Suit & Tie: Inspired by Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience

"Let me show you a few things..."

So what a week it has been, lovelies... I had these ready to post last week, but didn't feel quite right due to the tragic events surrounding the Boston Marathon. 

This post will be a bit brief, due to a few things: 1. there aren't too many people left who haven't heard this song ( How is that rock you are living under? Just checking) 2. It's nice to let the color speak for itself and 3. self-explanatory nail art really can stand on it's own.

The featured lacquer is Orly's High on Hope from the Hope & Freedom Fest Collection. This is a stunner, it takes my favorite Winter nail shade and flips it into Spring and Summer perfection. High on Hope is a Prussian leaning navy blue with heliotrope shimmer. She is craveworthy. Indoors it plays as a demure office and event ready shade, but in the light it knows how to turn it up. The refraction and shimmer is off of the charts. I can't wait to rock this as a pedi as well. 

The nail art was executed with Nail Candy Art Pens in White and Black to illustrate the front of a tuxedo and pinstripes. I think I have to pause and say a fine looking man in a pinstripe suit does things for me... ( especially you, Mr. Jes). The look was finished with some rhinestone embellishment. 

This is manicure goes out to Tux of Tuxarina. Tux is Kelly's particular and refined tuxedo black cat. He definitely wears his tuxedo for no reason...

I do want to take a moment to remember those lost on Marathon Monday, those injured and their families. Also let's keep in mind all the Boston, the Massachusetts, and the New England residents affected as a result of the aftermath. May the memories of the lost be eternal and may strength be present in everyone's lives. 

Taken yesterday in Boston at the site of one of the memorials.

 
We all together are BostonStrong.

Strawberry Bubblegum: Inspired by Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience

"Hey pretty lady, this goes out to you..."

Well, lovelies, it is a mellow day, because I have had The 20/20 Experience cranked to 11 since I purchased it.  Justin Timberlake is Midas, in my humble opinion. So as a tribute to this pop/R&B phenom, there will be four posts of Inspired By looks based on songs.

This also gives me the opportunity to share the Orly Hope & Freedom Fest Collection. I absolutely love every shade. First up, Elation Generation is a stunning bubblegum pink jelly with an immense amount of holographic glitter suspended in it. I paired it with Boho Bonnet, a dusty pastel periwinkle creme. Both were amazing in three coats; they applied thinly and evenly. 

As JT says, "Strawberry Bubblegum, I'll be your Blueberry lollipop..." hence the nail art. The half-tone dots were done with Nail Candy Nail Art pens in white and pink, to mimic a bubbly and fizzy feel. The lollipops were done with Nail Candy Nail Art pens in white and turquoise. Clear rhinestones were set to accent the mani and give it that girly feel. This was a total departure for me, but I received a lot of complements on it, and really do love Elation Generation. 

Special shout outs to my girls just as obsessed with this album as I am... first and foremost Jasmine's amazing Nailista- her daughter. We can totally sing to this whole album sometime... Speaking of, Jamie and Kait... yeah, we totally did that.

Stay tuned for more nail art in 20/20 vision... it's about to get formal in here. I wonder what is up next...

Spring Fling Challenge Day Five: Watermarble or Gradient

Welcome, to the final day of the challenge! Just a recap this is a cooperative effort between myself and Kelly of Tuxarina, the Spring Fling Challenge is a five day mini skills showdown. We are fortunate to be joined by five others representing both the US and International nail blogging communities:

Hayley of Polished at Heart
Jackie of Polished at Heart 
Erin of LovelyLacqueredLife
Ghila of Nails Noob
Lynette of Pink & Purple Dots

It was my intention to attempt a Watermarble, but the week after vacation is a crash landing. I solemnly swear you will see a Watermarble soon! Instead, I bring you my (in)famous "Lazy Glitter Gradient" a.k.a. "Fake It Until You Make It and Let the Glitter Distract". I started with a base of Sinful Colors' Candy Coated, a periwinkle leaning lilac, then I coated the top half of each nail with Julep's Julia, a stunning gold-purple micro shimmer. The entire nail was swept with Sally Hansen Complete Manicure in Snowglobe. Next three quarters of the nail was painted in KBShimmer's The Square. The Square is a purple-plum jelly with a cacophany of square glitters in a range of sizes suspended in it. The colors dance between purple, white and gold to turquoise and cobalt. This is an amazing instant jelly sandwich... or as I like to say "preserve press". The mani was topped with another coat of Snowglobe. It's not perfect, but it's fun! It's Friday, and I am going with it...

I can't wait to see what all the ladies have done! Please share the comments and share the love...

