love me some christmas nails

 

xmasbaublesoft

Christmas spirit is in the air. I am finally starting to feel like it’s the holiday season, as work draws to a close, the final Christmas presents are purchased and wrapped, and my body starts to sob with exhaustion, begging me to stop making plans to catch up with everyone before the end of the year. Ah, the holidays. I love it. So many Christmas parties and social gatherings, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Also, presents.

For all those parties and gatherings, it is imperative to have Christmas nails. This year I am planning on having 2 different designs over the course of the weeks leading up to the big day. I’d rather have a couple more but knowing what little free time is available I decided not to set the bar too high.

I did these last night after work, just in time for work party #1 this evening. Christmas baubles! This is my “let’s keep it simple it’s already half 10 and I don’t want to be up until 1am” nails. Side note, I WAS up until 1am, which is the reason I am currently drinking my 4th cup of coffee this morning.

So, my “simple” design didn’t really stay that simple, but I got some great brushes on ebay that I wanted to try out, they are super fine and they made the small details on my Christmas bauble design really easy to do.

I am gearing up to do a very overly complicated and intricate Christmas jumper design next week for work party #2 and my big Christmas trip to Ireland, so stay tuned for that!

xx

Merry Seche Vite Christmas to us all!

Ladies of the world, rejoice! Seche Vite is now doing colours!

I’m not really one to plug products on my blog, (it’s usually all about me) but this is one thing that I had to shout from the rooftops for you all to hear. Just the thought of one nail enthusiast carrying on life without this information is devastating. I have not yet tried this supposedly miraculous product, but how could it be anything less than amazing when it is made by the people who make my one true love, the fast drying top coat?

69225692236922169218Do you know what this means? One coat of colour. One. Coat. I advise that we all go out and buy it immediately and rejoice in it’s fast-drying glory.

I’m loving the Dark Royal Blue for winter and my long-time favourite go to colour, Blackened Burgundy, but then there’s greys and taupes and, oh lord, Christmas has come early ladies. The excitement is palpable. I feel like a child of 5 again.

Santa – please feel free to include these in my stocking. And if you can’t figure out which colours to get me, then one of each will do nicely. Ta xx

image001

the all seeing eye meets my nails

photo-1Hump day nails! Man I really hate that term. Hump day. Especially when I have to work. It clearly amplifies how much fun I’m not having while I am in the office…working hard at…umm…blogging.

My nails are super short right now in the hopes that I won’t destroy them before the ever-important Christmas nails. This week’s design is a bit of mix and match, black and studs style. With a couple of all seeing eyes thrown in there. Those are inspired by my man, he loves the all seeing eye in the pyramid. After looking online for Christmas presents for him last night I couldn’t get it out of my head so I decided my digits should have some.

This is the first time I’ve used studs and they haven’t come off – several layers of top coat is the key!

I am gearing up to do Christmas nails for my trip to Ireland, and I must admit I’m seeing a lot of really great examples online, but the majority use stamping tools. And you know me, folks, that’s not my style. All freehand baby. I think I’m going to have to set aside at least 12 hours to do these nails, and given that it is party season that will be incredibly difficult.

Bring on the party season xx

emerald green for rainy London days

Yes, I’m alive.

I know, I’ve been massively MIA for the last month. Let me assure you that I was not keeping any new designs from you all, but rather working like a mad woman with no time to do anything to my nails except paint them solid colours. It’s been a very busy, albeit boring nail month.

I’ll confess, this isn’t an original design by me. I saw it online somewhere and had banked it away in my brain for future reference. I’ve changed up the colours as I felt that the emerald green was a good choice for these dreary November days in London. They go so nicely with my big grey cocoon coat and metal toe capped ankle boots. I really love this time of year. So easy to dress for.

Speaking of ‘this time of year’…Christmas is nearly upon us. Cue anxiety attack fueled by complete lack of presents purchased for overseas family members. I really should get on that.

But the most important question is, how on earth will I do my nails for Christmas?

x

trick or treat, spiders and skulls

Halloween is almost here and this year I don’t have major plans for a costume or a big party like last year, so I decided to put all my effort into my nails, and here they are. Spooky and scary. I love them. And they took forever but I think they’re worth it. Now I just have to figure out what my fall back costume will be if I actually happen to drag myself out tomorrow night. I’m thinking an outfit that consists entirely of leopard print. I can just raid my cupboard. Piece of cake!

Happy Halloween! x

British Champions Day

British Champions Day was such a fantastic event. I’ve never seen so many people at the races and everyone was in good spirits. Even the Queen was there!

My colleague Tasha and I proudly sported our Frankel themed nails, which was made even better when he won the final race of his career and solidified his place as the greatest racehorse of all time.

I was lucky enough to be mentioned in a few articles and on webpages, and I got a mention on page 2 of the Racing Post on Saturday (cutting featured above), which was a real honour and I made sure to buy up all the copies of the paper that I could find. A couple of people at the races recognised my nails from the paper which was really amazing.

I’m very much looking forward to British Champions Day next year!

Tasha and I with the Frankel Jaguar

jewel designs for autumn

I’m very lucky to work with such lovely girls who are so willing to let me do their nails for them. P’s nails are the longest of anyone I’ve met and they are so great to paint. I did a bit of a fabergé egg design for her, and she was so pleased that I’ve been informed that I’m able to do her nails whenever I want. How nice is that?

I love the simplicity of this design, because it doesn’t really look very simple but it was really quick and easy to do. You really can’t go wrong with metallics and jewel tones. Perfect for the Autumn weather and the dark colours we find ourselves wearing as the temperature drops.