Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet - Inspired by Music - La Vie en Rose

Wow. It:s hard to believe that it:s been over a month since I posted here! Well, I'm back from my unexpected hiatus, hopefully for good now, with a post for the Theme Buffet!

The theme for this week was "Inspired by Music," and even though I'm not a pink person, Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose" popped into my head. I figured a soft pink-hued look topped with roses would work well. How do you think it turned out?

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #26 - Neon

 So, I actually feel as though I'm cheating a bit in using this for the Theme Buffet this week.  I actually did this manicure almost a month ago and just never got around to posting it to the blog.

When I ran out of time this week between the 4th of July holiday, work and feeling under the weather, I suddenly remembered that I still had these photos floating around on my hard drive waiting for editing! They fit this week's FingerFood's Theme Buffet theme - Neon - perfectly, so I finally hunkered down and cleaned up the images so I could post it.

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #25 - Seasons

I don't know about you, but I really feel like I'm lacking in inspiration for my manicures lately. Some days, I'm just perfectly content to wear a solid color and not do nail art. When I do nail art, it tends to be on the simple side.

The theme for this week's Theme Buffet was one that I suggested: Seasons.  I wanted to do something grand and elaborate.... but just didn't have the motivation or inspiration. Instead, I put together this simple but classy number using colors to represent the different seasons

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #24 - Cartoon/Comic - Dots

When I first saw the topic for this week, I was so excited.  I had so many ideas! Too many ideas!  I actually started planning out a Sailor Moon manicure that I've been wanting to do for forever.

Of course, I didn't expect to come down with some bug that would knock me out for most of the week. Even as I type this, I'm still hacking and coughing.

So I had a dilemma: What sort of manicure could I do that would simple and quick, wouldn't take too much effort or brain power, but would fit the theme?

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #23 - Cocktail Nails - Gin and Tonic

Hello, hello! Yet another week, yet another Theme Buffet!

So, summer is upon us and it's that time of year where it's nice to lounge around and enjoy drinks with friends, enjoying the weather, each other... and a tasty beverage or two or three or....

The theme for this week was "cocktail nails," and I chose to put together a look inspired by my  favorite drink. I have no clue how well it come across.... but my cocktail of choice? The humble Gin and Tonic! <3

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #22 - Under the Sea

Well, look at this! I'm actually posting again! Things have been crazy. I was a bridesmaid in a wedding last weekend, so was running around all week and didn't have time to do a manicure for the Theme Buffet -- and to think I missed my own theme! (You can see the manicure I did for the wedding on Instagram, though!)

This week, though, I managed to grab a few minutes to throw together this manicure. The theme this time was "Under the Sea," and I wasn't quite sure what I should do. See, I did an under-water manicure for my Monochrome manicure back in April, as well as a mermaid-themed manicure last month in May. Well, this is what I came up with..... somewhat simliar, but simple and easy to fit into a suddenly busy schedule

Nail Art: Happy Memorial Day!

For most people, this is simply the last Monday of May. To Americans, today is Memorial Day - officially meant to remember those who died in service of the country, but unofficially the start of the summer season and a reason for people to get together, have barbecues and otherwise enjoy the long weekend and the (generally) good weather. Here in the Philadelphia Area, it's also the beginning of shore season, and thousands of familys flock to the Jersey Shore for their first time at the beach after a brutal, cold and snow winter.

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #20 - Galaxy Nails

First off, I have to say that it's nice to be back and doing nail art and posting. I had to take a week off from the Theme Buffet (Sorry, Scarlett!) but I'm back!

I have to say that this week's manicure features the largest number of polishes that I've ever used in a single manicure. The sad thing is that when you look at it, you would never realize that!

The theme for this week was galaxies, and I hope that you like what I threw together!

Swatches and Reviews: Butter London - Blagger

Wow... well that was a bit of an unexpected hiatus. I didn't mean to go silent the past week and a half or two weeks, but sometimes real life has this way of just happening. I was so busy that half the time I didn't even paint my nails! (gasp! I know!)

So, starting today, I'm going to try to play catch up and get through this backlog of posts, starting with this one.