Thank you so much to all of the girls for participating! Lynette, Ghila, Hayley, Jackie, Erin you did an amazing job and stayed so dedicated! Love to all of you! A special thanks to my challenge partner in crime, Kelly. This is our third challenge together since October... what are we going to cook up next, dear? Hehehe...

Happy Friday, lovelies... enjoy!

Spring Fling Challenge Day Four: Bunnies!

Welcome, to day four of the challenge! Just a recap this is a cooperative effort between myself and Kelly of Tuxarina, the Spring Fling Challenge is a five day mini skills showdown. We are fortunate to be joined by six others representing both the US and International nail blogging communities:

Hayley of Polished at Heart
Jackie of Polished at Heart 
Erin of LovelyLacqueredLife
Ghila of Nails Noob
Kylie of SparKylie Nails
Lynette of Pink & Purple Dots


As another reminder for days two through four, I will be sharing a new product with you, Nail Candy Nail Art Pens. I am very fortunate to have a dear friend and comrade in fashion, June at JM Princewell on the Oval in New Hampshire. She is the reason I am laced in Pandora, adore Paddywax, and am addicted to Tea Forte. Her taste is impeccable and the experience of her store is unsurpassed. She has a firm commitment to US Made, NH Made, Fair Trade, and For Women By Women products. This is a commendable effort. June is helping to underwrite my challenge by asking me to test the nail art product. Today's effort was a bit more streamlined, but still whimsical.


Thanks to Amanda Z. at The Nail Polish Enthusiast and Amanda A. at Fashion Footing for funding today's manicure! The polishes came from swaps and gift exchanges. These ladies have been very generous, and I appreciate it! The need for China Glaze's It's a Trap-Eze came from seeing Lynette's stunning nail art and swatches... Thank you, my dear!

 

My Tarina Tarantino Kyoto Carnival Bonnie Brae earrings in Candy Floss

My nails were painted with a combination of a few shades. First up, Essie's Where's My Chauffeur? a Winter 2012 release. I would definitely call this a Tiffany Blue shade. I topped these nails with Black Cat Lacquer's Let Them Eat Cake- a pastel glitter topper.  The next shade was also a holiday release from the China Glaze Cirque De Soleil inspired line. It's a Trap-Eze is a stunning indie inspired lacquer that is a multi-glitter suspended in a perfect milky white base. My bunny design (inspired by socks that Amanda A. sent with my Secret Bunny exchange package) is simple- but super fun. Couldn't resist adding some a bit of bling on the bunny tail...


I can't wait to see what all the ladies have done! Please share the comments and share the love...

To be concluded- tomorrow wraps up the challenge... watermarble or gradient!

Spring Fling Challenge Day Three: Patterns of Fashion

Welcome, to day three of the challenge! Just a recap this is a cooperative effort between myself and Kelly of Tuxarina, the Spring Fling Challenge is a five day mini skills showdown. We are fortunate to be joined by six others representing both the US and International nail blogging communities:

Hayley of Polished at Heart
Jackie of Polished at Heart 
Erin of LovelyLacqueredLife
Ghila of Nails Noob
Kylie of SparKylie Nails
Lynette of Pink & Purple Dots

As another reminder for days two through four, I will be sharing a new product with you, Nail Candy Nail Art Pens. I am very fortunate to have a dear friend and comrade in fashion, June at JM Princewell on the Oval in New Hampshire. She is the reason I am laced in Pandora, adore Paddywax, and am addicted to Tea Forte. Her taste is impeccable and the experience of her store is unsurpassed. She has a firm commitment to US Made, NH Made, Fair Trade, and For Women By Women products. This is a commendable effort. June is helping to underwrite my challenge by asking me to test the nail art product. I got a bit more fierce with day two...

Spring has definitely sprung and it is evident with the change in fashion, jewelry, fragrance, nail collection releases, and spirit. Warm weather brings out fun and bold style, and I am in love. I took inspiration from a favorite clothing store of mine and as Kelly says " I love me some trigger manicure", so of course I did that, too. This gave me the opportunity to feature two patterns: a modified European toile and a bold Bohemian embroidered pattern. 

I also was fortunate to purchase the entire Essie Resort Collection when I was in Florida, I featured In the Cab-ana yesterday, today I'll bring you two more- First Timer and Under Where? This collection is a summer must! Great formulation and it is soft yet fairly universally flattering.

First Timer is a crisp minty-blue creme. (Now that I have accumulated six Essies in the pastel mint-spearmint-fresh mint range there will be a comparison post after the challenge.) The design was created with Nail Candy in Turquoise and Gold Sparkle. Under Where? is a flirty, fierce, luscious lilac creme. The design was created with Nail Candy in Fuchsia and White.

I can't wait to see what all the ladies have done! Please share the comments and share the love...

Stay tuned for day four... Bunnies!

