Cherry Blossoms, Geisha, And Newsprint

 Hey guys! I'm back with Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh? today and a design inspired by Robin Moses. She did a geisha with cherry blossoms and newsprint a little while back and it seemed so perfect I had to try it! You can watch her video here. Of course, her design is amazing, as always, and my nails are much shorter than the set Robin did. I had less room and had to change things to fit my nails but I really love it.

 At first my Japanese newspaper did not want to transfer so I went ahead and finished out my nails with the cherry blossoms and the geisha. I was so frustrated with the paper that I whined for a full day. My wonderful husband, tired of me complaining about crappy paper, went to the store down the road and bought a few different ones to try and, happily, they worked. 

 The base is OPI Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh? and the rest is acrylic paint and transferred newsprint. 

 Below is what it looked like before the newsprint. 

 What is one of the most frustrating things for you about doing your own nails?

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OPI Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh?

  Hey everyone! My week has flown by, how about yours?

 Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh? was one of the polishes that I knew I had to have from the Holland collection. It is a nude, bisque sort of grey putty shade. You know the old silly putty that used to come in the plastic egg? It was a nice pink beige color until you started to play with it, transferring newspaper print and then it started to look dingy and dirty? That is what this reminds me of. 

 Picture is two coats. No problems at all with this one, very easy to work with. 

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Cult Nails Seduction

 Hey guys, I hope you all had a great weekend! My mother-in-law will be visiting at the end of the week for two weeks so I have been working on making sure I have posts ready before she arrives. I will still be around, checking in and all that but I don't want to be writing posts every few days instead of just enjoying the time she is here. 

 Anyways, a few weeks ago when Cult Nails had their $5 sale, for hitting 5,000 likes on FB, I finally made my first order. I got it in over the weekend and I am very pleased. The shipping was quick, the polishes were beautiful and everything was excellently packed. I couldn't be happier!  

 Today I have Seduction to share, it's a purple jelly packed with red and blue flakes. Basically, it is Unicorn Puke, AKA Clairvoyant, without the green. I had the opportunity to get Unicorn Puke back when Maria first made it available but didn't and I have regretted it since. When I heard about this one I knew I had to get it and I don't regret it at all, I love it! The flakes in Seduction do shift a bit green in some lights but it's very different from having the green mixed in with it like Unicorn Puke has. 

 The picture below is three coats of Seduction alone, no topcoat. You could wear this one alone but I think it is a much better layering polish.     

 Here is one coat of Seduction over black. In these two pictures you can see a bit of the green shift around the edge of my middle and ring finger.

 I came across a green flake polish here in Japan, Pa AA42, and thought if layered over Seduction it would be similar to Unicorn Puke. It seems close, but with the PA layered on top the green shows the most. Next time I might try it underneath. Though, in the end I am happy with it.

 You can pick up Seduction from Cult Nails but if you are thinking about it don't wait too long, it is limited edition.
 Have you tried any Cult Nails polishes? Which is your favorite?

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Whimsical Nail Art Giveaway!

 Hey guys, no polish pictures today! Instead I have a giveaway!  

 Since we finally got Whimsical in here a few weeks ago and had several bottles I picked up one to giveaway along with some other nail art items. There are three deco packs, they have pearls, chains and two roses in each. There is also a double-ended dotting tool, a medium brush and a small brush.

 The only rule is to be a GFC follower of my blog. This is open internationally to everyone as long as you are over 18 or have your parents permission and you can receive these items in the mail. Giveaway ends at midnight EST on 5/05/2012. Winner has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. All items are new, unused and were purchased by me. 

Whimsical French

 Hey guys, back when I posted Revlon Whimsical I thought it would be amazing to use over a french since it is sheer, so I tried it out and wasn't disappointed! 

 For the tips I used Revlon Calla Lily, a sheer white with gold and green shimmer. I will have a full post on that one soon. Then, I used two coats of Whimsical on top. It is so much nicer in person, I love it!

 Have you tried a mani like this before?

