#31DC2016: Inspired by a Tutorial

Today we are doing inspired by a tutorial. I love this prompt because it allows me to explore and try new techniques. I finally settled on a Bokeh look tutorial from Cute Polish. Fair warning....mine went sideways at some point. 

Following the instructions, I started off with a base of OPI Alpine Snow. I then dabbed on colors with a makeup sponge. My colors were Essie Vices Versa, Essie Chillato, Essie Blossom Dandy, Essie Sittin' Pretty, and Madam Glam Kiss Me Now




I then added the bokehs via the directions. Here's where things started to go sideways. Apparently a gremlin of some sort has stolen my white acrylic paint. I found out the hard way, that is ESSENTIAL. I managed to do a decent recreation with OPI Alpine Snow and acetone. The next hard sideways decision was not going for a simple creamy gold outline. NO! I chose a lovely blush toned glitter. It was not easy ya'll. I'll give you that Renaissance Cosmetics Blushing is stunning on it's own, but not so great for outlines. Finally I couldn't find my studs. Probably due to the same acrylic paint loving gremlin. So I went for pearls. Nope...blends in too much. So overall I gave it my best effort. But I wish I could have just stuck with the pretty color combo up top.  It should also be mentioned that the only way I could get this to photograph accurately was with flash, so sorry for the crazy pics. 




Give this look a go. But learn from my mistakes. Tomorrow is the last day of the challenge. Can you believe it?

Enjoy & until tomorrow, Amy Lee
*self purchased
OPI
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Essie

#31DC2016: Inspired by the Supernatural

I don't know why, but I always seem to struggle with the "inspired by challenges." Supernatural had me stumped so I just pulled out all my Halloween stamping plates. I settled on doing the Wolfman from the My Online Shop Jr-22 plate. He's a reverse stamp done over a base of OPI Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh? and created with OPI How Great is Your Dane?,  Painted Polish Midnight Mischief, OPI Alpine Snow, and China Glaze Shore Enuff. 

For all my other fingers I did a base of OPI How Great is Your Dane? topped with Crows Toes Overtime 'til Springtime. Everything is topped with matte topcoat. Don't mind the Wolfman too much, he slid a bit off center when I applied the decal. 



Enjoy & until next time, Amy Lee
*self purchased
Crows Toes
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OPI
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Painted Polish 
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My Online Shop
China Glaze

#31DC2016: Inspired by a Flag

Last year I really struggled with this prompt, but today I knew exactly what I wanted to happen. I grew up on boats and racing with my Dad, so when I was thinking about flags, nautical signaling flags popped into my head. These are the old school way of transferring messages between boats during the day. Each flag stands for a letter of the alphabet. I fit as many as I could onto my fingers.

To start, I went with a base of the ever gorgeous Native War Paints Cable Knit Sweater. Can we have a serious discussion about the shimmer in this polish? Talk about stunning.






I then went in with It Girl Nail Art Sapphire stamping polish and the plate IG-111 for the waves. I wanted to have a dark and stormy water feel, which is exactly what I got. I love it when a vision comes together.




Next I painted on the flags. The flags are made up of different combos of Red, Yellow, Blue, Black, and White. I went with Cirque Colors Rita (red), OPI I Just Can't Cope-acabana (yellow), Cirque Colors NYFW (blue), Painted Polish Midnight Mischief (black), and OPI Alpine Snow (white) for the flags.




What do you think? Could you talk to someone only using a flag alphabet?

Enjoy & until next time, Amy Lee
*self purchased
Native War Paints
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Cirque Colors
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MoYou London
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OPI
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Painted Polish 
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It Girl Nail Art

#31DC2016: Inspired by Art

I love that art can come in so many different forms and you can defiently see that reflected in this prompt. Take a look at all the other ladies down below for a perfect example. Recently the hubs and I bought a Banksy print to hang in our homes. When this prompt rolled around I knew I'd have to go that route. Thankfully I have the prefect stamping plate, MoYou London Rebel 02, for the job.

I started with a base of the stunning Ever After Polish The Pumpkin King. Really I had just gotten it in the mail and I NEEDED to wear it, but I also love the texture it gave to my overall look.




I then went in with Bundle Monster BM-422 and Mundo de Unas Dark Grey to add texture and create my walls.  Once that was done I used Painted Polish Midnight Mischief to create the graffiti outlines and then Mundo de Unas Reddish for the heart.




