Sunday Stamping: New Year Party Nails

I'm not fully back to blogging from all the holiday madness, but I didn't want to miss out on the last Sunday Stamping challenge this year. The challenge is to create New Year party nails. Even though this manicure won't last until actual New Years eve, since I have something else in mind, it was fun to make...

Holiday Snowmen

Just a quick post today with some holiday nail art I did recently. I was thinking about families spending time together this holiday season and that somehow manifested itself as little snowmen on my nails. Maybe it is a sign that I have not been spending enough time with my family recently. On the other hand, maybe it just means I'm ready to head to the mountains and play in the snow. Whatever the reason behind it, I really enjoyed this manicure...

Sunday Stamping: Colors of My Holiday Decorations

The holidays can get kind of hectic and I have been struggling to find the time to blog. That is partly why I am showing you the Sunday Stamping manicure on a Monday. This week the challenge was to create a manicure with the colors of the holiday tree decorations. I took that quite literally and went looking through my ornaments for inspiration. I wanted something that wasn't a "typical" bright color so I chose for a gorgeous matte white ornament with gold glitter and rhinestones...

Inspired by Fashion Contest Winners!

It is finally time to announce the winners of the Inspired by Fashion Nail Art Contest!

I want to thank everyone who took the time to come vote and support your favorites! I wish I could award a prize to each of these ladies and I thank them so much for participating! Here is a reminder of all the beautiful manicures...

Without further delay here are the winners...

Prize 1 winner chosen by your votes:

ENTRY #9: Natalie (Israel) - http://nailzcraze.blogspot.com

Natalie received 43 votes or roughly one third of the total votes for her gorgeous geometric gradient design. Congratulations Natalie!

Prize 2 winner was picked by my boyfriend who originally suggested the theme for this challenge and so I decided it was only appropriate that he choose the winner. His pick and definitely one of my favorites is:
ENTRY #7: Diana (The Netherlands) - http://dutch-diana.blogspot.nl

Congratulations Diana! By the way, I think it is really funny that Diana's boyfriend picked the dress for her inspiration and my boyfriend picked her as a winner. They must be on the same wavelength... ;)

Prize 3 which is yet to be determined, since I didn't anticipate having a 3rd prize, goes to the manicure which blew me away for the complexity, style and perfectly capturing the inspiration:
ENTRY #4: Marta (Canada) - http://www.chitchatnails.com
Congratulations Marta!

A big thank you to all the ladies who participated! I hope you had fun creating fashion inspired manicures. All of your gorgeous manicures have inspired me to start thinking of my next fashion inspired manicure!

Thank you to everyone who voted! I'm overwhelmed by the wonderful response and support you have shown these ladies. Some of you had a hard time choosing and I can definitely sympathize with that! So many wonderful manicures to choose from!

There is one more winner today and that is of the Zoya Toni and Natty Giveaway.
Congratulations Kate of Fishing4Beauty! And if anyone was wondering the answer to the bonus questions... my favorite Zoya polish is Kelly. Lots of you got it right! :D

Until next time! Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Press Release: China Glaze Tranzitions

COLOR + TOP COAT = ENDLESS CREATIVITY

China Glaze® Introduces Tranzitions Color Changing Collection

There’s nail art and then there’s China Glaze® nail couture.  Reverse French manicure, half moons, ombre, basket weave, dots or racing stripes: nail designs are intricate and multi-colored.  China Glaze® introduces a new way to get multi-color, unique nail art with fewer bottles of polish with the new color-changing Tranzitions collection!

China Glaze® Tranzitions’ revolutionary new nail lacquer reacts when a clear top coat is applied, changing the color from one shade to another for a stunning effect.  Wear any of the six beautiful, color-shifting shades alone, or allow your creativity to run wild and create intricate nail designs by applying a top coat in specific places.  Try different looks using nail art brushes, free-hand designs or nail guides.  Because each shade changes color, you get two lacquers in one, creating an entirely new look with just one swipe.

