{Mad About Nails} THE FAULT IN OUR STARS Nails for ALA!

I've had quite a few people comment on my nails in the past ask what I was using or wish I'd done a close-up so they could see better, etc., etc., and had a realization: Why not do a feature on nail polish? It's not book-related (Unless you're wearing the new HUNGER GAMES-inspired line from China Glaze, but I'm not even going into how wrong that is...), but it's fun. Plus, if I do this feature, I'll be more likely to re-paint my nails this week and less likely to let them chip their way to the bare bones (which would mean that I could see my nails...and if I see them, I want to bite them!).

Welcome back to another edition of Mad About Nails! 

I found out about a brand-new monthly challenge in the nail-blogging community,
The Lacquer Legion:

Every month, there will be a different challenge!

This month, the challenge was Reinvention.

The timing was perfect, too! I was planning to go to the ALA Mid-Winter Conference on January 27th (And the two days before that as well...here are my thoughts on Day One and Day Two!).

I put the theme of reinvention into my love of books and decided to recreate a book cover on my nails.

First, I wanted to do nails honoring the classic picture book
THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR.

I'd just bought all six China Glaze Sea Goddess texture polishes at Sally's Beauty during a special Girl's Night sale:

I'd seen the ad in my brand-new issue of NAILS Magazine. Mermaids. Texture.  LOVE! AND I had "fuzzy" polish for his fur:

AND I had taken pictures to use as a reference:

But.....

I RAN OUT OF TIME.

I fell asleep after work/dinner on Friday and woke up around Midnight!

No time for caterpillars!

I went onto my Book-Inspired Nail Art Board on Pinterest and saw a couple of designs for John Green's THE FAULT IN OUR STARS.

Very recognizable. Very fun. Very perfect!

So......

Here they are! 

I've recreated elements of John Green's THE FAULT IN OUR STARS onto my nails and added a catch phrase from the novel:

Close up:

Thumb:

Originally, I was going to take this off after the first night and then do my Caterpillar nails, but then I decided, "Nope! They're cute. I'm keeping them!" So I wasn't as careful when I was painting my nails as I usually am. I was just getting the job done for a one day manicure! So they're not perfect!!!

(And it was amazing just how many compliments I got over them!!! I'm glad I went this route!)

For my Base Coat/Top Coat:

These two are POWERHOUSES for
long-lasting manicures!  One lasted
1.5 weeks, the other for 2!!!

I started off with a basecoat of ORLY "Bonder."  Many of the professional nail studios use this as a basecoat when doing nails for their clients.  It's a rubberized coat that helps polish adhere to the nail.  It stinks, but it's great!

I finished the base color off with a top coat of Revlon's "Quick Dry Top Coat."  I'd heard it was a rival for the legendary Seche Vite, but with fewer harsh chemicals.  It also doesn't go bad in the bottle or shrink when used.  I was intrigued, and so far, this stuff is

          FABULOUS.

Together, this combo has made my nails last, on average, 1.5 to 2 weeks. They're both awesome!

For my base color:

I wanted a bright, shiny blue, so I chose Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear in #130, "Blue Me Away." I used this color a lot this past summer (Here's one example). I spent forever in ULTA trying out blues from every brand until I found the blue closest to what I'd seen on a random nail art picture that I wanted to replicate (And still haven't done. Sad!). This blue is PERFECT for THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. I am amazed and pleased at how close it is to the book's cover. It's seriously only a shade or two off!!!

After two coats of the polish, I used Revlon "Quick Dry Top Coat." I wanted a tougher surface for painting my nails and I didn't want to be up all night. I did NOT top coat over my design, just over the blue. It looks really shiny and glossy! I love this blue!

For my design:

I wanted a real, chalky white color. I took out my trusty old ULTA Professional "Angel Baby" and made the outline of a cloud. I sort of dotted on a flower shape and then expanded, then filled in the middle. I probably should have used a dotting tool, but I wanted it to be a little messy and imperfect. No two clouds alike!

In the morning, I grabbed my "Black" It's So Easy Stripe Rite from Sally's Beauty Supply and wrote out the catch phrase "Okay."

Voila! Simple, easy, fun, colorful nails inspired by John Green's THE FAULT IN OUR STARS!

Try it out yourself this June when you go to the movie theaters to see THE FAULT IN OUR STARS!

 Is anyone else obsessed with nail polish? What are you wearing right now?