31DC2013 Day 14 - Flowers

Today I have for you a floral manicure for Day 14 of the 31 Day Nail Challenge. I have had this manicure in head ever since reviewing the OPI Euro Centrale collection, although I didn't get a chance to try it at that time. It has been begging to be brought to reality ever since and I'm so excited to finally be 'forced'/ have an excuse to try it thanks to this challenge...

For this manicure I used six lacquers from the spring OPI Euro Centrale collection, starting with a base of My Vampire is Buff. I roughly sponged five petal flowers using You're Such A Budapest (violet), My Paprika is Hotter than Yours (coral red) and Can't Find My Czechbook (baby blue). I also sponged the center of each flower with Oy-Another Polish Joke!, a gold glass fleck polish. Using a striping brush, I drew the petals and dotted the flower centers with black acrylic paint...

I just love how this turned out and seriously, I'm so happy to finally get this out of my head and onto my nails to share with you! I really wanted to try this abstract short of flower...

I figured that a fresh swatch of My Vampire is Buff wouldn't hurt either. It is a beautiful soft ivory cream. Good application and it is opaque in two coats. I initially wasn't planning to re-swatch it so my application was messy and because of that I added a third coat to even everything out for these photos. This is one of my favorite neutral bases for nail art. Swatches are with no top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Euro Centrale, Spring/Summer 2013 Color Name/Number:  My Vampire is Buff, NL E82 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: No Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I'd love to know what you think of this manicure!
Do you have any ideas floating around in your head that you just haven't had time to execute?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** Polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. **

** For more information please see the disclosure policy **

OPI Euro Centrale Fine China Nail Art...

Playing with the OPI Euro Centrale collection, I couldn't help by want to create a manicure with the ivory and blue shades. I automatically thought of all those beautiful blue and white china patterns for inspiration. My initial thought was to try stamping to replicate some of the more complex patterns and while I will likely do that at some point as well, today I decided on a dotticure of sorts inspired by a plate...

I started out the the beautiful ivory cream base of My Vampire is Buff which I had already worn solo for a day. The tips were lined with I Saw…U Saw…We Saw…Warsaw, a dark blue cream. The rest was done using a dotting and the same blue...

Other than the few smudges after adding a top coat and the imperfection that I need to stop staring at, I really like how it turned out. It looks even better when I hold my hand out at a distance :D

Here is a shot of the inspiration platter, which I found here...

Let me know what you think of this!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** Polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. **

** For more information please see the disclosure policy **

OPI Euro Centrale 2013 Collection - Part 2

Today I have the rest of the OPI Euro Centrale collection to share with you. If you missed the first half of the swatches, you can see them here. Despite some light colors in the mix, this half of the collection strikes me as the darker, moodier half. Of course that is just fine by me since I'll take a dark vampy cream any day of the week or season...

Hands Off My Kielbasa! - "Get your own...this bronzy tan is all mine!"
A metallic-y tan with a bronze shimmer. Application is good, slight brushstrokes are visible, but the OPI brush really makes it easy to apply. I used two coats with no top coat for these swatches...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Euro Centrale, Spring/Summer 2013 Color Name/Number:  Hands Off My Kielbasa!, NL E77 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: No Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

OY–Another Polish Joke! - "So this shimmery-gold walks into a bar..."
A clear base with small yellow gold flakes. Could it be? A bottle filled with the little gold flakes that I love so much especially when mixed with just about any shade. It is sheer on it's own and the nail line is still visible as seen here at three coats. Despite the visible nail line I think it can be worn alone since it is very sparkly and distracting in real life. I also suspect it would look great layered, but I have yet to test that theory...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Euro Centrale, Spring/Summer 2013 Color Name/Number:  OY–Another Polish Joke!, NL E78 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

A Woman’s Prague-ative - "I’m changing this shimmery copper for...never mind!"
A mix of cooper and gold flecks. Overall the polish looks cooper, but at some angles more of the gold comes out. Great formula and very easy to work with. It is opaque at two coats, but I use three to get the full deep color. What can I say other than I'm a sucker for polishes like this...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Euro Centrale, Spring/Summer 2013 Color Name/Number:  A Woman’s Prague-ative, NL E79 Number of coats: 3 Top Coat: No Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Vant to Bite My Neck? - "You know you want to...wear this deep eggplant."
A rich, dark vampy plum cream. This is very pigmented and nearly opaque at one coat. The formula is smooth and applies very easily. I used two coats to even out the coverage. Swatches are with no top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Euro Centrale, Spring/Summer 2013 Color Name/Number:  Vant to Bite My Neck?, NL E80 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: No Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

I Saw…U Saw…We Saw…Warsaw - "Be seen in this deep midnight blue."
A deep dark blue cream. Formula is similar to Vant to Bite My Neck?. It is very pigmented and nearly opaque at one coat, however, I still used two for these swatches. The formula is very creamy and smooth. No problems with applications. Swatches are with no top coat...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Euro Centrale, Spring/Summer 2013 Color Name/Number:  I Saw…U Saw…We Saw…Warsaw, NL E81 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: No Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

My Vampire is Buff - "Creamy, pale and nude...just how I like my vampires."
A soft ivory cream. Very delicate and pretty. I applied with light strokes to avoid streaks, otherwise the formula is very nice and creamy. Full coverage in two coats! Yay! This is my absolute favorite from this half of the collection. I can guarantee you'll be seeing nail art with this one sooner rather than later! No top coat for these swatches...

Swatch Details
	Brand: OPI Collection: Euro Centrale, Spring/Summer 2013 Color Name/Number:  My Vampire is Buff, NL E82 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: No Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

MORE: OPI Euro Centrale - Part 1

Which of these caught your eye?

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

** Polishes were provided to me for review by the manufacturer or their PR. **

** For more information please see the disclosure policy **

CQ Ivory stamped

Not sure why, but I have been craving yellow polishes. Not the bright neon yellow, but the pastel, baby chick yellow. This sweet polish named Ivory from CQ was just right for the mood. It is sweet and completely wearable on its own, but I stamped it with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Coco a-go-go and Mash plate Mash-44. I edged the nails using Coco a-go-go to give it a more finished look.

This pattern and the whole manicure reminds me of something from my childhood growing up in Belorussia. I can't quite pinpoint on what it reminds me of, but wheat straw was/is frequently used for decoration and weaving. I don't have a suitable image to show you, just going of childhood memories here :)

CQ Ivory is just as the name describes. A soft ivory color. Nearly white with just a hint of yellow. The polish does have a bit of a pearly shimmer to it, but it is hardly noticeable. The formula was very easy to work with and opaque in two coats. Smooth like butter (and kind of looks like it too)...

Swatch Details
	Brand: CQ Collection: main line Color Name/Number: Ivory, 563 Number of coats: 2 Top Coat: Yes Free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)