The China Glaze® Tranzitions collection features six shades, though with the color transition, you get 12 unique shades including:

• Split Perso-NAIL-ity – Dusty pink shifts to fuchsia
• Duplicityy – Mint green shifts to vibrant teal
• Modify Me – Periwinkle blue shifts to indigo blue
• Altered Reality – Teal blue shifts to turquoise
• Metallic Metamorphosis – Silvery grey shifts to bluish-charcoal grey
• Shape Shifter – Smokey violet shifts to dark purple

How It Works:
Step 1: Apply a base coat.
Step 2: Apply two coats of China Glaze® Tranzitions shade of choice.  Allow to completely dry.
Step 3: Lastly, apply one coat of clear top coat such as China Glaze® Fast Forward and watch the color change right before your eyes.

For more nail design ideas, click here to view the China Glaze® Tranzitions video.

The China Glaze® Tranzitions collection will be available in January 2013 at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde, and is never tested on animals.

China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, please visit www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Facebook (@ChinaGlazeOfficial), Twitter (@ChinaGlaze) and Pinterest (pinterest.com/chinaglaze).

China Glaze® is a division of American International Industries.

About American International Industries
For 42 years, AII has been the leading manufacturer and worldwide distributor of innovative, quality beauty and skin care products for men and women.  Our product lines include Andrea, Ardell, Body Drench, Bye Bye Blemish, Checi, China Glaze, Clean + Easy, Clubman/Pinaud, Duo, European Secrets, EzFlow, Fright Night, Gena, GiGi, Gypsy Lash, IBD, It’s So Easy, Jeris-Lustray, LASH BeLONG, Nail Tek, No Tweeze/Micro Tweeze, 'N Rage, Poshe, Prolinc, RAW, Seche, SuperNail, Surgi-Care, Waterworks, Winning Nails, Woltra, Woody’s, and Youthair. For more information, visit our website: www.aiibeauty.com. 

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** Disclaimer: All information and images in this post provided by the manufacturer or their PR **

** For more information please see the disclosure policy **

Press Release: Zoya Lovely - Spring 2013

Zoya Lovely

Beauty is a lovely state of mind

Lovely, just LOVELY!

Spring is awash in six soft and lovely new Zoya shades including three dewy metallics and three fresh blooms of cream. Poetic in nature, this collection is sure to capture the beauty of the season like no other....

ZOYA LOVELY – SPRING 2013

Piaf (ZP652) - Fresh Forsythia Yellow Metallic - Full Coverage (Originally designed for Fashion Designer Zang Toi )

GeiGei (ZP651) - Blushing Cherry Blossom Pink Metallic - Full Coverage (Originally designed for Zang Toi/SS13).

Julie (ZP650) - Soft Wisteria Purple Metallic - Full Coverage (Originally designed for Zang Toi/SS13).

Blu (ZP653) - Lucky Hyacinth Blue Cream - Full Coverage

Neely (ZP655) - Earliest Spring Green Cream - Full Coverage (Originally designed for Peter Som/SS13).

Jacqueline (ZP654) - Perfect Magnolia Nude Cream - Full Coverage (Originally designed for Peter Som/SS13)

Shipping January 01, 2013

Ultra long-wearing, nail lacquers by Zoya are BIG5FREE - all formulas are completely free of harmful industrial chemicals such as toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that are known to cause cancer and birth defects.

Zoya Lovely $8 (US)

Follow the Zoya Nail Polish and Treatments Blog and stay tuned on Twitter (@Zoyanailpolish) and Facebook for release date updates.

Hashtags: #ZoyaLovely and #nailpolish.

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** Disclaimer: All information and images in this post provided by the manufacturer or their PR **

** For more information please see the disclosure policy **

Feather Skittlette

You may have heard of the Skittlette contest hosted by Marta on ChitChatNails. Skittlette is a term that Marta has come up with to refer to her unique manicure style. Unlike the typical skittle manicure where each nail is different, a skittlette by Marta's definition is "a manicure consisting of two, or three, different accent nails on each hand". I like to think of it as two to three nails are the same and the rest are different.

I was really excited to challenge myself to create this style and I honestly love how it turned out. Of course I waited until the very last minute to enter since I wanted my nails to grow out as much as possible after the break. Take a look at what I created and you can see more incredible skittlette contest entries on ChitChatNails...

