{Mad About Nails} Do-It-Yourself Snow White-Themed Nails

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This post was first featured on A Backwards Story on September 8, 2013. It was NOT part of FTF. I wanted to post about the new Morgan Taylor "Cinderella" collection but I decided to paint my nails with some more colors...which means I'm not done filming! 

So instead, here's a look at one of my favorite nail art projects that I created (for a book signing featuring FAIREST OF THEM ALL by Carolyn Turgeon). I'm no artist, but this one is pretty simple to do and got a lot of complements!


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! 

 Fairy tales, fairy tales!
 You all know how much I love them!
In 2013, I had the chance to meet fairy tale author Carolyn Turgeon (FAIREST OF THEM ALL, MERMAID, GODMOTHER, THE NEXT FULL MOON), who was at a local Once Upon a Time event signing books!

She's also stopped by A Backwards Story several times for various events. She's shared an interview, guest post, and vlog with me, as well as co-wrote an exclusive poem, "Flight to the Deep," with fellow mer-author Sarah Porter for Splash into Summer event! Her most recent guest post is on the genesis of FAIREST OF THEM ALL!
FAIREST OF THEM ALL is about how Rapunzel grows up to be Snow White's Stepmother the Queen, and I wanted to feature one of her books on my nails in some way, so I went the less obvious route and chose a character/fairy tale rather than try to replicate a book cover. It works, right? ^.~)


Morning Sunlight:

Indoor Lighting (Night):

For some reason, I never vlogged this design. I'm kicking myself now!!!  Sorry ;_;


These pictures were also taken at night, so the quality is less than fantastic.

 I went through my Fairy Tale Nail Art Board on Pinterest and referenced this and this for today's design.
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!

It really helps polish adhere to the nail!

I didn't use top coat because I didn't want to make the nail art "blurry" or less textured!



For my design:

THUMB: Stripes

I started with a base coat of ORLY's "High on Hope" from its 2013 Hope and Freedom Collection. It's a lovely dark blue with flecks of purple, red, pink, etc. It's really beautiful in person, which is lost in these badly-lit photos. I also used this polish in my Fourth of July design if you want to see video footage in bright sunlight!

The ORLY Manicure Kit I scored on clearance!
For the French tip, I used ORLY "Liquid Vinyl." I have heard this is the "Go To" black for many people, but have never used it before. Earlier this year, I found an ORLY: The Original French Manicure Cosmic FX Manicure Kit on clearance at Sally's Beauty Supply. It came with "Liquid Vinyl," which I'd been interested in trying, and a bottle of "Space Cadet," which had been discontinued, but I had also been wanting. The kits retail for $15, but it was reduced to $3.99! Win/Win, right?

The black is crazy shiny, too. I can see why everyone loves it! It will make a great base. It's much more glossy than the Wet n Wild "Black Creme" I've been using. In fact, in one of my designs this week, when I used my striping tool against the ORLY, you could see the difference! It usually blends right in with the Wet n Wild. I love this black!

The two colored stripes are the glittery red It's So Easy Stripe Rite and the gold It's So Easy Stripe Rite, both from Sally's Beauty Supply.
INDEX FINGER: Snow White

I started with a base coat of OPI's "My Boyfriend Scales Walls" from its The Amazing Spider-Man Collection that came out alongside the movie. You can still find it sometimes, and it's still sold online, too. I like this white because it's not a pure white. It's slightly gray, which gives it less of a "chalky" texture.

For the black of Snow White's hair, I started with a swoop of a French tip in ORLY "Liquid Vinyl" (See above for details), then swooped it down and to the side. I used the glittery red It's So Easy Stripe Rite nail art polish to make the bow in her hair. I buy all my Stripe Rite pens at Sally's Beauty Supply.
MIDDLE FINGER: Bitten-Into Poison Apple

I started with a base coat of ORLY "High on Hope" (See above for details).

For the red, I tried out Zoya "Pepper" from the Fall 2013 Cashmeres and Satins Collection, which is a beautiful, dusty dark red. It was a little too dark against the blue ORLY, however, and you couldn't really make out the apple without squinting. I colored over the Zoya with China Glaze "Igniting Love" from the Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away Collection, which can still be found in some stores and online. Ah, now it's a beautiful apple red!

I also outlined around the apple using my black It's So Easy Stripe Rite nail art polish from Sally's Beauty Supply. I originally did this to make the apple pop more. The white curve of the "bitten into" part of the apple is the white It's So Easy Stripe Rite nail art polish, also from Sally's. The stem of the apple was made using my gold It's So Easy Stripe Rite nail art polish, also from--you guessed it--Sally's.

The It's So Easy Stripe Rite line is great for nail art, and comes in a multitude of colors. I've only ever seen them at Sally's, and am not sure if it's their brand or whether or not it can be purchased elsewhere.
RING FINGER: The Evil Queen

My base coat is, again, OPI's "My Boyfriend Scales Walls" (See above for details).


MASH Marbleizing Dotting
Tool Pen Set from Amazon
$3.99 plus Free S/H!

For the black of the queen's hair, I made a French tip with a dipping "v" in ORLY "Liquid Vinyl" (See above for details). I used the black It's So Easy Stripe Rite nail art polish from Sally's to get a better shape on the dip...and then realized how much it didn't match the "Liquid Vinyl" (see above) and used a dotting tool and "Liquid Vinyl" instead!

I used my gold It's So Easy Stripe Rite nail art polish to make the queen's golden crown and to edge the line between her hair and face. I used a dotting tool and Zoya "Pepper" (see above for details) to make the three rubies on her crown.


PINKY: The Huntsman's Heart

I started with a base coat of ORLY "High on Hope" (See above for details).

For the red, I used Zoya "Pepper" (See above for details). It was, again, a little too dark against the blue ORLY, however, and you couldn't really make out the heart shape without squinting. I colored over the Zoya with China Glaze "Igniting Love" from the Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away Collection (See above for details). Ah, now it's a beautiful bright red!

I'm sad that it won't last too long due to the lack of top coat. Boo! Then again, it's not my best artwork, so maybe that's a blessing in disguise...?

 Is anyone else obsessed with nail polish? What are you wearing right now? Link me a photo; I want to see! ^_^

(I kind of want to do fairy tale art now for FTF!!)

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