31 Day Challenge 2015: Your Signature Style

I  can't believe this is the end of the challenge, the end of the month, it's gone in a blink!! I have so enjoyed it and I think this is actually the first challenge I will be sad to see the back of! Usually you feel enslaved to the things but this was just what I needed to kick start 2015 :)

I had never really given my 'signature style' any thought, I'm so eclectic in every area of my life... And in being so, I came to the conclusion that if I were to be one thing it would be bohemian, perhaps verging on hippy lol and I wouldn't be any other way!

Starts with two coats of the pale blue for the base and then a little glitter gradient, one coat, on the middle finger and thumb nails. I next used a black striper to paint on the dreamcatcher detail and added little mini feathers to the ring finger. I finished by adding larger feathers to the pink and index fingers and topcoating.

I think this mani reflects me well and I know for sure I couldn't stop looking at it, so purtyyy!

Barry M: Huckleberry, Colorshow: Glitter It, Color Club: Topcoat, BPS: Nail Transfers, Models Own: Black Nail Art Pen

Looking forward to the new month ahead here at Lane's Lacquers!!

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Something You've Never Tried

Eeeek! I'm in a super mood today and I'm so excited about this nail art too!

I visited with my nail school and got the ok on my work so far, got a plan of action to get everything finished and ready for exams and assessments :) The buzz that I felt at the start of the year is growing in momentum and I'm loving it!... On to the nails, which I love just as much!!!... This is a marble manicure achieved with my new favourite medium, alcohol inks!

Started with two coats of white for the base and left to dry fully. Then I placed one drop of each colour on to three different bits of sponge, and one piece of sponge was soaked in blending alcohol. I picked a piece of sponge, gently dotted on to the nail and then used the alcohol sponge to carefully blend and bleed the ink. Once I had the desired effect I fixed with a fine mist of hairspray and topcoated. You can see the video I first watched HERE though I didn't have any of the running going on in this case.

I just love this! As I said, it's my new favourite medium and I've struggled not to share this mani early because I did it two weeks ago hahaha! This almost looks like little blooms! The inks are so versatile and come in maaaaaany colours, I got mine from Hobbycraft and recently ordered more and some pearl mixative online from Sticky Tiger. They are not messy if applied carefully and any run off can be cleaned from the skin with the blending alcohol.

These can be applied with gel polish as in the video too! If you use a dark pink over a pink polish etc, the effect is equally beautiful and by manipulating the ink in deifferent ways you achieve different looks. Did I mention I love this stuff????

Barry M: Matte White, Color Club: Topcoat, Adirondack Alcohol Ink: Raspberry, Sunshine Yellow, Wild Plum, Blending Solution, Elnett: Hairspray, Makeup Sponge

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Blue Base

Apologies for the late post, I was busy studying all day yesterday before a visit to the beauty academy I'm doing my VTCT with!

This prompt gave me the perfect opportunity to use one of the Gothic Gala Lacquers I've had sitting on my shelf for the longest time!!! I decided to pair it with a simple waterfall mani, after my yellow/green one earlier in the challenge I was reminded how much I love them! I didn't get the colours in it quite how I wanted but it was pretty all the same, reminded me of birds feather in the sky!

Two coats of the blue holo to kick it off. Followed up by some pastels and a hot pink painted in stripes from the cuticle down in a flicking motion, I use a small striping brush for this. Finished up with topcoat.

This feels so 'fantasy' to me, really like it. That Dannie Diesel is stunning!!! It's made me itch to try out the four remaining untried Gothic's I have now, I've only used the Vallis Sanguine before this - which I did adore...

Gotchic Gala Lacquers: Dannie Diesel, Barry M: Hot Pink, Berry Ice Cream, Strawberry Ice Cream, Lemon Ice Cream, Color Club: Topcoat, Small Striper Brush

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Non-Glitter Topper

I must confess, there are not many non-glitters in my topper selection, I lurrrrve glitter! But I did have two or three and I think my favourite has to be this polka dots one from Maybelline Colorshow. It made me think immediately of the "itsy bitsy teeny weeny, yellow polka dot bikini" song hahaha, so out came the polish for tans collection, yellow (also called bikini) of course was in and I chose coral for the accent!

