Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Blog Switch with Jenne from Polished Pathology

I'm doing a blog switch with Jenne from Polished Pathology today! We each did one of her "3 Step Tuesday Nail Art Tutorials" and I love what she came up with!

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Three Step Nail Art Tuesday National EMS Week - Tutorial

Hey guys! Jenne here. Today I am switching with the lovely Ashley of Ashley is PolishAddicted for a nail art tutorial look! In another lifetime, I studied to be an EMT. I finished my certification, but I never worked as one fully because I went off to school for my PA degree. It was a pretty exciting process, and I really loved what I learned. I have several dear friends who work in Emergency Medicine, and it's an incredibly necessary field. Here is President Obama's statement for this year:

Presidential Proclamation -- Emergency Medical Services Week, 2016

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK, 2016

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Every day across our Nation, women and men sacrifice precious time with their loved ones, working long and hard to provide emergency medical services (EMS) to people they have never met before. Often operating in the midst of trauma and heartbreak, these professionals deliver urgent and essential care, saving lives and upholding a timeless belief that defines who we are as Americans -- that we all must look out for one another. This week, we recognize the daily heroism of our EMS professionals at all levels, and we express our gratitude for their efforts to keep us healthy and safe. Embodying the grit, compassion, and courage that has driven our Nation forward since its founding, our emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 911 dispatchers, nurses, physicians, EMS medical directors, firefighters, and law enforcement officers reflect a spirit of selflessness that makes us all strive to live up to their example. Their families stand beside them, enduring extraordinary anticipation and exercising sincere patience each day. As the steady anchors in an otherwise unpredictable daily routine, these families offer unwavering support for EMS practitioners -- giving them the support and strength necessary to fulfill the demands of their unending work. EMS providers brave danger and uncertainty, and their efforts deserve our most profound appreciation. We rarely know when tragedy will strike, and in our most vulnerable moments, we rely on these dedicated professionals. During Emergency Medical Services Week, let us celebrate and support the EMS professionals who demonstrate the values at the heart of the American spirit, and let us thank them for their heroic work. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 15 through May 21, 2016, as Emergency Medical Services Week. I encourage all Americans to observe this occasion by showing their support for their local EMS providers and taking steps to improve their own personal safety and preparedness. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.

BARACK OBAMA

Please visit this website for more information about EMS week if you're interested!

Supplies:

Salon Perfect Sugar Cube

Sinful Colors Kosmos

Sinful Colors Miss Klaws

Wide stripes from Nail Vinyls variety blend

Love chain vinyls from Twinkled T vinyls

Lay down that base! I did two coats of each polish.

Add your vinyls! I did a star shaped vinyl on my middle finger, roughly in the shape of the EMS logo. I added the love chain sideways up my ring finger nail.

Paint over! I painted over my middle finger with Kosmos and my ring finger with Miss Klaws. I removed the vinyl almost immediately after painting the layer, because if you leave it on too long it will feather the polish onto your base color, which you don't want. I then used a nail art brush to hand draw the snake aspect of the EMS logo on my middle finger. I didn't add a top coat on my two middle fingers, because the Sinful colors dry semi matte and I really liked the contrast look it had to my outer fingers.

So, what do you guys think of my Three Step Nail Art Tuesday National EMS week look? This event last all week, so show a First Responder or a member of an EMS team some love!

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Hey, it's Ashley again! I love Jenne's nail art and the reason behind it! If you don't already follow, I suggest you head on over and check out her blog and social medias. She has great nail art and swatches! Thanks so much, Jenne!

Monday, April 22, 2013

MANIc Monday With A Tutorial For My Rainbow Gradient (Snow Cone) PixieDust Mani!

Good evening! After posting my Zoya PixieDust review and nail art post on Friday (if you missed it you can find it here) I had a lot of people asking for a tutorial on how I achieved the look. So, here is my very first tutorial! Since this is my first I'm just winging it here so if you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments and I will be happy to answer. Now let's get to it, shall we?

I called this a "rainbow gradient" in my original post but many people were saying it looked like a snow cone - which it totally does! I don't know why I didn't see it before - my readers are awesome! So now I'm calling it a Rainbow Gradient Snow Cone.

Rainbow Gradient Snow Cone

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For this look you will need texture polishes (I used all six of the Zoya PixieDust Summer Collection), wedge makeup sponges, a non-porous surface (I used a stamping plate) and a toothpick or needle, etc.

I started by painting my nails with a plain white creme. I'm not sure that this was necessary because the polishes were completely opaque by the time I was finished but I do think it might have made them a little brighter.

After your base is dry (or your bare nails are dry and free from oils) take the first two colors that you want to use (I only did two colors at a time, even on nails that had three colors) and paint a strip of each color the length of your nail touching each other (as shown below).

Now take your toothpick and start gently dragging each color into the other (shown below). I initially tried swirling them but that didn't really work so I did several "lines" that created a similar effect. The goal here is to get rid of the harsh line because you will not be able to do this after you get it on your nail.

Next, take your sponge and press it directly on the polish - straight down and back up. The photo below isn't my best attempt but since you are going to be doing more than one layer it doesn't have to be perfect.

Take your sponge and press it directly on your nail and back up. No trying to "blend" or move it up and down - this just moves the texture around. As you can see below, I did not get it directly in the center of my nail as I did in my original mani. This can be corrected, if desired, in the following layer(s).

Wait a bit for that layer to dry (it doesn't take too long before you can add another layer) and repeat.

You can do this as many times as you like to achieve your desired look. The photo above (on my pinkie) shows 2 layers using Liberty and Stevie. The photo below is 3 coats of Stevie and Miranda.

Continue the process in the order you want. For nails that have three colors I still only used two color at a time - it just worked better that way for me. I didn't think to take photos of the cleanup but I used acetone and an eyeliner brush. It wasn't as bad as I had imagined it being.