Crazy floral nails!

Since it's summer, and summer is all about bright, crazy colors... I found a picture (that I sadly did not save) that depicted bright flowers against a background of white. So pretty for this time of year! Using that picture as inspiration, this is what I ended up creating:

Please ignore my horrendous cuticles.

 
It looks really difficult, but it's actually very easy to achieve! Unfortunately, I didn't think to photograph the various steps to achieve this look, so I'll only be able to describe what I did. In the future, I'll try to have pictures to illustrate each step. :)

1. (Optional for best result) Use a base coat! In this case, I used the Stuck On You base coat.
2. Next, apply 2 or 3 coats of a white nail polish. For a cheap option, I suggest "White Out" from the Sally Hansen "Xtreme Wear" collection, which is found at most drugstores.
3. After the white polish has dried, pick 2 or three polishes for the flowers. I decided to use pink and yellow ("Lavender Creme" from Wet 'n Wild and "" from Sinful Colors) to create my flowers because I wanted a really bright, summery look.
4. Using one of the polish colors, begin to create flower-like shapes on each fingernail. (NOTE:  This can be achieved by using a nail dotting tool - found at most Sally Beauty Supply stores - or the end of a bobby pin!)
5. Using each color, apply the flower-like shapes, overlapping them for a less pattern-y appearance.
6. After the flowers have dried, again take your dotting tool (or bobby pin) and place a small, black (or yellow, orange, etc.) dot in the middle of each flower.
7. This is optional, but I wanted to add another pop of color to each nail, so I used the "Bright Green" Art Deco polish to create small, leaf-like shapes around the flowers.
8. After your polish is completely dry, add a topcoat to protect your design! I use the ever-popular Seche Vite topcoat. :)
9. Flaunt your nails, and make people think you're wearing those stick-on decals! ;)

A crappy photo of the polishes I used!

So, yeah, it's pretty simple! I know this "tutorial" was really rushed and pretty vague, but I will try to document my future tutorials in a more clear, concise manner. Happy painting! :)

Some of my past designs...

 I thought I'd include some pictures from my past attempts at nail design. In no way do I claim these designs as my own; Youtube and even a basic Google search serve as great sources of inspiration (usually from actual nail technicians!). So... Here ya go.

My Christmas nails! (Obviously pre-cleanup)

I tend to gravitate towards blues and silvers when it comes to polish.

For some reason, this design reminds me of princess Jasmine. :)

Halloween nails! A better alternative to just painting them black.

Teal and silver? Yup.

"Hey everyone! Come see how good I look!"

So, basically, I came to the conclusion that I paint my nails far too often. I could probably spend my time doing things of much more value to the planet, but I enjoy sitting at my desk or kitchen table and working intently upon some crazy design on my fingernails. I buy too much nail polish, own too many nail files, and have begun to consider using various craft items (glitter, stickers, googly eyes...) to expand upon my already, um, unique selection of designs.

By no means am I a professional; I did not partake in any sort of training for a nail technician. I'm just a 21-year-old who likes to have nice-looking nails. A crime? Definitely not.

I hope to use this blog to not only share my hobby with others, but also to share ideas for designs and possibly to serve as a source of encouragement for those who say to themselves, "That looks too difficult. I can't do that. I'm not artsy."

With some patience and a pinch of creativity, it's far from impossible. :)


P.S.  Can my blog title be any cheesier? No? Good.