Dotting Tool-torial

After a week of inspiration, I think you are probably ready for a wrap up, and some more ideas for what to do with your dotting tool.

First, if you don't have a dotting tool yet, might I recommend this set from Born Pretty Store:

This set has different sizes, which can be used to create even more designs.  Here are some other designs you can make with your dotting tools:

A heart is just two dots side by side and then dragged together to a point.  Cherries are similar, we just put two dots side by side and then using an alternate color, you can use your tool to draw the stems.  Using three dots, you can make a little mickey mouse, or teddy bear.  Dotting tool is also great for making eyes.  With the tool set above, you can use the big end of the tool for the white of the eye, and then the small end for the little black pupils. 

For even more dotting tool inspiration, check out some of my favorite manicures from the past:

Hope you've enjoyed this week of dotting tool nails.  I hope you've gotten some inspiration and courage to try a dotting tool out if you haven't gotten one yet, or maybe try some new designs with the one you have! 

Traveling Manicurist

When I really got into stamping and nail art everyone I know wanted me to show them how and I started becoming a bit of a traveling manicurist. I know most bloggers have this awesome nail storage and nail station, but over here, I'm always taking my polish with me, so I've been on the hunt for the perfect travel bag/box/whatever for all my nail tools and a handful of polishes for when I'm going out. And I've finally found it! This little kit I've created works great for Saturday night nail nights with my mom and Bev, and it traveled well when I went to the beach last week, so here it is:

I got both of these bags through a company called Thirty One.  My friend had a party and I was really impressed with the Mini Organizer.  The inside is big enough for all my nail tools, and the pockets on the sides let me bring along just enough polishes for wherever I am going.

Inside, I have the Zoya big flipper, cotton rounds, cuticle remover, cuticle cream, a small dish for remover because I like to dip a brush in it to remove the mess on my fingers after painting my nails.  Then I put a cup in there to hold all the little tools like brushes, files, cuticle pushers, stampers, rhinestones, etc...

Then, in the other little bag, which I got for like $2 at the party I put all my stamping plates, cards to scrape with and special stamping polishes.

Most of the time it sits right on top like this and then I just grab it and go!

When they aren't traveling, my polishes sit out in a cutlery organizer on my desk like this, but I'm not really happy about that, and am very much considering wall mounted storage, just so I can gain more square footage on my desk.  This picture is a bit old, my collection has expanded a lot since taking this.

I've tried a lot of different systems for taking my nail stuff out and about, and by far this is my favorite!  Do you ever feel like a traveling manicurist? or do you usually just do your nails at home?  Have you found a system that works for you yet?  Do you wish you had a bag like this one?  If you are interested I might get another one and offer it up filled with goodies as a big giveaway when I hit 500 followers!

Pink Wednesday Tape Manicure Tutorial!

Hi lovelies!  Sorry for the lack of posts this week.  My job has been very demanding of my spare time, so I haven't had a chance to post all the adorable manicures I've been doing lately, but I promise to make some time to schedule some posts because I definitely have a lot to show you!

First, I just want to thank everyone for the great feedback I've been getting with the giveaway entries!  It's not too late to enter, so do it now!  One of the requests I got was to add some functionality so that you can subscribe to my blog through email, so that is now a new block on the ride sidebar, I hope you'll use it!  I also got a request for more tape manicures with tutorial, so I have one of those for you today, and I'll have another one for you next pink Wednesday using the same colors in a different way.

I'll be honest with you, I've had trouble with tape manicures in the best screwing up my base coat, which is why I don't post them often, but I think I've found the solution!  So, first step is to start with a base color of your manicure.  I'm starting with Zoya Purity:

I put a coat of Seche Vite over this and let it dry for a long time to avoid smudging my base coat.  Then I prepped my tape for my manicure.  For the diagonal french, I just needed to pull off a strip of regular tape, then I touched the tape a few times to remove some of the stickiness, and then placed it on my nail diagonally.

Press the tape down well and then paint your second color always going in the same direction so you don't accidentally get under the tape.  My second color is one of the new Zoya Mod Matte shades called Lolly.

Once your finished painting, peel off the tape.  Don't wait for it to dry, this will make sure the tape removes cleanly.

Now that I have my perfect diagonal french, I took a great neon green nail art striper from NaildeRoyale.com along with some cute star sequins also from Nail De Royale and played with them.  You'll see in the pictures below, I played with the placement a bit before I decided on my favorite placement.

This turned out to be such a fun bright manicure!  I got a lot of compliments on it today. 

The neon green striper, star sequins, and Zoya Lolly were all sent to me for my review from Nail De Royale.  If you are looking for good prices on nail polishes, and nail art supplies, definitely check them out!

Hope you liked my first tape manicure tutorial!