31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 31 - Fan Favorite Floam Stripes Tutorial

 WOOHOO!! I'm so excited I finished the 31 day challenge hosted by Painting Outside the Lines. It was not easy, and I want to give a huge shout out and congrats to my fellow contest completers!!

OK, so I asked you... my lovely followers... to like your favorites in my Facebook album of all of my creations. There were a number of contenders, but the ultimate winner was Day 17, Glitter! As promised, I did a tutorial on how I created the look (the first of many coming from my 31 days of nail art!)

Couple of notes: please excuse the crappy photos during the tutorial. I hate the way the flash photos look, but I don't have good direct light pretty much anywhere in my house! Also, my hubby took the pictures for me when I was doing the actual striping... so big thanks to him for the help! <3

Here we go!

Floam is a bit of a pain to take off... the more layers the harder it is. So, I start with two coats of OPI Fly as a base.

Next, a nice even coat of Floam. At this point, I do top coat it. To free-hand stripe, a smooth surface is best and as we all know, glitter is not smooth!

Now for the stripes!! I always rest BOTH hands on the table when I'm striping. It helps stabilize the shakes (and I do have shaky hands some days... my husband can attest to how bad I was shaking while I was trying to do this tutorial! lol). I do plan on doing a video tutorial on my striping technique, but I have not done a video yet... so I have to work out the kinks! Quick overview, and hopefully this makes sense, I do not move the brush; I move the finger being striped. I pivot the finger away from the brush. I find holding the brush in one place simplifies it and makes for a cleaner line (I will do a video! Promise!)

Start with the bottom stripe... and work your way up!! (Again, thanks to my wonderful hubby James for his help with this part!)

Repeat on all except your two ring fingers!

Now grab your striping tape (or cut thin strips if you are like me and are still waiting on it from China... or wherever lol). Be sure you have allowed adequate time for your polish to dry before taping.

If you have striping tape, you can probably get all 4 stripes to perfectly mirror the other fingers and my OCD is totally jealous of you and your evenness... But, if you are like me, you will likely only be able to get three stripes!

Paint it black and carefully remove the tape. Now allow at least 15 minutes of drying (or be impatient and smudge it like I did... of course lol). Top coat it and do your clean-up.... and....

TA-DA!! Easy as that ladies! I expect to see your re-creations of this posted on my wall... or else!! You don't have to have Floam to create this! Use any polish you have!

Please go show some love to the other amazing ladies who completed the incredible feat! Because I can tell you, it wasn't easy!! And be sure to vote for me on Painting Outside the Lines page by liking this picture in the Day 31 album!! It would be greatly appreciated! :D

I am looking forward to having time to get some reviews up in the coming weeks. I also will be doing tutorials on all of the nail art requested in the comments on my giveaway (yes... every mani requested will get a tutorial)! I am going to TRY for every week... but will at least get them up every other week. If I can get into the habit of doing them in the morning on the weekend, I would actually have good light to photograph the steps! So we'll see!!

I guess what I am saying is... I'm not going anywhere! It may not be a post every day, but I will aim to get at least 3-4 up a week. Plus... You can always come hang out with me on Facebook ;)

Love you ladies! Thanks for all the amazing support and love over the last 31 days... it really kept me going when I got busy and it was tough to keep up!! <3

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 30 - Inspired by a Tutorial

 This is it! Tomorrow is the last day of Painting Outside the Lines 31 Day Challenge!

Today we are supposed to pic a tutorial to inspire us! I chose this tutorial and this is what I came up with!

Both polishes used today are OPI: Yoga-ta Get This Blue and I Have a Herring Problem. I allowed the polish to get stringy and pulled it across my nails. It was really, really messy... Like really messy lol.

This afternoon is the deadline for choosing tomorrow's final entry; which will be complete with a tutorial! I have to do it tonight when I get home to have time to get it done for you!!All you have to do is go like your favorites in my Facebook album (like as many as you want!)...

Also, please check out and show some love to the other entrants. I am so pleased to have so many wonderful nail addicts that have finished this huge undertaking with me!!

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 29 - Supernatural

There are only 2 days left in Painting Outside the Lines challenge!

Supernatural means anything considered outside of our natural realm... So, ghosts, bigfoot and...

The Lochness monster!!! This turned out so freaking cute!! I used China Glaze For Audrey for the base, with Sinful Colors HD Nails and China Glaze It's Alive for the monster. I used Haze Glase Mystique for the water and added some little white fluffy clouds!

Be sure to check out the other entrants on Painting Outside the Lines wall!!

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31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 28 - Flag Inspiration

I am in disbelief that the challenge hosted by Painting Outside the Lines is almost done!! Just crazy! Where does the time go?