Now, I don't know why, but I have an inordinate number of blue nail polishes in my collection. I just find myself magnetically drawn to blue nail polish. When I found today's polish as part of a Butter London 50% off  sale almost 6 months ago, it was almost a given that it would wind up in my cart. This beautiful cobalt blue is Blagger from Butter London, and oh how I love it!

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #18 - Oriental (Plum Blossoms)

After getting my manicure done early last week for FingerFood's Theme Buffet, we all knew that wouldn't last for very long. Here I am, down to the last hours of the last day, trying to get my manicure done, photos edited and post, well, posted.

The theme for this week's Theme Buffet was "Oriental" (Although, I have to admit that the term kinda makes me cringe a little bit.  I would have just gone with "Asian."). I have a ridiculous love for Asian aesthetics, particularly Japanese, and just couldn't decide on what design I wanted to do this week.

Swatches and Reviews: Salon Perfect - Oil Slick

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to working through a backlog of nail polish swatches that I just haven't had the time to write reviews for.

The first polish that I'm going to take a look at is one that I've used in tons of nail art. You always seem to need a good black creme polish, and Oil Slick from Salon Perfect fits the bill perfectly when I'm looking for a good opaque black.

Nail Art: MoYou London Challenge Day 5 - Shadows (Bird Silhouette)

Today's nail art (which I posted to Instagram yesterday) was actually not really planned before it happened. It started off when I was swatching Wise Up, Janet from Indigo Bananas, a really pretty foil-like lavender glassfleck holo. (didn't edit the photos to post it, yet, but I posted a video swatch on Instagram!).

Sitting on my desk next to Wise Up, Janet was 2% Butterscotch Ripple and Pure Imagination. As they sat together, I thought about how the three together would make a really gorgeous and glittery dusk-like gradient.

Nail Art: MoYou London Challenge Day 4 - Fantasy (Mermaid Nails)

If you do nail stamping, it's most likely that you know of MoYou London and their absolutely AMAZING array of stamping plates. Seriously, these things are works of art in and of themselves!

Well, in honor of reaching 10K followers on Instagram, MoYou London is hosting a challenge/contest!

Today's post is my first attempt at the challenge. The theme for May 4th was "Fantasy." I was planning on doing a mermaid-inspired manicure, so it worked out perfectly for this theme!

Reviews and Swatches: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Blue It

It's been a bit of a busy week, but I'm trying to use this weekend to catch up, write posts and hopefully schedule some to go out soon.

This polish was supposed to be last week's Budget Friendly Friday polish... but, well, that never happened, despite my best intentions. I had even posted about it on Instagram! 

So, here you are, a week and one day late, your Budget Friendly Friday polish!  Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Blue It.

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #17 - Something New

So, it looks as though I might actually have this week's contribution to FingerFood's Theme Buffet done a little earlier than usual! No last minute flailing about to try to get things in before the InLinkz expires.

The funny thing is that when I started doing this manicure, I hadn't actually intened it to be for the Theme Buffet...Yet somehow it just happened to fit all of the criteria for this week - Something New! New polish, new stamping plate, new nail accessories/accents, first time using said acccents.... Somehow the pieces all fell in place.

Swatches and Reviews: Indigo Bananas - With a Spoon in It

As I've come to be more and more immersed in the world of nail polish, there are a few indie brands that have stood out. One of those which I've heard only amazing things about is Indigo Bananas. Amazing holos, multichromes and glitters,  wonderful formulas and - truly - an artisan among indie nail polish crafters.

Today I received my first Indigo Bananas polishes and figured I might as well throw it on and take photos for the Monday Indie Spotlight.  Of the five polishes that I bought, this is the one that called out for me to try - With a Spoon in It

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #16 - Gothic

When all of the members of the Theme Buffet were throwing around ideas on the Facebook group for the upcoming months, I was excited to see Sarah of Penny Pinching Polish suggest a gothic theme. I had a whole bunch of ideas that I would have loved to try out.

And here I am, two hours before this week's deadline, trying to throw together a mani really quick - one which was none of the things I really had in mind. This was one of the weeks I was most looking forward too...and of course it would turn out to be the one where I had little to no free time.