Joining the Cult of Cult Nails

I don't often post photos of my hauls, but joining the Cult and by that I mean Cult Nails is different. I resisted for quite a while, but I was too weak to resist the attraction of Flushed. It is said to be even more gorgeous than Max Factor Fantasy Fire which has been one of my lemmings for a long time. I even begged a friend who was living in London and oblivious to my affliction for nail polish to look for it. She was unsuccessful, but all that doesn't matter now since I have Flushed! This, ladies (and gentlemen... man?) is what happened when I tried to order just one bottle of Flushed...

Cheeky Summer Collection Stamping Plates

Today I'd like to share my review of the Cheeky Summer Collection stamping plates with you. This set of 26 plates features a fun assortment of themed images to get you ready for any occasion. Since this post is very photo heavy, I will try to keep the chatter to a minimum so let's get right to it...

Press Release: Mariah Carey by OPI Collection

Chart-Smashing Colors!

OPI Partners with Multi-Platinum International Superstar Mariah Carey to Launch Limited Edition Shades, Featuring the Revolutionary New Liquid Sand™ Nail Lacquers

OPI announces the launch of eight new limited edition shades inspired and hand-selected by multiple Grammy Award winning recording artist Mariah Carey. These shades include four new OPI Liquid Sand™ lacquers featuring groundbreaking technology for a textured, matte finish infused with reflective sparkle.

“OPI is extremely excited to work with Mariah,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “She’s very passionate about beauty and her nails in particular. Her music, which includes 18 Billboard No. 1 singles, served as a wonderful inspiration for glamorous, sultry, vibrant colors.

“To pay homage to her iconic status, we wanted to launch her collection with something completely new and exciting. OPI Liquid Sand nail lacquer offers a never-before-seen look with a pebbled finish that lightly shimmers with fine glitter particles. Worn without top coat, Liquid Sand lacquer gives nails a unique textured matte finish worthy of a superstar.”

Mariah Carey by OPI includes four Studio Shades – ranging from pink glitter to rich plum crème – and four Stage Shades – each featuring the new textured finish. Studio Shades include: A Butterfly Moment (This sophisticated and frosty tan nude has us all a-flutter), Sprung (Fall hopelessly in love with this shimmery copper), Pink Yet Lavender (This pink glitter with lavender shimmer has superstar shine!), and Anti-bleak (This deep, creamy purple will lift your spirits).

Stage Shades include: Stay the Night (Make it last in this matte black with red glints), Get Your Number (Wearing this matte blue with sparkles is a great call), Can’t Let Go (Hold onto this matte purple with dazzling sparkle), and The Impossible (This matte fuchsia with star confetti will never give up). OPI Liquid Sand lacquers should always be worn without top coat. 

Mariah Carey by OPI nail lacquers contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. This promotion will be available beginning January 2013 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for  $9.00 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer.

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

ABOUT OPI
As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades and contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

ABOUT MARIAH CAREY
With a distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific songwriting and producing talent, Carey has defined the modern pop performance. As a singer/songwriter/producer, she has been recognized with five Grammy Awards, nine American Music Awards, Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade” Award, the World Music Award for “World’s Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium,” and BMI’s “Icon Award” to name a few. She recently made a substantial mark in film with her critically acclaimed role as a social worker in “Precious,” the 2009 film based on the novel “Push” by Sapphire. A Congressional Award recipient, Carey has generously donated her time and energy to a range of domestic and international philanthropic causes near to her heart including The Fresh Air Fund/Camp Mariah (a retreat where inner-city children explore career development), Save the Music Foundation and Make-a-Wish Foundation among several others. Mariah is currently in the studio, writing, recording and executive-producing her next album for Island Def Jam Music Group; the lead single "Triumphant (Get ‘Em)," is now available on iTunes. Carey will join the judges’ panel of FOX’s American Idol when the series returns in 2013.

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** Disclaimer: All information and images in this post provided by the manufacturer or their PR **

** For more information please see the disclosure policy **

Shimmer Erica and Carol

I hope you have been enjoying all the Shimmer polish swatches that I have been showing here for the past few weeks. Erica and Carol are the last two new ones that I have to show you, but it is certainly not the last you'll be seeing of them. They are very versatile for layering, nail art and my most recent obsession of stamping over glitter. These two beauties are nothing at all alike and I think it really goes to show the amazing range of the Shimmer polish line. I'm just hoping some day I'll see one named Anutka, but while I dream of that, take a look at the swatches... :)

Inspired by Fashion Nail Art Contest - Time to Vote!