Here are my American Flag inspired nails...

I am not totally thrilled with the stripes (I love the diagonal... I should've stuck with that!), but overall I like it. I used Sally Hansen White On and Red Carpet. To represent the stars, I used Haze Glaze Mystique.

I decided not to stop there... see, I am American... but I married a Canadian. What better to represent our household than to make my right hand the Canadian flag!

I used the same Sally Hansens, and used my very small dotting tool to create the maple leaf on the thumb.

Don't forget to check out the other entrants on Painting Outside the Lines wall.... Also, please be sure to go into my Facebook Album and like your favorites. Which ever one wins will be my day 31 and will have a tutorial created for it ;)

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 27 - Artwork Inspiration

I am having so much fun with the inspiration section of Painting Outside the Lines challenge!

I decided to go abstract with my painting choice. While I love Monet (probably my favorite artist ever), I do not think I could do his paintings justice! I went with a Jackson Pollock (linked here) instead:

Here is my recreation!

I started with Zoya Freja, and used Nina Pro Black, Sally Hansen White On and Avon Nailwear Tangtastic to create the splatters. Boy did this one take a long time to dry!! :p

I'm loving the other entries! Be sure to check them out on Painting Outside the Lines wall!

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 26 - Pattern Inspiration

I was a little nervous for today in Painting Outside the Lines challenge... And it's my own fault for the pattern I chose!! :p

I found this pattern, and loved the colors (linked here) so I decided to give it a try!

Here is what I came up with!

I don't have a light enough purple to act as the lightest color, so I improvised. I started with Sally Hansen White On, and topped it with Essie Main Squeeze (it has a lavender shimmer). Then I used my Lavender Shimmer Stripe Rite and Intense Pink LA Colors Art Deco polish and free-handed the design!

I was pretty thrilled with how it came out ;)

Be sure to see the other amazing pattern inspired manis on Painting Outside the Lines wall!

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 25 - Fashion Inspiration

One day close to completing Painting Outside the Lines challenge! Yay!

So, no one said it had to be good fashion, right?? (link here)

Horrid, right?? HAHAHA... I decided to give the fuzzy sweater nails a try, and I can't say I'm thrilled with it... but they can't always be winners!!

The orange flocking powder just wasn't dark enough. Foowy! Considering the limited color choice I had, it was the best I could do!

Be sure to head over to Painting Outside the Lines wall to see the other fashion inspired manis!!

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 24 - Book Inspiration

Holy Cow!! I can't believe there's only a week left in Painting Outside the Lines challenge!!

I don't think my inspiration today really needs any linking... The Hunger Games! I loved this series, and I'm sure I will not be the only one in today's challenge creating a "Girl on Fire" mani!

I started of with Avon Nailwear Sunshine as a base. Followed by sponging of China Glaze Japanese Koi and Sally Hansen Red Carpet. Then I free-handed the flames using my LA Art Deco Black polish.

Head over to Painting Outside the Lines wall to check out the rest of the creations!

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 23 - Movie Inspiration

I can't believe how fast this is going!! It's day 23 of Painting Outside the Lines challenge!

Today is inspiration from a movie. I love Burlesque, it got really bad reviews, and I disagree with them!! So I decided to give this look a go (linked here):

What else, but a Kaviar mani!! :p

I couldn't find pearl beads, so I had to live with clear. I also went almost naked (gasp!) with my nails, considering the movie I chose, it made sense! So, all I used was my OPI Top Coat (I got it for free, it isn't a fast dry and that seemed best). Then I used Konad plate m57 to create the fishnet on my ring finger (lots and lots of fishnet in the movie!).

As I suspected, the beads drive me crazy!! All I want to do it pick them off!

Don't forget to check out the other amazing creations on Painting Outside the Lines wall!

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 22 - Inspired by a Song

Yay!! I've been looking forward to today in Painting Outside the Lines challenge!!

Naturally, I had to pick something colorful, and the first thing that came to mind was this video :p

Yea, that's right... lol... Sexy and I know It!! The clear choice would be animal print paints, of course!

Ahaha!! I love this one!!! I mean, come on... it's classic!!! I used China Glaze Champagne Bubbles with my Black LA Colors Art Deco Polish and red rhinestones for my thumb. I painted by fingers with Sally Hansen White On and sponged FingerPaints Blue Raspberry Tart, Pop Rock Pink and Lemon Sour in random patterns. Then I used Konad stamping plate m57 with Zoya Freja and topped it with Nina Pro Opal Elegance for a little sparkle!

This one makes me giggle every time I look down!!

Don't forget to show some love to the other entrants on Painting Outside the Lines wall!

