Golden Roses

Hi Lovelies!

Believe it or not, but my nails have been nakie since the last time I managed to write a post a couple of weeks ago. I know, I know, it is my never ending sob story which I'm sure you're all sick of by now. I just have no clue where the time goes as usual. To compensate for lack of anything new, I do have a manicure out of the archives to show you. This was a mani that I wore last Fall and absolutely loved. I hope you'll enjoy it as well...

Can't Help Falling in Love with Suspicious Minds

Hi Everyone!

I'm so excited to finally find some time to show you this manicure. It has been taunting me for far too long, just waiting for me to edit the photos. The manicure is another one of my "lets see what happens if I just keep adding to it" creations. I intended to add just a little gold stamping over a purple base and somehow it lead to this...

Silver Lining

Hi there fellow polish addicts!

Today I would like to show you a manicure that I created with another Glam Polish shade which will be releasing today. The pretty blue had me thinking nautical thoughts all week, but as soon as I got it on my nails the skies seemed to beckon. Certainly not a sky blue, but it still made such a pretty backdrop for a few clouds...

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing all of you who celebrate a safe and happy holiday!

I got home from work this morning with a strong urge to create a manicure for the occasion. Since I will once again be working tonight and missing all the fireworks and festivities, I needed something to put me in the holiday mood. On a whim, I decided to try my luck with a water marble and I'm so glad I did because I love how this it out...

More Love, Less Hate!

Hi Everyone!

I have decided to join a bunch of sweet and talented ladies in the Facebook group Rainbow Pride Nails for Orlando and show my support for Orlando after the terrible tragedy of last weekend. It was such a devastating and senseless attack that affected far too many innocent people and I am left at a loss for words as I struggle to comprehend how anyone can commit such a horrific act of violence. My heart breaks for all the lives lost and for the loved ones left to carry on. It is heartwarming to see people from all over the world join in support and I'm glad to show my support today as well...

Subtle Stamping

Hi Everyone!

It has been a crazy week for me and although it is the weekend and time to relax for a lot of people, it is my weekend to work because I guess 'there ain't no rest for the wicked'. Ha! To make up for lack of time to paint my nails, I thought I'd show you another mani out of the archive. I've only got a few more to show you and then I will be all caught up. Gasp!

This mani is one that I wore last year for Hanukkah. The stamping turned out more subtle than I had anticipated and I remember being indecisive about whether I liked it or not. I'm still a bit torn, but definitely leaning toward liking it. Is there such a thing as too subtle?

My 4th of July Mani!

Hi Everyone!

I hope all of you who celebrate the holiday had a Happy 4th of July yesterday!

I spent my 4th at work as usual, but I was able to sneak out for a break just in time to catch a bit of the gorgeous fireworks display over Puget Sound. I hadn't intended to do a manicure for the occasion because I really had nothing special planned for the day, but a co-worker shamed me for not rocking some red, white and blue on my nails as I used to. I promised her I'd get my act together at least for 4th! So that's how I ended up with some nail art for the first time in months! Just slightly ironic that on independence day, I gave up my freedom of sleeping in late to get up and do some nail art ;)

Review and Swatches of Select Glam Polish Cast A Spell Part 3: The White Witch Collection Shades

Hi Everyone! Remember me? It has been nearly two months since I last sat down to write a post. First, let me start out by apologizing for my sudden disappearance. Someone very close to me passed away leaving me feeling empty and wanting to spend time surrounded by family and friends. Something as simple as cuddling on the couch with my bf to watch TV suddenly became a bigger priority than making one more swatch or writing one more post. I realized just how much time I had been sacrificing for this hobby instead of making time for people in my life. I couldn't even bring myself to go into my polish room and simply paint my nails. They were 'naked' for more than a month and believe it or not, that somehow feels like an accomplishment. Each day I kept telling myself that tomorrow I would get back to swatching/blogging, but the days came and went and my nails remained bare. I finally started going back into the polish room a few weeks ago, first to file/reshape and recondition by then broken and dry nails. Then I would go in, look at some gorgeous polish and walk out. The next day I went just to look through the stamping plates. Baby steps! Finally I had the guts to not only polish, but also photograph my shaky hand. Today I sit here writing this post and trying to decide if I've said too much, but hoping it will explain my disappearance. Does this mean I'm back to full time blogging? No, and I don't think I ever will be, but hopefully some blogging is better than none!

To say that this review is overdue is quite an understatement. The beautiful Glam Polish Cast a Spell Part 3: The White Witch collection launched in early March with perfect glittery pastel shades. Rachel, the mastermind behind Glam Polish, has been incredibly understanding about the delay although my feeling of guilt remain. Hopefully you will also forgive the delay and enjoy these swatches as much as I've been enjoying wearing these lacquers and making them my foray back into the world of polish...

Zoya Wishes Collection Swatches and Review

Hello Lovelies! I'm super late in reviewing the Zoya Wishes collection for Winter 2014, but at least it is still Winter and that has to count for something, right? Hopefully you will forgive me because I'm really excited to show you this beautiful collection. It consists of three textured PixieDust shades and three cream/shimmer shades in coordinating colors...

Anchored on a Breeze

Hello Lovelies! I've got a bit of nail art for you today, once again playing with the new UberChic stamping plates and featuring one of the beautiful Polished by KPT thermals from the Basic Series. The Basic Series thermals make the perfect base for stamping and lend themselves beautifully to creating nail art...