Voting is now closed! Winners will be announced soon!

I have been anxiously waiting for the day that I finally get to show you all the beautiful manicures submitted into the Inspired by Fashion Nail Art Contest. The challenge was to create a manicure inspired by fashion and these ladies met that challenge with full force! I have been inspired with each entry to start dreaming up my next fashion inspired look and I know you will be too!

I'm excited and honored that so many joined the contest, so without further ado, here are all the gorgeous entries (in the order that they were submitted)...

Shimmer Leslie Stamped

I have been really enjoying stamping over glitter especially with intricate patterns that allow the glitter to peek through in spots. This is another one along those lines. It is not quite as subtle as the last one that I did, but this for me is a much better result...

Press Release: Nicole by OPI Modern Family Collection

Nicole by OPI and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products Announce Collaboration with Hit ABC Comedy Modern Family

Nicole by OPI, in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products, launches 14 new nail lacquers inspired by ABC’s award-winning comedy, Modern Family.  The nail line features shades created to capture the show’s colorful personalities, from a classic taupe named after family patriarch Jay, to a sparkly pink hue fitting for toddler Lily.

 “Modern Family is not only one of the funniest shows on television, it features a great ensemble cast of rich characters that inspired a range of shades, from pastel hues like sea foam green and periwinkle to brighter colors of cobalt and red-violet,” remarks Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “From studious Alex to bombshell Gloria, to classic (and neurotic) Claire, to flirty Haley, there are shades to represent each of these uniquely fabulous women – and everyone else in the blended family.

 “The Nicole consumer embraces the same spirit of diversity and individuality that’s apparent on the show,” explains Weiss-Fischmann. “The colors inspired by Modern Family offer a perfect way to express that spirit!”

Modern Family is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television and licensed through Fox Consumer Products. Jeffrey Godsick, President of Fox Consumer Products added, “Modern Family is a series that has a massive following.  In partnering with Nicole by OPI, we’re not only able to reach our show’s large fan base, but deliver a product that captures the trend-forward elements and unique characteristics of the series.”

The Modern Family Collection includes:

• Am I Making Myself Claire? - Make no mistake...I’m liking this lilac.
• I Do De-Claire! - Let me just say how frosty cool this soft rose is!
• She’s Lily Something - Pink, sparkly stars...so Daddies’ Little Girl-y!
• A Like-Haley Story... - Typical teenagers (and their moms!) will love this not-so-typical fuchsia.
• My Jay or the Highway! - This trendy taupe is inflexibly cool.  Period.
• Stand by Your Manny - Be loyal to this periwinkle blue.
• Alex by the Books - Look smart in this seafoam green.
• Haley Good Lookin’... - She’s cookin’ up plans for this pink super-glitter.
• Basking in Gloria - This red-violet is the color of passion.
• Luke of the Draw - Chances are you’ll love this gunmetal glitter.
• A Phil’s Paradise - No fooling...this pewter is the real deal.
• Candid Cameron - Call this teal just like you see it...gorgeous!
• Back in My Gloria Days... - This voluptuous violet has still got it goin’ on!
• What’s the Mitch-uation? - This cobalt blue demands an update.

Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquers and Nail Treatments contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality.

Modern Family lacquers will be available beginning January 2013 for $7.99 each at retailers including select Walmart, Target, CVS, Rite Aid, Kmart, Kroger, ULTA, H-E-B, Meijer and Duane Reade locations. In Canada, this line will be available for $10.99 each at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart Canada, Jean Coutu, Loblaw, and London Drug.

For more information, visit nicolebyopi.com. Follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter @NicoleByOPI and become a Facebook fan! 

About Nicole by OPI:

Nicole by OPI offers a salon-quality range of bold, fashion-forward nail lacquers. The brand’s heritage is based in OPI’s well-established foundation of excellence in both color and technology, providing premium products to a broad range of consumers looking for trendsetting nail lacquers.

About Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products:

A recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the top suppliers of primetime entertainment programming to the broadcast networks.

---

Which ones stand out to you?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** All press release information and images were provided by the manufacturer or their PR **

** CLOSED ** Zoya Toni and Natty Giveaway Sponsored by Verve 360

Today is a day of firsts for this blog. First the pointed nails and now my first ever giveaway! I have my reasons for not hosting one before, but you know that I love Zoya and couldn't pass up the opportunity to give you a chance to win these beauties. So let's get started...

bottle images courtesy of zoya.com

This giveaway is kindly sponsored by Verve 360 hair salons in Pittsburgh, a holistic wellness salon which focuses on complete health and wellness. You can check them out on Facebook or follow on Twitter @VerveWellness.

One person will be selected to win a bottle of Zoya Toni and Zoya Natty. This giveaway is open only to residents of the contiguous United States (no Hawaii or Alaska). This is due to shipping restrictions and I apologize to all my international readers! Giveaway ends December 21st at 11:59pm. The winner will be picked randomly using the Rafflecopter widget.

Here is how to enter:
1. Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite Zoya shade is or which one you would love to try. Limit one comment per person.
2. Fill out the Rafflecopter widget below with your name, email and a bonus entry if you wish!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good Luck!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Born Pretty Store Square Studs

I know, something doesn't look right, but you can't quite figure out what is wrong. Hmmm. Oh, yeah, my nails have never been this sharp. I could pretend that I was so dedicated to creating this manicure that I filed them to a point just for this look. The truth is I broke a corner of one nail and thought I'd try filing the rest of them off and see what happens. They don't look quite as lethal in photos as they did in real life, but trust me they were pretty bad for me. The klutz that I am, I would have put my eye out for sure. So appearing for a limited time only (one manicure to be exact), here are my pointy nails for the Born Pretty Store square studs review...

Shimmer Leslie & Brooklyn

Today is 12-12-12, the last of the major numerical dates for another century. Are you planning anything memorable today? More importantly have you done anything with the past eleven? I really can't say that I have and today will be no different. I plan to dedicate the day to sleep since I'm exhausted after the past week/weekend at work. If you are worried for having nothing special planned than have no fear. According to some numerology experts the real 12-12-12 is in 2019 since 2+0+1+9=12 and by that theory today is just 12-12-5. So relax, enjoy the day and take a look at these Shimmer swatches... ;)

Feature Blog: Chickettes.com

I'm so excited to be featuring the lovely Andrea from Chickettes.com here today. I have been following her for a while and absolutely love her creative nail art. I've often been inspired by her manicures and even tried her metallic zebra out for myself. In addition to nail art, she posts gorgeous polish and Gelish swatches which actually make me want to run out and buy Gelish. To be honest, I can't even imagine the patience it takes to swatch something that requires setting/curing, then photographing, then taking it off and starting over with the next color. And here I am whining about glitter removal...

So please give a warm welcome to Andrea and enjoy her beautiful creation today...

---

First, I just want to say how honored I am to be writing this post today.  I have been a follower of Anutka's for a while and have been in awe of her gorgeous nail art designs, so I was thrilled when she asked me to write a guest post.

Hanukkah

Today I wanted to show you my first Hanukkah manicure this year. I showed a sneak peek of it on my Facebook page a few days ago, so you might have seen it if you follow me there. I "lit" the candles one at a time, but of course I'm not patient enough to wear this for eight days, so they all got done on the same day. There is a little animation treat when you get down to the bottom of the post...

Sunday Stamping: Gold

For Sunday Stamping this week I want to show you a manicure I made a little while ago, but have not had the time to show until now. With this week's theme being to stamp with gold or over gold, I knew it would be a perfect fit. Lately I have not been able to find enough time in the day to swatch, make manicures and blog about it all. Matter of fact my nails have been bare for almost the entire past week as I try (and fail) to catch up on blogging. Just the other day I showed up to work with a quick swatch of polish on just two nails and the rest bare. Pretty soon my blogging will be limited to a caveman style grunt and the words "Look! Anutka make mani..."

