Nail Stamping for Bad Ass Challenge.

Left Hand

Right hand

When the topic for this weeks Stamping Sunday challenge was "Bad Ass Nails", I knew I had to do it. This mani is definitely one that doesn't go unnoticed when I am out and about. The spikes have stayed on good since I used super glue to put them on. I couldn't spend all that time doing them just to take this mani right off after pictures. Amazingly, none of the spikes came off during the 24hrs I wore this mani. For everyday nails, I might incorporate one of these nails as an accent when wearing "manly" colors. However, I really prefer solid colors or full nails stamping images. The smaller spikes are a good size to wear. The larger spikes inflict way more damage. The skulls were made with Sugar Bubbles 006 plate. I did it as a sticker so I could color the skull in with the white. The eye ball started out as a planet earth stamp and I just filled it in with white to get a big circle. I used a dotting tool to make the pupil. I decided to use a yellow glaze over they eye to make it yellowish. I often make these type of stamping stickers ahead of time and store them in a plastic case with little compartments. The last a few weeks before they start to get brittle.

I hope you liked it for an over the top type of mani. It isn't something you would see me wearing on a day to day basis. It was more of a learning experience than anything else.

My attempt at Galaxy Nails

I have always wanted to try galaxy nails. I am happy with how they turned out for a first attempt,. Next time I will pick my colors better. I think Galaxy nails are a good gender neutral nail art design. They appeal to the science nerd in me. I used BB Couture Night Ops as the base color. I haven't seen them in sunlight yet. If I get a better picture, I will update this post.

BB Couture - Shaded Ash

This is the color most of the time.

Outside in Strong sunlight.

Inside the office.

Hello again everyone! This is the fifth of the six BB Couture "Shades of Grey" collection I have blogged about. I have to say I like this polish ten times more now that I have tried it. The first thing I noticed that it went on so easy I felt like I knew what I was doing. I only put a second coat on so that I wouldn't be at work and notice a nail that needed more polish. So the pictures are shown with two coats and no topcoat. My SV is getting gooey and I didn't feel like messing with the restore. Also the high shine makes showing the color harder. I always get too many reflections. This shade really goes good with a number of shirts I own. I like green shirts because it brings out the green in my hazel eyes. It really bothers my daughter that some days my eyes look blue and other days brown or green. They totally pick up on what I'm wearing. This polish is a nice greyish green. It reminds me of Revlon Spanish Moss but with more grey in it. This will be a great polish I can wear to work. It isn't too dark or too bright, it is a nice conservative color that is perfect for the workplace.

This polish is really true to BB Coutures high quality and interesting shades.

BB Couture for Men - Night Ops

I think this one captures it best.

Daytime Over Cast

Direct Sunlight

Ignore the camping toilet int corner!

This is one of my early purchases from when I first got into polish. I found a great selection of colors that were geared towards guy in the BB Couture for Men polish line. This one is called Night Ops. It is a really dark greenish blue with lots of shimmer buried in the polish. I would classify it as a jelly. it required two nice even coats, or three with my skill level. I am mesmerized buy this polish, it looks like I'm looking into it. I think that is why the light is so important in how it changes. I haven't yet figured out the best light or angles to show this polish. It randomly shows me how awesome it is when I am going about my work.I just hope people don't catch me staring at them! I can't believe how freeking big my thumb nail looks in these pictures! It just seems disproportionately large. I might have to change my name to Hagrid!

I hope to try out another of the Shades of Grey collection from BB Couture next.

BB Couture Starry Starry Taupe

BB Couture Starry Starry Taupe is another of the Shades of Grey Collection. This one has a small amount of scattered holo particles in the polish; just enough to see why it is called Starry. The formula is great. I used two coats plus a top coat of Seche Vite.  I enjoyed wearing this polish and loved how it would twinkle at me now and then. I felt totally comfortable wearing this color.  I have three more from this collection to share. However, I am going to show you an awesome polish from the men's line first.  Night Ops will be up next. I hope you will love it as much as me.

I am embracing the path taken!

Since moving from only wearing polish on my toes to pretty much wearing my nails polished all the time, I have come to the realization that I enjoy it and am not going to be made to feel bad about my choice. I want people to see my nail art. It may not be as good as the experts, but it wows a lot of people I run into.

Simple stamping over a polish with gradient.

I was complimented on the above mani by at least three women today. Most want to know how I did it or think it is those peel and stick nail strips. I am striving to get good enough to be able to create designs that my peers in Adventures in Stamping will love. There are so many little techniques to master. I am so much better at gradients than I was only a month ago. Developing an eye for what works is taking some time.

Friday I go for my next fill, my nails are almost the length I desire. I've been wanting them just to the end of my finger so I don't end up getting polish on the skin at the free edge. In the past there was no actual free edge, so wrapping the tips was impossible without painting my fingers. Now they just need to grow enough so we can get them all neat and the same length. If my nails are going to be my canvas, they should look good.

Lincoln Park After Dark with gold stamping.

BB Couture - Puce

This is the second polish I have tried from BB Coutures "Six shades of Grey" Collection.  I like the Holographic particles that are scattered through out the polish. There is just enough to add a little interest to the polish without taking the focus away from the color. I had to debate whether a second coat was even necessary. Shown is two coats with SV topcoat. In the LED lighting I used to take the pictures, it looks more brown than grey. I will add a picture in sunlight in the morning.  I find this color to be very unique and another polish that will be a great addition to my daily wear polishes. In my opinion, this collection would be equally appropriate for their mens or womens line of polishes.

In summary, this is a unique polish, with a great formula, that is terrific for fall or anytime.

BB Couture - Briquette

Fun early Halloween toes.

Hope everyone's weekend is going well! I got some nail mail yesterday. I ordered the new BB Couture 6 Shades of Gray collection.I decided to take this one with me to my first fill of my nails. The nail tech really liked this color and the application was so easy. Two coats was all that was needed.to get a nice even coverage. I can't wait to try the other five polishes. This whole collection is really good for me. They are light to medium grays. Everytime I wear a darker color, people think it is black and I'm trying to be goth or something.One nice feature of this polish is the scattered shimmer that adds some interest to the color. I don't know why glitter has to be a woman's domain. If I can put it on my car, I should be able to put it on my nails!

So I mentioned I went for my first fill of my acrylic overlays, it was an enjoyable experience. I love chatting while she does her work. We talked about our kids and how we both transplanted to Hawaii. I have to admit, half the fun in going to the salon is the interaction with the nail techs; this is the main reason I went to a salon that is not run by non-English speaking people. Last night when I went with my aunt to our pedicure appointments at her favorite place, I got so annoyed when I couldn't get the lady to say the amount of the bill. I had forgot my reading glasses and am blind without them to read. We had to get the owner over to finally get the amount. The only redeeming quality of the place is the young nail tech that is totally into nail art. I am a big fan of hers. She did the art on my toes above. We always have fun deciding what to do. I'll keep going there as long as my aunt is still with us, then I will move to the place where I get my nails done. My nail polish addictions is my only real vice, I don't smoke, drink or do drugs, so it is in the entertainment part of my budget. If I smoked a pack a day I would spend four times that much. If I went to a bar once a week, I would still spend a lot more. Perfect I have now just justified my spending on polish and pampering!