31 Day Challenge - Day 3 Yellow Nails

Hey guys

Sorry for another fly-by post but here is the manicure I have done for day 3 of the 31 day challenge.

Unfortunately after I stamped the first nail using a Barry M nail polish, the polish / bundle monster nail stamping plate I was using didnt want to stamp anymore which completely threw my plan for this mani out of the window.  (For your info I used BM-304 bundle monster nail stamping plate).

Alas, I was left with a rather boring and uninspiring yellow to white nail gradient mani.  I promise to try and make the next one a bit more interesting! :0)

Robin Sparkles

31 Day Challenge - Day 2 Orange Nails

Hey girlies

Sorry it is a day late (crazy DIY happening) but here is my second post for the 31 day challenge.

I decided to make my own orange by mixing my red and yellow Barry M polishes together and sponging it onto my nails on top of a white base coat. The  colour came out as a beautiful coral orange, i really loved it. I then used Barry M gold foil effects and Bundle Monster 2011 plate BM223 to stamp a lovely tiger print.

Let me know what you guys think! :-)

Robin Sparkles

31 Day Challenge - Day 1 Red Nails

Hey guys

 

As you have probably gathered from my previous post I was looking for people to take part in the 31 day challenge with me, doing each day of the challenge every three days (to make it a bit more managable).

 

The first day of the challenge is "Red nails" and here is the design I have created. I haven't been stamping very long so please forgive me they are far from perfect! I used a red Barry M nail polish as the base, then stamped using Barry M silver foil effects and bundle monster plate BM220 using the nautical star french tip design.

I hope you love them, I absolutely love nautical stars.

I have already done a lot of planning for what my following post designs will be and I hope you like what is to come.

Thanks for stopping by and reading.

Robin Sparkles

 

31 Day Challenge - Participants Wanted!

Hey girlies

I am looking for fellow nail enthusiasts who would like to take part in the "31 Day Challenge" with me.

If this is something you would like to try, please comment below with details of your blog / twitter and I shall get in contact with you and arrange what date we should start :0)

I would suggest that we maybe set ourselves a target of doing each Day Task every 3 days otherwise it might start to take a toll on our nails and I am sure we all have busy lives.

Robin Sparkles

Nail Stamping Special Polish HELP!

Hey guys

This post is actually to ask for help from my very knowledgable blog followers regarding special polishes to use for nail stamping. I want to get myself a black and a white polish.

Obviously the main contender would be Konad but I was just wondering if there are any cheaper or better contenders that do the job just as well?

I would really appreciate your comments below of any advice you can offer. As ever, thank you so much. :-)

Robin Sparkles

Drip drop blue nail art

Hey girlies

Quick post from me to show a quick mani I had a go at last night using my new dotting tools! Up close, it isnt as neat as I would have hoped for but I love tryinb different nail art styles and this was one that had been on my list for a while!

I got the inspiration from several blogs and YouTube videos and thought I would give it a go with my new Barry M nail polishes.

Please let me know what you think :-)

Robin Sparkles



Dripping nail art

Red & Gold Hounds Tooth Nail Stamping

Hi guys

Sorry its been a little while, been busy the last few days with a new addition to the family!

Here is a little mani I did recently using Bundle Monster 2012 nail stamping plate set, plate number BM322. I used Barry M 262 Bright Red and Barry M Gold Foil Effects. I am not blown away by the red, I would probably have preferred something a bit deeper and darker but still, here is the mani I ended up with!

I would love to read your comments below, have you used this plate?

Robin Sparkles



Hounds tooth nail stamping

My first attempt at water marbling nail art

Hey guys

Last night I did my first try at water marble nails...it is sooo difficult.

Apart from the fact that most of my nail varnishes wouldnt spread in the water, I allowed the water to get to room temperature (although it wasnt filtered) and spent ages taping up my finger around my nails. The actual dipping wasnt difficult, it was just the lack of nail varnish cooperation! It also takes a lot of nail polish to do this design.

Still, I managed to get a design that has a very faint nail water marble effect to it so I am pleased. I also added dots to the design as a) I like it when i have seen it done by others and b) it helps to hide some of the rubbish its on mine!

I would love to read your comments below.

Robin Sparkles

The Liebster Award - my first ever award!!

Hey girlies

Something very exciting happened yesterday, I was tagged by the wonderful The Nail Art Hobby for The Liebster Award and I feel very happy and honoured to have done so.

