Wiki'd Nail Challenge - Salicylic Acid!!!

So, another week into the Wiki'd nails challenge and another week where I was totally stumped and didn't have a clue what to create (it's a bit of a recurring theme with this challenge!!!)

Here's the Wikipedia definition

Salicylic acid (from Latin salix, willow tree, from the bark of which the substance used to be obtained) is a monohydroxybenzoic acid, a type of phenolic acid and a beta hydroxy acid. 

This didn't help me much (I was never any good at Chemistry at school!!!) so I checked out the photos on the Wikipedia post.

There weren't many but this one caught my eye and sewed the seed of an idea!!!

I was going to try and create the design freehand but I came across a stamping plate with a similar design (whilst looking for something else!!) so decided to practice my stamping skills (or lack of them!!!)

I started with a simple pastel neon gradient ....

.....then stamped the design in black. I was really pleased with how this design turned out despite an initial lack of inspiration!!!

So there it is - this week's contribution to Wiki'd Naiks Challenge - Salicylic Acid!!!

Xoxo

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An InLinkz Link-up

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Wiki'd Nail Challenge - Midas!!!

So, another week gone and another Wiki'd nail challenge completed. This week didn't prove to be quite so challenging as previous weeks but maybe that's because I went for the easy option!!!

The Wikipedia definition of Midas is as follows

Midas (/ˈmaɪdəs/; Greek: Μίδας) is the name of at least three members of the royal house of Phrygia.

The most famous King Midas is popularly remembered in Greek mythology for his ability to turn everything he touched with his hand into gold. 

I started with this amazing neon coral polish from Claire's as my base colour. I've got to mention at this point, (and I know it's going to expose my age!!) but all the way through this mani, and even now as I write this blog, I've got the 1986 Midnight Star song "Midas Touch" running through my head!!!! Please don't tell me I'm the only one who remembers this tune!!!

I then used Ciate Carousel on a piece of sponge to create this Midas Mani.

So there it is, this week's Wiki'd nail challenge - Midas!!!

Xoxo

Wiki'd Nail Challenge - Deinocheirus!!!

So, the Wiki'd Nails Challenge continues and this week the prompt is as random as ever - Deinocheirus!!!

Here's the official definition from Wikipedia

Deinocheirus (/ˌdaɪnɵˈkaɪərəs/ dy-no-ky-rəs) is a genus of large ornithomimosaur (ostrich dinosaur) that lived during the Late Cretaceous around 70 million years ago

As has been the case on most of the challenges I was really stumped and this week I even considered missing the week out!!! But it bothered me all day that I was taking the easy option by not creating a mani - so instead I decided to try and think outside the box again.

And here's what I came up with....

I dropped the dinosaur part and took my inspiration from the Ostrich part!!! I used China Glaze Dashboard Dreamer and then used acrylic paint to create the design!!!

I'm glad I persevered and thought outside the box, as I'm quite taken with this little guy I created for this week's Wiki'd Nails Challenge - Deinocheirus!!!

Xoxo

An InLinkz Link-up

Wiki'd nail challenge - Huang Hongtao!!!

So, the last few weeks have seen various nail challenges inspired by miscellaneous Wikipedia links.

This week however is slightly different, as we were given a free run of Wikipedia for a random prompt!!!

Fortunately for me there is a random search function on the Wikipedia website, so I set about finding out what my prompt was going to be this week and here it is ....

Huang Hongtao (Chinese:黄洪涛) (born December 3, 1970) is a former Chinese international footballer who played as a Goalkeeper. 

Where to start????? I decided to take my inspiration from the Chinese version of his name.

I started with a red base using Nails Inc by Victoria Beckham Judo Red.

As Huang Hongtao played football for his national team I decided to add the Chinese Flag on my index finger using Rimmel London Chin Up Buttercup.

I finished by adding the Chinese Spelling of Huang Hongtau's name using Maybelline Blackout.

Hope you like my interpretation of this week's Wiki'd Nails Challenge - Huang Hongtau!!!

Xoxo

An InLinkz Link-up

Saran Wrap and/or Glitter for 52 Week pick n mix challenge.