I'm in love with the way this look came together.

Enjoy & until next time, Amy Lee
*self purchased
Ever After Polish
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Painted Polish 
MoYou London
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Mundo de Unas

#31DC2016: Inspired by a Pattern

I'm going to call it and say that today's look is my least favorite of the challenge. I found this cool pattern on pinterest that I thought would translate well. Either it doesn't translate or my execution sucked. I'm not sure which. 

Basics are this: base is Zoya Tris* which I love, it's a deep gunmetal gray with silver shimmer. I did the sheep with Cirque Colors Memento Mori and Carpe Diem. 



Enjoy & until tomorrow, Amy Lee
*zoya was a press sample
**all other polishes self purchased
ZOYA
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Cirque Colors


#31DC2016: Inspired by Fashion

Today we had to be inspired by fashion. As always, I turned to Pinterest to spend HOURS looking at all the pretty dresses. I finally settled on this beauty, a Mireille Dagher dress from Fashion Week 2016. I love the red coupled with the negative space and gold lace. The red is Christian Louboutin Rouge Louboutin and stamped with MoYou London Bridal Collection 06 and  Mundo de Unas Bronze. 




Enjoy & until next time, Amy Lee
*self purchased
Christian Louboutin
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MoYou London
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Mundo de Unas

#31DC2016: Inspired by a Book

I don't know about you guys, but I am stoked that one of my favorite childhood books is finally being made into a movie. The cast is to die for as well. Mindy Kaling as Mrs. Who, Oprah as Mrs. Which and Reese Witherspoon as Mrs. Whatsit. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I need you to get a copy of A Wrinkle in Time immediately.

While searching for inspiration I came across this cool graphic novel style artwork by Hope Laresn about the opening. I decided to try and recreate that look. I started with a base of ILNP After Midnight. 




I then used Cirque Colors Memento Mori (black), Cirque Colors Carpe Diem (white),  Cirque Colors Meet Me In Montauk (pale blue) to recreate the look. Obviously, my freehand skills need ALOT of work, but I tried. So...yeah. It is what it is.







Enjoy & until next time, Amy Lee
*self purchased
ILNP
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Cirque Colors

#31DC2016: Inspired by a Movie

Inspired by a movie had me stumped. I wasn't sure what to do but then I randomly caught part of The Bee Movie the other day and thought, that could be cute. So that's where I am. I started with a base of Cirque Colors Counterculture. 





I then went in with three different stamping plates Uber Chic 1-02 (flower), MoYou London Pro Collection XL 01 (stripes), and Winstonia W113 (hexes) and used Painted Polish Midnight Mischief to stamp on the designs.  I also used Floss Gloss Honey to create the honey drips, because that seemed appropriate. The flower was filled in with OPI Alpine Snow.




Enjoy & until next time, Amy Lee
*self purchased
Cirque Colors
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MoYou London
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OPI
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Winstonia
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Painted Polish 
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Uber Chic Beauty


#TheLacquerRing: Lace & #31DC2016: Inspired by a Song

I'm doubling up on prompts today, which was so not easy. #TheLacquerRing is doing lace and the #31DC2016 has to be inspired by a song. I decided to look for songs/music videos that use lace. I finally circled around to Madonna's Like a Virgin for two reasons. One, she wears awesome lace in that video. Two, because hello.....80's awesomeness.

I started with a base of OPI Glints of Glinda. I then stamped on a few different lace patterns with MoYou London White Knight and MoYou London Bridal Collection 07. As an accent and as an ode to the weird lion in the music video, I used China Glaze I'm Not Lion. 




Enjoy & until next time, Amy Lee
*self purchased
OPI
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MoYou London
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China Glaze



#31DC2016: Inspired by a Color

I love letting my hubs pick the polish (he doesn't like it so much) especially with days like this. I just have to many polishes and I love all the colors. How is a girl supposed to choose from all the pretties? The hubs landed on Picture Polish Allure, which I was happy to roll with. Allure is a bright fuchsia orchid shade filled with scattered holo.




I then went in with a fancy design from Uber Chic 4-02 in Mundo de Unas Bronze to add some pizazz.



Enjoy & until next time, Amy Lee
*self purchased
Picture Polish


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