I am hoping that this will help me and others not only to start getting more well known in the fabulous blogging community but also to help people find brilliant blogs that might have gone undiscovered.



For this tag, you need to do the following:

1. Each person tagged must post 11 things about themselves.
2. They must also answer the 11 questions the 'tagger' has set for them.
3. They must create 11 more questions to ask bloggers they have decided to tag.

4. They must then choose 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers and tag them in their post.

5. These lucky bloggers must then be told.
6. There's no tag backs.

11 Things About Myself

1. I am the middle sibling of three.

2. I like reading through nail blogs, watching YouTube DIY tutorials for nails, hair, clothes customisation etc.

3. I am a very lucky fiance to the bestest man in the whole world.

4. I am a very lucky mum to the bestest pooch in the whole world. I do training and agility with her and she is awesome!

5. I am *shamed face* a bit of a Twilight geek! I read the books and loved them, then the films came out and I loved them equally.

6. I have got a university degree.

7. I love travelling to far away places and exploring to see as much of the world as possible.  I have a list of 50 places to see before I die and am trying to complete it.

8. I have always wished that I had done horse riding as a child.

9. My favourite TV programme is Sex & the City closely followed by How I Met Your Mother.  I curse the day I ever decided to watch every single episode of Lost, what a waste of life that was!

10. I am a huge fan of the authors Belinda Jones and Cecelia Ahern.  I like to read chick-flick books, no John Grisham for me!

11. I am a bit of a speed demon, I like fast cars, roller coasters, motorbikes etc.

Questions Set By The Tagger

1. What/Who got you started with nail art and how long have you been doing it?

 I have been doing nail art a relatively short time now, only as long as I have been doing my blog so I would say about 3 1/2 months. From a young age I used to cut pieces of masking tape and do my french manicures myself but had never really discovered the world of nail "art" or stamping etc.  I would say that being shown cute A.S nails blog with all their fabulous designs sparked an interest in nail art and adding that as a big feature to my blog.

2. How long have you been blogging for?

Oops, I accidentally answered that in my last answer! Approximately 3 1/2 months.

3. What is your favourite colour to wear on your nails?

My favourite colour at the moment is OPI Pink Friday from the Nicki Minaj collection.  It is a cute baby doll candy floss kinda pink and I love it!  Especially on my toes, makes my feet look tanned! :0)

4. Favourite nail art technique? (Water marbling, stamping, gradient, etc)

My favourite nail art technique is nail flocking.  If you haven't done so already, google it! It is incredible and I LOVE the look.

5. How many different polishes do you own?

My nail polish collection is still pretty modest/small at the moment.  I would say I have about 15 colours.  My next investment needs to be into a blue and a green.

6. Do you have a favourite polish that you keep buying when you run out?

I haven't really found myself in that situation before but I would say that will probably be the case with my OPI Pink Friday polish.

7. Any tips/tricks you've learnt whilst doing your nails?

I have learnt to clean around the edge of the nail with a cotton bud and nail varnish remover at the end, rather than keep wiping off bits here and there and risk ruining the nail art design.

8. Most you've ever spent on nail polish?

Haha, I am sure this answer is getting boring now but my OPI Pink Friday was £9.00, I thought that was extortionate in comparison to my Barry M's. (Well worth it though).

9. How often do you paint your nails?

Every 2-3 days although I am trying to start using glass stones to try out designs rather than my nails as I am noticing the effects it is having on my nails :0(

10. Where do you get your inspiration for nail art?

I would say a lot of my inspiration comes from tutorials on Youtube, namely the fabulous Cute Polish and also some lovely bloggers such as The Nailasaurus, Spellbinding Nails, Sincerely Stephanie, Northern Nails to list but a few!

11. Favourite design you've blogged?

I would say my favourite nail art design that I have created and blogged about at present would be my Salt Nail Art.