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OPI Metallic 4 Life

 Hey everyone! First off, you might have noticed some changes, the BlogHer ads above my header and on the right side bar. Hopefully, they won't slow down loading times or be any problems but if you notice anything or have any opinions please feel free to let me know because if it weren't for you guys blogging wouldn't be much fun! I don't plan on making much off the ads, if anything at all, maybe something extra for more giveaway goodies! 

 Anyways, moving on, today I have OPI Metallic 4 Life, from the Nicki Minaj collection. It's a black base full of different size silver hex glitter and even small square glitter. It is ridiculously packed with glitter and would be great to layer over a black cream for easier removal. 

 Pictures are three coats, no top coat. Since there is so much glitter in this one it does need top coat to smooth it out. It was pretty easy to apply considering it was glitter but it's still thick and can get lumpy if you aren't careful. 

 While we are sort of on the subject, I am not a huge fan of Nicki Minaj but I do like a few of her songs. That being said I love music from pretty much every genre so I would like to know what are some of your favorite songs and/or artists? I like finding new stuff to listen to. Some people say they listen to everything, then quickly follow that with a but, but I'm not one of those people. I really do listen to everything, so hit me with your best shot!

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OPI A Roll In The Hague

 Hey guys, I hope every one had a great weekend! We saw Battleship and I have to say it was better than I thought it would be. 

 Wow, bright orange radioactive Cheetos nails, anyone? A Roll In The Hague is from the Holland collection, it's a super pigmented almost neon orange. It is so bright, I don't know any other way to describe it. I have nothing else like this one. It's so much more amazing in real life and my pictures do it no justice. I absolutely love it, I would probably fight you over it, honestly. I don't like red polish so much but I adore orange for some reason. 

 Pictures are three coats. The formula was good but looked a little uneven with two so for the sake of pictures I applied three.

 Come on warm weather, I need to wear this on my toes with flip-flops!  

 What is your favorite bright polish?

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Essie Navigate Her

 Hi guys! I love green so it should be no surprise that I couldn't resist this one. Essie Navigate Her is a light green, sort of a light pistachio green. It seems to lean a bit yellow on me. I really love this and can't wait to use it for a pedicure soon.

 Picture is three coats. The first coat was streaky, the second was good but a bit uneven so I did three. It would probably be fine with just two coats if you are careful. 

 What is your favorite green polish? Do you have any plans this weekend? We are hoping to see Battleship. Well, the husband wants to see it and I just want caramel popcorn!

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Sally Hansen Salon Effects Not A Peep

 Hey guys! I picked up the Salon Effects in Not A Peep a while back and just got around to putting them on yesterday since I wore my fluffy bunny for Easter and these were kind of the back up plan. 

 I've used the Salon Effects before without much issue but I had the most horrible time with this set. They were thin, ripped easily, looked weird on and did not want to stay down. I was so frustrated with them I almost didn't finish. I pushed through anyways, I loved the print, but I think I will be taking these off tomorrow since I don't think it will last much longer than that anyway. 

 The picture is without top coat, you can see how it looks weird, bumpy and bubbly on the nail. So sad, the design was too cute in the box. 

 Has there been anything you wanted to love but have been disappointed or frustrated with?

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OPI Thanks A Windmillion

 Hey guys, I hope you all had a great weekend!
 Today I have Thanks A Windmillion from the OPI Holland collection. Thanks A Windmillion is a dirty sea foam green, it is close to last years Mermaid's Tears only murkier. Yes, I definitely need both of them and yes, I am a hoarder.
 Picture is two coats. The formula on this one is great, no problems at all and it dried very quick. I am so in love with it.

I asked last week what was the worst polish formal you had ever tried so now what has been the best?

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Fluffy Easter Bunny

 Hey everyone, I couldn't decide on what to wear this weekend for Easter so I caved and did the traditional bunny and eggs. I really wanted to try a fluffy long hair bunny so that's what I did. I really like him, resting his head on the egg is adorable to me. 

