Bloody Manicure for Halloween

It feels like I didn't update my blog for ageees but I just didn't have time or inspiraton so I took a break. Of course I was painting my nails and if you follow me on Instagram - ivanathinkspink - you already saw all the manicures I'll post in the near future. 

Bundle Monster is having a Halloween contest and I really wanted to join but the final outcome wasn't so awesome as I thought it will be. I didn't have time to recreate it so today I submitted my entry. Here it is... Idea on my ring finger was something I was expecting to be much better as it is... I wanted to look like I have a zipper on my nail and it's all bloody when you open it. :D

 "Blood" and stitches were made with PS. I just had to play with photo a bit more to make it more interesting. :D

Pinkie: Gradient with Essence - Back to the 50s & Manhattan - 1010n 

Ring finger: Essence Cafe Olé, BM-202, Essence - Back to the 50s and BPS black stamping polish

Middle finger: Gradient with Essence - Back to the 50s and Manhattan, BM-223 and BPS black stamping polish

Index: Manhattan 1010n and BPS glitter

Thumb: Essence Cafe Olé & Essence - Back to the 50s, dotting tool

In case you like my manicure, you can vote for me once a day here
http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/293918/voteable_entries/59927280
Or if you don't have FB here:
http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/293918/voteable_entries/59927280

Let me know if you like it! Have a lovely weekend and thanks for reading!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Video Tutorial: How I stamp my nails

I got a request to make a video tutorial about stamping. First I didn't know if I should really make one, because I can stamp my nails really bad sometimes, especially with some difficult patterns. But then I decided to film myself doing an easy zebra pattern. I love animal prints, because they're easy to stamps and mistakes are barely visible, so double win. :i

My hands look so bad on these pictures I took.  Manicure was so bright in person, because I decided to use Beach Cruiser from Orly. I'm in love with this polish, just like with Fancy Fuchsia. :L

Enjoy. :P

I put these infos in an info box on YouTube, but just in case you don't watch this video on YouTube and can't see the info bar.

Stamper ~ there's a few different versions of stampers like this one I'm using in this video or double sided. If your stamper doesn't pick the color well, try to file it a bit to make it a bit rough.

Scraper ~ I'm using my old plastic card as a stamper, because it works great and it doesn't scratch my plates like metal scraper I have. I would suggest a plastic scraper over metal, but even old credit card works just fine.

Stamping polish ~ I'm using stamping polish but sometimes you don't need them, because regular polish can work with stamping too... Especially metallics and one coaters, holos,... You need to experiment to see if they work or not.

Double stamping ~ I always have to double stamp my thumbs and other nails if they're long as in this video. Some patterns are really easy to line up and get a perfect stamp, like this zebra print I'm using in this video.

Top coat ~ Some top coats don't work great with stamping, because they smear the pattern. If you have those problems, be sure you gave a enough top coat on the brush. If the top coat still smudges the pattern, try another top coat.

Essence Nail Art - Protecting Base Coat

Orly - Beach Cruiser / 2 coats

Stamping: BPS black stamping polish & BM-223

Essence - High Shine Top coat

What do you think? :) I hope someone will find this video helpful. I'm not really super great with stamping, but I'm learning. :D

Thanks for reading! Have a lovely weekend!

Xoxo,
Ivana:k

Gradient Blue Zebra Print

Gradient + Animal Print = Would that work together? Well, I wasn't sure until I tried this yesterday. :D

I wanted to do a blue gradient for a while now so yesterday, when the day was so rainy and boring, I decided to do something blue. ^_^

I started with 2 coats of base color ~ H&M - Denim Dreams. I got this polish ages ago from Pink_Diamond and I'm really happy to have this beautiful baby blue creme nail polish. <3 Then I sponged with Denim Dreams and Essence's Walk on Air. This one is from their new range and it's definitely a must have! I love true blues without any hints of greens, that's why I adore this one! :)

When the gradient was dry, I double stamped zebra print from BM-223, first with silver from Essence Stamp me! Silver and again with dark blue Essence Just Rock it. I love how this dark blue looks over the silver. :L

I didn't play with CS3 for ages so I decided to add zebra print to the background too. :P

Daylight

Sun

OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener

H&M - Denim Dreams / 2 coats

Sponging: H&M - Denim Dreams & Essence - Walk on Air

Essence - Stamp me! Silver & BM-223 / stamping

Essence - Just Rock it! & BM-223 / stamping 

Nail Tek Intensive Therapy 2

So, what do you think? Are you a fan of animal prints? I wasn't until I started playing with different combos, every color looks so good with animal prints! :)

Btw are you excited for today's series finale of Desperate Housewives? :e I really am but at the same time I'm so sad, because I'll miss them soooo much. <\3

