TUTORIAL: Bordeaux Gradient with Jewelry Half Moons, Inspired by Forever For a Year

This tutorial post is sponsored by Macmillan. 

Today's nail art tutorial is inspired by B.T. Gottfred's novel, Forever For a Year. Since the book is all about romance and first love, I've created a look that's perfect for date night. This sultry bordeaux gradient is accented with a gold jewelry-style half moon. It's a look that is chic, romantic, and put together... with just a touch of flash.

Forever For a Year has also provided a date night prize pack for a giveaway! Head to the end of the post for details on how to enter.

For my date night nail art, I used:
LVX Cameo (burgundy)
OPI Lincoln Park After Dark (dark purple)
Essie Good As Gold (gold)

You'll also need a cosmetic sponge, cotton swabs or a latex barrier, and dotting tools in three sizes (large, small, and pinpoint).

With this easy gradient nail art, you'll be date-night ready in no time! And no matter where the night takes you, you know your tips will be looking fresh.

About Forever For a Year
When Carolina and Trevor meet on their first day of school, something draws them to each other. They gradually share first kisses, first touches, first sexual experiences. When they're together, nothing else matters. But one of them will make a choice, and the other a mistake, that will break what they thought was unbreakable. Both will wish that they could fall in love again for the first time . . . but first love, by definition, can't happen twice.

Told in Carolina and Trevor's alternating voices, this is an up-close-and-personal story of two teenagers falling in love for the first time, and discovering it might not last forever. In stores now.

Learn more on B.T. Gottfred’s Tumblr, and follow the author on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Giveaway
So now that we've got a plan in place for your date night nails, you're gonna need some supplies! Forever For a Year is hooking up one (1) lucky reader with the following prize pack:

• A copy of Forever For a Year;
• $25 Sephora gift card;
• nail polish and compact mirror. 

To enter, just comment on this post describing your dream date night activity!

Here are the rules: 

• One entry per person.
• Giveaway open to US addresses only.
• Must comment with a valid email address to be reached for your prize.
• Must be 18 years or older (or have parent's permission) to enter.
• Entries close Friday, July 31st, 2015 at 11:59pm MST.
• Chosen winner will have 48 hours to reply to the notifying email, after which a new winner will be chosen.

Read More

Quick and Simple Scaled Nail Art [VIDEO TUTORIAL]

I wasn't (and still am not) sure what to call this look. It seems kinda scaly, kinda alien, kinda fantasy-esque, almost like alligator skin... In the end, I decided on scaled. You can call it whatever you like, but the fact is that this nail art is super easy and pretty chic! Read on to check out the video tutorial.

I used three Ella & Mila shades.

Ella & Mila Honeymoon Bliss
Ella & Mila Ibiza Breeze
Ella & Mila In Line For Wine

In Line For Wine is actually a satin-matte polish! It's luxe either way, but in this instance, I've covered it with topcoat and stripped it of its leather finish.

To achieve this nail art for yourself, all you need is a small nail art brush. Just dip the brush in your polish of choice and dab it onto the nail in rows. Don't worry about being too precise, I like the spots where the dabs were larger or smaller than average.

And of course, as promised, here is the short video of this nail art in action!

A video posted by Chalkboard Nails (Sarah) (@chalkboardnails) on Apr 15, 2015 at 2:47pm PDT

Read More

TUTORIAL: Easy Sideswipe Nail Art with Negative Space

Who's up for a super quick and easy nail art tutorial? This look is a variation on the distressed nail art tutorial that you may have seen around these parts before. I changed the direction, added a bit of negative space, and made it matte. Easy, easy, easy. Perfect for the gal on the go. Hit the jump to check out the tutorial and see this technique in action.




For this look, I used:
Color Club - Je Ne Sais Quoi
Essie - Too Taboo
Julie G - Cabana Boy
Glisten and Glow - HK Girl Topcoat
Essie - Matte About You Topcoat
Kolinsky 777 French/round brush
Pure acetone

If you don't have a round brush, give it a go with whatever clean up brush you have handy! Of course, if you'd rather, you can always go for the classic hole-punch-reinforcement-as-half-moon-stencil method, too.

Mix things up by grabbing different color combinations, skipping the matte topcoat, or using a nail vinyl as your negative space stencil. The possibilities! Share your versions with me on Instagram by tagging @chalkboardnails and hashtagging #hellochalkboardnails.

Read More

TUTORIAL: Easy Splattered Floral Nail Art, Inspired by Nail'd It!

Tonight is the season finale of Oxygen's Nail'd It!, and I, for one, couldn't be more excited to see who takes home the $100,000 prize. THE SUSPENSE!

As a part of their final challenge, the competitors are asked to create nail art inspired by their signature look and artistic point of view. Today, I've got a tutorial for you that includes a taste of my artistic point of view! It includes lots of my favorite design elements, so let's take a look and go on a learning journey together.

P.S. In case you missed my television debut on the show three weeks ago, I'm making my triumphant return on tonight's episode to share a quick, 30 second glitter gradient tutorial!

