The Lacquer Ring: Under The Sea

Purchased By Shelby Lou

Today is another fun and exciting prompt for The Lacquer Ring which is "Under The Sea." I had some ideas planned out..... but then I came home on Wednesday (why yes, I do like to wait until the last minute\) and my OPI Color Paints had arrived! Of course I needed to play with them immediately. I went with the blue and greens and decided to sandwich some stamping for the ultimate deep-sea look. So here is my first go nail arting with these fantastical jelly nail paints!

Shelby Lou Nails
The Lacquer Ring: Under The Sea
OPI Color Paints: Indigo Motif, Turquoise Aesthetic, & Landscape Artist
MoYou London Sailor 05 & Rica Whiteout
INM Northern Lights
(lightbox)

For this mani I started with a base of OPI This Gown Needs A Crown. Using little 1/4 chunks of torn make-up sponge held with tweezers, I dabbled on two layers of OPI Indigo Motif, OPI Turquoise Asthetic, and OPI Lanscape Artist. Over that layer I stamped an image from MoYou London Sailor 05 (I love this plate!) with Rica Whiteout and my Creative Shop Stamper. I dabbled on a third and fourth layer of the same OPI colors. And then I may or may not have topped everything off with INM Northern Lights.

Shelby Lou Nails
The Lacquer Ring: Under The Sea
OPI Color Paints: Indigo Motif, Turquoise Aesthetic, & Landscape Artist
MoYou London Sailor 05 & Rica Whiteout
INM Northern Lights
(with flash)

I love this look so hard. It's got this motion to it like currents in the sea and it's all chaotic and murky but bright--just how I imagine being under the sea would be. I can't even get over how amazing the OPI Color Paints are. I just whipped this up having never used them before. I can see a lot of people at all stages of nail art abilities having fun and being successful with them. So if you have been on the fence (like I was) just give in. I can't wait to play some more with them!

You can check out a macro of this mani on my instagram here!

Check out the other deep-sea inspired manis from the other ladies in The Lacquer Ring! Have you loved your cuticles today?

An InLinkz Link-up

HPB Presents: Twin Galaxy Nails With Polished Lifting

Purchased By Shelby Lou

Today's post is pulling double-duty as my Hobby Polish Bloggers mani and a twinsies mani with one of my friends, Courtney from Polished Lifting! Courtney and I had talked about doing a twin galaxy mani since we have never done one before. It was a serendipitous bonus that this month's HPB theme is Starry Night Sky. I love multitasking and that extends to my nail polish arts-ing.

I have seen probably thousands of galaxy manis and hundreds of ways to do them, so I didn't follow any one person's tutorial in particular. I just ripped little 1/4 inch chunks off of a make-up sponge, dabbed some polish on it, dabbed the sponge a few times on paper, then dabbed the polish on nail. That is literally it. Why have I never done this before?!

Shelby Lou Nails
The Milky Way

Courtney finished her mani first and I loved it so much that I tried to make mine like hers (and ended up with something really different, but anyway...). She started with a black creme then dabbled a bright blue and red-pink shimmer. I never would have thought of this combination without her experiment first! So, I started with a base of KBShimmer Eclipse, which went on in two luscious coats by the way. I dabbled on KBShimmer Sky Jinks followed by Emily de Molly Lace Man. Lastly I dry-brushed on a smattering of Darling Diva Hank! because I needed some bling in my world.

Shelby Lou Nails
The Milky Way

My galaxy became quite linear rather than nebulous as I had envisioned. Once I saw proper photos I totally saw the Milky Way on my nails! I grew up in "the country" and I always loved looking at the stars. I could easily see the shimmery band of the Milky Way all the way across the sky, especially on a cold, clear night. Being in the middle of a city or a stadium full of people doesn't even give me that feeling of vastness that seeing the stars does.

Check out Courtney's galaxy mani on Polished Lifting here! I just love her art and her long nails, more to love. On Courtney's blog you will find swatches, indies, and nail art to die for. I hope you give her a follow! Have you loved your cuticles today?

