Sunday Stamping: 4th of July

Happy Sunday everyone! Today is another Sunday Stamping challenge in Adventures in Stamping and the theme today is Independence Day/Canada Day. I always get excited for the 4th of July because it means going on a weekend getaway with my closest friends. Every year we go out of town for a few days just to spend time together, catch up and recharge. Working on this manicure reminded me of the quickly approaching trip and my building excitement...

Bye, Bye Google Reader...

If you follow blogs through Google Reader as I do, then you are most likely already aware that Google will be retiring the service at the end of this month. A variety of different readers have positioned themselves in hopes of taking over. If you have not done so already, I urge you to pick a new reader and transfer your saved feeds before Google shuts their reader down.

Two of the currently popular options are Bloglovin' and Feedly. They both allow you to quickly and easily import all of your feeds from Google Reader to their service. My personal preference is Feedly as it more closely mimics Google Reader plus provides additional features which I am starting to explore. It can be accessed both online and through an App for smartphones/tablets.

Either service you choose, you can find me...

If those don't strike your fancy, you can follow & keep in touch with me on...

If there is a different service that you are using and need help finding my blog feed there, please let me know and I can try to help!

P.S. You can always find these follow buttons on the right hand side of the blog...

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Barielle Tulips...

I am always commenting on how well the thick Barielle creams work for stamping, so while swatching the beautiful shades of the Barielle Brilliant Colors collection, I got the urge to do some stamping. I was once again pleased with the stamp-ability of the creams and if it hadn't been for a little oops on my part, this would have been perfect...

Mermaid...

Today I would like to show you a show you a mermaid manicure which was inspired by the beautiful InDecisive Mermaid glitter. I love the beautiful teal shade over green and it really made me wish to create a manicure around it...

A Stolen Kiss was Crowned...

I have a little nail art to show you that I created while swatching Dazzle Dry Stolen Kiss. The deep plum purple was just perfect to combine with gold for a royal half-moon manicure. I've had this manicure in mind for a while and I am so excited when it turned out just as I pictured it....

Wish Nail Art Challenge!

A little while ago I received and invitation to participate in a nail art contest for Wish. It is a clothing boutique that asked nail bloggers to create a manicure inspired by their collection. Although I didn't intend to participate because I don't particularly like popularity style contests, I still thought it would be fun to try my hand at interpreting one of their looks from the Butterfly Effect collection...

Crack and Burn...

I would like to show you some nail art that I created while swatching InDecisive Nal Lacquer last week. I was captivated by Antique for the name and the beautiful silver flakies. For some reason, it made me think of DIY distressed furniture so I really wanted to distress the tips of the manicure. The look was inspired by a Nailartitudesdeclaire manicure which I spotted on Pinterest a few days prior. In comparison with the delicate manicure of Nailartitudesdeclaire, I'm a fairly heavy handed when it comes to free hand nail art. As you can see, rather than a gentle distressing, I ended up with "burnt" tips, but I love it...

Rays Through the Haze...

I'm back from a fun birthday getaway and want to thank you for all the wonderful birthday wishes that you sent my way! Thank you! Thank you! I was without internet access on my trip (since I choose to live in the stone age with no smart phone) and I was so excited to read all your comments when I got back home. They mean so much to me!

I'm also thrilled to see that you like Sea Jewel. I wore it for my entire trip and spent my free time dreaming of what fun nail art I could create with it. I would like to show you today the one look that I had to try out first...

Presenting piCture pOlish Sea Jewel by Wacky Laki!

I have written over six hundred posts for this blog, but I have never been nearly as excited about any of them as I am for this one. That is because today, I finally get to unveil and show you Sea Jewel, my collaboration shade with piCture pOlish. This shade has been nearly a year in the making and I have been sworn to secrecy and anxious to tell you about it since day one.

When I was first asked if I would be interested in this project (as if there is any possible answer other than a resounding YES!), I read and reread the email and then replied asking if they had made a mistake and actually intended it for someone else. Upon being reassured that it was not a mistake, I sent the girls at piCture pOlish a few images for inspiration. One of the images was of sea glass and the other of my favorite pair of earring that I made a few years ago...

Dazzle Dry Evening Song, Stolen Kiss and Mythic Teal...

I was recently given the opportunity to try a few Dazzle Dry lacquers and the Nail Polish System that is meant to go with them. I was intrigued when I learned that not only are they Big 4 Free meaning they contain no Formaldehyde, Toluene, Phthalate and Camphor, which I personally choose to avoid, but they also contain no nitrocellulose which is said to cause the yellowing of the nails. To be honest, I don't know much about what it is in nail polish that causes yellowing, but I'm more than willing to try ones that make an effort to prevent it. These polishes are also vegan and cruelty free...

Sunday Stamping: 70s Inspired...

It is time for yet another fun Sunday Stamping challenge in Adventures in Stamping. I'll let you take a while guess at what the theme this week is. That's right! The 70s. Although I wasn't even born until a decade later, I have seen enough photos of the 70s fashion (and a good helping of That 70s Show) to take a wild stab at the challenge...
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InDecisive Nail Lacquer...

