31 Day Challenge: Coffee Drag Marble

Do you ever watch tutorials and think, I can totally do that, just to fail miserably? I think we've all been there. However this particular tutorial that inspired today's design was tormenting me for months! It turns out there are worse things than painting flowers. I present to you, drag marble!

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31 Day Challenge: Jigglypuff

The more I look at it, the more I wonder whether you can tell what's on my nails without looking at the title? Or perhaps you already looked and still have no clue? Let me give you a little clue...*clears throat*...'Gotta catch 'em all, gotta catch 'em aaaaall!'. You guessed it, today's design for 'inspired by supernatural' features Pokemon!

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31 Day Challenge: Formula 1

The flag prompt day is finally here and it's the one I've been dreading the most. I've had my idea ready but when it came to executing it, I got yet another chance during this challenge to question my sanity. I mean seriously, who in their right mind chooses to DRAW a checkered design?! In my defence, I was sure I had a plate with that pattern. I was wrong. 

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31 Day Challenge: Silver Fern

Last year I visited New Zealand and I swear it has every single geographical feature known to man. Beaches, mountains, forests, volcanoes, you name it, that county's got it! Still, it felt like no matter where I went, silver ferns were always around. The locals told me that its unfurling leaf was the symbol of New Zealand and it features in a lot of Māori art. In today's design we take inspiration from artwork so can you see where I'm going with this?

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31 Day Challenge: Victoria Beckham Inspired Tartan

Is there a pattern that says Autumn more than tartan?! I don't think so. Since September is the month of the fashion week, for today's design I took my inspiration from Victoria Beckham's AW16 tartan coats and jackets. I love the combination of greys with a bit of vibrant orangey red coming through.

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31 Day Challenge: AW16 Florals

A lot of people would agree that flowers in nail art are most popular in spring and summer, which sadly are over now. So I had this cunning plan to practice from now until spring and be totally awesome at painting flowers by the time the weather gets warm again! It was such a perfect plan...until I realised that florals are apparently IN this autumn/winter season. 

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31 Day Challenge: Colouring Book

Let's pretend I didn't miss yesterday's prompt and skip straight to my 'inspired by a book' design. Instead of thinking about it in terms of books I've read, this look was inspired by doodles in colouring books! That's not cheating...is it?

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31 Day Challenge: Oriental Nail Art

Either my memory is failing me or I have never done an oriental manicure before. Until now! Today's 31 Day Challenge design is supposed to be 'inspired by a song' and I chose one of my all time favourites 'Walking on a Dream' by Empire of the Sun. 

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31 Day Challenge: Red Autumn Leaves

It's the first day of Autumn tomorrow and I have a matching manicure to go with it. Yes, days may be lasting about 5 minutes from now on but the beautiful leaves provide a great nail inspo! I added a few on my accent nail using the reverse stamping technique.

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31 Day Challenge: Stone Inspired Water Marble

I don't do water marble very often, but when I do, you bet it's going to be stone inspired! One of the reasons I love this technique is because you can tweak the pattern until you're happy with it. Yeah, that's about it. The rest is a nightmare which is just what everybody expects from water marble!

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31 Day Challenge: B&W Galaxy Nails

Did you know that this is the second time I've taken part in the 31 Day challenge? It's also the second time I've struggled with this prompt. I mean, galaxy doesn't sound that complicated, does it? No, but I had the clever idea of creating JUPITER. Yep, I even planned to include the massive storm on its surface...ha...hahhaah...hahah...HA! (That's a fake laugh, btw)

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31 Day Challenge: Half Moon Vintage Lace

How about something vintage today? I love a good old lace design and I thought, why not pair it with my recent favourite purple, 'Ard as Nails Crime Book Junkie* (swatched here). Let's have a look!

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NYFW: Rodarte Glitter Cuticles Trend

Yes, there is glitter all over my cuticles. And yes, my eyes have recovered from yesterday, thanks. Since September is all about the fashion week, I thought it would be a good idea to try a few nail trends I spotted on the catwalk. This particular design was seen at New York Fashion Week. It was created by Tracylee for Rodarte and it seemed like the perfect choice for today's 31 Day Challenge glitter prompt.

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31 Day Challenge: Geometric + Negative Space

You would think that when you take part in a huge nail art challenge, it would be a good idea to prepare a few designs in advance, right? Yes, it would, but did I do it? Of course not and now I'm paying for it because during such a long challenge things are bound to go wrong. More about that later. Now let's look at today's design before I really start ranting!