Nail Polish Canada Holiday Nail Art Challenge

I just entered this Bling! glitter tree manicure in the NailPolishCanada.com Holiday Nail Art Challenge. It is the last out of the three weekly challenges so I'm a bit late to the party, but I thought it would be fun to join this week.

Please take a moment to check out all the beautiful entries and vote for your favorite! If that happens to be this manicure than that's great, but if not that is OK! There are lots of gorgeous manicures to choose from. Just vote for your favorite :)

For more information on details for this manicure, take a look at this post!

Thanks for looking and voting!
Anutka :)

** Polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. **

** For more information please see the disclosure policy **

Shimmer Fanny and Elsa

I hope you are ready for two more Shimmer beauties because that is what I have for you today. Without skipping a beat, Cindy creates some of the most amazing glitter bombs and I truly have not met a single one yet that I didn't like. Today I would like to introduce you to Fanny and Elsa...

Barielle Carnival Fiesta Collection

Today I have swatches of the new Barielle Carnival Fiesta collection to show you. This is a brand new collection released for the holiday season. It is filled with amazing beauties from shimmers to duochrome to gorgeous color shifting flecks. I'm having a hard time picking favorites, so take a look at the swatches and judge for yourself...

Shimmer Tiffany and Amy

Today I want to show you a few more Shimmer beauties. I can't help but be amazed  by the creativity behind these. Each Shimmer polish is packed full of gorgeous glitter and each one is unique and different from the rest. They can be layered over just about anything for a new look every time. Don't doubt that you will be seeing these again and again, but just to get the ball rolling, here are some swatches of Tiffany and Amy...

Polish Days: Bling!

It is the first Tuesday of the month which could only mean one thing, Polish Days. With the holidays just around the corner it was time for something sparkly on the nails and this month's very appropriate theme is Bling! It was the perfect opportunity to finally play with some of the loose glitter I got a while ago. Unfortunately when I started going through my stash of glitter I realized I was missing an essential one to make this work. Green! So I headed to Wal-Mart after work, at midnight, to pick some up. Yes, I really was that crazy person buying glitter at midnight, but it was worth it...

I also entered this manicure in the Nail Polish Canada Nail Art Challenge for this week. It is their last challenge out of three, but the first one I'm entering. I'm kind of late to the game, but better late than never. Please check out all the beautiful entries and vote for your favorite. If that happens to be me, that would be great, but if not that's OK too. Vote for your favorite... :)

Nicole by OPI CVS Exclusive

Today I would like to show you some recently released CVS Exclusive Nicole by OPI beauties. The moto here is to "think neutral, not boring!" and I would have to agree. I have been showing you manicures featuring these polishes over the last few weeks and I hope you'll agree that they have not been boring. There is a nice range of polishes with colors from light to dark and finishes including metallic, cream and jelly...

Sunday Stamping: Winter

Is it really Sunday again? Even more important, is it really December? As I try to get over how quickly time flies, I'd like to show you my manicure for this week's Sunday Stamping challenge of winter for the group Adventures in Stamping. I had planned to trim the tree yesterday, but didn't get around to it so instead I settled for trimming the tiny one on my nail...

Fashion Inspired Contest Time!

It is time for the very first Wacky Laki nail art contest!

Even though it has been a while since I've created one, I love fashion inspired manicures. I often find myself analyzing images of dresses, shoes and bags, trying to think how I can translate them into nail art. I may or may not have a secret pinterest board filled with images to attempt some day. I thought it would be fun to see your fashion inspired manicures!

Just to get you thinking and give you an idea of what I'm talking about, here are a few examples of manicures I've created, but really now it is time for you to show me your fashion inspired creations!

  

     

The Prizes

Barielle was incredibly generous and sent me a second set of their Fall/Winter collections to share with you as prizes. The two collection, Runway Fever and New York Style are all about fashion, so what could be better for a fashion inspired manicure challenge?

Prize one will be chosen by the public via comments and will include Barielle Runway Fever 5-pack collection PLUS Barielle Nail Building Protein.

NOTE: Because of international shipping restrictions of nail polish, if the winner of either prize is outside of the US, the prize will be substituted to ONE of the following (winner's choice): MASH, Bundle Monster, Cheeky, Gals or Shany stamping plates PLUS an XL stamper/scraper set.