Reviews and Swatches: Enchanted Polish - March 2014

Wow, it's been a crazy busy week thusfar. I started a new job on Tuesday, which  meant that my whole posting schedule got out of whack. I'm going to be using this weekend to write up some posts so you don't have to deal with the unplanned breaks from here on in.

Today I'm bringing you what was originially meant to be my Monday Indie Spotlight polish. This amazingly gorgeous polish is from Enchanted Polish, and is the March 2014 addition to the company's monthly mystery polish releass.

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #15 - Fishtail

The prompt for this week's Theme Buffet was "fishtail," and I have to admit that I was a bit apprehensive when I first saw the theme. If you're not aware, "fishtail" refers to the technique/design that creates a braid-like effect on the nail. (well, I guess you could have gone with LITERAL fish tails, too, as some clever people did!)

This was my first time trying to do the fishtail braid technique,  and overall, I suppose it didn't come out that bad! Read more to see how I put this look together.

Reviews and Swatches: Butter London - Cuppa

I just can't bring myself to remove the nail art currently on my fingers to swatch a new Budget Friendly polish, so I'm reaching into my pile of swatched-but-not-yet-posted nail polish photos to bring you today's post.

I used this polish as the base for my apple manicure last week, and it's a beauty of a neutral and surprised me with how easy it went on and how good it looked. So, for today's swatch, let's take a look at Cuppa, a creamy pale beige/tan from Butter London.

Nail Art: Enchanted Polish Green and Blue Feathers

Have you ever gotten a nail polish and immediately thought, "I HAVE to do something with this polish as soon as possible"? Well, the moment I got my new polishes from Enchanted Polish last week, I KNEW I had to put one or both of them to good use in a new manicure.

In the end, it was the insane holographic effect that March 2014 puts off that made me chose that polish. I've been wanting to use this feather-patterned stamp for ages. Put the two together, and this is what you get!

Guest Post: Laura Reviews Ipsy Glam Bag - April 2014

Note from Amanda: Periodically, I'm going to be sharing guest posts from my good friend Laura on this blog. She's an amazing person, and will be bringing you reviews on subscription boxes like Julep and Ipsy. I hope you enjoy her first review!

Ok, so today you are stuck with me for a guest post. I'm Laura, Manda's good friend. I hail from New Zealand but am currently living as the token foreigner in small town Ohio. Beauty subscription boxes are pretty much the best thing about living in the USA.

Today was pretty much the most exciting morning of my life. Bar the whole getting married and finding out I'm pregnant days, but those don't really count. After being on the waitlist for 3 months, I finally received my first Ipsy glam bag.

Reviews and Swatches: Love, Angeline - Quick Change

After a two week hiatus, the Monday Indie Spotlight is back! Each week, I take a look at a different indie nail polish, swatch and review it.

This week, I'm taking a look at Quick Change, a grey crelly from Love, Angeline.

This is the third Love, Angeline nail polish that I've reviewed (the other two being Strawberry Fields  and Card Trick) and as much as I love the brand, I wish I could have loved this particular polish.

Nail Art: Speckled Green, Black and White Chevrons

This past week, after I swatched Julep - Felicia for review, I fell in love with this speckled green nail polish and didn't want to take it off.

But I was torn! I had some free time....would I pass up an opportunity to create nail art? But I didn't want to remove this polish!

What I came up with was a way to use the polish by incorporating my already-painted nails into a chevron manicure.

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #14 - Delicious - Apples

The theme for this week's FingerFood's Theme Buffet was "Delicious,"  and I was stuck all week on what I should do. The problem really wasn't a lack of ideas.... but too many! There's so many ways you can fulfill the "delicious" theme. I had started off thinking I might do a coffee-inspired theme....but the beautiful, warm weather here inspired me to do something a bit more "fresh" feeling.

I hope you enjoy the crisp and refreshing look of this apple-themed manicure!

Swatches and Reviews: Pure Ice - Wild Thing

Last week, I reviewed Pure Ice - Excuse Me for my Budget-Friendly feature and was pretty disappointed with the polish. This time, Budget-Friendly Polishes returns to its normal Friday schedule, and I'm going to give Pure Ice another try.

