Sunday, January 29, 2012

Sunday Stamping Challenge + Zoya Stephanie

It is a good thing that I'm stubborn because otherwise I would have given up on this manicure about five takes ago. It was just one of those days when everything falls, acetone spills, the tape rips off the layers underneath, and just when you redid the problem nail(s) for the 3rd time and it is as good as it will get given the circumstances you bump it into something. Ugh! However, I'm glad that I didn't give up because I actually like what I came up with for this week's Sunday Stamping Challenge. The challenge was simply to make a manicure using any stamping plate that ends in 7. The hardest part is having too many choices :)

For the manicure I started out with a coat of Zoya Stephanie then added french tips using Wet 'n Wild French White Creme and topped it off with a second coat of Stephanie. The flowers were stamped using Color Club Hot Like Lava and Ebay plate m07. Flower centers were added using Sally Hansen Celeb City. I had originally intended for the bottom branch to lie along the tip of the nail, but since I stamped lopsided, I added a slanted tip using Hot Like Lava to accentuate the slope. Let's just pretend that I intended it the whole time because I like it so much more with the foil tips than as just a plain french mani...





I have swatched Zoya Stephanie before, but that was on my little shortie nails, so here are some fresh swatches. This is three coats plus a top coat. Application was good, but not perfect. I kept getting bald spots that did eventually even out by the third coat. The color is lovely, a sheer peachy pink. Perfect for a french mani or on it's own since it covers nicely by three coats. 




I love wearing sheers like this by themselves quite a bit. In fact, before I started blogging I used to wear sheers all spring/summer and dark colors fall/winter. Just take a look at my first Zoya haul back in May of last year... oh how different that order would be now... :D

Swatch Details
Brand: Zoya
Collection: Spa Essentials
Color Name/Number: Stephanie, ZP364
Number of coats: 3
Top Coat: Yes

Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) and Camphor

Have you noticed your taste in nail polish change over time?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

24 comments:

hatsu-hinoiri said...

Wow, very pretty :]

Carolina Garcia said...

I love this Anutka, your nails are looking so pretty!♥

Elsa P. said...

Stephanie looks so good on your nails <3 and the final result looks great! I wouldn't have had the patience to do something like this :D

Maria said...

Ohhhh, this looks absolutely stunning! It's so delicate and pretty<3

Angie said...

What you just explained above is the reason I don't do nail art, lol! I have no patience when it comes to that!

I do like your final outcome though! And I love the slanted foil tip....it does look like you meant to do it too, lol!

AND, I'm right there with you on the sheer colors like that, a few years ago, that was all I wore, with the occasional color thown in. I still haven't found my holy grail sheer though, one day I may!

Jennius - Gold Speck Nails said...

Ooo! So pretty!

Fingers said...

Wow I have not the patience to redo things over and over. If it messes up or gets dinged, I cover it up with something else! But bravo. These are amazing!

Trinka said...

Just had to comment... your nails are always the best! This design is so pretty, love it! :)

MissAdelinne said...

Wonderful nails art!

missadelinne.blogspot.com

Theodora R. said...

Oh I know those days, when nothing seems to work :P But I love the end-result! It looks so pretty, especially with the foil tips! Gorgeous!
Before blogging I wore a lot of pink polishes, so yeah, that changed :D

Gwenn V. said...

Your manicure is sooo cute and gorgeous :)
I still wonder why I haven't buy Hot Like Lava yet :p

KimsKie Nails said...

Wow... it was worth the effort! Very beautiful manicure! ♥

Kirsten said...

You have gorgeous nails! And the base color is perfect for you! And I've tagged you on my blog again! :) http://geekyowl.blogspot.com/2012/01/11-questions-tag.html

Susy said...

Your nails look so pretty!!! I really like the foil tip detail! :)

Anutka said...

Wow, you girls are all so sweet! Now I'm really glad I didn't give up :)

@Hatsu-hinoiri, thank you :)

@Carolina, you are so sweet! Than you. I think you nails are so pretty!

@Elsa, Thank you! It wouldn't be so bad if everything wasn't falling out of my hands that day :)

@Angie, It takes practice, some days are much better than other :D
I have mostly Zoya's left at this point, I tossed all my old ones. You should come play with them see if you find the right color :)

@Jennius, thank you :)

@Fingers, I tend to be stubborn, either have to get it to where I like it, or I remove the whole thing :)

@Trinka, thank you for commenting! You are very sweet :)

@MissAdelinne, thank you! :)

@Theodora, blogging really dose change a person's tastes... I'm more willing to try something out of the box and like it. Although my mom insists I should stick with pinks and reds... "the natural colors" :D

@Gwenn, The foils from Color Club are perfect for stamping and look great on their own. I'm hoping to swatch them at some point :)

@KimsKie, thank you! I'm glad you like it :)

@Kirsten, thanks! I love the peachy sheers. Thanks for the tag :)

@Susy, thank you. I like the last minute addition to, it completes the mani :)

Anutka said...

@Maria, thank you! I like delicate :)

MARTA said...

This just proves that patience pays off!!!!
All of these layers come together to make one lovely delicate look. I swooned over it, and then I saw just the Zoya shade on its own and I was also a 'sucker' for it.
SOOO PRETTY!

Anutka said...

Thank you Marta. I'm often too stubborn to give up! :)
I love those Zoya sheers.. this is one of my favorite :)

Anonymous said...

This is so pretty! And girly ;) ~Alla

Anutka said...

Yes, more girlie than usual :)

Nail Buff said...

Amazing! You are so talented my dear!

Anutka said...

Thank you! :)

Kirstie Valerio said...

Hey I was looking for a good Zoya dupe for Essie Fiji for a friend, do you think this is a good dupe for it? Thank you! :)

Anutka said...

@Kirstie, I don't think this is a dupe. Essie Fiji is more opaque, this Zoya is very sheer. More of a french tip kind of pink. I would suggest going to Zoya's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ZoyaNailPolish) and ask the question. Someone is likely to know what the true Zoya dupe for Fiji is. Good luck. :)

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