This Lane is Paved Green!

Hello everyone! :c)

It is officially March and I am super excited about it because it gives me an excuse to wear tons of green! It also means I get to countdown to St. Patrick's Day, which is my absolute favorite holiday. I am not Irish at all, I just love to celebrate like them! Up at dawn, drunk by 9, and decked out in green! Okay, the Irish don't necessarily dress in green and get wasted at the crack of dawn, but that is sure how I have celebrated St. Patrick's Day for the last several years!

So to kick off the month of green right, I of course have a green polish to show you today. Well, it's two green polishes:

Sinful Colors has a St. Patrick's Day display out consisting of Irish Green, and Green Ocean. I had to rebuy my Irish Green because I gave it away and I have never had any of the "ocean" shades, which all have flakies, so I was very excited to buy it. The woman who rang me out was so intrigued by Green Ocean she asked if she could open my bottle to look closer at it! How cute.

This is Green Ocean over Irish Green over a white creme base. I know Irish Green has inevitable visible nail line syndrome no matter how many coats you do so I didn't waste any time and just layered it over white. The white base also helps make it really pop and show its neon properties. This was much brighter in person.

I wouldn't wait on these shades because they are only around for March from what I can tell. I have never seen them in a permanent display. And they are only $1.99!

Some bonus pics:

This is my Cash playing outside with the BF's parents' dog, Molly. Look at his little sweater! My parents sent it for him! It is a big help when he plays in the snow because his hair is so long and curly it picks up so much snow and then it gets all balled up and he has little snow balls hanging from him when he comes in the house.

This one I took over the weekend. When I am sitting at my polish desk doing my nails and he wants to play, he comes over and looks up at me with these sweet little, pitiful eyes. Do I stop what I am doing and go play? Of course! Who could resist that face! You can see his eyelashes really well in this pic. Aren't they amazing?! They grow out just like the rest of him. They baffle me! I've never seen a dog with such pretty lashes!

Have a great day!
-Elaine

AMERICA! @#$% YEAH!

Hi all! I have been feeling so patriotic all week thanks to the Olympics and all the athletes bringing home medals for USA. And how about Team USA Hockey?!!
I have been wanting to do a USA manicure, and have a good plan, but by the time I had the chance to do it on the weekend, I realized it would be time to take it off for the work week so I did a pedi instead!

Big Toes: Rescue Beauty Lounge - Underwear, stamped with Konad plate M14 and M3 with Essie - Mesmerize and Konad special polish in red

Little Toes - right foot: China Glaze - Dorothy Who?

Little Toes - left foot: Savina - Ruby

...and all little toes are stamped with plate M3 and Konad special polish in white

My Nails Are Partying for Mardi Gras

Happy Fat Tuesday all! Are you planning on rocking out today? Or planning on having a rockin' mani?! I have planned both! Nails first:

LEFT HAND-Beads, Mask and Fleur-de-lis:

Thumb: Illamasqua - Elope, China Glaze - Happy Go Lucky, Migi Nail Art Pen - shimmery olive, China Glaze - Harmony, Passion, Cherish

Ring: Illamasqua - Elope, China Glaze - Grape Pop + Konad plate M78, China Glaze - Passion + Konad plate M15

Rest: Zoya - Pinta stamped with plate M77 and China Glaze - Millennium, Passion and Harmony (it's beads!)

EDIT: THE BEADS WERE STAMPED WITH PLATE M77. NOT M78. OOPS! Sorry!

RIGHT HAND - Hat, Glitter and Fun:

Thumb: China Glaze - Passion, BB Couture - Poison Ivy, China Glaze - Happy Go Lucky, Zoya - Pinta

Ring: Color Club - Sultry, Tru Passion and Object of Envy

Rest: BB Couture - Green Goblin, plate M78 + China Glaze - Harmony and Passion

I really went all out. That is what Mardi Gras is all about, right?! I'm going out with a girlfriend tonight and she is going to paint my face up like a mask. She wants to be a make-up artist professionally and mostly in stage make-up, so this is going to be sick!!! I can't wait! I am sooo not going to want to come in to work tomorrow...

PS - If my nails seem different it's because I chopped 'em down. I had a devastating break on my left hand so I cut them all down to match. It was really my only option. I rather like that I switched things up too. I loooove my "talons" but this length is fresh and comfortable. Don't worry! They will grow back! :c)

Laine's Official Valentine's Day Manicure

So this is my final V-Day creation (maybe. We still have a couple days. I could always change my mind...) and I have been wearing it since Tuesday night. I don't know if it'll hold up until Sunday but that's alright. The point is that I get to share it with you.

So I went for a half moon manicure. I mean, are you honestly surprised?! I can't get enough of them!