Polished by KPT The Basic Series Collection

Hi Everyone! Today I have a post for you which is a few days late, but hopefully better late than never. The Polished by KPT Basic Series Collection launched on Saturday and try as I might I could not find the time to post before the release and give these beauties justice they deserve. The collection features five creamy pastel thermals which are perfect for Spring. Don't let the collection name fool you, there is nothing basic about these thermals. The name implies that they purposefully lack any added glitter, shimmer or glass flecks to let your imagination roam and decorate as you please. I happen to think they are simply beautiful on their own...

Glam Polish Knockout Collection

Hi Everyone! Today I'm excited to show you a few swatches from the upcoming Glam Polish Knockout Collection. The collection, which releases tomorrow, contains 6 gorgeous holo and ultra holo glitter shades. I've got four beauties to tease you with and I think you're going to love them...

Go Hawks!

Hi Everyone!

Although I must confess that I'm not a football fan by any means, living in Seattle it is difficult not to catch a bit of Superbowl fever. Everywhere I turn, I see blue and neon green and it appears that I've grown quite fond of the color combination. That is precisely why when I sat down to swatch the upcoming Glam Polish Knockout collection, I couldn't help but gravitate toward the lime green and sparkly blue. They are not a exact match for the team color (nor were they intended to be), but never the less, it seemed fitting to create a manicure with the two of them on Superbowl Sunday. Maybe I can fit in around here after all? Go Hawks!

(Side note, I got a new macro lens to play with so please let me know what you think of these photos!!)

Nail Art Tutorial: Interlock

Hi Lovelies! As promised, I have a tutorial to share with you for the manicure that I posted yesterday. You may have seen this technique before, but I had a request for it a while ago, so I went ahead a created the tutorial. Somehow life got in the way between then and now so I didn't get around to writing it all up. Let's just chalk this one up to me being a bad blogger. Hopefully it is still better late than never.

Supplies:

• 2 polishes. I used Nicole by OPI My Sol Shines Brighter and Live in the Momentum
• Dotting tool. Don't have a dotting tool? Check out these dotting tool alternatives

Steps:

Instructions:

1. Start out with a base of 1-2 coats of your lighter shade.
   (The coral Nicole by OPI My Sol Shines Brighter is shown here)
2. Using the second shade, paint a diagonal line across your nail and fill in toward the tips. Don't worry if this is not perfectly straight because it will be covered up by dots.
   (The blue shown here is Nicole by OPI Live in the Momentum)
3. With a dotting tool dipped into your second color (ie. blue), add dots along the edge of the diagonal. Leave some space in between the dots as shown above.
4. Dip the dotting tool into your first color (ie. coral) and place a dot on your second color between two of the dots created in step 3.
5. Repeat step 4 to add dots along the edge of your second color, in between the dots of the second color created in step 3. 
6. Add a top coat and enjoy!

I think my instructions might be a bit confusing, but it is really easy once you actually do it, so don't let them intimidate you! Give it a try and I would love to see how it turns out! If you post on Instagram, tag me #lookwackylaki and I will be sure to see your creations.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

P.S. You can find lots of my other tutorials here!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

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

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

Interlock!

Hi Lovelies! Today I have a manicure from waaay back in the archives! Just look at that black background. It has been ages since I've switched to white. Kind of miss the black at times though. Anyway, my weekend was filled with housework and home repairs. There is still a ton to do and soaking wet boxes to go through in the garage. I'll be hiding for a bit while I take care of that, but I've got lots of manis that I haven't shared yet, so this will be the perfect time to unload the archives, right?
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Hanukkah Sparkles!

Hi Lovelies! Today I have another Hanukkah manicure to share with you. I don't usually get the chance to create multiple manicures for the occasion, but I got an idea that I just had to try out. Waiting until next year was not an option that I could live with, so time had to be made for the time consuming endeavor. I've been wearing this for the past couple of days and I hope it will last me at least through the weekend because I can't stop staring at them. I'm actually having a difficult time writing this post since I keep getting distracted by the nail...

Whimsical Winter Scene!

Almost three weeks ago Marta of Chit Chat Nails announced a nail art contest that she is hosting with a stamping plate maker Pueen. I was instantly intrigued because it features two of my favorite things, stamping and holiday nail art. I rarely enter contests, partly for lack of time, but largely because I disagree with the 'judging' process. Marta's contest, however, has actual judges which makes the process about talent rather than popularity. For me that makes the contest a challenge and I love challenges...

I've been thinking about what I want to create for the contest for the past couple of weeks and have been coming up blank. I knew I wouldn't be entering the contest unless it was something I was really proud of, so that I wouldn't kick myself later and think "I could have done better". That way loosing would mean someone created nail art that is better or more creative than mine, not because I didn't give it my best shot. Also, win or loose, I had a blast creating this manicure and at the end of the day that is what really matters to me...

In a Snow Flurry

Hi Lovelies! The Glam Polish Mid-Winter's Dream collection is launching today and I wanted to show you some nail art that I created with one of the shades from the collection. Inspired by the icy blue beauty itself and fighting the strong urge to stamp snowflakes, I decided to attempt a snowy tree scene instead...

Glam Polish Mid-Winter's Dream Collection Swatches and Review

Hi Lovelies! I'm excited to share with you swatches of select shades from the Glam Polish Mid-Winter's Dream collection which will launch tomorrow. The collection consists of a total of nine icy winter inspired shades and I've got six of them to show you today...

Dazzle Dry Oh to Be Royal Collection Swatches and Review

Hi Lovelies! Today I'm excited to show you the new Dazzle Dry collection named Oh to Be Royal for this Winter season. It consists of six beautiful shades in a variety of finishes including cream, shimmer and glitter...