For this tutorial, I incorporated a long list of my favorite things. First of all, I knew I wanted it to be matte. I am obsessed with matte nail art so it was a must for my design. Second, I wanted it to include bright colors and negative space. Third, I wanted it to be easy.

Wait, what? "Easy" is part of my artistic point of view? Well, kind of! While I love tackling intricate nail art and difficult patterns, I also love showing people that nail art isn't as scary as it can seem sometimes. It doesn't take mountains of time or an arsenal of expensive tools to pull off a really interesting, chic effect.


Supplies used:
Small nail art brush
Washi tape
LVX Cashmere
Julie G Old San Juan
Julie G Rio de Janeiro
Julie G Tahiti
Julie G Black Sheep
Glisten and Glow HK Girl
Essie Matte About You

Though I've used a nail art brush in my demo, this look could definitely be accomplished with a toothpick instead. Hop to it!

Tune in to the Nail'd It finale TONIGHT at 9/8c, only on Oxygen. Follow the show on their Facebook page, and join the conversation by following Oxygen on Instagram and using the hashtags #NailedIt and #ShowMetheMani. Don't forget, I'm briefly on tonight's episode!

Disclosure: This post has is sponsored by reps from Oxygen and Nail'd It!. Press samples provided by their respective representatives. All opinions are my own.

Read More

TUTORIAL: Give In to the Darkness, Inspired by Nail'd It!

Have you been keeping up with Oxygen's Nail'd It!, the nail art competition show? I've been watching it every week! I love how it starts off with a client-based challenge, and then moves into the high concept sculptural work. In this week's episode, three previous competitors are back for their second shot at the finale. Their challenge is to create nail art inspired by their nightmares.

Here's an insider tip: if you tune in to tonight's episode, you'll get to see yours truly! I'm sharing a quick tutorial for stenciled star nails during one of the commercial breaks. Eee!


Nail polishes used:
Cirque Colors Memento Mori
Sally Hansen Big Shiny top coat

My nightmare-inspired look represents my childhood fear of the dark. I've toughened up a bit since then, but can definitely still psych myself out at times when I'm all alone in a dark room. This design represents the darkness as an entity, creeping up on me. Be sure to watch the tutorial above to see how you can achieve this look for yourself!

Tune in tonight to Nail'd It at 9/8c, only on Oxygen. Keep up with the show on their Facebook page, and join the conversation by following Oxygen on Instagram and using the hashtags #NailedIt and #ShowMetheMani. Don't forget, I'm briefly on tonight's episode!

Disclosure: This post has is sponsored by reps from Oxygen and Nail'd It!. Press sample provided by Cirque Colors. All opinions are my own.

Read More

TUTORIAL: Midnight Smoke Nail Art Inspired by The Sorcerer Heir

I'm happy to be a participant in the World of Weir Blog Tour today, leading up to the release of Cinda Williams Chima's new book, The Sorcerer Heir. Not only do I get to do some inspired nail art, but you guys get a new video tutorial! This magical, eerie smoke effect is really much easier than you might guess.


The Sorcerers are masters of material - they can create magical talismans, potions, poisons, weapons, and more. They are also known for their healing ability, and have strong ties to the color green. In my tutorial, I've combined what I know about the guild with some inspiration from the book cover, which shows a potion with mysterious smoke swirling around it. Who knows, you might even feel like a Sorcerer yourself with these nails!

For this look, you'll need black nail polish, light green nail polish, topcoat, 100% acetone, and a nail art brush or two.

1. Begin by painting your nails with two coats of black polish.
2. Apply a generous coat of topcoat to protect the black polish before we move on to the next steps. Let dry.
3. Using your green polish, paint loose, wavy stripes across your nails, roughly where you want your smoke to end up.
4. Using a nail art brush to lightly dab 100% acetone over your green polish. Don't dab too much or too hard, otherwise the acetone may begin to eat through your black base.
5. Repeat on all of your nails. I like to make it look like the smoke is most concentrated on my pointer and trails off as it moves towards my pinky.
6. Clean up your cuticles if necessary using an angled brush and nail polish remover.
7. Finish with topcoat.

Surprisingly easy, right? Now if only I could create magical potions with just as much effort...

ABOUT “THE WORLD OF WEIR” BLOG TOUR
Those with magical powers in The Heir Chronicles series by Cinda Williams Chima are known as the Weir. The World of Weir blog tour leads up to the release of the can’t-miss series finale, The Sorcerer Heir (in-stores October 21st) by celebrating the magical fantasy world and the five types of magical guilds. Follow along for playlists, nail art, and more inspired by the series, plus exclusive excerpts from the upcoming finale.

WEEK 1: THE WARRIORS September 14 – September 20
WEEK 2: THE WIZARDS September 21 – September 27
WEEK 3: THE SEERS September 28 – October 4
WEEK 4: THE ENCHANTERS October 5 – October 11
WEEK 5: THE SORCERERS October 12 – October 18

For more information, visit Cinda Williams Chima’s Official Site, follow her on Twitter, and check out Disney-Hyperion on Twitter and Instagram. Hashtag #TheSorcererHeir to join the conversation.

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by representatives from Cinda Williams Chima's "The Heir Chronicles" series.