Just as last week, this nail polish was a gift from my mom (though why she chose this one for herself, I have no idea). This time, though, the polish is definitely a bit more to my liking - a bright green creme called "Wild Thing."

Reviews and Swatches: Julep - Felicia

Everywhere you look this season, you see speckled nail polishes. I think this trend started with offerings from  Illamasqua and Deborah Lippmann, but it's spread beyond and into every little nook of the nail polish world.

Julep seems to be the latest to jump on this bandwagon. While it WOULD be nice to see an original polish from them, I just can't hate on such a pretty nail polish

Nail Art: Tri Polish Tuesday - Pastel Mosaic / Lattice (Pink, Yellow, Blue)

Look at this! It's two weeks in a row that I'm actually posting my Tri Polish Tuesday nail art actually on a Tuesday! (Well, it's just BARELY Tuesday, here. I really need to get ahead of these posts and try to schedule them for earlier in the day)

This is the second pink, yellow and blue look of the month, and I obviously went with a much softer look than I did last week. The nail art design that I came up with this week is a sort of pastel mosaic/lattice design (complete with bonus fuzz in the paint on my ring finger)

Swatches and Reviews: Pure Ice - Excuse Me

I know it seems like a lot of my reviews tend to rave and praise the nail polishes that I'm trying out. But, as I try to provide my open and unbiased opinion when reviewing products, I occasionally come across some things that I genuinely don't care for.

The subject of today's (belated)  Budget Friendly Polish feature is Excuse Me from Pure Ice. This is a bright yellow frosty nail polish that I honestly wish I could have liked more than I did.

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #13 - Monochrome - Deep Blue Sea

So, March ended and we reached the end of our first set of Theme Buffet themes. The group put together a new list of themes to last us through the end of June, and the first of those themes begins today!

There was actually a bit of a mixup and we wound up with TWO themes - Monochrome and Mother's Day (apparently it's Mother's Day earlier in the UK. Never knew that!). Since Mother's Day here in the US isn't until May, I decided to go with the monochrome theme.

Reviews and Swatches: Nfu-Oh - 51 (Flakie)

Oh, this polish. This beautiful, beautiful darling of a polish. I believe this may have been my very first lemming. I keep staring into the lacquer on my nails and feel like I'm downing in this beautiful opal-flecked abyss.

Creme polishes may be my favorites to use on an everyday basis, particularly for nail art, but flakies are like that decadent treat that I allow myself to have once in a while.

Let me introduce you to this beautiful flakie polish: Nfu-Oh's flakie #51

Nail Art: Tri Polish Tuesday - Bold Stripes (Pink, Yellow, Blue)

Well, it's April 1st. April Fools Day. I would warn all of you to take anything you read or see online today with a grain of salt.  You never know who might be making a fool of you!

It's a new month, though, which also means there's a new set of colors for the Tri Polish Challenge. The colors for April are Pink, Yellow and Blue. I threw together this simple, bold, striped look that would be easy for anyone to try!

Reviews and Swatches: Philly Loves Lacquer - Avenuers

It's yet another Monday, and I seem to be back on schedule! (knock on wood). That means that it's time to bring you another nail polish from an indie maker.

I know that I've already shown you a few polishes from Philly Loves Lacquer, including Fancy Brigade earlier this month. For today's episode of Indie Spotlight, I'll take a look at another of PhLL's, with another polish that continues the Mummers theme. Esther makes some pretty holos, and Avenuers, a pretty, silvery grey scattered holo polish with subtle rainbow microglitter is a nice addition to the collection.

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #12 - Freestyle (Triangles)

There's something about the effect you get when you combine flakie polishes and black that I absolutely love. It gives you such a dramatic - and somewhat dark - look. It just seems to fit my personality more than a whole lot of the manicures I do.

This week's theme for FingerFood's Theme Buffet was "Freestyle." I took this to mean that we were free to do whatever we wanted, so this is what my mind came up with. Simple, but I love it!

