Paws and Hearts

My mom is the director for a Humane Society, so naturally we always put dogs on her nails. 

For today she decided on paw prints and hearts. 

Her ring fingers are stamped with a heart embracing a paw. This stamp is from My Online Shop, plate #JR-35.  We stamped paws and hearts on the rest of the nails, using plates QA23 and m18. 

Sneak Peak...

No details ('cause really, does it matter?), but I have something cool coming up in the near future. I wanted to share a sneak peak...

PAWS! Big, doofy Roki the Great Dane paws :) For a 130+ lb puppy, he was pretty well behaved.
More to come about this project later :)

Cat Hair Nails

I’ve gotten pretty good at recreating other people’s work, but I want to be more than just a copycat artist.  This year I have decided to focus on trying to do more of my own original designs. I wanted to do something completely out of the box, but wasn’t exactly sure what. I follow a gazillion talented bloggers, but one that sticks out in my mind for originality is PiggieLuv – particularly her amazing manis done with flocking powder, cork, and otherout-of-the-ordinary mediums.  One day it hit me – I want to do a mani with cat hair. Yes, real cat hair.

I have cats. Plural. All rescues. They love to lay on my stuff, and get their hair everywhere. They puke up hairballs on my desk. They drive me insane sometimes, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world. No cats were harmed in the making of this mani. Three of them purred profusely when I “borrowed” some of their hair. 

After I painted each nail with the background color, I began the process of hair collection. First up was Smeagle, my Sphynx. He is what breeders refer to as a “peach fuzz” Sphynx, as opposed to a “rubber bald’”  -  ie, he has a little bit of hair. All I had to do was give him a good rubdown, and my hand was covered in his fuzzies. The base skin tone color is two coats of  KleanColor “Sheer Pastel Nude” with a coat of “Sheer Pastel Pink” over it. I put a matte topcoat on the nail and pressed the hair down. Not too bad. I trimmed up the sides and beamed at my Smee nail.

I decided my next nail would be modeled after Bullet, our male black and white kitty. I used Wet Wild "Lights Out" and "Whipped Topping" to create a tip on the nail, similar to Bullet's collar.  He laid on his back and purred as he enjoyed his brush-down. 

 I wasn’t so lucky with Grenade, Bullet’s brown tabby brother, so I used some scissors to snip a little pinch of fur from under his leg. A little catnip and I was forgiven. I used LA Colors "Whipped" and NOPI "Promises in the  Dark" with some light sponging of the black polish to make the brown tabby pattern. 

The ring finger is modeled after one of my Lykoi boys, Pink.  I used the same Kleancolor polishes for the skin tone, and LA Colors "Lost Soul" for the gray pigmentation. You are probably saying “WTF is a Lykoi!?!” right now – click here J I fell in love with him and his brother at the shelter. I realize he isn’t what most people would describe as a cute cat – and I am totally ok with that. I fell in love with his personality, not his looks.  To me, he is beautiful inside and out.

Finally, my pinky nail is modeled after Picasso, the Cat Who Thinks He is a Dog. Really.

 The process of laying down the matte coat, applying the hair, and then trimming, was a little more laborious than I expected. For the first time ever I was putting hair on my mani instead of trying to pull hair off, and it just felt very strange. I debated on sealing the hair in with a topcoat, but I really like the 3D effect of the hair.

My husband said my nails are disgusting. I think the word "unsanitary" may have come up.  My son just shook his head and told me I was strange. I am anticipating comments stating the like, and I look forward to showing them to my hubby to reinforce the fact that IDGAF .

Vivid Lacquer Stamping Plate VL027

I am an avid animal lover. I have been involved with animal welfare in some form since I was 15 years old, and haven't stopped. When I saw this post by Betty's Beauty Bombs, I knew I had to have that plate.

I watched Etsy like a hawk, waiting (somewhat) patiently for it to come back in stock. And NOW IT'S HERE BABY! 

I used China Glaze "X-Ta-Sea" for my base, and stamped my images with Salon Express Black and White stamping polish. I did my right hand in cat images, and my left with the dogs. I was super impressed with the quality of the words (I <3 my cat, etc) - I was really doubting they would stamp well, as I haven't had much luck in the past with such delicate designs. This stamp will definitely get a lot of use.  Now if I can just find some stamps with ratties and chinchillas on it, and maybe a bearded dragon, I will be set.  :P