This is just a little heads up that I will likely be MIA for a while. My computer just BSOD'd on me ("blue screen of death"... most fellow Windows users are probably familiar) and while it's working again for the moment I am sure that will not last. I can't afford a new computer. At all. *sigh* I will have to try to get the computer to the tech soon to get it checked out and hopefully he can get it fixed up without it costing too much. As it is the weekend, I can't take the computer in till Monday at the earliest. But as for right now, my computer time could end any second. So, just wanted to let you all know what's up so you don't think I've just abandoned the blog or anything.

Hopefully Mellie & Y can step in during my prolonged absence while my computer's at the tech's shop or while I figure out how to pay for a new one or something. *sigh*

And today's NOTD. 

Started out with two coats of Misa Denim & Lace then used Jafra Burgundy to stamp from Bundle Monster ip BM03. And I was bored so I added some rhinestones to ring fingers and thumbs. Not sure I like it but at least it gave me something to do for a little while. 

 

The Jafra polish took some work to get it to stamp well - probably won't use it for stamping again. I really just couldn't find the Konad Special Polish I was looking for so I had to make something else work. My stash is such a disaster right now - I really need to get everything organized again!

I was sorting through some files on the computer and came across this NOTD from way back in February that I could have sworn I posted but apparently I didn't. Maybe I dreamt that I posted it. Or maybe I did post it but now I'm just being dense and completely overlooking it on here. *shrug* If it's already been posted, sorry for posting twice.


If I am remembering correctly I used Finger Paints Psychedelic Pop, black Konad Special polish and Bundle Monster ip BM20. (I have the image plates with me at the moment, the only reason I can tell you for sure that's which one I used. I wish my memory really were that great. lol)

            

I *finally* got my hands on a couple crackle polishes recently. I love the look of crackle polish but haven't owned any since the early 90's. And the ones I remember using back then (CoverGirl) were not the best... but then again I didn't know as much about nail polish then as I do now so maybe it was pure user incompetence but regardless I still loved the stuff back then and still love it now. 

I finally found a display of the Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat; only four shades were left but I could only afford to get two of them. I ended up deciding on Antiqued Gold and Vintage Violet.

My oldest niece is visiting and she asked me to use the crackle polish on her.

Vintage Violet was applied over Finger Paints Psychedelic Pop and Antiqued Gold was applied over the green polish from the ACT Pop Polish set.

And of course I had to use it myself right away.

Antiqued Gold over Revlon Cherry Crush.

The formula for both colors is a bit thick and it seems they could both benefit from a couple drops of thinner. You get the best crackle effect if the crackle polish is applied thinly and with thick polish that's a nearly impossible thing to manage. Pair the thickness with the fact that you also have to work quickly for the best results - this is tricky to work with. It's like a matte polish in regards to how quickly you have to apply it or else you'll pull the polish off your nail if you try to paint another stroke and the polish from your last stroke is already setting and partially dry. It would be a non-issue if the polish wasn't thick. These also dry matte and need a good top coat for shine.

I encountered another problem with Vintage Violet. When I got it home and excitedly opened it up, I discovered the brush is messed up. The bristles are clumped together and in a curved shape. This makes applying it just that much more difficult. I am 99% sure I have an almost-empty bottle of clear polish in my stash somewhere, I intend to seek it out and pop it's brush onto the Vintage Violet bottle. 

 

I decided to go for a red and gold NOTD a couple days ago. I couldn't find the gold polish I wanted to use though so I had to improvise. I also just wanted something fast and simple so I just did a quick free-hand diagonal design; normally I'd have used some masking tape to be sure the lines were straight and all but... well. Just didn't feel like it this time.


This is two coats of FingerPaints Art Auction Auburn then I applied a coat of Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure across about half the nail in a diagonal line. (If you don't have Hidden Treasure it's very similar to nubar 2010) thenI used a gold nail art polish to add a stripe and some dots and topped it off with top coat.


  

This is from last week actually, and at this point it's very worn and needs to go. Will be redoing my nails tomorrow, most likely. But anyway, I *finally* found my stamper which had gone missing. Little bugger fell off my nightstand (you know me and my bad habit of doing my nails late at night... in bed... worst thing ever, I must stop that!) and rolled under the bed. Wonder why it didn't occur to me to look there before. But I digress... Here's last week's mani - 2 coats of China Glaze "Spin Me Round" stamped with Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear "Black Out" using Bundle Monster IP BM17.


My nails are so short and stubby. Still. I seem to be in "break a nail a day" mode or something. The last one that broke (ring finger, if you couldn't guess) was the most painful. Don't even ask but it involved the lid of the washing machine falling. Yeah. OUCH times ten. =T

PS The Sally Hansen polish I used to stamp with is an older bottle and it's thickened up quite a bit, which made it perfect to stamp with. It's not quite as opaque as the Special Polish from Konad but it's pretty close. I think knowing this could be a bad bad thing for me because now I'm very tempted to start buying more of the Xtreme Wear polishes merely to let them thicken up and use them for stamping. Talk about being a nail polish addict eh? :p