I am so excited today to get the chance to show you swatches of some of the new glitter additions to the InDecisive Nail Lacquer line. I was really impressed when I first tried this indie brand so my expectations were certainly high. I must say that these did no disappoint even a little bit and in fact I'm having a difficult time picking favorites...

Barielle Brilliant Colors Swatches and Review...

Barielle has released their second collection for the summer called Brilliant Colors. The collection features five beautiful bright cream shades. Although the names of the lacquers in this collection drudge up thoughts of going back to school, the colors are perfect for the sunny days of summer...

Nicole by OPI Gumdrops Swatches & Review...

The textured trend has hit me hard and I can't help but love each new shade that I have the pleasure of trying. These beautiful Nicole by OPI Gumdrops are certainly no exception. In fact they more firmly establish my fascination with these textured, matted sparkly beauties. I find it amusing to think that for years polish makers tried so hard to make the shiniest, smoothest lacquers around, not realizing that we would go so crazy over the complete opposite...

Polish Days: To Boldly Go...

Ack! Polish Days caught me completely off guard this month. If it wasn't for the reminder email last night I would have forgotten completely. I just have to say that Polly Polish does an incredible job organizing this challenge every month and even sends out reminder emails which are a huge help for forgetful ones like myself, so if you are interested in joining the fun, don't hesitate!

The theme for this month is "To Boldly Go..." which automatically makes me think of a galaxy manicure. I've done a few before and have always enjoyed them, but this is my first textured galaxy...

Born Pretty Store Nail Stickers...

I got some cute nail stickers from the Born Pretty Store to show you today. These embossed metal stickers are unlike other stickers that I have tried in the past so I was excited to incorporate them into my nail art. The stickers come in a variety of styles from common shapes to beautiful scrolls. I got a sheet with lots of small shapes and decided to play around with little flowers for today's manicure...

Nicole by OPI Tink Collection

Paint on Pixie Dust!

Nicole by OPI Announces Tink: NEW Limited Edition Lacquers, Inspired by Disney’s Tinker Bell

Nicole by OPI launches its Tink collection, featuring six new limited edition shades inspired by everyone’s favorite fairy, Tinker Bell, including a brilliant glitter gloss and vibrant shades of tangerine, coral, fuchsia, pink and lime green.

“We’re excited to celebrate Disney’s feisty fairy,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Nicole by OPI Co-Founder & Artistic Director. “Big things come in small packages just like Tinker Bell, and this collection packs color with a punch. Our Tink collection is all about self-expression and having fun with bold colors. The vivid pigments created for this promotion capture the fairy magic and mystique, with alluring shades like the signature sparkly Pixie Glitter and the playfully pink How Fairy Nice of You!”

The Tink collection includes:

Pixie Glitter

This clear gloss is sprinkled with tiny rainbows.

How Fairy Nice of You!

This sweet pixie pink gives me wings.

Tink’s in the Pink

This happy fuchsia makes me, well...happy!

Sweet on Pete

This lime green is the "key" to Pete's heart!

Fairy Fairy Quite Contrary

Not, it's NOT orange...it's tangerine. So there!

Half Charming / Half Alarming

This coral is perfect when you're feeling unpredictable.

Nicole by OPI formulas are long-lasting, fast-drying, and salon-quality. This limited edition collection will be available July 1, 2013 for $7.99 each at select Walgreens locations nationwide. 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.

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

Shimmer...

A little while ago Cindy, the creator of Shimmer Polish generously sent me some of her beautiful glitter bombs to play around with and show you. I have been showing them to you a little at a time along with the nail art I created, but today I would like to show you a few swatches. It should come as no surprise how much I like Shimmer Polish. Although photos never seem to do these beauties justice as they are so hard to capture in a single shot, I gave it my best effort...

Sunday Stamping: Color Wheel Opposites...

I was really excited about today's Sunday Stamping challenge of using complimentary colors on the color wheel, but I hate to say that I'm not nearly as excited about the result. I knew I wanted to use yellow/gold and purple for the challenge. They happen to be the colors of my alma mater so it seemed fitting. The problem for me is that the purple didn't stamp purple enough. Although I still like the manicure overall, I can't help but be a teeny bit disappointed. Hopefully you won't mind terribly since it is still kind of cute...

OPI Couture de Minnie Nail Art...

A few weeks ago OPI asked members of their blogger network to create nail art inspired by the new Couture de Minnie collection to represent Minnie's high fashion look and possibly get featured in Minnie's Closet. If you have not seen Minnie's Closet, make sure to check it out. It features daily Minnie manis, runway moments, and other moust-see looks. Needless to say, I was very excited at the chance try my hand at creating some Minnie nail art. I decided to go with something simple, using just the polishes of this collection to create a look that I think anyone can achieve...

Couture de Minnie by OPI Swatches & Review...