Two coats of yellow and two coats of the coral to start with. Followed by one coat of the polka dots on the yellow nails. I then picked out a MoYou London tropical pattern to stamp in black on the accent nail and finished with topcoat.

This is so simple, yet I love it! Actually surprised me just how much, it really cheered me up! The polish for tans collection have got to be my favourite neons of all time. 

Maybelline Colorshow: Chalkdust, Blackout, Models Own: Bikini, Shades, Color Club: Topcoat, MoYou London: Tropical 04

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Recreate An Old Mani

Ooooh I'm certainly feeling hump-day today!

I was toooo tired to post last night; I suppose I really should schedule the posts once the mani's are done, but there is just something I like about writing the post each day :) This was a minefield theme because I had loads of old mani's I wouldn't mind having a bash at again, in the end I decided it had to be one I posted almost exactly a year ago and I chose this Skittle mani. Rather than pastels, I went with a Hare Polish fave...

I simply used vinyls to tape off two thirds of the nail, painted two coats of the Hare beauty and removed the vinyls immediately. Once the polish dried I used a white nail art pen to draw on the lace pattern and topcoated to finish.

Do excuse my yellowed nails lol, that's what happens when you do 31 mani's in 14 days without bothering with base coat!! For the record I recommend you always use a base coat but due to the frequency of my mani changes over this period it was too many coats and too much extra drying time hahaha...

Hare Polish: For The Love Of Lisa, Barry M: White Nail Art Pen, Color Club: Topcoat, She Sells Sea Shells: Vinyls

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Fishtail Braid

Hi loves!

Ugh, not only is it Monday, it's also the dreaded fishtail braid mani LOL! I love the look but for some reason after the first couple of strokes I start going lopsided and to make it worse my lines are usually a little wobbly because I'm so stressed while painting it hahaha... This is actually only my 3rd attempt and 2nd posted fishtail braid... It's still lopsided, a little, but my lines were super neat and the colours so pretty that I couldn't throw it out!

So to begin, two coats of the gorgeous bright pink gelly. Then used a white and gold polish to freehand on the braid pattern with the polish bottle brush. Rather than a complex explanation, check out this Lucy's Stash tutorial. Finished with topcoat.

This is something I need to practice! I think next time I might draw out the guide on to my nail in a white nail art pen first, maybe that'll keep me in line haha.

Barry M: Pink Punch, Gold Foil, Matte White, Color Club: Topcoat

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Complimenting & Contrasting

This theme throws up such a wide array of possibilities that I spent an age debating what to do and changed my mind a hundred times. In the end I just threw something together in the spur of the moment and I quite like the erratic result hahaha! 

I started with my favourite grey base and then picked something to compliment... holo! Sponged one coat of that to the tips. Next I needed contrasting and one thing I love with grey is neon, so out came some pink and yellow; the easiest thing being to add some freehand chevrons to the mix. Finished with topcoat.

Think this mani has a tribal feel to it which I really like and it's a not a bad mix of winter and spring colours either! I should freestyle it more often, I know I all too often overthink everything I do, including mani's!!!

Models Own: Bikini, Sun Hat, 17: Silver Holo Nail, Barry M: Chai, Color Club: Topcoat, Small Striper Brush, Sponge

Wishing you well for the week ahead!

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Decals

Catch up day today!

I was soooo tired yesterday I could not lift my fingers to type up a post, I only just managed to post the snaps on social media lol! My back has been killing me after my little surf down the stairs at the beginning of the week lol... Anyway I chose to use these decals because they are sooo sweet (pardon the pun) but I forgot how dodgy the application method is, resulting in a poor finish...

I painted two coats of baby blue for the base, leaving to dry a good long time after I remembered how these apply... I then followed instructions cut out my sweet things transfers (so far so good), placed face down on to the nail and soaked off the backing paper with a wet cotton ball whilst in place (not so good). This results in creasing which is very hard to correct after the fact! Normally the sticky layer would be between the decal and the paper but in this case it's between the decal and the plastic front sheet you peel off :( not ideal at all...

