#31DC2015 Day 26- Inspired by a Pattern

Alternate post title: Leah discovers that it is Very Difficult to do hand poses with a mug

So I've actually kind of known what I wanted to do for this day since last year. About a day after the Pattern challenge last year, I walked into my work kitchen and facepalmed because we have these adorable mugs with hearts on them that would be PERFECT for this kind of thing.

I actually sent pictures of this mani sans mug to the R&D group chat at my work, challenging them to try and figure out where they recognize the pattern from. I don't think any of these guys had ever gotten excited over nail art before, but they have now! (followed by a lot of ppl casually commenting "why don't you do this for a living???")

And in case you're wondering, yes, I did have to steal this mug and bring it home with me in order to make sure I matched the colors well. No one noticed. I did bring it back I promise!

Here is the mug by itself (sitting, rather incriminatingly, in front of one of my nail polish shelves)

And here are the three least awkward attempts at me posting with said mug:

Polishes used:
Color club- French tip (white base)
Golden Rose Color Expert- 43 (light blue)
Ga-de- Blue Blood (navy blue)
Ga-de Candy Apple (red)
Laka- 85 (grey)
Chic- Crazy in Love (green)

An InLinkz Link-up

NOTD: Grey and yellow

I've been trying to expand my color pallete lately, and although I've done grey nails before, I've never specifically combined grey and yellow before. I'm surprised it took me so long, it turns out they go together beautifully to create a soft delicate look! Add in a dash of springy green and I found a lovely spring manicure. I know it's not spring, but what is time to a nail artist.

Polishes used:
Color Club - Pretty in Platinum (grey base)
OPI - Make Light Of The Situation (shimmer over the grey)
Ga-De - Curry Delight (yellow)
Aliquid Lacquer - Hidden City (green)

NOTD: Goth skittles

Now isn't that a pair of words that you would not expect to see strung together. but that's the only way I can really describe this particular manicure. I was trying for a jet black holo look, but I ended up getting a gunmetal holo instead so I shrugged and added some red accents. Initially the stripes were the same color as the red hex glitter, but when I added topcoat they bled to a pale pink so I painted over them. And thus, I ended up with two different reds and a gunmetal grey, when all I really wanted was a black holo. Sigh. Still, I made lemonade and I think these came out pretty nice, if unexpected!

Polishes used:
Ga-De Black Swan (black base)
Beauty Care almost-black holo
Orly Smoulder

NOTD: New year's mani

I did a pretty simple mani for NYE, since I'm not really a big celebrator of these kinds of things. Still, I really liked the way it looked- plain grey shimmer with some iridescent glitter and star rhinestones with matte topcoat. The topcoat is a little cracked if you look closely, because I applied an extra coat for photos (whoops!)

Polishes used:

Color Club Pretty in Platinum

Golden Rose 3D Glaze 02

32DC2014 Day 25- Inspired by fashion

Today's inspiration comes from inside my own closet! I have a cute knitted tunic which I've held on to for almost a decade, and surprisingly it still fits me. It's not just a personal piece of fashion though- there's a style of tunics and shirts that's been around for a looong time where I'm from, and it doesn't look like it's going away soon, either. It's an asymmetrical collar with three oversized buttons down the side of the collar. I'm actually pretty glad it's not going anywhere- that look is flattering on almost everyone.

The only picture I have of myself in this tunic is nine years old, so forgive the slightly blurry look:

And here are my nails (only a few days old as of posting this :D I didn't even get into nail art until about six years after this was taken!):

An InLinkz Link-up

31DC2014 Day 23- Inspired by a movie

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh man! I haven't updated in over a week! I've actually been keeping up with the art side of the challenge, but the photos have been piling up on my computer not getting posted =/ I've done some really cool stuff over the last week, so I'll be dedicating two catch-up posts to the whole thing. In the meantime, here's today!

I chose the movie Pacific Rim as my inspiration- specifically, the Kaiju, who have mottled grey skin with bright blue bioluminescent highlights running through them. I actually used a glow in the dark blue in this look, but unfortunately the bottle is pretty old and I couldn't get a glow out of them, even after "charging" them in the sun for five minutes and going into a pitch black room :(

Still, I do think I managed to capture an abstract kaiju-ish look, and I got a compliment from a waitress today!

An InLinkz Link-up

Swatched: Aliquid Lacquer

I've known Allison from Aliquid for a while- particularly after she nominated me for a Leibster last year! Imagine how excited I was to hear that she was also planning an indie brand. Of course I had to get my hands on some, as soon as I possibly could.

I actually swatched these a few weeks ago already, but I hadn't gotten around to editing them because the sheer number of photos I took was daunting. Usually for an NOTD I'll have as many as five pictures, here I have over three times that. That aside, I think these are some of the crispest swatches I've ever done, so hooray for that!

Regarding application and formula: All of these applied about the same, opaque in 2-3 coats, applying evenly and smoothly with an easy to manipulate formula. I experienced no pooling or streaking or even brushstrokes on any of them.