So,  this week I learnt a new technique and a new term - "Saran Wrap"

It appears that Saran Wrap is indeed what I have called cling film all my life and it also appears that it can be used in a nail art technique!!! 

Step 1 - paint your nails with a base colour and allow to dry fully.

Step 2 - take a piece of Saran Wrap (cling film) and scrunch it up 

Step 3 paint another coat of a different colour and dab with the cling film

Step 4 (optional) - add a glitter top coat (cos its part of the prompt!!!)

I love how simple this technique is yet how effective the mani looks 

So there it is - Saran Wrap and/or Glitter for 52 week Pick n Mix Challenge.

Xoxo

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Wiki'd Nail Challenge - Bridge!!!

So, the Wiki'd Nail challenge continues to go from random prompt to random prompt and this week is no exception!!!

We've gone from Tattoo in Week 1 to Water Babies, then Tesla and now Bridge is this week's prompt - 

A bridge is a structure built to spanphysical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle. 

Like most weeks with this challenge so far, I've struggled for inspiration. I'm not a great fan of designs that go across all my nails, as I can never get them to line up properly for a photo!!! So I tried to think outside the box and strayed from the official definition and took my inspiration from the first part of the Wikipedia link

This article is about the structure. For the card game, see Contract bridge .

So, instead of a physical structure on my nails, I went with hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades on a green background to represent cards on a card table for a game of Bridge!!! I used Sinful Colours Envy as the base, Ciate Mistress for the hearts and diamonds and w7 black for the clubs and spades. 

Hope you like my alternative (if somewhat  off the wall!!!) interpretation for this week's Wiki'd Nail Challenge - Bridge!!!

Xoxo

An InLinkz Link-up

Free NailsInc polishes with July's issue of InStyle Magazine

So, from time to time magazines will offer freebies to entice you into buying. I'm not usually tempted by the various offerings - unless of course the free gifts are nail polish - then it's a whole different ball game - not only am I tempted to buy the magazine, I turn into a crazed customer rifling through the magazines to ensure I've got EVERY shade!!! I'm now quite used to the strange looks from the shop assistant when I purchase 4 copies of exactly the same magazine!!!

The July issue of InStyle magazine has 4 gorgeous shades of NailsInc polish and I am now the proud owner of all 4 polishes (plus I've got 4 copies of the same magazine!!)

From left to right When Doves Cry, Love Will Tear us Apart, The Tide is High and The Boys of Summer - great names for great polishes (Dont tell me I'm the only one who found myself singing the tunes and showing my age!!!)

First up was When Doves Cry - I love grey (my wardrobe is full of it!!) and always find myself being drawn to it. This grey has a slight lilac tinge to it which somehow gave a summery feel to the mani. 

Having seen what the polish looked like on its own, I was itching to add another colour and some nail art. I love grey and orange together so I added China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy to create my Take That mani for their concert at the O2 Arena.

Next up was Love Will Tear Us Apart - a vibrant tomato red/orange. This polis is really glossy and the photo is with just 2 coats of polish and no top coat!!!

With the name of the polish in mind I used this polish (along with The Boys of Summer) to create this Ikat heart mani with Sarah @sezies_nails on Instagram. 

I'd never used the Ikat technique before and it was great fun doing it with another nail addict!!! I was really pleased with how the mani (and the twin mani!!!) turned out.

Then it was the turn of this delightful pale turquoise blue - aptly named The Tide is High - this wasn't quite so glossy and is shown here with a top coat of my favourite super glossy Glisten & Glow HK Girl. 

One of my challenges on Sunday had the prompt "Ocean" so what better polish to use as the base for my Ocean nails

Last , but by no means least, is The Boys of Summer , a vibrant shocking pink which again had a super glossy finish with no need for top coat.

I used Smart Nails Nailart stencils (along with When Doves Cry) to create this final mani.

I loved all four colours and would thoroughly recommend rifling through the magazines  in your local newsagents or supermarket and putting up with the strange looks you might get to bag all 4 free NailsInc polishes with the July issue of InStyle Magazine!!!

Xoxo