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31 Day Challenge: Delicate Print

Yes, you're seeing it right, today's manicure features flowers. I know, totally out of character. Although...didn't I just post a floral design yesterday? Ok, so maybe I did but don't judge me, I didn't have a choice!

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31 Day Challenge: Flowers with Pantone Colours of 2016

Today's prompt is the one I was looking forward to the least. If you read my blog regularly then you know I'm not massively into flowers and that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I can't paint them. Ok, maybe a teensy tiny bit. Fortunately, there is always a dotting tool to come to the rescue! That I can deal with. 

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31 Day Challenge: Animal Print

Snake skin may not be the most original design but I've never done one before and today seemed like the perfect opportunity. I was super happy about this manicure until I showed it to my mother who said 'That's nice, I wish I could make such a pretty honeycomb pattern'. Honeycomb? Seriously, a bloody honeycomb?! I think we all know what I'm getting my mum for Christmas (Yes, I said the 'C' word).

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31 Day Challenge: Back to School Stripes

I feel so nostalgic looking at these nails! When I was young I used to love the start of September as it meant new pens, notebooks and general school accessories. I still to this day love stationery and the smell of books. Yes, I'm weird like that.

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31 Day Challenge: 3D Polka Dots

These are pretty trippy! The more I look at them the more my eyes go funny. Still, I've never tried 3D dots before and today's prompt seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally give it a go.

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31 Day Challenge: Delicate Gradient

I've always wanted to do one of those delicate 'french' gradients, you know? They are so dainty and just go with everything. I wish this was my first idea for today's challenge because it would have saved me a lot of time and stress!

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31 Day Challenge: Rainbow Nails

The rainbow prompt sounds like a dream for a stripe lover, right? Unfortunately, my time management today has been appalling so I had to take a shortcut meaning no stripes. I'm so annoyed with myself!

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31 Day Challenge: Metallic Leaves Video Tutorial

Today's post is a special one because it comes with a video tutorial! I haven't done a tutorial in a while and I thought it was about time. I am still new to the whole filming and editing process (it's so confusing!) but I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it so watch this space. Ok, that's enough chatter, let's have a look at the design!

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31 Day Challenge: B&W Nails with a twist

I was looking forward to today's prompt because black and white combos are some of my favourite in the nail art world. There's just something very sophisticated about them. I then went ahead and added a bit of bright green. Rules? Pfft, what rules?!

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31 Day Challenge: Violet Nails

It's insane how much inspiration you can draw from a visit to an antiques fair. I went to my first one last month and I couldn't believe the amount (and types) of stuff you can get! I spent most of the day walking around, looking at beautiful pieces of jewellery which is what inspired this design.

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31 Day Challenge: Blue Nails

I was really struggling to pick the right shade for today's challenge as I have an obscene amount of blue polishes. Still, there are worse problems, I guess!

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31 Day Challenge: Green Nails

Man, I am bending the rules of this challenge big time! But hey, does it have green it in? Yes, it does so my conscience is totally clean!

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31 Day Challenge: Yellow Nails

Yellow prompt turned out to be not much better than yesterday's orange one. Not because I don't like yellow but because I did a destash about a week ago and, you guessed it, I apparently got rid of most of my yellow polishes. Perfect.

I had to work with what I got so I decided to use Ciate Loop the Loop as my base. It got me thinking, does anyone else feel like Ciate's mini bottles drive them insane? Or is it just me? They are very rectangular (as in wider than they are taller) and it's impossible to get the polish out once you get about half way though the bottle. I'm not sure if that's the problem with their regular size bottles as I don't own any.

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31 Day Challenge: Orange Nails

Someone tell this girl that holding a bottle of orange polish doesn't count as 'orange nails'! Don't worry, there IS orange there, but it's hidden ;)

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31 Day Challenge: Red Nails

It's the first of September today and it's a special date in my calendar, it's the start of the 31 Day Challenge! Have you heard of it? It's basically a month where you give up social life and there are *possibly* some occasional tears, comfort chocolate eating and 'it will do' attitude involved. Jokes aside, this challenge is great for pushing yourself and getting out of your comfort zone for an entire month. If you want to find out more about it, there's more info at the end of this post.

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