Summer Lovin!

Hi guys!  I am so sorry that I have been out of action for awhile. It's summer as you all know and I have 3 beautiful kids that are keeping me very busy right now.  Plus you gotta love the Olympics aswell. It takes some doing just to watch all these events but we are managing it with a little help from Tivo.  You have to love Virgin right!  It was sad that Kerry Ann Payne from Stockport (where I live) didn't get a medal but haven't the Brits done well. Go on Team GB!!!!

I promise that I will do some posts as soon as I can.  I have just received my China Glaze Hunger Games Collection and I am eagerly awaiting my China Glaze Bohemian Collection. That should be flying through the air as we speak, making its way to my nails.  So plenty of pictures and all that good stuff on its way soon.  I also want to make use of some of my bedazzles and jewels and fimo and all the shinies for my nails and I also have lots of stamping work to be accomplished and more one stroke painting.

So there is stuff to do people and I should get some time soon. I hope you can have patience and just know that I'm loving summer and spending time with the kids and the hubster and just having fun in general.  The kids have new bikes.  We spent a few days with my husbands parents and we have lots of things planned for the rest of summer.  Unfortunately no holiday this year, well we maybe get a few days camping in if possible, weather permitting. Don't want to jinks anything but the sun came out today and I am hoping it decides to stay. (please I will be a good girl Mr Sun, come on).

So I hope you guys are having a wonderful summer and I promise I will try to get a post up really soon.  I would love to hear from you about your summer plans. So comment or messages would be great. What are you wearing on your nails right now?

Ok, that's it for me. Bye for now!

Michele x

China Glaze Magnetix II Collection

Hi guys! So excited my China Glaze Magnetix II Collecion has arrived.  I have been dying for these the second I had heard about their existence!!  I really love the magnetic nail polish trend.  Even though I have used them several times, I am still super amazed every time I see the pattern form.  It's like a little piece of magic still exists in my life.  I know it's quite sad really, but I'm like a big kid about these things.

Now I know there are lots of brands that have come out with the magnetic polish but I have only purchased a couple of them.  I have a couple of the Nails Inc ones.  I have the original China Glaze Magnetix I Collection and the brand new Magnetix II Collection.  The original collection contains more darker, stony colours.  The new set contains a more broader range of colours including blue and green.

Magnetix II

Get Charged, Positively In Love, Bond-Tastic,

Gold Fusion, Con-fused, Sparks Will Fly.

The Magnet

Vertical Lines, Circles and Grid.

Magnetix I

Attraction, Pull Me Close, You Move Me,

Cling On, Drawn To You, Instant Chemistry.

The Magnet

Stripes, Chevron and Star

I have spent the whole day today trying on these new polishes and comparing to the old magnetic set.  It was my last day to myself with no kids at home as Josh has now finished school today, Dylan has one afternoon left at nursery and Becca finishes next Thursday.  So I think spending the day putting on and taking off nail polish is a good day, for me any way.  So there will be lots of pictures I hope that's not a problem.  Here it goes.

Just a tip always use a base coat, that is a given.  Also you can do this with just one coat but if you require a stronger colour do just one coat and let set for at least 10 minutes.  Then do another coat and use the magnet but try to not do too thick a coat as it won't work.

Nails Inc 

Kensington Palace

This is a Rosy Pink colour with a nice sheen.  The effect is more 

subtle in comparison the the other two I have in this series.

Houses Of Parliment

The more I use this one the more it has gown on me.  

The effect is very strong with this colour and stands 

out quite well. It is almost like a purple and black 

stripy effect.

Trafalgar Square

Now I have only used one coat here but if you have the patience 

to use two coats, then this will surely pop on your nails.  

I have used this polish on lot's of occasions and always get

good compliments from just using this polish! It is a black, 

grey and silver with a shiny sheen.  Really love 

this one. 

Magnetix I

The order I have used the magnet in the following pictures are little finger and thumb is stripes.  Ring finger and index finger I used the chevron and the middle finger I used the star.  I did this so you could get a good idea of each image while also seeing each polish's individual colour and effect!  I found that some work better and some stand out more than other's but on the whole this is a good range.

Attraction

This Polish has a glitter and sheen effect and this caused it to be too heavy 

to want to move to the magnet.  I liked the dark grey colour though 

but this only showed a subtle pattern at best.  I had tried a thicker coat, 

a thinner coat,  two coats and the results were just the same.

Pull Me Close

(oops smudged my thumb, but you get the idea)

This is definately my favourite out of this collection.  It has a 

very shiny finish and I like the stone with blue tones

running through it.  Love this one!!

You Move Me

This was my least favourite colour.  It just didn't look very 

flattering on my hands and the colour was just a dirty 

brownish colour but it didn't stand out in a nice way.  Just 

my opinion! (sorry)

Cling On

This was a metallic khaki colour.  It seemed a lot thinner polish compared 

to the rest and could have benefited from a second coat.

Drawn To You

I didn't like this one at first but as it dryed it turned out with nice 

subtle effect.  This was a good mid tone purple,I would say my second favourite!

Instant Chemistry

This was a very thick polish, almost matt effect.  A very dark maroon.  But because of the consistancy the magnet just couldn't pull the polish resulting in a more subtle effect.  And with it being such a dark colour I was hoping the effect would really pop on these nails so slightly dissapointed because I was eager for this one to work.

Magnetix II

The order I used the magnet is the lines on my little finger and thumb. Grid on my ring and index finger and circles on my middle finger.

Get Charged

 

As you can see a totally different effect.  Loving the circles.  