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 21 - Color Inspiration

Phew, we are on the home stretch, entering the last section of Painting Outside the Lines challenge!!

Today I decided not to go with just one color... I found this image online (link here), and wanted to recreate it:

It took a few LA Colors Art Deco Polishes to recreate this look...

Just a few lol... I decided to use my Sally Hansen White On as the backdrop instead of black, so that the colors would pop more!

It took blending the polishes into each other to create try to re-create the prefect blend of the photo. I had a lot of fun doing this one!

Don't forget to go give some love to the other people who are working hard to keep up with the challenge on Painting Outside the Lines wall!

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 20 - Water Marbling

Late post today!! Didn't have time to get it up this morning since I rushed off to the baby shower!! We are on the last day of the "patterns" section of Painting Outside the Lines challenge! Tomorrow we start the inspiration!!

I hate water marbling. It sucks. lol... I was trying for a swirl, and it isn't terrible, but it's not a swirl!! Hahaha

I used Sinful Colors Pink Cream from their Neons collection. I also used my Nina Pro Black and Sally Hansens White On for the marbling.

So, not terrible, but not what I was going for necessarily! Hahaha... And just because I could, I took a picture with the Andes Mint Cupcakes I made for the baby shower. I figured you guys could use some good food porn!

Let me tell you, these cupcakes were a-mazing! So tasty!!

Be sure to check out the other participants at Painting Outside the Lines wall.

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 19 - Galaxies

Yay!! I've been looking forward to this day since I first saw Painting Outside the Lines challenge!!

I have been wanting to try Galaxy nails for a long time, and just never have!! I am a sci-fi geek, I grew up watching Star Trek, I can't help it... I just love it!! Here's what I came up with...

I think the most visually interesting part about space is all the color, so I decided to do a different color on each nail!! I started with my Nina Pro Black and used my new Sally Hansen White on to dab on the shape of my galaxies and add my stars (I wanted to add my stars fist, so the color of the galaxies overlapped them... seemed more realistic). I started with a lighter color and the added some interest with a slightly darker color. Here's the breakdown:

Pointer (blue)
FingerPaints Blue Raspberry Taffy
Barielle's Blackened Bleu

Middle (Purple)
Anise Grape Escape
Barielle's Jess' Champagne Toast

Ring (Pink)
Sinful Colors Bikini
Color Club (unknown name - same one I used in my cupcakes)

Pinky (Greenish-blue)
Sinful Colors Gorgeous
Orly Halley's Comet (seemed appropriate)

I topped is off with Wet n Wild Kaleidoscope... because, well I could! Haha... :D

I really like it!! I will definitely be trying this one again :)

Dont forget to head over and show the other girls some love!! Tomorrow is water marbling... cant say I'm looking forward to it! Haha

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 18 - Half Moons

So I was trying something new today... and I wasn't totally happy with how it turned out... but I will not give up!! I really am loving this challenge hosted by Painting Outside the Lines, and I can't believe we are almost to the Inspiration section... it's going to be insane!!!

So, I have all these paper punches, because another hobby of mine is making greeting cards... I started to think that it was silly I hadn't put them into work on my nails! Here is the punch I used today...

I was thinking... scalloped half moons!!! So I punched some return address labels with it and had sticky, tiny scallops! Unfortunately, I used too much bling and it lost its effect. So next time I am going to use one blingy and one cream!!

I used China Glaze Prism as the base. It has some wonderful rainbow glitter in it, so I went off that and used Wet n Wild Bijou Blue. If I had used black, it would've been awesome... but I just used it yesterday and didn't want to be too redundant!!

Here it is in the shade... when it's enlarged, you can see the scallops a bit.

This idea isn't going away! I will be trying it again!

Be sure to head over to Painting Outside the Lines and check out the rest of the amazing entries for today!!!

31 Day Nail Art Challenge: Day 17 - Glitter

I have been looking forward to this day for two weeks... because I got a very special polish that I wasn't going to be able to use until the glitter day of Painting Outside the Lines challenge!!!!

FLOAM!!!!! OMG... AMAZING!!!

So, since I couldn't bring myself to waste it for only 1 day wear, I decided to layer it over OPI Fly. I then used my Stripe Rite Black and free-handed stripes on all but my ring finger - which I taped and painted with my Nina Pro Black. A lovely follower of mine was interested in seeing my right hand for my free-hand stripes on Day 8 (Metallic)...

I wasn't unable to that day and promised to show her another day! Here we are, my right hand!! My thumb has a line out of place, but the rest are pretty decent!!

I know I am going to be sad to take this off (and it doesn't help that I hear Floam is super hard to get off lol)... but alas, time won't stop... even for Floam!!!

Head over to Painting Outside the Lines and show some love!!!