Last Spring brought us the adorable Vintage Minnie collection by OPI and this year it is followed by a more sophisticated Couture de Minnie collection. This collection features three cream/shimmer shades, a glitter and a textured Liquid Sand shade which I'm excited to show you today...

Press Release: OPI Announces Limited Edition Neon Revolution For Bold Summer Looks

Statement Shades!

OPI launches the Neon Revolution mini pack, featuring four limited edition neon nail lacquers, a neon white base coat, and OPI Top Coat. These bright and bold shades include vivid hues of yellow, orange, pink and blue. To use, apply color-intensifying white base, followed by two coats of neon lacquer. Finish with the included Top Coat for a high-gloss finish.

“Get ready for a Neon Revolution with these hot flourescent shades!” exclaims Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Ideal for summer, this mini set includes everything needed to create fun, colorful looks. Wearing a vivid yellow, orange, pink or blue hue on nails and toes is the perfect way to accessorize your warm weather style and incorporate the neon trend.”

In addition to neon white base and Top Coat, each Neon Revolution mini pack includes:

Don’t Say It – Yellow It! 

Make a statement in this spiked lemonade yellow.

The Time is Pow! 

And the color is this fiery orange.

Pink Outside the Box 

Wearing this hot pink is your best idea yet!

Blue it Out of Proportion 

No I’m NOT overreacting...I can’t live without this cobalt blue!!

Limited edition Neon Revolution mini sets will be available beginning July 2013 at professional salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, jcp Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, ULTA and ulta.com for $19.95 ($24.95 CAN) suggested retail for each mini pack (includes all six products). 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. 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.

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

Nicole by OPI Scandalous! Neons...

Today I would like to show you Nicole by OPI Scandalous! Neons. It is one of two Nicole by OPI neon mini kits. Similarly to Notorious! Neons which I showed you yesterday, this kit contains a white base and three neon shades to brighten up this summer...

Press Release: Zoya PixieDust Fall 2013 Preview

MAGIC AND WONDER INFUSED TEXTURED

PIXIEDUST™ COLOR FOR FALL

The best-selling, revolutionary matte, textured, sparkling Zoya PixieDust™ formula returns for Fall with six spot-on trend colors for the season.

ZOYA PIXIEDUST - FALL EDITION

• Tomoko: Glowing Silver. Exclusive Zoya PixieDust™ - Textured Matte Sparkle formula.
• Chita: Emerald Green. Exclusive Zoya PixieDust™ - Textured Matte Sparkle formula.
• Sunshine: Van Gogh Blue. Exclusive Zoya PixieDust™ - Textured Matte Sparkle formula.
• Carter: Regal Purple. Exclusive Zoya PixieDust™ - Textured Matte Sparkle formula.
• Arabella: Rich Fuchsia. Exclusive Zoya PixieDust™ - Textured Matte Sparkle formula.
• Dhara: Dazzling Copper. Exclusive Zoya PixieDust™ - Textured Matte Sparkle formula.

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.

PixieDust Application:
For BEST RESULTS apply 1-3 (for full coverage) thin coats of polish. Allow product to dry completely for full effect. No base coat and top coat required. Zoya Get Even base coat can be used if desired.

Find over 300 stunning Zoya colors on www.zoya.com. Each and every color has a name as unique as the women who inspired it.

ZOYA IS THE NEW COLOR OF FASHION!
Zoya PixieDust™
$9.00 ea. (US)
Available on Zoya.com

FALL COLOR ARRIVING SUPER DUPER SOON...

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

Nicole by OPI Notorious! Neons...

Summer around here can come and go from one to day to the next, but there is something about neons that can put me in the summer mood regardless of the weather. Nicole by OPI has released two neon mini kits Notorious! and Scandalous! Neons. Today I will show you the Notorious! Neons mini kit...

Sunday Stamping: Butterflies...

It has been almost and entire month since the last time I participated in a Sunday Stamping challenge and I feel guilty for not making the time for them. This month the challenge is a stamped manicure with butterflies or dragonflies and I just couldn't resist. I've been wanting to try out this butterfly pattern since I first saw it, but somehow have not had the opportunity or excuse to use it, until now...

Barielle June Sweepstakes

Barielle had such wonderful success with their May Sweepstakes that they decided to hold another sweepstakes for the month of June! Don't miss your opportunity to enter for a chance to win some amazing prizes...

The June Sweepstakes will start on June 10th and end on June 30th.

There will be 10 prizes given out and one Grand Prize of a DKNY Blue Leather Handbag, RSP of $175.00.

The Barielle kit will consist of:

• Two of the Summer Collections 5 Packs (Brilliant Colors and Summer Brights) - $50
• One Nail Rebuilding Protein Base Coat - $17.50
• One No Chip Speed Dry Top Coat - $12.50
• One Nail Strengthener Cream - $17.00

Total value of $97.00

The Grand Prize will include the fashion accessory plus the Barielle Kit.


Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

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