It's such a shame they are weird to apply because the designs themselves are some of the best I've seen! I must find a way of removing the paper backing before I peel the plastic off then somehow get the transfer off the plastic without tearing it... hmmmm! #firstworldproblems

Picture Polish: Tiffany, Color Club: Topcoat, Nail Doodles: Sweet Things Ver I & II

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: White Base

Yay it's Fridaaaay folks so just a quick post!

I decided to go with my sheer tints again for this prompt, a white base is perfect for using them for art; one coat giving you sheer pastel colours or more coats for a brighter result. I just love these polishes, they are so versatile! I fancied a bit of a springtime skittle with this base so here we are...

This won't take long... A quick two coats of white to start off, followed by using a small detailing brush to paint the simple patterns (even the dots), just once over. That's It! I would normally topcoat but I didn't on this occasion, on to the next mani!

This reminds me of tea parties!!! Bring on the warm spring days!

Barry M: Matte White, OPI: I'm Never Amberrassed, Be Magentale With Me, Don't Violet Me Down, I Can Teal You Like Me, Small Detailer Brush

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Blobbicure

Hello loves!
Today's theme is a new one on me! I've done what I consider a blobbicure of sorts where you blob on the colours and let them blend together, but I've never tried the actual blobbicure design of large seperated blobs... I knew whatever I did the blobs needed to be in glitter! The photos let this mani down a little because the blue and purple are much more contrasting than these pictures suggest but my camera seemed to have an issue with my lighting tonight...

This is as simple as one, two three - It started with two coats of the duck-egg blue, followed by blobbing on the polish in random pebble-ish shapes with the brush from the bottle and finishing up with a nice thick topcoat.

Pretty pleased with how each blob came out considering it was my first attempt. I wanted to use a thick glitter to not only maximise sparkle but also to provide a texture with the smooth raised lumps. I achieved what I wanted in that regard because they are super touchable! Just a little diasappointed with my snaps more than owt!

Barry M: Elderberry, Fashion Icon, Color Club: Topcoat

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: 3 Shades of Green/Yellow

Oh it's hump-day... I started it by slipping down the stairs resulting in a sore back, pulled shoulder and carpet burn down one arm, joyous... LOL! What a numpty! In other news my nails are screaming summer again, think sunshine and palm fronds with the staple in the nail artists repetoire, the waterfall mani. I never tire of them they look beautiful in so many forms and in this dreary weather these nails certainly drew some attention.

Another easy-breezy mani here starting with three coats of yellow. Next I used three green polish shades and small striper brush to add the waterfall design, alternating colours randomly to please the eye. I painted using an almost fast, flicking motion to keep things flowing. Finished with topcoat.

Luuuurve this... And it comes just as my other half gave me dates for the annual visit to our place in Spain this year :) beaut. Summer sunshine is booked!

Barry M: Yellow, Key Lime, Spring Green, Arabian, Small Striper Brush

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Rainbow

Hi beauts!

Oooh I do love a rainbow and I love today's mani too! It's sure cheering me up on this miserably cold day, I've been on the hot water bottles since I woke up. Brrrr! Apparently colder here in the UK than in Siberia yesterday, well that's saying something! This design is yet another that has been on my to-do list for the longest time but it just seemed like too much work to have a go at when there were other more pressing mani's I wanted to do. In fact though, it wasn't very time consuming at all!

I've no idea how others would do this but I started with a white base, two coats. Next I used a black nail art pen to draw out my clouds. I then - miraculously for me - managed to paint on the rainbow stripes pretty evenly using only the polish bottle brush and a finely balanced amount of polish; I finished off the fiddly area's closest to the cloud tops with a small nail art brush. Finally popped on a coat of glitter for a hint of magic!

I'm sooo chuffed with this one! I love it when a mani you're almost afraid to start ends up being a breeze and turning out just how you wanted... It's rare let me tell you!

Barry M: Matte White, Hot Pink, Yellow, Pink Flamingo, Peach Melba, Bright Purple, Blueberry Ice Cream, Black Nail Art Pen, Sally Hansen: Silver Slingblade, Small Detailer Brush

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Fire

Evening folks!