Read More

TUTORIAL: Electric Summer Triangles

This month's Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art theme is "Electric Summer"! Its inspired by contrasting shades and looks that will pop against tanned skin. While I don't have the "tan" part down, I can still bust out a mean summer mani that will look great on anyone's hand. Read on for the details and a tutorial for how to achieve this look for yourself.

I used three Sally Hansen faves for this nail art:
Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Coral Reef
Sally Hansen Insta Dri - In Prompt Blue
Sally Hansen Insta Dri - Lightening

You will also need some sort of tape to make the triangles. I'm using washi tape but scotch, striping, or painter's tape would also work just fine.

1. Paint your nails with 2-3 coats of Coral Reef. Let dry completely before moving on to the next step (I like to use a quick dry topcoat to cut down on waiting time). 
2. Apply two pieces of washi tape to your nail to create a triangle near your cuticle. Press down to ensure a good seal with your nail.
3. Paint over the exposed area with In Prompt Blue. 
4. Working quickly, use a small nail art brush to paint thin stripes of Lightening going in all different directions.
5. Carefully remove the washi tape and finish with topcoat.

I paired this summery look with a neon and gold chain bracelet from BaubleBar. While I don't think this one is still up for sale, you can browse their extensive selection of neon and chain bracelets here.

Enter the Sally Hansen #IHeartNailArt contest at sallyhansen.com for a chance to win $500 and a trip to NYC to compete in the grand finale. The grand prize winner will become a Sally Hansen nail art ambassador and receive $2000! No Purchase Necessary. See Official Rules for full details.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sally Hansen. Products provided by PR.

Read More

TUTORIAL: Molten Metal Drip Nail Art

This month's Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art theme is "Liquid Mani-a," inspired by all things textured, metallic, shiny, and embellished! I've been in love with the new Color Foil metallic line (um, hello) and just had to use one of the shades in my newest tutorial. The finish of the polish combined with the drips had me thinking molten metal!

This drip tutorial can be used with any combination of polishes and finishes, but I do think it looks particularly glamorous with the purple metallic.

I used two Sally Hansen shades here:
Sally Hansen Insta Dri - Petal Pusher
Sally Hansen ColorFoil - Purple Alloy

You will also need a dotting tool and nail art brush; I grabbed mine from the I Heart Nail Art Tool Kit.


There are so many possibilities when it comes to drip nail art. Experiment with colors and finishes to make the look your own!

I've also paired this metallic nail art look with the appropriately named "Nailing It" gold cuff bracelet from BaubleBar.

Enter the Sally Hansen #IHeartNailArt contest at sallyhansen.com for a chance to win $500 and a trip to NYC to compete in the grand finale. The grand prize winner will become a Sally Hansen nail art ambassador and receive $2000! No Purchase Necessary. See Official Rules for full details.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Sally Hansen. Products provided by PR.

Read More

Gift presents for kids: Pipecleaner Dinosaur Finger Puppets

Does anyone else have a bag or two of dollar store pipecleaners on hand just in case? I love pipecleaners. They're so versatile, cheap, and they come in tons of colors. They're great for open-ended kid activities because they allow kids to be creative.

This free-standing dino wasn't very stable

My three year-old son is just starting to discover dinosaurs (his favorite: the T-Rex. How do boys learn this stuff? Is it just part of their DNA?), so we decided to make dinosaur toys out of pipecleaners, inspired by aFamily Fun magazine activity. The Family Fun version is a brontosaurus (brachiosaurus?)-type dino with legs, and a long neck and tail. When we tried to make a dinosaur using their instructions, it wasn't very stable, so I thought I would reinterpret the activity into my favorite type of toy: a finger puppet! [check my blog over at Make & Takes today for the companion red T-Rex instructions]

This is a great make-anytime activity that you can do with minimal preparation. Pull this one out next time your kid says she's bored, or on a rainy day.

Project Estimate:

• Pipecleaners, $1 or on hand
• Googly eyes, on hand
• Pen, on hand
• Glue, optional

Total cost: Free and up

Time Needed: 15 minutes

Ages: 3 and up. Your 3 year-old will need help, but will probably really enjoy the end result! She'll like to coil pipecleaners around a pen, so be sure to let her do it along with you as you make one. Also, pipecleaners are easy to bend, so these toys won't last for long with younger kids, but it's still a fun activity.

To Make:

• Connect three pipecleaners end-to-end, and wrap around your finger to create the body.

• Connect two pipecleaners end-to-end, and wrap half around a pen or pencil, overlapping the pipecleaner onto itself to create the head, and then coil the rest around to form the neck.

• Attach neck to body, by bending pipecleaner, or using glue if desired.

• Coil one pipecleaner around pen or pencil to form tail, leaving about an inch straight for attaching to body.

• For arms, bend one pipecleaner into a V-shape, and coil each half around pen. Attach to body.
• If desired, create legs in a similar way and attach to body (we didn't make legs).
• Attach googly eyes with glue. I used "quick dry" craft glue, and honestly, it didn't work that well with the pipecleaner fuzz. You might be better off with hot glue (although, this is a job for you, not your kids. I know you already know that.)
• 

 Source: dollarstorecrafts.com

Read More