This is a deep metallic purple. It's not quite as dark as 

Houses of Parliment but still a nice result.

Positively In Love

This is a deep magenta pink.  The effect stands out much better 

in real life.

Bond-Tastic

This was almost a matt effect. It is a burnt orange colour and looks 

much nicer on my nails than it does here.  Just couldn't get 

good lighting today sorry!

Gold Fushion

I was hoping this would be a real stand out gold, but it was 

more a bronze than a gold. It was still a great effect!

Con-Fused

Loving this emerald green.  The patterns stand out like crazy and it 

has such a great sheen.  Second favourite I must say.

Sparks Will Fly

(I only used the grid pattern with this colour.)

I am so in love with this blue right now.  I knew that it would 

be my favourite as soon as I saw it. Absolutely gorgeous in  

my opinion and I can't speak any higher of it!!!

Now when this collection arrived I still had my blue roses nails on from my last post.  I hadn't been ready to take them off quite yet but I had to try these magnetix out I just couldn't resist.  I also couldn't resist having a play and putting some petals back on.  Look how gorgeous it turned out:

Yay!! Really happy with these!

I know that none of the polish has been perfectly applied to all my nails, I was just trying to get it on and off as soon as I could and get the pictures. So I hope in this I am forgiven. Under each nail and under each application I had on OPI Base Coat and had to wait each time for this to dry before moving on. Even though I have spent most of the day doing this it has been worth it.  I have really enjoyed my day!!

This has been a massive blog post for me tonight.  I know its been picture over load but I just wanted to show you the new set compared to the older set and you can't really show that in just a picture of a bottle of nail polish.  So I hope you have enjoyed my blog tonight and I'm sorry if it was too long for some of you. 

Had you heard of the Magnetix II collection, and are these pictures enough to tempt you?  What do you think of this trend love it or hate it.  Do you have other brands I should add to my collection? Let me know guys in the comments below or you can email if you like!

Ok, that's it for me. Bye for now!

Michele x

Blue Roses

Hi guys! So the weather here is just not letting up, the rain just keeps coming! It is so dark and grey and I'm still feeling pretty lousy since being poorly for the last couple of weeks. Well I thought I need something bright and cheery on my nails to get through these dark days. Now I am still trying to perfect the one stroke technique. I am not an expert but I like doing it and I feel I have improved since my first attempt so that's the main thing.

Petals on the side

Roses

For those of you that are not familiar with the one stroke technique I will try and break it 

down for you so I hope I can explain it well enough for you to get the idea!

1. I started off with OPI Base Coat

2. Maybeline Forever Strong Pro Blue Midnight

3. You need a flat squared brush, some water and acrylic paint.

4. Then you want to work the paint into the brush for a few strokes to make sure 

it is loaded on your brush.  You want to dip one corner in white and the other in blue.

I usually use this pallet and just printer paper underneath to get the 

paint going and maybe just try out the stroke a couple of 

times before going on my nails.

5. You need to do each petal separately and use the brush in a up 

and down movement 3 or 4 times and then rounding each petal

off.

One petal

Petal two

The third petal

6. Now I know there is a gap but when you go back over it a second time it 

brings it all together and also brings a more vibrant colour.

Second coat

7. Now with the roses on my thumbs you do exactly the same just place the petals 

in a circle with a gap in the middle instead of having the petals in a row.

1st petal

2nd petal

3rd petal

4th petal

5th Petal

8. Now go over each petal again to bring out a stronger colour and perfect any petal 

you are not as happy with.

Second Coat

9. You need to create the center petals in a slightly different way.  

You need to use the brush to create an 'n' and a 'u' to create a circle.  

You have to push down on the brush as you move it round rather than 

wiggle it up and down.

The 'n'. (oops sorry it's blurred)

The 'u' This is the center petal.

10. Now you need to frame it.

One side

And then the other.

11. Now you could just leave it there if you wanted to but I like 

to embellish it a bit more.

Some Leaves

The thumb

12. Next Rhinestones

13. OPI Top Coat

Now I am not an expert and there are lots of ways to do the one stroke but this is just how I do it.  When I feel more confident and posses a better camera I may do a video for you but for now these pictures will have to suffice.  I hope for those of you that have never seen it done before I have explained it well enough for you.  If you would like to see it in action just check out YouTube and type in One Stroke and there will be plenty of videos to show you more precisely. 

I am still really nervous about showing my nails so please bear that in mind if you wish to comment.  I am still practising this art form. So I know that it isn't perfect so please be kind.  I want to use this blog to also show my progress in all my attempts however I am open to suggestions.  I will do more free hand painting on my nails as I go. However I want to make sure it is good enough to show you before I do.

Bites of information:

So, so proud of my son Joshua.  He has had an

excellent school report.  Even though he has another

year left before he has to choose his subjects, he is

already working at GCSE level C and is predicted to get 

A's.

Joshua also got 5 awards from school last night, Drama, Geograpy,

History, Citizenship and Attendance. Excellent!!!

He also since turning 13 has started a Paper Round and

has been getting himself up and out the door before

we are out of bed.  So I can't say it anymore just

a proud Mummy right now!!!!

Rebecca also had a really good report and is trying very hard 

at school. Well done sweetheart!!!

Arrgghh, annoying.  Still got this horrible barking cough that 

just won't go away.  I blame the rain.  So rain, rain please go 

away and don't come back till next year. (Well a girl can hope!)

So this is my nails and my news, I hope you liked what you saw.  Do you have a reason to be proud today? I would love to hear from you with your news!  Do you have other ways of doing One Stroke let me know, email me a picture or two!

Ok, Bye for now!

Michele x