TWO designs for Christmas Day! Sponging V's Stamping...

 

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Merry Christmas everyone! Let's hope that it's great for you all.

Over the past two days I've been in a quandary.  No, not about the last minute pressies that needed buying.  It was about my Christmas manicure (I know, I'm so sad). I said no to green, red and gold because I see that every time I look at my Christmas tree and it's starting to jar me a little.  So I went for something non-christmassy.

This was the first thing I came up with...but didn't stick with it!

Sponging with some bows.

 

L-R Beauty UK Glam Nails White, Barry M Berry I/C, Models Own Magenta Pearl, Models Own 3-in-1, sponge from an old sponge hair roller.

Nfu-Oh 50, Star Gazer 112 and three Rio Nail Art Stripers (but I used the brushes and not the actual Rio polish - because it smudges)

 1. Start by painting white over your base coat - I used two coats.

 2. Ignore the middle finger for a sec, I forgot to take pics before I did step three. Dab some polish on your piece of sponge and start dabbing onto your nail, starting at the tip and moving towards the cuticle. Try to use less dabs the further up you go and maintain colour intensity on the tips.

 3. Repeat sponging with the second colour, starting at the tip of the nail. Try not to go too far over the first colour because you want to create a gradient.

 4. Use a striping brush to paint on a bow. Try to outline it with the black polish and add some shading with the darker of the sponged colours...I tried, but I'm no artist :-S

 5. Nearly finished.

6. Put a layer of Nfu-Oh on and Bob's Your Uncle!! I didn't leave it like this though. I went for the next pattern and stuck with it.

THIS is my Christmas manicure...

 Models Own Magenta Pearl

 L-R Konad Special Polish, Beauty UK White, Rimmel Pompous, Models Own Magenta Pearl, Rio Nail Art Purple (only used the brush though, not the colour).

 Konad Stamping Plate M4

 ...and M9

 1. Paint on two coats of white diagonally (or all over if you choose). The bare bit of the nail will be covered with another polish.

 2. Put scotch tape (or any other tape you want) diagonally across the nail bed and tip. Leave the cuticle area free of tape and paint that with the red colour. Let it dry well and peel off the tape SLOWLY.

 3. Use the striping brush to paint the purple in between the red and white, to cover any imperfections.

 4. Use the Konad stamping kit to stamp on the images you want; dark colours in the white section, white colours in the dark section.

5. Use your favourite top coat and proceed to stare at your nails whenever they catch your eye!

I hope you found this post helpful and easy on the eye :-) Have a wonderful Christmas and I'll be back in a day or two.