I started with a base of white creme. I chose Rescue Beauty Lounge - Underwear. Then I used reinforcer stickers to hide the bottom portion and painted the rest of the nail with Color Club - Art of Seduction (fitting name for V-Day!) When I removed the sticker I added the triangular, red rhinestones to the moon with a little dab of top coat. If I had little red hearts, I probably would have used them but I just had red triangles, red circles, or yellow hearts. No match! Then I finished with a coat of Seche Vite top coat. It reminds me of the classic red halfmoon manicure, but with a twist:

Photo Courtesy of Vintage Style Files

Have a lovely weekend and a Happy Valentine's Day no matter what you do!

Valentine's Day Mani Inspiration

I am assuming whether you are a V-Day lover or a V-Day hater, you are going to do some sort of theme manicure, right? Even if it is an anti-V-Day mani. Well if you are torn on what to dress your nails in for the big day I put together some ideas I had for Valentine's Day manicures to help inspire!

1) This is a base of Essie - Marshmallow, a jelly white, and a smorgasbord of heart stamps done with China Glaze - Romantiques: Awaken, Adore, Admire, Harmony, Cherish, Passion and Devotion. I used Konad plates M3, M35 and M73.

2) This is a base of Essie - Flirty Fuchsia, stamped with Konad plate M4 and Konad Special Polish in red and white. I topped it all off with a holographic glitter topcoat: Cover Girl - City Lights.

3) I wanted to do a manicure that didn't have the usual red, pink or white base. I chose Naughty Nailz - Left Him Cuffed To The Bed for the base (appropriate for Valentine's!). Then I stamped the little swoops with Konad plate M4 and China Glaze - Devotion. Next, I stamped the "Love" and hearts with Konad plate M2 and China Glaze - Admire and Revlon - Punch Chrome.

4) I went a bit more geometric with this one... for a second. Then I messed it all up! In a good way, of course. I started with a base of Orly - Polo Princess. Next, I painted three vertical stripes with LA Colors Art Deco striper polishes in Red Glitter and White. While still wet, I took a needle and pulled across the stripes from left to right to give a mild marbled effect.

5) Now this is not a "mild" marble. This is wild! I water marbled a red, black and white creme. (you can see my tutorial on water marbling here) Then I topped it with two coats of Cover Girl - Disco Dazzle. You could also add a heart - infused polish like below. I wish I had.

6) This is a base of a reddish pink creme: Perfect Chic - 314 and then topped with Nicole by OPI - Love Your Life. I showed you another mani I did with Love Your Life back in November:

This is Sinful Colors - Sugar Sugar with Love Your Life.

7) This one looks sort of like an anti-V-Day mani but it isn't really. I chose Sinful Colors - Happy Ending for the base since the name sounds lovey-dovey. The yellow rhinestones are heart-shaped, and then I added magenta and black to the ring finger.

8) And this one is obviously a V-Day mani. The base is another one of the new Sinful's I showed you, Easy Going and then I stamped the rose with Konad plate M36 and China Glaze - Cherish and Revlon - Punch Chrome.

What do you think? What is your favorite? What are you doing for your Valentine's Day manicure?

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post which will include my favorite Valentine's Day mani! Hmm... what could it be, what could it be? :cD
-Elaine

New Orleans Saints Mani

Hello fanatics and football fans! I decided to do a mani for the Superbowl in honor of the New Orleans Saints. I have been rooting for them this year (when not supporting my beloved Bears!) and thought a Saints mani was in order. Plus I love combinations of black and gold so I have an extra excuse to do it! Apologies to my international readers. I know American football is not an international sport like futbol, but I love it!

I started by painting the whole nail with China Glaze - Passion. Next I halfmooned it with the majority of the nail in black. Then I added Essie - Matte About You to make the whole nail flat. The reason being I love foils stamped over flat black. It looks so hott. Then I stamped the Fleur-de-lis on all nails with Passion and Konad plate M15.

Hope you all enjoy the game, snacks and beer! (and commercials!)

Dashing Through the Snow... With my pretty painted toes...

The holidays are upon us! I decided to get festive with my tooties!! It's really thanks to the BF. I was going to redo my toes and picked out a nice orange creme: Sally Hansen - Sonic Bloom. I showed him what I was going to use and he did not seem enthused. He said "Why don't you do them for Christmas? With snowmen!" Okay, dear. You got your wish!

LEFT FOOT
Big Toe
China Glaze Emerald Sparkle
Migi Nail Art Pen in white
LA Colors Art Deco in Red Glitter

Little Toes
Unnamed shimmery white from Borghese Allegra set
Unnamed red glitter from Borghese Allegra set

RIGHT FOOT
Big Toe
China Glaze - Caribbean Blue
LA Colors Art Deco in Black
Migi Nail Art Pen in White
LA Colors Art Deco in Red Glitter
Tropez - Black Satin
Konad Special Polish in white
Konad plate M3

Little toes
China Glaze - Emerald Sparkle
Konad Special Polish in white
Konad plate M3

Halloween Claws!