Prize Two will be chosen by me and my family/friends and include Barielle New York Style 5-pack collection PLUS Barielle Ultra Speed Dry Manicure Extender.

NOTE: Because of international shipping restrictions of nail polish, if the winner of either prize is outside of the US, the prize will be substituted to ONE of the following (winner's choice): MASH, Bundle Monster, Cheeky, Gals or Shany stamping plates PLUS an XL stamper/scraper set.

The Rules

• Create your own original manicure inspired by fashion
• Manicure must be done on hands (no nail wheels or other training nails please)
• Accessories such as rhinestones, fimo, etc are allowed.
• No full nail decals, foils or nail polish strips.
• Email your submission to me at angalek@gmail(dot)com by midnight Dec 14th, 2012 and include the following:
• Your Name
• Your Location (country is enough)
• Your blog URL, if you have one (optional)
• Photo of your manicure with at least four fingers showing
• Photo of your fashion inspiration, can be a photo of something out of your closet or something you found online
• Anything else you want to tell me... a favorite joke? best ice cream flavor? This one is optional and I'll leave it up to you ;)

I will respond to you within 48 hours of receiving the submission to let you know I've got you entered. If you don't get a response, please contact me again to make sure I have your entry!

Public voting will be open December 15th through December 20th, 2012.
Winners will be announced on December 21st!

Don't hesitate to join the fun! I cannot wait to see your manicures :)

UPDATE: Deadline for submitting a manicure has ended! See all the gorgeous entries here!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Epilepsy Awareness

At the beginning of this month I was contacted by a lovely reader asking me to create a manicure in support of Epilepsy Awareness month, which happens to be November. She has been living with the disease for many years and continues to struggle with it daily. Her story just breaks my heart and creating a manicure for her and this cause is the least I can do. I'm ashamed to admit that I lost track of time and November slipped by way too fast which is why this manicure is sneaking in on the last day of the month. Hopefully this is a case of better late than never...

Zoya Ornate Holiday Nail Art

The holiday season is upon us with reminders at every turn. Houses and trees are beautifully lit up. Stores are tempting me with pretty ornaments and decorations at every turn. I couldn't help but add a little of the holiday to my manicure. The polishes in the Zoya Ornate collection were just perfect for the occasion...

Shimmer Cristina Stamped with Nicole by OPI Personally Speaking...

I have really mixed feeling about this manicure, but decided to show it to you anyway. It is not horrible, but certainly not what I had hoped for. The stamping turned out to be much too subtle and lacks that pop that I wanted. On the other hand sometimes subtle is nice, so maybe you can help me decide... :)

Shimmer Cristina and Taylor

I have two more beautiful Shimmer polishes to show you today. Unlike most Shimmer glitters I've tried so far, these have a slightly tinted base so I used them on their own rather than layering over a base color. I'm quite fond of the darker glitters and I hope you'll enjoy them as well...

Sunday Stamping: Over Blue Base

It is definitely that time of the year when I get the urge to add snowflakes in some shape or form to every manicure. Luckily it worked out really well with this week's Sunday Stamping challenge of stamping over a blue blase. I have been dreaming of this particular manicure since last year. Sadly the only snowflake stamp I had at the time was really stubborn and refused to work for me, so I was beyond excited to see this pattern in the 3rd Bundle Monster set. Hopefully you share my enthusiasm for snowflakes. I'm pretty sure mine is tied to childhood memories of cutting them out of paper and gluing them to windows with soap..

Shimmer Julia and Sonia

I'm getting a really late start on today thanks to all the delicious food and wonderful family time yesterday. Despite the late start, I want to sneak in a few more swatches of the Cindy's gorgeous Shimmer polishes...

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

To those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving today, I want to wish you a very happy one! I am thankful to have the day off from work and to spend it with my family. I'm thankful for my family and friends who are always there for me, to support and encourage me or knock some sense into me when I need it. I will try to refrain from making this a sappy post of all the things I'm thankful for and instead show you the manicure I'm wearing today. Yes, this is one of those rare occasions when what is on the blog is actually what is on my nails...

