually refuse to pay for Konad when you can get good replicas cheaper, but for these designs, I wanted the real thing.  It was so worth it!

First up, the required silly bottle shot.

This is Orly Pixie Dust, Konad special polish in Royal Purple and Illamasqua Phallic. Phallic.  Phallic.  Sorry I just love saying that!

I saw Pixie Dust on another blog and just had to have it, again just for this design I had in mind.  I started with that.  Pixie Dust is a greyed out light blue shimmer and absolutely stunning.  Of course, the sun chose to hide at this time.  Here are your shots.

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Isn't is pretty?  I sure think so.  Next I stamped with Royal Purple and Konad plate M27.  I then added elements to the final design with my nail art pens.  I topped it off with my funky french in Phallic.  Phallic.  Phallic.

Here are the glorious results.

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Isn't this the absolute coolest thing you've ever seen me do? I added the seaweed, some extra bubbles and I was going to color in the fish but felt it would cover up the detail in the stamp itself. So I just added a few little ditzels to the fish. I am a huge aquarium lover.  I have visited many all over the East Coast and Chicago.  I also own a 30 gallon fish tank with about 20 fish in there. So I have been wanting to try an aquarium mani for awhile now.

When I saw that Konad plate, I just knew I had to have it to create this.  When I redo my header, this is definitely going to be one of the pictures I use! I showed this around to everyone at work.  They were freaking out at this.  With all my fingers together, it's like an aquarium just like I wanted to do!

Ok guys, now your turn.  What do you think about this mani?

Damn this one's good!

With a title like that, it seems I have a lot to live up to or I'm just so full of myself that I can't stand it.  I will let you guys decide if this mani is worth this title or not.

Seems I just can't get enough of Pam's Girly Bits polish.  I only skipped one mani from three posts in a row.  Think that's some kind of new record for me. I am seriously in love.  Plus this mani is so cool, I may never take it off.

Really you ask?  Well of course not-we are polish addicts are we not? Of course I'll be changing my polish faster than normal people would believe it!

You ready? Here's your required silly bottle shot.

Did I forget to mention that this is a mostly Franken mani? No? Damn! Here we have Girly Bits January Morning, Bettina Aqua and Dollish Polish Expecto Patronum.

Now you all know, I am not a glitter fan.  If you look closely, you will see glitter in that Expecto Patronum.  Did I fall and hit my head?  Nope-I just saw this polish on another blog and just had to have it.  I started with this polish.  It's a creamy super light aqua base with aqua shimmer and glitter.  Swoon.  I didn't use underwear for this, but next time I will.  I had to do really thick layers to get opacity.  Next time, I'd do a plain white base first.  The sun was hiding for this part.  Here are your shots.

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As you can see, this is clearly not a glitter bomb.  That's why I like it.  It's different and unique.  Very cool in my opinion.  I certainly didn't fish out the glitter to add to my nails either!

I then took Bettina Aqua and stamped with my new DRK-A plate from Brazil.  This is one amazing plate let me tell you.  I will be doing a lot of posts with this sucker.  I then added some dots with my art pens, did my funky french with the Aqua and topped it off with a layer of January Morning.

Of course, my camera ruins the beauty of the Aqua.  Shows it way too blue.  This is a true blue green aqua in real life.  I just ordered a new camera so hopefully that will fix this color problem I'm having!  January Morning is a stunning, glistening white shimmer so much prettier than Essie Pure Pearlfection.  It is described as the sparkle you get from a crisp cold layer of snow on a January Morning.  I specifically bought more white polish just to wear this with!  Stay tuned for that.

Are you ready for awesomesauce?  The sun came out just for this-so you know it's gonna be good!

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Do you see that shimmer?  That's the January Morning.  It is simply stunning.  I am loving this mani.  Am particularly proud of how good this one came out.  Sometimes I really do some good stuff right?

Now it's your turn.  Does this mani deserve the title "damn this one's good?"

Until next time people.  Any thoughts out there?