An InLinkz Link-up

Stamping Saturday: Tiffany Art Deco

Purchased By Shelby Lou 

Two posts this week, yay! I have low standards for myself haha. Today is a quick little Stamping Saturday mani. I just received Enchanted Polish Daydream and had that on for a couple days by itself. It's pretty and all, but I don't know that it was worth the $16.50 I paid. It is a lovely blue-green holo with blue shimmer, I think I see a hint of purple at some angles.

Shelby Lou Nails
Stamping Saturday
Enchanted Polish Daydream
MoYou London Time Traveler 05 & Rica Whiteout
(lightbox)

This color feels very Breakfast at Tiffany's to me so I decided to stamp an art deco image over it. I used MoYou London Time Traveler 05 and Rica Whiteout. I used my Creative Shop stamper and everything but I just had a tough time stamping today. I smooshed my pinky a little and all my lines are different on each finger. It looks good from normal viewing distance though, that's what counts, right!

Shelby Lou Nails
Stamping Saturday
Enchanted Polish Daydream
MoYou London Time Traveler 05 & Rica Whiteout
(with flash)

Check out the other amazing stamping manis everyone is sharing this Saturday! Have you loved your cuticles today?

An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

Hump Day HARE: Escape to Palm Springs

Purchased By Shelby Lou 

Super-fast post today--because I am tired and want to go to bed! Today's Hare Polish was an exclusive offered last summer. Escape to Palm Springs is a bright "periwinkle/cornflower" crelly with hot pink and orange glitters along with pale gold flakes and shimmer. I did three coats with no glitter issues and added some neon pink studs for good measure. I think it looks more indigo or blurple in real life. I tried color-correcting a couple photos so ignore my strangely-hued skintone!

Shelby Lou Nails
Hump Day HARE
Escape to Palm Springs
(lightbox)

Shelby Lou Nails 
Hump Day HARE
Escape to Palm Springs
(with flash)

Shelby Lou Nails 
Hump Day HARE
Escape to Palm Springs
(with flash)

EtPS is just an absolutely stunning color! On my computer screen the last picture looks the most color-accurate to me. Anyone need to put out an ISo now?

Have you loved your cuticles today?

The Lacquer Ring: Metals

Purchased By Shelby Lou

I don't know what in the world is going on lately, but work has been crazy for me all week. I haven't had time for lunch in three days. I've done a lot of good work and it's been very rewarding... it's just SO much. You feel me? I love my job and feel very lucky to be doing something I love, I just want to distribute the volume haha.

Shelby Lou Nails
The Lacquer Ring: Metals
OPI My Dogsled Is A Hybrid & KBShimmer Pansy-Monium
Ruffian Nail Lacquer Rosary & MoYou London Fashionista 07
(with flash)

Today's mani inspiration for The Lacquer Ring is metals. I have had this cute little bottle of Ruffian Nail Lacquer in Rosary, a lovely rose gold metallic which was gifted to me by one of my BFFs, which has been begging to be stamped. My friend is a nail muggle or I think she would have kept this little gem! Make sure you check out the bottles, perfectly mid-sized and adorable. I want about 10 bottles of this so I never run out.

Shelby Lou Nails 
The Lacquer Ring: Metals
OPI My Dogsled Is A Hybrid & KBShimmer Pansy-Monium
Ruffian Nail Lacquer Rosary & MoYou London Fashionista 07
(without flash)

I chose an image from one of my favorite stamping plates, MoYou London Fashionista 07, and stamped Rosary over a gradient of OPI My Dogsled Is A Hybrid and KBShimmer Pansy-Monium. I started with a base of the MDIAH and Pansy on top, which covered really well in a few layers.

