layers of pastels

Haaaaaay. Here are some cute nails I rocked last week!

Tada! I'm not really sure what to call this manicure. Quadruple ruffian?! Haha!

This fun mani was inspired by the lovely Jackie of Candy Coated Tips.
She posted her nails on Facebook and as soon as I saw the photo, I went and did my nails. It was instant-inspiration! (And I had just gotten new polishes so I was itching to use them.)
Click here to see Jackie's cool green version!

To create this manicure, you simply paint your nails with the first color, and once that has mostly dried, you paint on the second color, leaving a margin around the edge so the first color still shows.
You add the next colors in the same fashion! You don't need any fancy tools for this look, you can just use the brushes from the polishes themselves.

Here are the colors I used, from the bottom up:
OPI - Can't Find My Czechbook
China Glaze - Keep Calm, Paint On
OPI - You're Such A Budapest
China Glaze - Bahamian Escape

Here's OPI - Can't Find My Czechbook by itself. I picked up four colors from OPI's Euro Centrale collection, and I'm in love with all of them. Originally I wasn't planning on buying this blue because I thought it would be too similar to others in my collection. But then when I saw it in person, I was convinced that I needed it because it has a slight dustiness to it that makes it different (and so pretty.)

I will post swatches of the other colors I bought from the collection ASAP! Maybe I'll swatch them tomorrow...

That's all for today! Thank you Jackie for the awesome mani inspiration!

my first ruffian mani

Hey everyone - before I start this post I am going to do some major whining! Justified whining though. I need an outlet!

I just found out that the blink-182 concert I was supposed to see next week is CANCELLED.
Because the drummer just had his tonsils out. TONSILS! Blink is my favorite band and has been for about 10 years. This was going to be my third time flying away to see them. I love them so much that I can't be mad at them but... tonsils? Drummer? He played with a broken foot before but... tonsils?! AH!

I spent close to $500 on plane tickets to go to Quebec City and now I don't know what to do. Go anyway? Spend another $150 to turn my tickets into a voucher? Ugh. It's not even the money that really bums me out but the fact that I won't be seeing blink this year. And I'm sure the stars won't all align in exactly the right ways for me to see them next year, the way they did this year. I'm so sad. :(

Anyway... depressing news aside... here is a mani I wore a few weeks ago.

I like ruffian manis but I'm not sure if I chose the right colors for my first one!

This mani started out with two coats of OPI - Russian Navy Suede.
I was wearing this for 3 days before adding the silver, I was surprised it lasted that long before chipping! Matte/suede polishes usually chip super fast but color me impressed.
I love this polish a lot, the suede effect is cool! I've got 6/7 of the suedes they released and I'd like to get the last one, too! I stupidly didn't buy it when I had the chance. (Here Today... Aragon Tomorrow Suede is the one I am missing.

So, when the chips happened, I wasn't ready to remove the color so I decided to do a ruffian mani!
A ruffian is a very chic look and can cover up your chips in a flash.

To do the look, you add a second color but you don't go all the way to the cuticle. It can be a bit tricky to get the spacing the same (notice my middle finger is different from the others) but with practice it is no problem.

The silver is Sally Hansen Insta-Dri - Silver Sweep. This mani was so darn reflective, it was hard to get good pictures.

I'm gonna try more ruffians this summer... but with neons!!

Now before I go, allow me to remind you that today is another day to vote for me in the Bundle Monster contest! Yes, I'm shameless.
If you've got Facebook, click HERE to go to my entry!
If you don't have Facebook, click HERE to go to my entry!

Thanks :)