Spring Fling Challenge Day Two: In Bloom

Welcome, to day two of the challenge! Just a recap this is a cooperative effort between myself and Kelly of Tuxarina, the Spring Fling Challenge is a five day mini skills showdown. We are fortunate to be joined by five others representing both the US and International nail blogging communities:

Hayley of Polished at Heart
Jackie of Polished at Heart 
Erin of LovelyLacqueredLife
Ghila of Nails Noob
Kylie of SparKylie Nails
Lynette of Pink & Purple Dots

For the next three days I will be sharing a new product with you, Nail Candy Nail Art Pens. I am very fortunate to have a dear friend and comrade in fashion, June at JM Princewell on the Oval in New Hampshire. She is the reason I am laced in Pandora, adore Paddywax, and am addicted to Tea Forte. Her taste is impeccable and the experience of her store is unsurpassed. She has a firm commitment to US Made, NH Made, Fair Trade, and For Women By Women products. This is a commendable effort. June is helping to underwrite my challenge by asking me to test the nail art product. Here is day one... 

I went more graphic with this challenge. I am not a overly flowery chick, but I love patterns. I have two entries today, one design done on myself and one done on my Mom, Marina. I had such a wonderful visit with my parents in Florida, and will miss my favorite hand model! 

First up, a tri-tip French manicure... This look was inspired by Hayley and Ghila. These colors are Hayley's wheelhouse as represented by OPI's Stranger Tides, I Don't Give a Rotter-dam, and On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The combination is mind blowing. I will do this again sans nail art.  My nail art as done with the white and turquoise Nail Candy pens were inspired by Ghila. She adores free-form and whimsical things. I consider these a flowers a peek into someone's private Wonderland... The design was finished with a bit of sparkle- rhinestones from Nail Candy.

Secondly, a trigger manicure on Mom... This look was inspired by Radha at The Polish Owl. She loves bold colors and adores Takko lacquer. I used a combination of Takko's We're All Mad Here and Essie's In the Cab-ana ( a 2013 Resort Collection release). My floral designs were inspired by Sheryl at Takko's brand packaging and done with Nail Candy in white. I love these nails, and I love the amazing woman to whom they belong to. You're the best, Ma.

I can't wait to see what all the ladies have done! Please share the comments and share the love...

Stay tuned for day three... Patterns of Fashion!
 
(Please note that Takko Lacquer is available at Etsy. Takko Lacquer ships internationally with MeiMei's Signatures.) 

Spring Fling Challenge Day One: Indie Skittle

 

Welcome, lovelies, to April and a new Challenge! A cooperative effort between myself and Kelly of Tuxarina, the Spring Fling Challenge is a five day mini skills showdown. We are fortunate to be joined by five others representing both the US and International nail blogging communities:

Hayley of Polished at Heart
Erin of LovelyLacqueredLife
Ghila of Nails Noob
Kylie of SparKylie Nails
Lynette of Pink & Purple Dots

Today's theme celebrates the ground breaking individuals who have formed what we know and lust as the "indie" polish movement. Indie lacquers take all forms: glitters, holos, creams, semi-mattes, flakies, shimmers, jellys, crellys, and cremes. The color variety is so bold and far reaching there is something for everyone. The polishes are so desired, the mainstream lacquer community is taking notice. OPI has introduced more multi-colored glitters like Rainbow Connection and Polka.com. China Glaze has introduced a black and white glitter, Whirled Away, and a multi-colored glitter white crelly, It's A Trap-eze. Most recently, Illamasqua released their speckled polishes (pastel crellies with black hex glitter) Freckle, Speckle, Fragile, Mottle, and Scarce . I can say I own at least one of each kind of these indie inspired beauties.

For the challenge I felt I was important to recognize the talent, creativity, and perseverence of the independent polish manufacturers.  Hence the "indie skittle." Starting from left to right (pinky to thumb):

KBShimmer's Where My Peeps At? over OPI's Don't Talk Bach To Me
Whimisical Ideas by Pam's Seuss over OPI's Suzi Says Feng Shui
Windestine's Fireworks over Julep's Simone
Takko Lacquer's Glittergasm over Julep's Adrianna
Oopsie Daisies' Bluebird over Julep's Shenae

I can't wait to see what all the ladies have done! Please share the comments and share the love...

Stay tuned for day two.... In Bloom!
 
(Please note that KBShimmer, Windestine, Takko Lacquer, and Oopsie Daisies are available at Etsy. Whimsicial Ideas by Pam sells direct from her Facebook page. Takko Lacquer ships international with MeiMei's Signatures.)

Also, thanks to my awesome husband, Jesse, for assisting with the graphic. Also, he bought me those flowers for our anniversary last year...