Shelby Lou Nails 
The Lacquer Ring: Metals
OPI My Dogsled Is A Hybrid & KBShimmer Pansy-Monium
Ruffian Nail Lacquer Rosary & MoYou London Fashionista 07
(with flash)

I am so happy to have joined The Lacquer Ring. I feel those creative juices flowing with the prompts! I am so in love with this color combination and I got so many compliments at work--The nurses all know to check out my nails hehe. A few who are getting married this year want me to do their nails, I don't know if I could handle the pressure though! And I've only ever done someone else's nails like twice. Anyone else feel like they can't do someone else's nails?

Have you loved your cuticles today?

An InLinkz Link-up

Stamping Saturday: Independence Day Nails

Purchased By Shelby Lou 

Happy Independence Day to all my fellow US readers out there! I absolutely love patriotic manis and nail polishes, so for today I knew I just needed to go over the top and do a skittle mani.

Index (and thumb, not shown): Pretty & Polished Wham Bam Thank Ya Sam
Middle: SquareHue Times Square with Painted Polish Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Holo
Ring: Essie Butler Please stamped with Vivid Lacquer 002 and Pure Ice Silver Star
Pinky: What's Your Point-settia? stamped with MoYou London Pro XL 01 and Rica Whiteout, along with silver stud accents

Shelby Lou Nails
Stamping Saturday
Independence Day Mani

Shelby Lou Nails
Stamping Saturday
Independence Day Mani

Tonight my husband and I are going to try and check out some local fireworks! We both have to work Sunday so I hope the ones we plan on going to don't go too late. What are your fun plans for the Fourth of July this year?

***Bonus Stamping Saturday Mani*** 

Earlier this week I shared Hare Polish I'm Your National Anthem. I popped off the studs and stamped it with Vivid Lacquer 015 and a Sinful Colors gold metallic polish. I wish I had done that in the first place, I love how the firework stamp looks over the flakes so much! Check out my Hump Day HARE post from earlier this week to see more of this gorgeous Hare Polish, too.

Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish I'm Your National Anthem
Vivid Lacquer 015 & Sinful Colors Gold Medal

Have you loved your cuticles today?

An InLinkz Link-up

Guest Post at Polish Those Nails

I have a special guest post over at Polish Those Nails for today! I shared a macro preview on my instagram last night. Click here to check out my post in the Blogger Takeover series! While you are there you might as well check out some of Marisa's amazing freehand nail art.

I'll be back with some stamping for tomorrow!

Have you loved your cuticles today?

Hump Day HARE: I'm Your National Anthem

Purchased By Shelby Lou 

Since Independence Day is fast approaching--it always seems to sneak up on me!--today's Hump Day Hare Polish is I'm Your National Anthem. IYNA is one of the LE Lana Del Ray polishes (see Pretty When I Cry here) and most recent release from my beloved indie.

Shelby Lou Nails
Hump Day Hare
Hare Polish - I'm Your National Anthem
(No flash)

IYNA is a red jelly with gold and blue flakes in metallic and satin finishes. There is a soft holographic shimmer, but I couldn't really see the holo aspect of it most of the time. I used three coats of this jelly, I was debating on a fourth but I didn't really have any VNL so I left it. I added some blue accent studs to bring out the blue flakes since they started to feel look purple to me.

Shelby Lou Nails
Hump Day Hare
Hare Polish - I'm Your National Anthem
(With flash)

I don't wear much red and I feel like I have a tough time photographing red polish. I wouldn't say this is a patriotic polish or even my favorite Hare, but it is a lovely red flakie jelly! Any Lana Del Ray fans have this on their lemming list?

Have you loved your cuticles today?

**Edited to Add on 7/4/15**

I decided to pop the studs off and stamp this mani with Vivid Lacquer 015 and Sinful Colors Gold Medal. I love this look more! I also shared this in my July 4th Stamping Saturday post.

Shelby Lou Nails

Hump Day Hare & Stamping Saturday

Hare Polish - I'm Your National Anthem
Vivid Lacquer 015 & Sinful Colors Gold Medal

(No flash)

Shelby Lou Nails

Hump Day Hare & Stamping Saturday

Hare Polish - I'm Your National Anthem
Vivid Lacquer 015 & Sinful Colors Gold Medal

(with flash)