I've been feeling cold all weekend, so my mind turned to snowflakes.
I started this look with a white base of Barry M Coconut. This is another of the Gelly range, and is a really nice slightly off-white creme. I don't think it's as good as Models Own Coconut Cream, as the MO one is a bit more opaque (and smells nice into the bargain) but it's a nice polish. I then sponged using Essie Maximillian Strasse-her and Barry M Grey to get a gradient.
I then stamped over everything using MoYou London Festive plate 02, and Barry M Silver Foil. The Barry M foils (silver, gold and lilac) are fantastic for stamping - they're opaque, shiny, smooth... I wish they'd do them in other colours! A red and a green would be awesome for Christmas.
Anyway, I'm really pleased with how well this came out! I don't think I've stamped over a gradient before, but I do like the effect.
Incidentally, I snapped this photo in the middle of the process because it amused me - gradient and stamping together is MESSY!
Have you seen the MoYou London stamping plates? I'm sure you have, they seem to be all over every nail blog at the moment! I haven't ever really done stamping before, apart from trying a boring tiny plate from the pound shop... but I've seen these on blogs and they're SO pretty, and eventually I caved and bought a couple! They arrived today and they're SO PRETTY! I couldn't wait, so I just had a quick go over the polish I was already wearing, China Glaze Don't Make Me Wine.
The plates are quite large, and come with a solid plastic backing. They come with a pretty card envelope to hold them and to protect the plate.
This is the Festive plate 02, which is full of different snowflakes. I stamped using a bog standard cheapo white striping polish which is very thick and gloopy. Awful for striping, but I guessed it might be good for stamping, and it is!
Look! This was just a very quick attempt, so I haven't added topcoat or tidied up too much, but I'm SO pleased with how this looks!
I'm so excited about these plates now, and about trying out all sorts of looks! I'm a convert to stamping now!
We've got snow today! I got to leave work early and everything.
These are my first snowflake nails. I started with two coats of Orly Me Cherie, and added dots and a flake with a white striper pen (brand not known).
I would have liked the snowflake to be crisper, but it was really hard to hold my hand steady, and the striper polish was rather gloopy. However, it's ended up giving it a bit of a feathery sort of look, so maybe that's quite apt for a snowflake.