 The base is Revlon Blue Lagoon and the rest is acrylic paint. There is no tutorial on this one, sorry. I wasn't sure what I was going to be doing in the beginning and just went for it. Maybe I will try a tutorial for him later on but basically I put in the egg shape then started with his head above it in a dark brown. After I got in the head, ears and body I took medium brown and light brown and started making lines all over him. With black I added in the eye, nose and a few black hairs and lightly outlined him with black.  

 You can see the nose detail a bit better here.

 After I got him in and decided he was cute enough to keep I added in whiskers, pink dots to his egg and pink and yellow dots to the rest of the nails and top coated.

 How do you think he looks, fluffy? What are your Easter plans if you celebrate? What will you be wearing on your nails?

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Pastel Easter Plaid

 Hi guys! Today I have a simple plaid design for Easter, no tutorial on this one since it is basically the same as my other plaid tutorial only different colors. The base is OPI Rumple's Wiggin' and the stripes are acrylic paint. I love these colors together, they scream spring to me. 

 Do you have your Easter mani planned out already?

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Revlon Runway Pearl

 Hey everyone! Today I have Revlon Runway Pearl, a milky white with a delicate pink shimmer. The shimmer isn't very noticeable unless direct light hits it but it is pretty. The picture is three coats, it is a little thin and still has visible nail line, other that that I had no problems. 

 I feel like I have really been into these light, sheer polishes lately, maybe because I am ready for spring weather since we are still getting snow here? Do you find yourself wearing different types of polish during different seasons?

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Salon Effects Giveaway Winners!

 Thanks to everyone that entered! I have emailed both of the winners and hope to hear back soon. If they do not respond within 48 hours I will draw a new winner. 

OPI NYC Ballet

 Hey everyone! First off I just want to say thanks for all the wonderful comments you all leave every week, they really mean a lot to me. I noticed I passed seven hundred followers with GFC yesterday and I truly think that if it wasn't for you guys I would have given up a long time ago. The Salon Effects giveaway ends tonight and after I draw the winners for those I think I will be having another small giveaway for sticking with me. I appreciate that you like what I do enough to stick around so thank you.    

 Today I have the OPI NYC Ballet collection to share with you. These are all light sheer polishes and show visible nail line but I adore every one of them. They aren't the normal sheer polishes either, they're jellies! Plus, unlike most sheers I have used you can easily get away with one coat because they do not streak. That said pay no attention to my middle finger in the swatches, it still has a few ridges but they weren't visible in real life, go figure. 

 All of the pictures are three coats with no top coat unless stated otherwise. 

 Barre My Soul is a light beige.

 Don't Touch My Tutu! is a light white. I really like this with just one coat.

 You Callin' Me A Lyre? is a light feminine pink.

 Care To Danse? is a very light lilac. When I first saw this one I had my doubts but, surprisingly, it actually turned out to be one of my favorites from this collection.

 Here it is topped with one coat of Pirouette My Whistle.

 My Pointe Exactly is a very light grey. This is the one I was most excited about and it didn't disappoint me. I am fascinated with this one, it is such an odd polish I can't help but love it.

 Pirouette My Whistle is a clear base with tiny silver glitter and medium matte silver glitter. I have layered one coat over My Pointe Exactly because there just isn't enough glitter in this one to make it opaque and I think they were made for each other. I have to say this is one of my favorite glitters now.

 You can see how shiny these polishes are, they look to have top coat. Below is You Callin' Me A Lyre?. They are so much more gorgeous in person!

 Did you pick up anything from this collection? Do you love them as much as I do? Which is your favorite?

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Revlon Colorstay Buttercup

 Today I have Revlon Buttercup From the Colorstay line. Buttercup is a light butter yellow, I love this shade but the formula on this one is horrible. It was thick, streaky and wouldn't even out own its own but at the same time pooled at my cuticles requiring me to do clean up, which is rare. This polish staggers my imagination. 

 Picture is three coats, it could have used a fourth to even it out more but after the third coat I was so frustrated that I wasn't willing. Needless to say I took this one off immediately. I might try adding thinner later on to see if it can be helped. 

 What polish has had the worst formula you have tried?

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