NOTD: Paddy's Day Nailsss

Happy Paddy's Day, everyone! I thought there was something a bit perfect about a green snake print manicure for the day that's in it. Of course every Irish schoolchild knows that legend has it St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland, but since 2013 is the Chinese Year Of The Snake and snake is the animal print of the season for SS13 it's sort of a triple whammy of appropriateness.

This is only my second ever attempt at a Konadicure - you can see the first here - and I think it turned out fairly well. I roughly stamped the nails with a metallic gold polish to add a bit of interest and depth before stamping with black polish.

It's not flawless by any means, but I'm telling myself that the irregularities just make it look more like snakeskin than a really perfect job would. 

Ehem.

Products used:
Bundle Monster plate BM 215
Konad short-handled stamper and plastic scraper
L.A. Colors Palm Tree
Topshop Crystal Clouds
Nubar Noir
Seche Vite top coat

Nail Fail: Barry M Textured Nail Effect Paints

I'm usually a big fan of Barry M polishes. Cheap, cheerful, and with frequent trend updates as well as regular expansion of the core colour range, they're widely available, often on offer, and regularly outperform some of the prestige polishes in my stash. So when I clocked that the new Textured line (£3.99/€5.95 each) were not just on sale but on offer in my local Superdrug, I snapped up all four shades and rushed home to swatch them.

I started with Ridley Road, the mint green, since I reckoned it would be my favourite.

Actually, it might be more appropriate to say that I started and ended with Ridley Road because I thought the finish was ick and made my nails looked like they'd been haphazardly pebbledashed. I immediately removed it and haven't tried any of the other shades since.

Now since it was purely the bumpy finish that I didn't like - the colour itself was fab - I don't know why it didn't occur to me to slap on a layer of Seche Vite to even things out.

Probably because every cell in my body was busy screaming "ohmyGodgetitoffGETITOFF!"

The other colours in the line-up are Kingsland Road (candyfloss pink), Atlantic Road (baby blue), and Station Road (bizarre slightly sparkly scrambled egg yellow) and while Barry M Textured Nail Effect Paints are certainly innovative and affordable, they're just not for me. Sadface.

Whether it was a disappointing new polish purchase or some nail art that didn't quite go to plan, tell me: have you had a nail fail recently?

My Paddy's Day Nails (WARNING: nail art heavy!)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

For this year's paint job, I wanted to steer clear of the traditional and do something a little bit different, so I focused on aspects of Irishness that have a particular resonance for me (a brief guide to each nail is included for visitors to the site from outside the motherland.)

I started with a basic green Skittles/ombre manicure in forty five shades of green...

... and then got busy with some nail art pens.

You may already have seen my left hand doing the rounds on Twitter.

Thumb: A twist on the "I ❤ NY" slogan, using the pronunciation rather than the actual spelling of the Irish word tae (tea). I am very fond of a cupán tae.
Index:   I've always quite liked snakes, so thanks for nothing, St. Patrick. (Legend has it he drove them out of Ireland, probably in the back of a Hiace van.)
Middle:  Every time an American refers to the Irish patron saint as "Patty", a kitten, bunny rabbit, and puppy dog die. FACT. 
Ring:    I'm pretty sure there's a law against Irish-themed manicures that don't somehow feature Guinness.
Little:   BOSCO! Asexual puppet, blusher aficionado, and Irish kid's TV hero of the '80s. I still have a Bosco mug AND my very own actual Bosco puppet.

And now, without further ado, here's the right hand. BOOM.

Little:    Mr. Tayto, mascot/"man" behind the actual best Irish crisps ever.
Index:   Bass beer was popular in the '60s, '70s, and 80's. If someone tells you something is "Bass" (pronounced "baaas", rather than "base"), that's a good thing. (See also: deadly/savage.) Ah... that's Bass!
Middle:  The word "janey" is a regional colloquialism that can be deployed as an expression of surprise, annoyance, disgust, euphoria etc. Derivatives include "janey mack" and "janey mackers"; synonyms include "well holy God says Miley" and "jaypers".
Index:   One of the Jedwards. When the results of Beaut.ie's annual poll rating the best of Irish manhood were released this morning and Jedward took the honours, I had to redo this nail in tribute.
Little:   Love hurling. (The "O" is a sliotar, the white and black leather ball used in the game).

Hope you like them - have a great weekend!

Nailing it for St. Patrick's Day

I'll be showing you my Paddy's Day nails tomorrow - both hands! - but for anyone in need of some inspiration right now, here's a quick round-up of some of my favourite easy to DIY green manicures from around the web.

GREEN & GOLD...

EMERALD BLING...

AND ONE SPARKLE-FREE EXAMPLE...

For anyone itching to do some simple Paddy's Day nail art, why not break out the shamrocks? They're not that much more difficult than polka dots or hearts, really.

Just use a dotting tool, the nib of a ballpoint pen, hairclip or toothpick to dot on three leaves and a stem in the colour of your choice. 

{my Paddy's Day nails from last year} 

What will you be wearing for the day that's in it?

Oh, and for any American readers: yes, it is Paddy. No, not Patty. Ever. See here if you need convincing, and then please spread the word!


{Image sources: 1. The West Street Journal; 2. Elanor's Nails; 3. Like Mam Used To Bake via Instagram; 4. 365 Days Of Nail Art; 5. Nails by Catharina; 6. Flouncy Skirts; 7. Zooey Deschanel via Instagram}

Talon-tastic Thursday: Lá Fhéile Pádraig special

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! I've no idea yet what we'll do this evening; Porterhouse in Covent Garden has been suggested, but I think I might be too old to put up with the crush.

Oh well. At least the nails are done.

I used Barry M Mint Green as the base colour on all nails except my ring finger, then sponged a nameless Claire's Accessories yellow-green and Sephora by OPI Leaf Him At The Alter over that, trying to achieve an impressionist mossy/lump of shamrock effect at the tips.

The shamrocks on my thumbnail were done with a white Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen.

For the nail on my ring finger, I started with a base of M&S Baby Blue and then used Sally Hansen and Nails Supreme nail art pens to draw Howyeh Kitty (inspired by this manicure.)

I got these shoes last weekend in Madrid without even thinking about Lá Fhéile Pádraig, but they're accidentally perfect for the day (and night) that's in it!

Talon-tastic Thursday: Paddy's Day nails

Not long to go now until St. Patrick's Day.

Or St. Patty's Day, as our Stateside friends insist on calling it, which sets my teeth right on edge and is one of the top reasons I don't ever want to spend the 17th of March in the US.

Since green is not exactly one of my top nail varnish colours - way too easy to look like you've just finished a good root around in your nostrils or have a particularly nasty nail bed infection, I reckon, regardless of what Chanel say - there are only three greens in my collection.

M&S 'Mint' - another of *those* pastel minis - would be bang on trend and is vay nice and ice-cream-y in its own right:

... but for a more definite green methinks I'll be going with Barry M 'Mint Green' on the day itself. 

Their 'Spring Green', meanwhile, does nothing for my colouring and I find it's an absolute bee-atch for staining, even with a base coat.

Begorrah.

What lovely nail varnish or other beauty bits are you wearing today or planning to sport on Lá Fhéile Pádraig?