Plum Blossom Water Decals

Hi lovelies!

I had a wonderful weekend and the weather is FINALLY starting to warm up here in Melbourne (40degC). Summer is finally here.

To celebrate the warmer weather I was going through my water decals, which I don't think I've actually made a post on yet.

I love this combination. I used two coats of OPI My Very First Knockwurst.  Waited for this to completely dry then applied the blossom decals I got from kkcenterhk.com.  They have such a fantastic selection of water decals. I love the more delicate decals, like these or lace patterns as a general rule of thumb.

source

The great thing about this mani is it can still be "office appropriate".  Well that's I what I think anyway :)

Thanks for passing by

As always love, xx Karen

New 2013 Bundle Monster Plates are Available now!

If you're as excited as I am about the 2013 collection of Bundle Monster plates, wait no further... The new collection is now available to purchase to add to your Bundle Monster collection plate family.

I just ordered my set this morning, can't wait for them to arrive!!

A fabulous compilation of images which came together to everyone who submitted their designs during the "Create Your Own" (CYO) contest. Congratulations to all those successful entrants and thank you for sharing your Imagination with the nail art family.

"It's the largest Bundle Monster Nail Plate Collection YET! with 26 nail stamping plates with over 150+ fan created images.  Each plate has its own unique flavor with designs ranging from animals, skulls, text, abstract, geometric, technology and even themed images!"

Click the link below or here to be directed right to the purchase page.
For only US$16.50 Enjoy!!



Let it Snow!

In the great words of Bing Crosby... Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

If you don't know already, I live in Australia, Melbourne to more precise and this snow season has had a dismal start to be modest.  So here is a mani to lift up the snow Gods and hopefully they will snow down on us so that we can ski!!! It's been cold and wet enough!

I started off with a gradient using OPI My Boyfriend Scales Wales and OPI What's With The Cattitude?

Then I moved on to stamping with OPI Can't Find My Czechbook from the Euro Collection and Bundle Monster BM-H02 from the Holiday Collection.  I just got this, so was a little excited to use it :) 

What you think?  I really need to improve my camera.  At the moment I'm limited by my iPhone (ooohh I can hear the groans from here).  And as you may already know from your own experiences the iPhone just does no justice to the real thing, especially the subtle gradient.

I really liked this mani and was a liitle sad to take it off.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Lots of love, xx Karen

Leopard Spots & Gradients

Hi Loverlies!!

I have a mani here today that was inspired by a fellow blogger and I would like to acknowledge them but I can't for the sake of me remember where :( I saw this so long ago, so if you know or recall a similar mani let me know!  However, from memory it didn't turn out as I had remembered, I still liked the finished look.

I used OPI Mimosas for Mr. & Mrs, the black was a standard black polish I bought from Sportsgirl.  I used Stamping Plate F2 which I got online.  There a number of leopard print stamping plates out there now and they kind of all very as to how close the spots are together.  This I found just worked.

Keeping it short and sweet, hoped you liked this mani, and thanks for popping in :)

xxKaren

I'm Getting Married!

Hello!! 

I have some very exciting news!

Y I'M ENGAGED Y 

My Boyfriend and I went to France for three weeks in May and he got down on one knee one special evening and popped the question.

Ok so I kinda knew it was coming... but Paris, oh so romantic.

So now I'm busy putting together wedding plans.  I had no idea how much was involved with organising a wedding and how much it's going to cost. Yikes!  So can I ask a teeny tiny favour? Can you like my proposal story for me?? I've entered a competition that will pay $5,000 toward wedding photography and videography. 

To enter, you need to describe your proposal which I have done here, all I need now are likes.  The most likes win!

To read my proposal story, follow this link:

http://weddingbird.com.au/karen-damien-vic/

and please don't forget to LIKE!

Thank You so much, it's greatly appreciated.

Are you engaged? Married? What's your proposal story?

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

xx Karen

NOTD - French Gradient

Hello Everyone!

I'm adding today a manicure I've been waiting to do for a while and finally get around to doing it.

I recently got OPI I Theadora You and its a gorgeous sheer pink, but not as shear as your usual French pinks or as opaque as a true cream, it's somewhere in the middle.  And two coats is gorgeous on it's own.

I wanted to do a spin on the usual French Manicure and decided to do a gradient French manicure.

I sponged OPI My Boyfriends Scales Walls on the tips using a makeup sponge.  Then finished with my usual top coat of choice, Seche Vite.

Hope you like it :)

xxKaren

Nail Mail! - G'Day Matte from piCture pOlish

Hello everyone.  I am excited to share with you today a another batch of PicturePolish colours I recieved today.

I've been waiting for Twinkle to come back in stock! and OMG it is beautiful!! A gorgeous soft lilac with a very subtle silver shimmer.  It's absolutely gorgeous.

And the lovely girls from PicturePolish have everyday deals, when you buy 4 colours you recieve a free Picture Polish shade (valued up to AUD$10.00) as a FREE GIFT!

But wait there's more...

If you purchase 7 shades you get 2 FREE Picture Polish shades (vauled up to AUD$20.00)

How wonderful is this?? Check out there shop online at www.piCturepOlish.com.au. If you want a look at all the shades, More Nail Polish has a great colour guide of swatches.

I have to admit I'm a bit biased, they're Aussie Grown, made in Australia (just like me) and when they released their own Matte Top Coat, I just had to get it for the name alone.  Such a cute play on words.

Picture Polish are made in Australia!

Thank you girls.  Love your polishes and love recieving gifts with my purchases.

xx Karen

piCture pOlish - Simple Blocking

Hello loverlies!!!

I'm back after playing around with Shellac's for a while (I hope to do a post on my new shellac machine soon!)

However last night I had a creative brain burst.  I've been buying a lot of new polishes lately but haven't got around to wearing them because I've had shellac on my nails... but last night I wanted to put either Beige or Vegas, both from PicturePolish (which has become a new favourite of mine at the moment).

Then I had the ingenious idea, why choose just one when I can have both!!

I created a simple blocking design to seperate Vegas (on pinkie) to the Beige (on remainder of fingers).  I really like idea because of it's simplisity and it's so easy to do, you just need a little bit of sticky tape, that's it!!

You can find on the PicturePolish website many other colours for sale.  You've no doubtfully seen this name pop up around the blog world recently.  I've become a big fan myself.  Mostly because I think they're Aussie home grown, just like me, but also because of the great choice of colours, great price and great product.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you liked this creation.  I also hope I have more of this idea brain farts more often!