This part of the challenge gave me an anxiety attack already in advance. I know I don’t have any image plates with patterns I could use, so I knew this would mean freehand.

Eeek. Me+freehand does not equal a good combo.

In the end, I decided to keep it as subtle as possible while borrowing sorta tribal elements.

I painted my nails using the gorgeous and unique putty green that is Make Up Store Maria. Then I added uneven peachy-nude stripes using a toothpick
(again) and GOSH Miss Sweety. I painted on a zig-zag pattern using a black nail art polish from Flormal and then finally, added pea-soup green dots using American Apparel MacArthur Park.

It’s busy and subtle at the same time, and despite being a hot mess I kinda like it.

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]]> http://mylittlevanities.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/day-16-tribal-print/feed/ 1 myvanities Untitled IMG_9619 IMG_9623 http://mylittlevanities.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/day-15-delicate-print/ http://mylittlevanities.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/day-15-delicate-print/#comments Fri, 25 May 2012 17:05:33 +0000 MLV http://mylittlevanities.wordpress.com/?p=2800 ]]>

Here’s another one where I knew even before the challenge what I wanted to do. I’ve been wanting to do this colour/pattern combo for ages and the delicate print task finally gave me the opportunity.

This is two coats of Alix Avien No 60 — the first polish ever I have to get a second bottle of because I’m running out (I blame the black and white challenge ).

I stamped this using Barry M Cobalt Blue and one of my favourite Konad plates.

Ooh, sweet china. And I’m half-way through the challenge now.

***

In other news, I’ve been running injury free for a few weeks now (also did a race last weekend) so I’m starting a half marathon training plan next week. Also defending my Master’s next week. Busy week.

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Ooh, I was looking forward to this task – flowers! And hello, summer.

I painted my nails with two coats of the beautiful OPI I Don’t Give A Rotterdam and added colourful roses using my tried and true toothpicks.

For the roses I used Essence Sundancer, Orly Va Va Voom and China Glaze Hey, Sailor! The leaves were Orly Fresh and SpaRitual Yes, I Can!

I’m really enjoying the contrast between the muted base colour and the almost neon of the flowers. Makes it very wearable with all sorts of outfits.

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Here’s another one I love — animal prints! When I decided to do this challenge… I had the idea of doing zebra stripes for the animal print part (as I haven’t tried that stamp yet) but I felt it would be too close to the previous task.

So, instead I did a leopard spots mani over the gorgeous OPI Warm & Fozzie (seriously love for this polish!):

I sponged on a little bit of China Glaze’s Swing Baby to add a little bit of slightly different colour and then added the leopard spots using a black nail art polish and Konad.

I felt this was a bit too blingy for me though and the spots didn’t show up well enough, so I mattiefied the entire thing.

Much better! And I can see myself not wanting to take off this one as well.

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This is my favourite mani so far!

I wanted to practice my sponging some more, so I did and combined it with today’s challenge — stripes.

I painted my nails with Sinful Colours Mint Apple, then sponged the tips with China Glaze Trendsetter.

After that (in keeping with the task) I added freehand stripes using the BYS nail art polish in Mirror Blue.

I love the complimenting colours with the similar finishes. This is definitely my favourite mani of this challenge atm. I’m dreading the fact that I have to take it off soon to go on with the challenge.

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I’ve entered the second part — patterns — of the challenge. Thankfully, it starts out easy with polka dots.

I wanted this to be about texture — matte vs shiny.

This Golden Rose Matte Velvet No 101 dotted with Sinful Colors Innocent.

I love the combination of pale blue and lime green. I only noticed there was a piece of lint stuck in the dotting when I was editing the pictures though.

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Ok, so the easy part of the challenge is nearly over.

Here’s my day 10: gradient nails.

This was sorta inspired by strawberries. But a lot messier than I’d first intended… still need to practice those gradients quite a bit (and pick up a makeup sponge while I’m at it!)

Two coats of Orly Fresh, tips sponged with Barry M Fuchsia and Lumene Soul Shaker.

Tomorrow the second decade of the challenge starts — all about nail art — and colour me a bit scared.

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I really need to step up with this challenge. While doing this, I’ve accumulated so many new polishes this past week that I can’t wait to try that I’m a little bit frustrated…

Here’s day 9: rainbow nails!

I painted my nails with two coats of Models Own Beth’s Blue — a gorgeous periwinkle pastel creme. (I have so much love for this shade!)

Then I used a toothpick dipped in a variety of polishes (China Glaze Hey Sailor! – Alix Avien No 180 – SH Mellow Yellow – Sinful Colors Innocent – Alessandro Turquoise Ocean – SpaRitual Circle of Life – ChG Flying Dragon).

I had kids call this “rasta-nails”. I think we need to re-examine what rasta means with them.

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p.s. I picked up my first MAC lipstick today — Impassioned — and I think I am absolutely in love. My previous everyday lippe was Make Up Store’s Pout, but I wanted a change for the warmer weather… and Impassioned makes me so happy.

Metallic nails… the horror!  I’ve never been much of a fan.

The first connection I have when I think of metallic is chrome, and this is what I put on for this part of the challenge.

This was a coat of China Glaze’s Metallic Muse — a light teal chrome. I added diagonal tips using 2030 – a cool gold chrome.

The idea was to better hide all my nail imperfection under a thicker coat of chrome polishes, but I can’t say this really worked.

I like the combination of colours and the fact that these polishes were super fast-drying. But I can’t say I’ll ever be a fan of chromes on my nails.

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And here I have my pick for the seventh day of the challenge: black.

This is two coats of the 0.7€ Aden Cosmetics polish without name or serial number… I’ve shown it before but I couldn’t resist putting it on again.

I have such a love/hate relationship with this polish!

I think it’s my absolute favourite black with glitter. The multicoloured glitter is perfect and stunning and the polish is impossibly gorgeous. It’s also a tiny tiny 5ml bottle which I’m almost out of and I have no idea where to get another one. :’( I should have picked up at least three of these!

I mean… we didn’t have any sunlight today, so these are in-shade pictures and look how the glitter still pops! ♥

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