Monday, July 16, 2012

July 4th Nails


America! July 4th Nails
July 2012

Colors Used:
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Runway Red-y
Sinful Colors in Midnight Blue
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Celeb City

Music of the Hour: 
American Baby by Dave Matthews Band
So American by Portugal. The Man
Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World
Americana by The Offpsring
Young Americans by David Bowie

...sorry I couldn't stop myself :)


Colorblocking Nails


Colorblocking Nails
July 2012

Colors Used:
Orly Nail Lacquer in Frisky
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Going Green
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Black Out
Milani Nail Art in Yellow Design

Music of the Hour: Sweet Valium High by Charlotte Sometimes



Project Note: If you have a steady hand, you can turn this design into a patchwork or puzzle piece nail art. Here is an example!


Marbled Nails


Marbled Nails
June 2012

Project Note: Paint nails white, let dry. Prepare cup of room temp water, drip up to 4 colors in the center. Swirl with toothpick and set nail on the design. Hold 5 seconds, then use the toothpick to pick up the color around the nail. Slowly lift nail out of water, finish with topcoat! There are some great tutorials on YouTube and on Pinterest for visual learners :)

Colors Used:
OPI in Alpine Snow
Orly Nail Lacquer in Frisky
Spoiled by Wet 'n' Wild in I Only Eat Salads
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Going Green

Music of the Hour: The Future Freaks Me Out by Motion City Soundtrack

Double French Nails


Tangerine and Double French Nails
June 2012

Colors Used:
OPI in Nice Hand...Great Nails
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas

Music of the Hour: Sweet Tangerine by the Hush Sound

Fishy Nails


Fishies Under The Sea Nails
June 2012

Colors Used:
Orly Nail Lacquer in Frisky
Essence Colour&Go in Ultimate Pink
Milani Nail Art in Yellow Design
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas
Essie in licorice

Music of the Hour: The Calendar by Panic! At the Disco

Stripes and Flower Nails


Striped with Corner Flower Nails
June 2012

Colors Used:
Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Black Out
Sephora by OPI in Break a Leg-Warmer
Milani Nail Art in Yellow Design
Milani Nail Lacquer in Tip Toe Pink
Essence Colour&Go in Ultimate Pink

Music of the Hour: Everybody Knows by Jukebox the Ghost

Newspaper Nails


Newspaper Nails
June 2012

Project Note: Paint nails a neutral or gray color, dip small pieces of newspaper in rubbing alcohol, and press onto dry but recently painted nails without topcoat. Press down for 10 seconds and peel off. Finish with topcoat!

Colors Used:
Sally Hansen Sheerly Mauve in 2 Naturel
Sephora by OPI in Break a Leg-Warmer

Music of the Hour: Whatever We Want by the Red Hot Chili Peppers


Half Polka Nails


Shades of Blue with Half Polka Dot Nails
June 2012

Colors Used:
Orly Nail Lacquer in Frisky
OPI in Fly
Essie in Lapiz of Luxury
Wet 'n' Wild Megalast in En Voyage
Orly Nail Lacquer in Charged Up
Essie in licorice
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas

Music of the Hour: Seaside by The Kooks

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Maryland Nails


Maryland Flag Nails with M Nail Tattoo
May 2012

Colors Used: 
Essie in licorice
Milani Nail Art in Yellow Design
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Cherry Red

Music of the Hour: Killin' It by Foxy Shazam

Mario Mushroom Nails


Mario Mushroom Nails and Green/White French
April 2012

Colors Used:
Sally Hansen Sheerly Mauve in 2 Naturel
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Going Green
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Black Out
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas

Music of the Hour: Greener by Tally Hall

Butterfly Nails


Butterfly Pair
April 2012

Colors Used:
Essence Colour&Go in Ultimate Pink
Orly Nail Lacquer in Charged Up
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Black Out
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas

Music of the Hour: Make Yourself by Incubus

Hunger Games Nails


Hunger Games: District 12, Fire, Bow&Arrow, HG, and a futile attempt at a Mockingjay
April 2012

Colors Used:
Essie in licorice
Sephora by OPI in Break a Leg-Warmer
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Cherry Red
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Celeb City
OPI in Nice Hand...Great Nails
OPI in Alpine Snow
Orly Mini in Luxe

Music of the Hour: The Ruler and The Killer by Kid Cudi (only because it's on the soundtrack).