Click the readmore to see detailed reviews of each one!

NOTD: Greyscale Chevrons

Hi all! Not much to say about this mani, so here it is:

Polishes used:

Rimmel- Grey Matter (light grey)

Ga-de- Black Orchid (dark grey)

Chic Metallix- Diamonds (silver)

Chic Metallix- Black Silver (black glitter)

Chic Metallix- Citrine Gold (gold accent)

Born Pretty Store Matte Topcoat

I'm really loving the flexibility and clarity that the camera on my new phone affords me. I can take good quality pictures in basically any lighting!

NOTD: Interview Nails 4 & 5- The grand finale!

Yes, folks, that's right! No more interviews for me! (For the time being anyway). I have officially signed with a new job, which I started a week ago.

The thing is, interview nails 4, while pretty, were nearly impossible to photograph. And interview nails 5, the ones I got the offer with, were tipworn and unimpressive. So I've lumped the two kinda mediocre presentations into one, to save space.

For the first mani, I matched them with a new pair of fingerless gloves that I absolutely adore- a soft grey with subtle sparkly threads woven into it. I really wish I'd been able to get better pictures of this, but my camera would just not cooperate. I tried a ton of different lighting, angles, and poses (with and without the gloves in case that was the fault), and I only came up with a couple of usable pictures:

Polishes used:
GA-DE Black Orchid (dark grey)
Indigo Bananas Pan (green-blue duochrome, but with matte only the green is visible)
Unnamed generic light grey

For my second mani, I was called in for the interview kind of last minute, and I still had the Ciate that I swatched from my 2013 roundup on. I had just done a bunch of polish stuff and didn't really have the energy to do anything elaborate, so I just stamped right over my swatch. I then proceeded to forget to take pictures for five days, hence the tipwear. (Really, what got into me though? I never leave polish on for five days!)

All things considered, it held up quite well! Since this just plain black on top of something I swatched just a few posts ago, I don't think I need to list the polishes for you :)

And thus ends the saga of the Interview Nails, at least for a good long time I hope! I've actually been at this job for an entire week already, so I have a bunch more things to share (like my first day of work nails and a few suprises!) But I'll be saving that for another post. My first week was pretty nuts, even just in terms of getting readjusted to 8 hour work days and waking up at a decent hour for transit. I'm hoping I'll manage to scrape together the energy to do multiple posts this week!

NOTD: Interview Nails 3- Son of the Interview

Another day, another interview. Job hunting can be exhausting, especially since I don't get to buy any new polish until I have a salary once again. As sad as it is, groceries and rent are more important than buying nail polish (but only by a little).

This one was for yet a third company, with an interesting twist- this would only be part time. If I got this, I'd probably just barely make enough to get by, so I wouldn't have to get another job, but I might. I might not, because something cool occurred to me if I get an offer for this one. I could use the extra time to get certified as a nail tech! Then I'd A- be an expert on nails and probably pick up tons of new skills I couldn't even imagine, and B- I'd have a viable alternate source of income, in case working in the high tech industry doesn't work out in the long run. I guess we'll see if/when I get this job.

Polishes used:

Orly- Au Champagne (base color)

Chic- White Flag

GA-DE- Black Orchid

Dalia- medium grey

This one is a little festive, because the interview was actually on Christmas (you see what I mean about people not even noticing it here? It's just a regular business day!). Later on I took it off and put on the Christmas Nails I posted a little bit back.

You know what's odd? In both of the previous interviews, there was a lady interviewer, but neither of them noticed my nails. In this interview it was a man, and he did notice them! Funny how these things work out.

31DC2013 Day 25- Inspired by fashion

Shhhhhhhhhhh just go with it.

31DC2013 Day 9- Rainbow nails

Rainbow nails! I incorporate rainbow motifs into my nail art a lot, so I wanted to do something that was unusual even for me. I have done Nyan Cat nails before, but only ever on other people. Needless to say, this was definitely the subject of some odd looks at work :D

For links to other blogs participating today, click the jump.

NOTD: Chevrons

Hey all! Quick NOTD for today, not much to explain:

Polishes used:
Orly Faint of Heart
Orly Moonlit Madness
WOW 434 (in which there is a hidden teal shimmer, but you have to know you're looking for it)

I didn't get this perfect, I'm thinking I need a different kind of tape next time. Also I need to give the layers some time to dry before top coat, because I smudged pink over most fingers =/ other than that I was quite happy with this look and I'll probably do it again!

Haul of Shame swatch spam

Look look swatches!

Dear readers,

I have been a terrible blogger these days. I know this in the depths of my soul. Case in point: I committed a massive haul of shame about two weeks ago, and I haven't even mentioned it on here yet! Nor have I edited my third vlog (which I have recorded, and it sits there on my desk top staring at me accusingly). Also I am doing a convention this Wednesday and Thursday, and you've heard nary a whisper of that.

By way of apology, I've swatched five of the 22 (!) polishes I picked up in my protracted haul, which took place over several days.

Click the jump for closeups and reviews.