Cinderella's Castle

I painted Cinderella's Castle nails last year for my trip to Disney World and I've had inquiries as to how I painted the castle. So, without further ado, here's the tutorial. This one's for you, Anne!

*To make it easier to paint, I used the transfer, nail sticker method. I hand-painted the castle straight on my nail last year, but this can be difficult. If you want to paint the castle straight onto your nail, use the same method (Step 2. - 4. and then step 7.) as painting on a plastic bag. 

1. Either leave your nail natural, or paint a sheer nude colour on. I used Sweet as Candy from Essence.Take your plastic bag, and paint a clear coat on it. This will allow your design to stay together when you peel it off. 

The above picture was my inspiration.

2. Begin painting the lines, paying attention to the different widths and curves. I used a tiny paint brush from Michael's Craft Store and light blue acrylic paint. 

3. Begin adding the turrets and roofs of the castle by making squares and triangles. Pay attention to the simpler shapes within the design (squares, circles, triangles). This will make it easier to paint.

4. Next, paint small triangles for the flags. 

5. Let the castle design dry for at least 10 minutes. Then, using an exacto knife or scissors, carefully peel off the sticker. Cut to size.

6. Apply a clear coat of polish to your nail, and carefully apply the sticker, ensuring you smooth it down and get rid of bubbles. 

7. Finally, add a glitter trail over the castle. I used Amazon's Flash from L'Oreal. You can add a rhinestone for extra sparkle, the way I did last year. 

*For the other nails, you can paint a french tip in a colour to match the castle. I used Secret Peri-Wink-Le from China Glaze, with a glitter polish on top. 

Hope this helps!

The Evolution of Pluto

First of all, happy belated Canada Day and happy early Fourth of July. Anyways, for Canada Day, I did not have Canada Day nails, but instead, the evolution of Pluto the dog nails.

alt="Pluto nail art" title="Pluto nail art">

Starting with the pinkie, I painted Pluto's first ever appearance; The Chain Gang, 1930. The base is Whirlwind White from Sally Hansen Insta-Dri, and Pluto is painted with acrylics. The ring finger is Pluto in the 1940's, on a base of Stormy from Revlon Top Speed, with a white wash over top, and the details painted with acrylic. The middle finger is Pluto in the 1950's, based on the purse I bought in Disney. The base is Lime Up from Essence and Gypsy Queen from Misa. The details are in acrylics. The pointer finger is Pluto's current look, on a base of the light blue Migi pen. Finally, the thumb is Pluto's autograph on a base of Deep Blue Sea from Sally Hansen. 

Enjoy!

Nail Art Challenges

For years, I've seen all the different nail art challenges and I'm always interested in them. I've never done one yet, but since it's summer, I'm thinking I should try one out. Should I do a 30 Day Challenge or should I go for the Heroes Vs. Villains? Let me know what you think!

Polka Dots and Mermaid's Tears

Can I just say, I LOVE OPI's Mermaid's Tears from the Pirates of the Caribbean collection? When it first came out last year, I searched everywhere for it. It wasn't until the end of the summer when I was in Disney World that I finally found it at The Grand Floridian where I was staying. Then, a couple months later, I found the bottle broken! :( I was tempted to cry. But, luckily a couple months ago, I found Mermaid's Tears at Marshall's. And now I'm happy. :)

So, Mermaid's Tears is a gorgeous sea foam green creme. It goes on perfectly and looks awesome. I used four coats, but it would've covered well with three. I'm just perfectionistic when it comes to even coverage.

 Sunlight

 Flash

I decided to add some embellishment, so I put polka dots on the ring finger and thumb. I kept it simple, because it's exam week, so I didn't want to be focusing only on my nails... Okay, I did, but I know I shouldn't. :p

Doodle Nails

Here's my latest nail design; doodle nails!

alt="Doodle nails" title="Doodle nails">

To make them, I splatter painted my nails using nail polish diluted with nail polish thinner, then used India ink and a calligraphy pen to write the words on. Make sure you clear coat a couple of times to ensure the ink stays on! Enjoy!

Starfish on the Beach

My latest nail design: starfish on the beach!

alt="Starfish on the Beach" title="Starfish on the Beach">

The blue (Sinful Colors's Love Nails) is the water, along with some clear glitter. Then the "sand" is Essence Sweet as Candy and the starfish are with a Migi nail pen.

Nail Tips and Tricks

Gorgeous nails are easy to come by if you follow the right rules. Here are my top tips and tricks for beautiful, healthy nails.

1. Moisturize
Moisturizing your cuticles is key to having strong nails. Aim for applying cuticle oil or creme nightly. I like Burt's Bees Cuticle Creme and Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil.

2. Push Back the Cuticle

After soaking your fingers in water for about 5 to 10 minutes, *gently* push back your cuticles. Do not clip the cuticles, as this can cause infection and trauma to the nail bed.

3. File, Don't Cut

Filing nails is much better, as clipping can cause tiny breaks and trauma to the nail bed. Aim for filing your nails once a week. I like Revlon's files. They come in lots of different colours, designs, and grit sizes.

4. Buffing

Buffing your nails helps to create a smooth surface for painting. It also allows for smooth looking nails without polish. Buff *gently* every one to two weeks. Do not overbuff. I like the Mambo 3 Way Buffer, which has different grit sizes.

5. Fix It

If you have a crack in your nail that cannot be filed or buffed away, carefully apply some nail glue on it. This will stop it from catching on clothing, etc. Gently buff the area, and your nail is good to go. I like Nailene Brush On Glue.

Tale As Old As Time...

Here's my latest nail design.

Yup, it's Chip from Beauty and the Beast! This design came from a sociology assignment I have where we're supposed to watch a beloved childhood movie and talk about different social aspects of it. But, enough of my boring talk :), let's get to the tutorial.

alt="Beauty and the Beast" title="Beauty and the Beast">

This was painted with acrylic craft paint.

1. Paint the cup shape in white. (I started with a base of four coats of Essence Sweet as Candy)

2. Paint the base of the cup purple.

3. Add pink and light blue decorations on the base of the cup.

4. Outline the base of the cup in yellow, as well as the top of the cup. Add Chip's "nose" or the handle of the cup in yellow.

5. Add Chip's eyes. You can make the eyes by painting a black oval first, letting it dry, then painting white over top (photo below).

6. Add Chip's mouth, clear coat and you're done!

For the other nails, I made a wavy french in purple acrylic and yellow acrylic to match the base of the cup.