Nail Art: Beetle-Inspired Duochrome Stripes

While swatching OPI's Kermit Me to Speak, I was struck by how beautiful and strong the duochrome in it was. The lavender-to-golden-olive chromatic shift in the polish reminded me so much of a beetle's wings.

"So," I thought, " why the heck don't I make some beetle wing inspired nail art?!"

I didn't want to go for a literal interpretation, so I tried to do something with lines and color to invoke the image.

Nail Art: Tri Polish Tuesday - Pastel Plaid

I want to apologize for my posting schedule these  two weeks. I've missed half of my usual weekly features and haven't had the chance to visit friends' blogs or comment on things I've seen out there. being busy + missing my camera battery charger = no new posts ;_;

That said, I found myself with a few extra moments in which I could make another attempt at the Tri Polish Challenge this week. Two out of four weeks this month isn't bad, right? Enjoy my attempts at putting together a green, blue and purple pastel plaid look... even if it is a day late for the Tuesday challenge...

Reviews and Swatches: OPI - Kermit Me to Speak

I'm usually not one of those people who runs out to buy the brand new collection  from OPI  or China Glaze or Essie or whoever. (Indie brands, however, I DO tend to get excited for... even if I don't always  purchase them right away).  With big, mainstream brands, I tend to wait for sales or clearances or auctions or whatever way I can get them for less than $9 a bottle.

After a job interview yesterday, I elected for some retail therapy and wandered Ulta. I came across a display with the newly-released Muppets: Most Wanted collection and this polish, Kermit Me to Speak, grabbed my eye immediately. Somehow, despite my usual patterns, I found myself buying a brand new polish almost immediately after its release!

NOTD: Interview Nails... and a question

If you didn't know, I've been searching for work for...a while now. The job market may have improved out there, but it's still difficult getting a job. The process tends to be longer and more arduous than it was when I last did this years ago, and I find myself with layer after layer of interviews and screenings.

One of those things that goes hand-in-hand with applying for jobs is interviewing for said jobs. This also usually means toning down the bright nailpolish colors a bit. Interviewing forces me to go through my selections of taupes and beiges and nudes and other "safe" colors.

I took this photo while on the train on the way to an interview yesterday. (The houndstooth pattern was the dress I had on). These were my INOTD - Interview Nails of the Day - featuring Butter London's Yummy Mummy. I LOVE the way this polish looks against my skintone.

I'm curious... What nail polishes do you / would you wear in a corporate office or to a job interview?

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #11 - Super Sparkly Green and Gold...St. Patrick's Day

I think today's manicure might be the glitteriest, shiniest one that I've done to date.

This started off as a bit of an experiment for St. Patrick's day nail art for FingerFood's Theme Buffet. I knew I was going to miss getting this done for the holiday, so I wanted to throw something together that didn't scream "St. Paddy's" but still fit the theme.

Reviews and Swatches: Cult Nails - Baker

Indie Nail Polish makers come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny operations run by a single person bent over bottles and scales in their home to larger operations that employ a lab to manufacture their products.

Cult Nails is one of the larger names out there in the indie/niche polish market, but the polishes are developed with love by a great designer as part of a family-run operation. Today, I'm bringing you one of the polishes I picked up in the recent Cult Nails clearance sale - Baker, a warm light tan polish with a soft gold shimmer.

Nail Art: Nude and Green Zigzags / Chevrons

With a freshly-swatched coat of polish on my nails and a couple sheets of Nail Vinyls laying around, my nails were dying for some nail art. Combine the two together and you get this manicure!

Perhaps it's a bit pedantic of me, but it drives me crazy how the term "chevron" has come to be used in the nail art and design community. I know, I know. It's not really a big deal, but a part of me wants to scream "They're not the same thing!!!" Come on in and take a look at my chevron zigzag nail art!

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #10 - Dots and Stripes

Sometimes when I participate in nail art challenges, I have no idea what to do. I'll hem and haw and finally decide to just do SOMETHING. A lot of times, I'm not necessarily happy with the results, but I did it <3

The theme for this week's FingerFood Theme Buffet was "Dots and Stripes"  and of course I had TONS of ideas. The problem wasn't lack of inspiration, this time, but instead a complete lack of time.  There are only a few more hours left to submit this week's designs, so I threw something together really quick.