Thanks for reading!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

My Bundle Monster Contest Entry

Bundle Monster arranged a nail contest again this year and because I totally missed it last year, I decided to join the contest this year. :)

I decided to enter with this manicure I did a while ago - Gold Glittery Zebra Print, because I really love everything about it - gold, glitter, zebra print, I even love my nubs here. :$

Public votes starts today and will end on Sunday, May 13th and 50 manicures with the most votes will enter the step 2 where the judges will decide which 25 manicures will win the prize (3rd Bundle Monster set :D ). Well if you have a few seconds and you like my manicure, please vote for me. :)

If you have a Facebook account, you can vote here:

http://apps.facebook.com/winnailplates/contests/216667/voteable_entries/49037259 

If you don't have Facebook (but all those who have FB can vote here again :P) you can vote here:

http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/216667/voteable_entries/49037259

You can vote for each entry once per day.  :)

Every vote counts so THANK YOU if you decide to vote for me. :) You can check all the other amazing entries and vote for them too. :) If you entered a contest too, please leave a link in the comments, so I can vote for you too!

I would be more than happy to get into Top 50, but after I saw all 11 pages with just amazing manicures, I just doubt. :i Anyway, good luck!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Step by Step: Gold Glittery Zebra Print

I'm seeing Easter nails everywhere but I must say I'm not in Easter mood at all, probably because I still can't believe it's already April. :/ Well, I ate already tons of chocolate eggs. :$ I hope I'll make an Easter mani till next week, when we're celebrating an Orthodox Easter. :) 

My nails really make me sad for months now and I can't find a reason why are they peeling so much, so of course I filed them down to nubs again. I have some peelies down to the nail bed so they need to grow out but even when they grow out, they start peeling on the same place. Annoying! :)

Oh well, when I'm having nubs, I tend to use something really neutral or when I'm in the mood, I do something crazy and fun and make them at least prettier with a design. :D So, I had this lovely combination in my minds and it turned out just perfectly.... Just like the title says: Gold Glittery Zebra Print. <3

They look so good on picture. :D It looks like I spent hours on doing them, but I was done so fast - just a fun layering and stamping and you get nails like this. :) It's very similar to the first Purple Sparkly Zebra Print I did months ago. :) I took pictures of all steps so I'm posting them here as a Step by Step "tutorial", but this is far from a tutorial, because it's really really easy. :D But in case someone who doesn't have an idea how to achieve nails like this, I posted all pictures, so more after a click. 

Blue & Purple Zebra Print

I don't know what's with all animal prints going on my nails. :D I got super exciting news yesterday about passing an exam that I was sure I failed miserably. :$ So I decided to make another manicure with animal print to make my day even more special. :P I made quite similar combination on Veri's nails and I loved it so much so I had to try it on myself.

I started with 2 coats of Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Pacific Blue, this is probably my favorite blue ever (its dupe is H&M - Blue my Mind). Both of them are soooo hard to photography, they're always too bright. :/ Color on the last blurry picture is probably the most color accurate. :) Then I sponged Nicole by OPI - I've Bieber Fever on diagonal half on my nails and over whole nail a bit of Nubar - Petunia Sparkle. I stamped zebra pattern from BM-223 and Wet n Wild - Black Créme. :)

Here's the final result. &lt;3

Nail Tek - Foundation 2

Sally Hansen - Pacific Blue / 2 coats

Nicole by OPI - I've Bieber Fever / sponged

Nubar - Petunia Sparkle / sponged

Wet n Wild - Black Créme & BM-223 / stamping

Beauty Secrets TC Fast Finish Polish Dryer 

Steps to achieve this look are quite similar as I showed you in Zebra Print Tutorial I made a while ago, I just sponged the colors a bit differently. :) You can pick whatever color combination you want, just be creative. :) I really love how the purple glitter is peeking under the zebra pattern. &lt;3

BTW... I'm having problems with updating my Blog roll, so if you're not there, please don't think I removed you. :) Everytime I want to update and save it, it keeps saving and nothing happens. I think that must be a blogger bug, because I'm not the only one with this problem. :)

I hope you're having a wonderful and relaxing weekend and thanks for reading! :rainbow

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Step by Step: Sparkly Purple Zebra Print

I don't have time for doing my nails so often as before but I still want my nails to be pretty. I usually pick a color I like and wear it for a week without a chip, but because my nails are so short, I decided to make something else. :)

I shorten my nails 2 days ago, because I had some major breaks lately and if you read my blog for a while, you know I hate when my nails aren't all square or same lenght. So, it was time for a fresh start. I have a birthday next month so I decided to slowly grow them out till then. :)

Here's what I came up with. :) All pictures in this post were taken under daylight bulb with black background. 

If you want to see step by step pictures (a.k.a tiny picture spam), click read more. :)