Summer Nails
So summer is finally over. It’s been quite strange as normally I would be busy making things. But this summer I haven’t been able to due to my back problems. Finally, after lots of waiting and an MRI, the doctors realised that I had prolapsed a disc. So last week I had surgery to remove the prolapse. I’m pleased to report that is was a huge success! So once I recover from surgery, I can get back to my normal life!
One thing I did do a lot of this summer was my nails. In fact, it was one of the few things I felt able to do! I’ve been regularly posting the designs on my Tumblr blog, but I thought it might be nice to show a summary of my favourites here.
I’ve been experimenting with all sorts of nail art. From using dotting tools:
Nail transfers and stickers:
Experimenting with colour and fancy polishes:
Using tiny brushes to paint a design(the skulls were a request from my teenager):
And lastly my favourite type of nail art, nail stamping:
I’ve amassed quite a collection of MoYou London stamping plates and I’m looking forward to experimenting with them.
I continue to decorate my nails (as I can’t do much else creative at the moment). This week I tried out some nail ‘tattoos’ I had purchased a while ago.
These are very easy to use. You paint your nails as normal, then cut out the transfer you want to use (cutting as close to the design as you can). Then stick the transfer, pattern down, onto your nail. Soak the paper back with water and then it will slide off, leaving the pattern on your nails.
I think they look quite effective.
Nail varnish used was Nails Inc Kensington Base and Topcoat. (Topcoat was applied on top of the transfers). Colour is Maybelline Cool Blue.
I might try out my striping tape next.
As I am currently not allowed to use any of the machines in my workshop (due to the cocktail of painkillers I am currently on), it means I can paint my nails without the risk of them being destroyed in a day.
I thought that ‘nail art’ might also be considered ‘making something’, so I am including it on this blog.
This week I tried out an ombré nail technique I saw on Pinterest. It ended up looking like this (do bear in mind that this photo was taken 7 days after I did it – so I think it lasted quite well).
This technique did take quite a while to do. You need to prepare your nails with the normal base coat and then enough layers of white nail polish to make an even base. Make sure this is totally dry.
I used my Nails Inc polish for the colour mixing.
You will also need a cosmetic sponge wedge.
Paint two thick stripes of polish on the sponge. Then you roll the sponge across your dry white nail and leave to dry. (Your finger will also be coated in polish, but you can easily get it off with nail varnish remover and a cotton bud).
When this is dry apply two coats of topcoat.
I think it looks quite effective, when I try it next I will use more coloured stripes to get a more graduated colour change.
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19 April 2021
In which I attempt to make a giant quilt, for the first time!
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It’s taken just over a year, but this embroidery is finally finished!
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A 2022 Embroidery Challenge
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I’ve been watching people making temperature quilts on social media for a few years and really liked the idea of making one. But I knew I would struggle to carry such a large project through to the end, plus the idea of knitting a blanket in the heat of summer wasn’t that appealing. Then I […]
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I finally caught COVID, and while I am curled up on my sofa feeling sorry for myself, I thought I would check through things. I realised that I haven’t written anything on this blog for ages (gulp April 2021) and so much has happened! The problem is that Instagram is so much quicker and easier […]
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In which I attempt to make a giant quilt, for the first time!
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It’s taken just over a year, but this embroidery is finally finished!
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