My apologies for this late post. I had difficulties getting my pictures to upload over the weekend, and I just figured out why... I had them saved as an incompatible format. I wish it just said so! Anyway, this is post I had planned for Halloween:

What can you create with these?---->

This spooky manicure! I started with a base of my favorite orange creme, L'Oreal - Sizzling Tangerine, waited 2 minutes and then applied a coat of Cover Girl Crackle Polish Ghost Fantome. The crackle effect takes about 15 minutes for the full effect. It is a little tough to wait patiently for that long, but I love the look when it's done. Then I hand drew some little spiders with Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen in black!

A friend had a Halloween party and I helped her do some setting up in the days before, consisting of carving pumpkins and making Jell-O shots. Here's the pumpkins we made:

Mine is on the left, hers is on the right

-Elaine

Seche VITE for Breast Cancer Awareness

Hello everyone! I had a nice surprise the other day when I went to my Sally's Beauty Supply to pick up a new bottle of Seche VITE top coat. For the same price, I purchased a bottle of SV which came in a box and included a strip of pink ribbon nail decals and rhinestones for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I have been trying to support breast cancer any way I can, including joining Michelle from All Lacquered Up in raising money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation here.

About Seche VITE: I love this stuff. I couldn't live without it. Before I learned that such a wonderful product as this existed, I never used topcoats because to me it seemed a waste since I would just have to wait longer for my manicure to dry. I never used anything that took more than two coats (which excludes plenty of colors that are gorgeous but take at least three coats, and forget about layering combos) and I usually always ended up messing up my manis. Then this baby came into my life and I will never go back. It sets my polish quickly so I can do my nails even if I am in a hurry. I can layer layer layer! I can do anything!! It's empowering!

Back to the decals.... They are super cute:

Here is the mani I did for today with them:It is Sinful Colors - Social Ladder with one of the pink ribbon decals. I had a hard time putting in on. Not the fault of the decal; I just never use them so I was sloppy. I messed up the nail first so I had to take off the polish and try again. Then I put on the topcoat to dry my polish so I wouldn't wreck it, then put on the decal, then I put on another layer of topcoat to seal it in and I instead made the polish underneath do a weird crinkling action over the whole nail. I probably couldn't do it again if I tried! It actually looked kind of cool. It has since smoothed out a bit. It must have been the first layer was still trying to get things set and then the second layer showed up too soon and messed up his plans.

I have never bought Seche VITE in a box so it was interesting to see what they had to say:

"Seche VITE Acknowledged as the world's finest top coat. Its patented formula allows it to penetrate through the nail lacquer to the base coat forming a single solid coating over the nail plate for a much more durable finish which is guaranteed not to yellow. Seche VITE is unmatched as a top coat. Your nails will feel silky, be stronger, and will absolutely not chip. Seche VITE creates the highest gloss and is longer lasting than any product on the market today. Apply thickly, get a nice bead on the end of the brush, then set softly down on the first nail painted and watch how Seche VITE flows over the wet nail polish without dragging of streaking the underlying manicure"

It may be a little hyped up, but it is a wonderful product. I have seen it at Target for about $10, at CVS for about $8, at Sally's for about $7, but with a Sally Beauty Member Card it only costs $4.95. Big difference from $10!

It is however, not completely big 3 free:

Warning: This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.

Butyl Acetate, Toluene, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Isoprpyl Alcohol, Trimethyl Pentanyl Diisobutyrate, Benzophenone-1.

30ROCK Manicure

Happy Thursday! I am very happy today because the season premiere of one of my absolutely favorite shows, 30ROCK, is today! If you don't watch it.... you really should! I was so excited that I decided to do a mani to celebrate!

The title card of the show is pretty simple, so besides for writing "30Rock" on my nails, I was at a loss of what else to do. I thought maybe the NBC peacock would be a good idea. Then I came across this little gem:

If you don't watch the show, it is about a fictional sketch comedy show on NBC called "TGS" and this deal-breaker sketch was from one of the episodes.

"If you're man leaves in boxers and comes home in briefs, that's a deal breaker, ladies!"

So I thought I would used the pink polka dots for the mani. Here is how it turned out:

I used:
base: Color Club - Oooooo La La
Dots: Zoya - Dita
"30": Green Migi Nail Art pen (full review to come)
"ROCK": Black Sally Hansen Nail Art pen


Peacock:
red: Milani - Red to Tango
orange: Misa - Speed of Life
yellow: Sally Hansen - Lightening
purple: Zoya - Pinta
blue: Essie - Mesmerize
green: BB Couture - Poison Ivy
white: Migi Nail Art Pen

I did however, screw up the colors of the peacock on the left side. They should go yellow, orange, red not red, orange, yellow... ooooops. I think the point gets across. It took me a whole day to figure it out.

Have a great day and watch 30ROCK!!!