Pure Ice: Fang or Fur?

Pure Ice has recently released the Runway Nail Trends collection which is available exclusively at WalMart. The collection has five distinct sub-collection or looks including Velour Finish, Diamond Couture, French Trend, Metro Chic and Party Girl. Each look is made up of eleven polishes which brings the total to 55 newly release polishes for the Runway Nail Trends collection. Now that's what I call a grand release!

Today I have five new Pure Ice polishes to share with you. Pure Ice is certain these will make a perfect manicure while watching a certain saga and deciding between fang or fur... "The end of the story begins with the bright pale skin (Nude Beach) with blazing red eyes (Glass of Bordeaux). A love story that asks a young girl to risk it all. The diamond ring (Silver Lining) and the garden wedding that changed everything. You can't take your eyes off that unforgettable BLUE dress (Getting Gorgeous) and the warmth and complexity of the wolf's imprint (Alter Ego)."

Tutorial Tuesday: Double Sided Manicure

I love the new trend of the double sided manicures. The most common are Louboutin manicures with a red underside, inspired by the red soles of Louboutin shoes. More recently OPI created the Bonded Look with the underside in gold, as seen in the new Skyfall movie. I think this can be fun in any color combination to make a statement or just have a little hidden treat for yourself.

Each time I do create of these manicures I get questions about cleaning under the nail after painting or people tell me that they are afraid to try and make a mess. I thought I would put together this tutorial to show how I tape off my nails to avoid the mess and make painting the underside of the nail a little easier. I hope you find it useful and give this double sided look a try...

Supplies:

• Two polishes of choice. I'm using Zoya Dovima on top and OPI You Only Live Twice underneath.
• Tape (clear tape, masking tape, painters tape, etc...)

Steps:

Instructions:

1. Start out with clean dry nails
2. Slip a piece of tape between the nail and the finger to run along the nail line
3. Fold the tape down over the finger
4. Fold the sides down along the finger, avoid covering the front of the nail
5. Fold the two flaps down, one over the other, to keep them out of the way
6. This is what it will look like from the side, a little tape hat for the finger.
   The front of the nail is not covered and the back of the nail is taped off and held away from the nail
7. Paint the underside of the nail in chosen color. Repeat for a desired number of coats
8. Paint the top of the nails in the desired color as usual
9. Allow everything to dry and remove the tape. 

Enjoy your mess free double sided manicure!

Here are some examples of what I have done in the past. Click on the images to go directly to the post...

 

Let me know what you think of this and don't hesitate to ask questions if something is not clear!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Shimmer Katherine and Marilyn

I received a wonderful package from Cindy, the creator of Shimmer polish, filled with some of her incredible glittery creations. I could barely contain my excitement as I unwrapped each glitter bomb. To give these beauties the attention that they deserve, I will be showing them a few at a time rather than going into glitter overload in one or two posts. So, stay tuned for lots of glitter over the coming few weeks. Today I have for you the beautiful Katherine and Marilyn...

Sunday Stamping: Matte

It is time for another challenge in the group Adventures in Stamping. This week the theme is to create a manicure with some aspect of matte to it. That gave me the perfect excuse to pull out my Essie matte topcoat, but really, I love that stuff so much that I will take any excuse I get. It was also an excuse to try out the gold from the recently released Essence Twilight polishes. A number of you confirmed my suspicion that it would work well for stamping, so I was excited to try it out and share with you...

Mission Organization: Sorting the Polishes

My polish collection has been in desperate need of organization for quite a while now. The one Helmer I have has overflown a long time ago with my collection being slightly over 700 polishes. It got to the point of being out of control with polishes being stashed anywhere they would fit. A while ago I showed you this five drawer chest that I bought at IKEA for the purpose of polish organization, but I had not gotten around to filling it until now so I can show you a peek at my collection...

The Bonded Look!

Have you seen the new James Bond movie yet? If you have, you might have noticed the double sided stiletto manicure worn by actress Bérénice Marlohe which features two OPI shades from the Skyfall collection released in honor of the film. OPI is calling the manicure "The Bonded Look". I have yet to see the movie, so please don't spoil it for me, but I really couldn't wait to try the manicure...