how to: splatter mani

Hey there...here's a fun and easy mani that you've got to try sometime right now...splatter nails!!! I don't do much nail art but doing them once in awhile is kind of fun.

Warning: this mani is a little bit messy. I highly recommend you put wax paper down on the surface you are working on, also makes for easy clean up after. You'll also need a couple of regular drinking straws and tape.

First, choose a base color for your nails. Paint as usual and let dry. I used OPI's Can't Find My Czechbook for my base. Then choose a couple of other colors you'll want to use for the splatter effect. I chose Orly's Sapphire Silk and Barry M's Peach Melba.

After your base color is dry, put tape around your nails. This is optional but helps a lot during clean up.

Take one of your splatter colors and drip a few drops onto your wax paper. Dip one end of your straw in the little puddle of polish. Make sure you get a good glob of polish then hover over your nail and blow hard at the other end of the straw. Repeat over the nail until desired splatter effect is achieved, then proceed to the other nails. Repeat for any additional colors.

Carefully remove the tape and begin clean up. Let the splatter set on the nail for a minute or two before sealing with a top coat. I did two thick coats of Seche Vite to smooth out the splatter.

Now sit back an enjoy your beautiful work!

in the shade

Here's my first splatter mani that I did for Independence Day, last year.

If I ever use that color combo again, I may use red as my base color otherwise the red splatter almost looks like a crime scene! haha!

Tips:

• You might want to play around with the lengths of the straws you use and distance from straw to nail. I preferred using shorter straws to blow through on the nail at about 3 inches away. You also get different splatter effects depending on how strong you blow through the straw
• It's easier for me to do one hand at a time.
• For clean up, I use a small make-up brush for better control.

thanks goodness for tape!

Are you going to try doing a splatter mani?! What color combo will you use?

Thanks for stopping by!

Update - 3/14/13

I mattified my splatter mani with Essie's Matte About You...

Love!

Linked up with Polly Polish's Polish Days 'Vintage' theme link party.

This mani has a vintage type feel to me...looking like a Jackson Polluck piece of art!

Also linked up with:
F-it Friday Round 14 at Parlo & Logi
What's Shakin' Link Pary #51 at Shaken Together

opi - can’t find my czechbook

I've made it my goal to swatch all of my untried nail polishes before I buy any more nail polish but I've been so good at not buying any new, new nail polishes for the past few months, I decided to treat myself this weekend. With an ULTA rewards to redeem at hand and after rummaging through a blah clearance section, I caved and bought OPI's Can't Find My Czechbook from their Euro Central Spring/Summer 2013 Collection. It was the last bottle too, so it's meant to be, right?!

I can't remember the last time I've bought a new nail color that was a new release. I usually wait to buy them whenever I can catch them on clearance or will get them if I have a really good coupon.

So glad I got this color! I actually don't have anything like it! It's such a pretty creamy dusty aqua that goes on the nail perfectly. Below is 3 coats, topped with Seche Vite.

 

in the shade -  btw, sorry my skin looks so dry :(

the north texas cake show is coming up

I'm excited and stressed for the upcoming North Texas Cake show. This cake show only happens every other year and yet I'm never prepared!

I also haven't been making cakes regularly so I'm kind of out of the loop on new techniques and styles. I'm debating whether I should even compete in this year's show....well not really, I want to compete! I just have no cake designs in mind. That's where I always get stuck!

Here was my last submission:

I placed 2nd in the Adult Intermediate Wedding Category. I had grand ideas for this cake that never happened too! I made all of the flowers weeks before I had a design in mind. In just days before the competition, I slapped everything on my cake! I'm surprised I even placed. It was very sloppy and plain. I had no sleep during that time. I vow to not do that again this year!

As boring and unfinished as it is, it's actually one of my favorite cakes that I've entered in a cake competition. I think it has to do with the variety of flowers and color combo? Also the decorative pieces...although I don't really know what I was trying to do with the topper! hahaha!

These were my first cake competitions cakes:

3rd Place - Adult Beginner Wedding Category
That Takes the Cake Show 2009
Austin, TX

1st Place - Adult Beginner Wedding Category
Sugar Wonders Cake Show 2009
McKinney, TX

1st Place - Adult Beginner Novelty Tiered Category
Sugar Wonders Cake Show 2009
McKinney, TX

I've been pinning really gorgeous cakes onto my Cake Love board on Pinterest. Hopefully all of these beautiful cakes will help motivate me and give me some ideas for the cake show!