Reviews and Swatches: Sinful Colors - Cinderella

This week was crazy and I've been behind the entire week. Between job interviews and applications and a migraine that last two days, I barely got anything done. I really need to write up some posts that I can throw on the blog when I have these kinds of weeks instead of leaving you with radio silence.

Anyways! Here is your Budget Friendly Friday polish... once again on a Saturday. This time, I'm bringing you a sweet, delicate, spring-ey pale blue shimmer called Cinderella

Reviews and Swatches: Philly Loves Lacquer - Fancy Brigade

Living in the Philadelphia area, you grow up with the Philadelphia Mummers. Every New Year's Day, you watch the Mummers Parade on TV, or you brave the bitter cold to stand along Broad St. and watch the comics and the string bands and fancies march their way up to City Hall. Maybe you even head down to 2 Street afterwards.

In today's Monday Indie Spotlight, I'm trying out Fancy Brigade from Philly Loves Lacquer, a gorgeous deep teal holo polish inspired by our beloved Philadelphia Mummers and released this past holiday season .

Reviews and Swatches: Butter London - No More Waity Katie

I was trying to figure out what purple colors I have that I could use for the next Tri-Polish Challenge entry, when I remembered that I had picked up this polish during one of the Butter London Last Order clearance sales.

No More Waity, Katie is definitely a strange polish: strange color, strange formula, strange choice for a polish meant to commemorate the Royal Wedding.

But despite that all, somehow I actually like it.

Reviews and Swatches: Sinful Colors - Berry Blast

Welcome back for a new installment of Budget Friendly Friday Saturday! Yeah, sorry for skipping out on yesterday. You know how it is, sometimes, when you fall in love with a manicure and just don't want to take it off to swatch....

Believe it or not, when I look at my blog stats, the number one search term that gets people from Google to Fledgling Nails is for this polish: Sinful Colors - Berry Blast. I haven't swatched it yet, but it DOES show up in my collection list. I picked Berry Blast up in a polish haul from Walmart about 2 months ago, but haven't had a chance to swatch it until today.

And is this one ever a beauty ...

Reviews and Swatches: Zoya - Tomoko Pixie Dust

Yeah, I know, Friday is usually when I do my Budget-Friendly Polish feature.The problem is that  I'm still wearing the manicure I did for this week's Theme Buffet and I love it too much to take it off yet!

Luckily, I've started building up a collection of polish swatch photos that I haven't posted yet. Unfortunately, none of the photos in my reserves are of budget or drugstore brands. Instead, I'm going to give you swatches of a lovely, sparkly, textured polish from Zoya called "Tomoko." This is one of their "Pixie Dust" nail polishes, and was my first foray into textured polish.

Nail Art: FingerFood's Theme Buffet #9 - Flowers

 The theme for this week's installment of FingerFood's Theme Buffet was "Flowers." There's a million different directions you could go, in a million different styles. Something dark and broody? Something cute? Roses? Daisies?

I tend to gravitate towards bolder, darker colors and jewel tones with graphic nail art elements. This week, however, I decided I wanted to try and do something a bit more subdued and subtle.

Reviews and Swatches: Julep - Lizanne

So, March Julep Maven boxes have started arriving and I was happy to find mine waiting in my mailbox yesterday afternoon. Even though I'd just painted my nails the day before (I'm not usually one of those "change your polish every day" type people), I decided I just had to try one of the  polishes out.

I expected Margaret, a bright cornflower blue, to be my favorite of the three polishes I got this month. However this deep green shimmer, Lizanne, called to me as soon as I saw it.

Nail Art: Tri Polish Tuesday Challenge - Lovely Spring Gradients NOTD

It's Tuesday. It's also the first week of March, which means...

1. It's Tri Polish Tuesday!
2. It's time for a new set of Tri Polish colors!

So what color-filled goodness does March bring? In the spirit of Spring (oh, PLEASE say spring is coming soon!), we're going to be doing Green, Blue and Purple!

Last week, I had to skip out on the challenge. but I was eager to give it a try again this week.