Will You Be My Mani-tine?

A Valentine mani.

No holiday passes CBXB by without the need to paint my nails gaudily accordingly.  So here’s my stab at melting hearts with my mani this week.

I used a trio of colors to achieve my look:

Salon Perfect in Silver Plated, Sally Hansen in White On and Orly in Star Spangled.

After applying one swipe of base coat, I painted two coats of White On and let it dry a few minutes.

Then, I put a thick coat of Orly’s Star Spangled on the tips of my talons.

To take the gaudiness up a notch, I applied a thin line of Silver Plated in between the red and white hues. Followed by one swipe of my all-time favorite Seche Vite Dry Fast top coat.

Then I did what any grown woman does after painting her nails.  I started matching my nails to Valentine’s decor.

Be mine.

And why stop at decor, when you can color coordinate your mani to the wine you’ll be guzzling?

The cork in this bottle reads “Who wears the pants? I wear the pants.” No one tell Teddy!

Now I just need to get a matching wine glass (or two – you know, one for each manicured hand).

CBXB

A Griswold Family Mani

We’re kicking off our fun old fashion family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols.

Does anyone not watch the classic movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation over the holiday season?

If you don’t, stop what you’re doing and go watch it. Now.

Russ, we checked every bulb, didn’t we?

Because I’m trying to adorn my body like a Christmas tree this season, I festively painted my nails while watching my all-time favorite movie.

After a base coast, I applied two coats of Lancome’s Code Red and let it dry a few minutes.

Using Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear in White On, I painted on thick strip across the top of my nails.

Following a ten minute dry down (it’s imperative you let the white dry, or it will bleed into the next step – trust me. I’m speaking from impatient experience).

One thin swipe of Salon Perfect in Silver Plated completes the look between the red and white hues.

Finish with Seche Vite Dry Fast top coat and you are all set.

Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?

Merry Christmas. Kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Kiss your ass. Happy Hanukkah.

Happy manicuring and cheers to the Griswolds!

CBXB

Gold Dipped Digits

A little afternoon pick-me-up never hurts, especially if your mani matches your mug.

Missoni for Target tea cup complimenting my nails.

I thought winter wasn’t a time for bright white (as I look about as pasty as a malnourished Cinderella and the colorless hue could possibly add to the dull of my skin) but I felt inspired after seeing Kitt Noir’s accent nail on Instagam and decided to put my own spin on the look.

OPI nail polish in Glow Up Already and Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in White On.

After one swipe of base, I applied two coats of White On and once semi-dry, I tipped my talons with a thick strip of Glow Up Already (this has to be my all-time favorite name of a nail polish thanks to many ex-boyfriends). Topping the entire mani off with a stroke of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat (the best you’ll ever use) on each nail, I was happily satisfied with the look.

Even more delighted with how the mani complimented my cup.

Oh it’s close to happy hour…

My cup that’s filled with all kinds of fun on a Monday afternoon…

It’s five o’clock somewhere.

Skinny Pirate, anyone?

CBXB

Bear by the Mani-tail

So this manicure won’t truly help you catch a bear but I did find that my kit cat Teddy Bear’s tail made for a nice contrast in showing off my latest creation…

Whatever you do, don’t pull.

After applying a base coat, I covered my nails with a swipe of Sally Hansen’s White On.  Once semi-dry, I tipped the ends of my claws in OPI’s DS Radiance (this is apparently considered a ‘designer’ polish and runs about $11 – mine was a gift. So any silver will do!) and used Milani Nail Art in Black Sketch to complete the mini masterpiece.  The grand finale was a coat of Seche Vite’s Dry Fast Top Nail Coat (best ever in my amateur book) to make this mani last almost a week.

Triple Threat

Then I enjoyed using my painted talons as a matching accessory to my wine glasses.

Perfect mates, yes?

CBXB

Zebra Style Mani

OK, so it’s not actual zebra stripes…but has the black and white theme going – does that count?

White, black and bedazzled.

This color combo pops against all things pink (the hue of which makes up 89% of my wardrobe).

A stand out against pink.

After a base coat, apply two light coats of the white and let it dry three minutes. Apply the black tips and finish with your favorite top coat (mine is Seche Vite).

Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails in Black Out and White Out.

Now go get your zebra colored mani on!

CBXB