Paper Plane Nails


Paper Planes Trail
April 2012

Colors Used:
Orly Nail Lacquer in Frisky
Essie in Licorice
OPI in Alpine Snow

Music of the Hour: You Fckn Did It by Jason Mraz

Owl Nails


Owl Nails (A Personal Favorite!)
April 2012

Colors Used:
Spoiled by Wet'n'Wild in I Only Eat Salad
Wet'n'Wild Megalast in En Voyage
Essence Colour&Go in Ultimate Pink
OPI in Fly
OPI in Alpine Snow
Milani Nail Art in Yellow Design

Music of the Hour: Afraid To Fly by The Hollywood Kills


Argyle Nails


Double Argyle
April 2012

Colors Used:
OPI in Fly
Spoiled by Wet'n'Wild in I Only Eat Salads
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Celeb City

Music of the Hour: Mountain Sound by Of Monsters and Men

Converse Nails


Converse Sneakers with and without Seam
March 2012

Colors Used:
Milani Neon in Rad Purple
Sally Hanses XtremeWear in Going Green
Sally Hanses XtremeWear in Fuschia Power
Sinful Colors in Midnight Blue
Sally Hanses Complete Salon Manicure in Runway Red-y
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Black Out
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas

Music of the Hour: Hit Me Like a Man by The Pretty Reckless



Ladybug Nails


LadyBug Nails
March 2012

Colors Used:
Sally Hanses Complete Salon Manicure in Runway Red-y
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Black Out
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas

Music of the Hour: Not if You Were The Last Junkie On Earth by The Dandy Warhols



Warm Polka Dot Nails


Warm Color Polka Dots
March 2012

Colors Used:
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Black Out
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas
Milani Nail Art in Yellow Design
Revlon 760 Cherry Crush

Music of the Hour: AKA M80 The Wolf by Portugal. The Man


Pac Man Nails


Pac Man and the Gang
January 2011

Colors Used:
OPI in Nice Hand...Great Nails
Sally Hanses Hard As Nails in Fuschia Power
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Black Out
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas
Milani Nail Art in Yellow Design
Sally Hanses XtremeWear in Cherry Red
Sinful Colors in Midnight Blue

Music of the Hour: Whirring by The Joy Formidable


Steelers Nails


Pittsburgh Steelers Logo, Jersey, and Stripes
December 2011

Colors Used:
Sally Hansen XtremeWear in Black Out
Milani Nail Art in White Canvas
Milani Nail Art in Yellow Design
Sally Hanses XtremeWear in Cherry Red
Sinful Colors in Midnight Blue

As a side note, I use Revlon Multicare Base+Top for my Base Coat,
and Winning Nails toughcoat as a Top Coat.

Music of the Hour: L.E.S. Artistes by Santigold


Welcome!

Hi all! So I know everyone in the world seems to be starting a blog these days, but I've gotten a few requests and recommendations to share my nail designs with the world (or just really bored web-surfers). I've been doing some fun and funky nail art using toothpicks for the past 3 or 4 years now, and I've really enjoyed coming up with new ideas and borrowing some from Google and Pinterest. I hope that these pictures give you ideas and inspire you to challenge yourself; not everyone can be ambidexterous, you know! So here are some of mine- feel free to pin them to your Pinterest boards, or try them out yourself. And make sure to let me know when you do- I want pictures!

I'll be hoping to update every week or two as I do new designs. Suggestions and tips are ALWAYS welcome! And, for an extra twist, I'll be adding a song or album to each post, letting you all know what  music was the soundtrack to the nail project.

Happy browsing!

Rachel