Pelican Grey with Purple Crackle

I hadn't used my one and only grey polish in a while so I dusted off my China Glaze Pelican Grey and painted Saffron London's purple crackle over the top.

I bought the purple crackle from my local pannier market a few months ago and this is only the second time I have used it. It makes a nice change from my usual black crackle and was really cheap.

Ski Teal We Drop in 2010

I used two coats of OPI's Ski Teal We Drop and one coat of Nubar's 2010 top coat which is a gorgeous flakie. I love this combination, the flakie stands out so well against the deep teal polish.

As you can see I have used lots of the Nubar top coat polish, I wear it so much and I find it jazzes up any dark polish. Of course you can wear it on top of any polish but I prefer wearing it over a dark base, the flakies pop more.

OPI polish on its own:

I really want to try the Finger Paint flakies, shame we don't get that brand in the UK,

New from Models Own - Hed Kandi Collection

I saw this exciting new collection over at Models Own facebook page - the Hed Kandi Collection.
The MO team have teamed up with Hed Kandi and brought out 5 new polishes (look at that glittery black!)

Polishes from left to right are Beach Party, Balearic Cool, Disco Heaven, Ibiza Mix and Hedonist.

According to their facebook page these polishes are on Models Own website from April 10 and can also be bought in a selected few Boots store now!

Pic from Models Own

Baked & Delicious - Spring Special

Some of you may remember when I bought the first copy of baking magazing Baked & Delicious last year. I did a post about the magazing and the silicone bakeware which came with the first issue.

I was contacted my the team at Baked & Delicious asking if I would like to review their Spring special magazine. This is what it looks like:

With the spring special you get two silicone moulds full of Easter eggs, bunnies and chicks, I can't wait to try making some chocolate with these.

The recipes in this magazine look amazing, here is a taster of what to expect:

Don't these recipes look good?

Something which I have always loved about this magazine is that they do step by step pictures of the baking process, it makes life easier when trying to make something.

The decorations on this cake are used making the silicone bakeware which comes with the magazine.

To make this Easter/spring special magazine better there is also a competition where the prize is a professional cupcake decorating  and chocolate martini class in London. Here is the link for the comp with the details, Baked & Delicious competition.

Here is the facebook page for the comp.

I am going to write another post shortly testing out and revewing these silicone moulds. What do you think of this issue? I am thinking about making a batch of white, dark and milk chocolate eggs with the moulds and wrapping them in an organza bag for a little Easter gift for my friends.

A quick half n half with crackle

For the last couple of days I have been down in Exeter on a training course (local government) leaving the house at 07:15 each day and not getting home till late is taking its toll. Have learned lots though so it is all worth it. 

Since I haven't had much time to do my nails over the last few days I did this quick and simple manicure.

I used Accessorize in Electric Purple and Barry M in Block Orange followed by Andrea Fulerton's Mock Crock crackle polish. I didn't use my usual scotch tape but I figured since the crackle was going over the top it would hide any mistakes.

To finish I used China Glaze Fast Forward top coat.

My nails are quite short now after having trimmed them down, hopefully they will grow quickly, they seemed to last time.

I am contemplating getting a Shellac manicure. I love the idea of having a manicure which won't chip for a fortnight. What do you think? If you have had Shellac manicure what did you think, is it worth it?

Mid week roast with chocolate fudge cake

I went home for a bit of mum's cooking, this time we had a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings. One of my fav meals of all time.

I love bread sauce with roast chicken, yum, such a comforting food. To follow we had chocolate fudge cake with double cream.

Chocolate cake is my absolute fav type of cake, I much prefer my cake cold, I don't really enjoy cake as much when the frosting in the middle has melted.

Feeling Blue with Electric Pink

Another scotch tape and dotting manicure, I think this is my go to nail art method! Here I used Models Own Feeling Blue and Jack Wills in Electric Pink.

The black dots were made using Andrea Fulerton's Dot and Flick tool, I sometimes find this quicker than using an actual dotting tool dipped in black nail polish.

A Kitten update

It has been a while since my last post about my kittens Moses and Leo, so I thought I would write a quick update. They have grown so much!

This is Leo having an afternoon nap (yes I covered him with a blanket!)

We have started letting them out on a Sunday afternoon for a play in the garden. We stand there with them to keep an eye on them. I am still nervous about letting them out properly.

They are doing well and have their own characters, Moses is more relaxed and is quite happy to plod along and talk. Leo is very fiesty and energetic and will run up and down the stairs, climb up the curtains.

Black 'n' Glitter

Another scotch tape manicure on the diagonal.

Two coats of Barry M black nail polish waiting for it to dry before securing scotch tape and painting the tips of my nails with China Glaze in Cheers To You. After that dried I used one coat of Models Own Juicy Jules.

I am usually quite neat with my diagonal scotch tape manicures, but for some reason the lines are just not as perfect as I would like. I don't think it is too obvious but it just annoyed me.

China Glaze Let's Do It In 3D - Kaleidoscope Collection

Another exciting ebay buy is China Glaze Let's Do It In 3D from their Kaleidoscope collection. I paid around £7.99 and a couple of pounds for postage. Overall, a good price for a discontinued holographic polish.

I will let the pictures do the talking: these are three coats.

My holographic collection is slowly but surely getting bigger. I am always keeping my eyes open for them. What is your favourite holographic polish?

Nail polish jewellery from GingerKitty Designs

I first heard about GingerKitty Designs from YouTuber Brooke and I was mesmerised by the company and idea. GingerKitty Designs is an American based business where "nail polish turns into jewellery". Tracey is the lady behind this fantastic company. First I shall show what I bought.

Bracelet with a water marble using OPI DS Glamour, China Glaze IDK and Ozotic 506.

Drool! This is seriously gorgeous! Holographic goodness in a bracelet, hope you are ready for more pictures.

My order took quite a while to reach me (I ordered at the end of January) so as an apology Tracey included a ring using the same three polishes in a water marble for me which was so sweet and totally unexpected.

I have a gorgeous matching set! (The bracelet itself cost $29.99 which at the time of placing the order worked out at around £19 ish)

Ok, on to a bit more about the company. Tracey can make items such as earrings, necklaces, keyrings, hair pins and rings using your favourite nail polish. She has a list of polishes which she uses to create the pieces (lots of rare holographics!) however, if you have a fav polish which she doesn't own you can send her a little amount of polish for her to create the jewellery with.

Everything you see on her site is an example of what she can make. Water marble, Konad, crackle etc. You choose what items you want, what polishes you want and any designs. Incredible when you think about it. You can place an order for a one of a kind piece of jewellery.

Water marbling is tricky at the best of times, so for my piece Tracey sent me photos with three different marble patterns, I then chose which one I liked the best and this is what Tracey made my bracelet from. This is great customer service, every water marble pattern turns out differently so it is wonderful that I could decided which pattern I liked the best.

I am thrilled with the items Tracey made for me and I am definitely ordering again soon!

GingerKitty Designs