My Questions For The Tagged

1. What/who inspired you to start blogging about nail art and where do you get your inspiration for nail art from?

2. Do you blog about anything other than nail art and how long have you been blogging for?

3. What is the top thing on your "wish list" you would want if you could be given one thing for free today?

4. Favourite nail art technique? (Water  marbling, stamping, gradient etc.)

5. What are your favourite 3 nail polish colours & brands at the moment?

6. What are your hobbies other than nail art blogging?

7. What software do you use to edit your pictures before uploading them to your blog?

8. What software do you use to watermark your photos before uploading them to your blog?

9. How often do you paint your nails and how do you keep them in tip-top condition?

10. What is your favourite design you've blogged?

11.  What is your favourite film and favourite book of all time?

And finally, I tag:

1. Trying to be Beautiful

2. Northern Nails

3. Cute A.S Nails

4. Cristina Nails

5. Elanor's Nails

6. Nails by Mellissa

7. The Clockwise Nail Polish

8. Polkadot Sophie

9. Just Talk Nails

10.

11.

As you will notice, there are two empty spaces for tags. That's because the people I've tagged are the only people that I follow with under 200 followers and haven't (to my knowledge) done this tag. If you have a blog with less than 200 followers and want to be tagged, just comment below this post and I'll add you onto it! :0)

*** If the people that I have tagged for this award do take part and write their own posts, could you please comment below with the links to your blog posts, I would really love to read them all :0) ***

Giraffe Animal Print Stamping Nail Art

Hey girlies

Just a quick post to show the current nail art design I am busting!  The inspiration behind this design, I hope, is obvious...one of the coolest animals at the zoo...Giraffes!!

I used:

• Barry M 307 Lemon Ice Cream (x2 coats)
• Rimmel London Lycra Pro 393 Desire  (to stamp with)
• Bundle Monster nail stamping plate 215 from the 2011 set

Giraffe animal stamping nail art

I would love to read any comments below. Hope you love it. :0)

Robin Sparkles

Adventures in Stamping - Sunday Challenge - Metallics

Hey girlies

Those of you that are members of the Adventures in Stamping group on Facebook will know that yesterdays 'We stamp on sunday's' challenge was metallics namely gold, silver & bronze in honour of the London Olympics 2012 that are currently going on (GO Team GB!!)

Here is the nail stamping manicure that I did yesterday, please bear in mind this is only my third attempt at nail stamping and also the first challenge that I had taken part in so with that in mind I am quite happy with myself.

I did a base coat on Rimmel I <3 Lasting Finish 080 Black Cab, then used Barry M Silver & Gold foil effects for the nail stamping.  I used gold on my thumb nail and silver on the rest of my finger nails.

Let me know what you think, I would love to read any comments below.

Thanks for reading guys.

Robin Sparkles

Candy floss pink salt nail art

Hey girlies

On friday I did a mani which I have seen described as Salt Nail Art. 

Its really simple and easy to do, and I adore the final result.  Only problem with this mani is it really only lasts properly the day you did it, wear and tear definitely starts to show pretty quickly.

Candy Floss Pink Friday OPI Salt Nail Art Design

I hope you love the finished effect as much as I do and please feel free to leave any comments below, I would love to read them :0)

Robin Sparkles

Bundle Monster Nail Stamping Plates 2011 Set 25 Pcs - PHOTOS!

Hey girlies

As I am sure you are all aware I have been very excited about the arrival of my new Bundle Monster nail stamping plates and I am very pleased to report that they have arrived!!

So here it is, a snap shot of each one of the 25 beautiful Bundle Monster nail stamping plates in all their glory! (WARNING:: Lots of photos!)

BM-201

BM-202

BM-203

BM-204

BM-205

BM-206

BM-207

BM-208

BM-209

BM-210

BM-211

BM-212

BM-213

BM-214

BM-215

BM-216

BM-217

BM-218

BM-219

BM-220

BM-221

BM-222

BM-223

BM-224

BM-225

PHEW! There you have it, the Bundle Monster Nail Stamping set 2011!!

Let me know what you think of the images and designs in the comments below.  Do you own this set? If so, what is your favourite plate number and design? I would love to hear all your thoughts on these fantastic plates.

Robin Sparkles

Pink Gradient Ombre Nail Manicure

Hey guys!

A couple of nights ago I did a really quick mani but didnt get round to posting a blog about it.

I used a lighter and a darker shade of pink and a makeup sponge to create a pink toned ombre gradient manicure.

They are so simple to do and you can do this with as many colours as you wish, and I think they just look so effective, especially as a base for a beautiful nail stamping design.

So here you have it, my pink gradient ombre nail design manicure:

Hope you love it as much as I do, would love to read your comments below.

Robin Sparkles