I must admit that I struggled a bit with this one, I'm not a fan of the traditional 'fire' colours really and was not sure at all on the art to go with! Thankfully it did in the end just come together in my head and I went with a simple three-colour gradient and some quick freehand explosion-like lines. Despite it's simplicity I think the result is pretty striking!

Kicking off with two coats of yellow followed by sponging on orange and then red. Once dry I used a small striper nail art brush and silver polish to paint on the zig-zags in an explosion type fashion. Finished with topcoat.

I'm still not a fan of these colours, they just don't look good on me! But I don't mind the mani itself I guess :)

Barry M: Yellow, Mango, Passion Fruit, Silver Foil, Color Club: Topcoat, Small Striper Brush, Sponge

With any luck these nails will help keep me warm tonight because it's flipping freeeeezing, stay cosy everyone!

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Artwork

I'm a bit of an art of all kinds lover including graffiti and tattoo work; I occasionally put brush to canvas or pencil to paper myself... When I can't or won't do either of those things and I don't fancy doing my nails, I colour in! Not those simple designs we can all remember from childhood, but more intricate and detailed ones intended for adults. It's great relaxation and can sometimes inspire some nail art or something as in this case. Given how much I love a spot of colouring in, it's high time it made an appearance in my mani's I think!

Simple pimple to do this one! Two coats of white for the base followed by stamping the funky cartoon design in black and finishing with a matte topcoat. Done... Ready to colour in if needs be lol!

I just love this simple black and white illustation look, especially with the matte finish. I was super tempted to colour it all in but resisted because this mani is supposed to reflect someone elses artwork not mine, so this one's all Kerby Rosanes!

Here's the book in question if you fancy getting one for yourself, or someone else! I was so surprised how many of us 'grown ups' react positively to an empty picture book and some coloured pens LOL. I like to colour this with pencils, spending hours on colour blending...

Barry M: Matte White, Matte Topcoat, Avon: Licorice, MoYou London: Rebel 04

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Recreate Favourite Blogger

This was a difficult one, I don't really have a favourite blogger, more like many favourite bloggers! I will be sharing more details about them in my 'Behind The Blog' series next month... I got to a top three or four and then flicked through a heap of their mani's until one POPPED... The gemstone nail art from the fabby Chalkboard Nails was the one!

I didn't check out Sarah's tutorial before doing these, I tend not to use them at all, I'm lucky enough to have one of those brains that deconstructs something when I look at it. When I did check it out to write this post, I found that I essentially did it the exact same way so to save me rattling on check out her post HERE.

I chose to do an all blue design because Aquamarine is my birthstone, luckily it's also one of my favourite colours so I had plenty of polishes to choose from in order to have the required seven shades with no mixing mess :)

Picture Polish: Tiffany, Barry M: Blueberry Ice Cream, Bluberry, Blue Moon, Cyan, Damson, Blue Grape, Black & White Nail Art Pens, Color Club: Topcoat, Small Flat Paintbrush

I'm so glad I bit the bullet and took on a bigger work with this one, I love the result and it's pushing the boundaries of my style.

Rebecca x

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31 Day Challenge 2015: Tranquility

Evening loves, it's the weekend at last!

I'm loving today's theme because we are all in need of a little tranquility in our lives, especially at this time of year! For me tranquility is being somewhere warm (preferably Alicante or Sousse), listening to the sea or the hustle and bustle as the sun goes down... Ahhh, blissful! Roll on "summer, summer summer time" lol...

I painted two coats of yellow and allowed to dry thoroughly. Next I sponged on the purple from the top to the middle. Whilst still damp I sponged on the pink in a central band and then once that had dried I stamped on the palm tree 'stencil' shape in balck, filling in the blank areas at the top of the tree to the fronds. Finished with topcoat.

Love this colour combination, follows on nicely from my daisies; I guess we're feeling all summery up in this nail room!

 Barry M: Bright Purple, Hot Pink, Yellow, Avon: Licorice, Color Club: Topcoat, Models Own: Black Nail Art Pen, MoYou London: Tropical 11

Hope you guys enjoy this mani as much as I did!

Rebecca x

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