Tri-Polish Challenge May - Toy Soldiers

For some reason these nails really remind me of the toy soldiers off the Nutcracker and I really do not know why.

I've managed to use all 3 colours in all 4 of my looks for this month's tri-polish challenge. Go me.

Swatched - Nails Inc Symons Street

I love teal - its a combination of my two favourite colours. I have never met a teal I don't like.

This polish is no exception.

Symons Street is a metallic teal which is now discontinued by Nails Inc - I managed to get it a couple of months ago when they put quite a few sets in to their 'Get it or Regret it' section of the website. This is also how I managed to get hold of a Albert Place, a polish which has rapidly become one of my favourite blues.

Tri-Polish Challenge May - Leopard Print

And we're up to look #3 for May's tri-polish challenge.

This picture was the first time I'd ever done leopard print. I liked it so much I did it two days in a row for two different challenges, haha.

Stamping Attempt #2 - Flowers

As well as getting the hang of leopard print this weekend, I figured I'd give stamping yet another go.

I've only ever managed one set of stamping that hasn't come out as a complete and utter mess, and that was for my 31 day week challenge Blue mani. Clearly blue is my lucky colour when it comes to stamping, as I've managed once again to get something that doesn't look like a complete fail on to my nails.

Spring/summer/the slightly warmer season has arrived in Newcastle with a vengeance this weekend, resulting in a frenzy of sandals buying and skirt wearing. I decided to try out a couple of floral full nail designed from the two Bundle Monster sets I have, more specifically with plates BM306 on my thumb, BM318 on my middle finger and BM16 on my pinky, all stamped in Sinful Colors Snow Me White over L'oreal Color Riche 611, Sky fits Heaven.

ER31DC Week 13 - Animal Print

I was going to be different and attempt giraffe or some variety of neon zebra print and then I tried leopard print and I fell in love with it.

Tri-Polish Challenge May - Stripes & Tips

Tri-polish challenge nails #2 - Stripes and Tips.

This was actually the first set of nails I did for the challenge, and I really have to admit that I had completely no direction when doing these nails. I just did stuff, and then these nails happened.

Swatched - Catrice Raspberryfields Forever

I'm totally not allowed on Sally Magpies unattended any more. I buy things when I can't really afford them, and then feel no remorse because OMG I HAVE PRETTY POLISH. Even worse when I'm exploring new brands.

Rachael of Racho's Nail Love recommended Catrice polishes to me after she bought The Monkey Gets Funky, a delightful brown creme polish that is such an amazing colour. Due to my unreasonable love of "offensive" shades of pink I impulse bought Raspberryfields Forever, a super amazing pink/red.

Tri-Polish Challenge May - Accidentally Mondrian?

My first attempt at the tri-polish challenge, although I sorely regret not throwing caution to the wind and doing last month's as the colour combination turned out to look amazing.

The rules for the Tri-polish Challenge are thus...

• Each month Crumpet's Nail Tarts will set 3 colours for the challenge.  You then choose 1 polish to represent each of those 3 colours.  You must stick to those same 3 polishes throughout the entire challenge.
• Each Challenge Day, you must use at least 2 of these 3 polishes in your mani.  You must also use all 3 polishes at least once.

Thats it. Simples.

This month's colour combination is gray, red and blue, and so the polishes for this month are - Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Ion for the gray, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Rapid Red and Nails Inc Albert Place for the blue.

My first look for the challenge this month reminds me of (and this is where I sound really arty and stuff) the painting by Piet Mondrian called Composition II in Red, Blue and Yellow.

Hello Kitty Magic Flow - Swatch & Nails

I've had a very busy weekend, lining up swatches and accidentally creating manis for myself when I got temporarily bored of swatching. Yesterday I managed to swatch 8 colours and create two full hand looks on top of two of those swatches, some of which you're gonna see here.

Now, normally if I'm gonna be wearing something other than just a flat colour for work I'd show you that today or tomorrow, however the design I'm sporting this week is part of my nails for this month's Tri-Polish Challenge over at Crumpet's Nail Tarts. More on that come the 21st.

The polish I've used for the base of this look is a Hits Speciallita Hello Kitty polish called Magic Flow. I bought this from the wonderful Sally Magpies at the end of last month and have only just gotten around to doing anything with it.

ER31DC Week 12 - Stripes

I love stripes. I'm actually really surprised that I haven't done more stripey manis on here, but then again I only have one roll of striping tape. I'm preserving it haha.

The base colour for this mani was given to me by my Chief Enabler, Rachael of Racho's Nail Love and is Orly Lola. I have a bit of an odd love for all things "offensively pink" as I like to term it, which is quite amusing as I'm not big on the whole girly thing.

Swatched: Revlon Moon Candy in Moon Dust

I bought this little polish wonder from Boots quite a while ago now and I'm so glad I did - I've never seen it back in stock for about two months!

This is Revlon's Nail Art Moon Candy in Moon Dust, a double ended bottle consisting of a lovely black and a shard/flakie topcoat.

ER31DC Week 11 - Polka Dots

The very first post on this blog was a polka dot mani, many moons ago (Ok, it was only in January, but it feels like ages.). I didn't even have dotting tools back then, I just did the dots freehand with a little paintbrush I pilfered from my Other Half's miniatures painting kit. I love the cute, vaguely retro look of a dotticure.

I decided to use my two newest additions to my stash - A England's St George and Morgan Le Fay, courtesy of Chloe on the Facebook group UK Only Polish & Beauty Swaps (I love this group but its totally tempting to bankrupt me!).

I'm so glad I have dotting tools now, doing this with a paintbrush is so hard, haha.

Swatched: KBShimmer Lottie Dottie

I eyeballed this polish for absolutely ages before I eventually got over myself and bought it. Prior to this I'd not really been too fond of white nails, and thus the wash of white based glitters that swept through the indie polish collections over the winter left me a bit puzzled. I came to realise that I actually had nothing against them apart from the fact that I never had worn white as a main colour on my nails.

Work Week Nails - Spotty!

I actually made an effort for once for my nails for work, thanks to the three day weekend we've just had here in the UK.

Managed to pick up OPI French Quarter For Your Thoughts for only £3.99 and really wanted to give it a try as I'm quite fond of grey polishes at the minute.

Colours used for the spots were Sinful Colors Savage and Be Happy, as well as Essie Mojito Madness and Asda George Quick Dry Polish in Cloudless Sky.

ER31DC Week 10 - Gradient

I love a good gradient, me.

Since I figured out how to do it I've done loads - check out my gradient tag. Its a great background to other manis, such as striping tape or spots and its soooooo easy to do its unreal. Plus every time I wear one to work my co-workers are dead amazed haha.

The colour scheme in this mani was inspired by one thing - the sun. Its finally made an appearance here in the refrigerator known as the north east of England, and thus everyone has gone absolutely mental and decided to wear shorts and have BBQs. We take what we can get here in Newcastle - enjoy it while you can, because it may not come back for another six months.

ER31DC Week 9 - Rainbow

Apologies for the lateness on this - I've not had the energy to peel myself off the sofa, never mind write out this post.

I really enjoyed this week's challenge, I even kept it on my nails for work this week.