After my orange debacle, I was sure that I was going to crash and burn on today’s challenge. Let me tell you that I am not one of those people who can do awesome freehand nail designs–there is a reason why I love stamping so much! I can admire the amazing skills that other ladies have when it comes to nail art, but I just don’t like it on my own nails because I want crisp lines and geometric patterns. I had to suck it up for this post because Nicole chose Cherry Blossoms as her second prompt for the month of May. You want to know what I kept thinking about? Ken Watanabe.
I kind of love him. Not as much as my childhood crushes, but he’s up there. I really like The Last Samurai even though I strongly dislike Tom Cruise. Rather, I strongly dislike Tom Cruise’s public persona and the whole Scientology thing but to each his own. Anyway, I kept thinking about what to do for this manicure so I took out some polishes to get started.
Here you see Nicole by OPI At Least I Pink So, Nicole by OPI Promises After Dark and OPI Minnie Style (all press samples). I also needed a nail art brush to draw the branches.
To start with, I applied 2 smooth coats of Nicole by OPI At Least I Pink So which is a delicate and creamy baby pink.
I then used Nicole by OPI Promises In The Dark and my nail art brush to draw some tree branches. I feel that they look super sloppy. Grrrr!
Finally I used the glitters in OPI Minnie Style to create the cherry blossoms. This was not very time consuming and I think it gives the whole mani a little bling factor. Maybe it’s a little tacky but I can be a little tacky with my manicures sometimes so who cares?
So what do you think? Be honest! I don’t totally hate it, but I’m not super happy with it either. To be honest, this was my second attempt. The first time, I used a base color that just looked awful so I removed everything and started all over again. I almost gave up completely, but I’m glad that I kept going because this is all about challenging myself. So, thanks Nicole for picking a design that I had never attempted before. Make sure that you check out the other Cherry Blossom manis from the other members of The Lacquer Ring. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I hope you have a great Thursday!
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This is awesome. Using the glitters is a brilliant idea.
Amy recently posted..#TheLacquerRing: Cherry Blossoms
Thanks, Amy! I’m so jealous of the awesome design you came up with!
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
glitter blossoms! i love em
Craftynail recently posted..#TheBeautyBuffs- Coral
Thanks, Jacqui! <3
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
Are you kidding me?! I love how you did this! It’s not tacky at all. 🙂
Jessica recently posted..Celebrate the Occasion Nail Art Challenge: Peace Day
Thank you! 🙂 I’m just never satisfied with anything, apparently. lol
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
Your branches don’t look sloppy at all! I like that you used glitter for the cherry blossoms 🙂
Thank you, Jen! I think maybe I took the easy way out. lol
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
The design is nice and feminine. I love it.
Thank you so much! It is definitely girlie.
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
You are always so hard on yourself! I adore your cherry blossoms – your branches are beautiful and I love that you used glitter for the blossoms. That was so clever!
Bailey recently posted..New Beauty Products – Mascara, Nail Polish, Perfume, Lipgloss and SO MUCH MORE!
Thanks, Bailey. I think it was easier for me to use glitter than to either dot or freehand some flowers.
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
These are great. What a neat idea to use the glitter in the design as the cherry blossoms.
Lisa N. recently posted..Memebox Nakedbox #8 Unboxing
Thank you, Lisa! 🙂
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
What a great idea!! I think these look nice!! That was just so smart to use those glitters for the blossoms. I like it on the link because it’s kinda monochrome but those little shiny bits really make them stand out. Very pretty!
Nicole recently posted..The Lacquer Ring does Cherry Blossom Nails
Thanks, Nicole! 🙂 And thanks for the prompt…even though I was hating on it. lol
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
Very cute! Love that you used glitter for the flowers! 🙂
Nailphotos by Lani recently posted..LIVE ♥ laugh ♥ love – fanbrush stripes & stamping nail art – pastels from Deborah Lippmann’s “Spring Reveries” Collection
Thank you, Lani. 🙂
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
Tom Cruise is one of those actors who I cannot see as the character – he is only Tom Cruise, hamming it up as Tom Cruise.
I started shaking my head as soon as I saw the photo with the branches, like, “Damnit, she’s going to destroy this effortlessly,” and then I see – GLITTER. PLACEMENT. MANICURE. WHAT.
I don’t think it’s tacky. I think it’s a slightly funky take on a more traditional design. I like it!
I agree that I appreciated this prompt for its ability to force me to try something new. I feel like that’s what The Lacquer Ring is all about. 🙂 Well, that and sharing with all of you ladies/seeing what everyone came up with. 🙂
Hahaha! So true about Tom Cruise. I just CAN’T like him. Meh. But, I do like some of his movies like Jerry Maguire and The Last Samurai. I won’t mention Top Gun because I worked with a guy who was seriously obsessed with Top Gun and I just laugh every time I think about it.
And you are so right that this is pushing us out of our comfort zone. I love that we’re doing this together.
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
Ok WHATTT I’m in awe!! I suck ass when it comes to freehanding anything (seriously, I just can’t) but this seems totally plausible! And the best part is that Minnie Style has been lying around untried since I bought it (…the minute it came out, so yeah it was totally worth the hassle……..) because I just couldn’t figure out what to combine it with….and then I saw this! AWW YISSSS I’m totally gonna do this mani someday, and of course credit you for it. If that’s ok with you. 🙂 Did I mention that I love this???? 😀
Emma/WL recently posted..Glitter Gal Holographics pt.2
Awww! Thank you, Emma. That means a lot coming from you. I love your swatches and your nails.
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
Beautiful , dainty and interesting. Love them.
Thanks so much, Nancy! 🙂
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
This is such a neat idea! I would never have thought to use glitter for the little blossoms – so pretty!
Thank you, Mary! I’m glad you like them.
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
Whaaat, tacky? No way, I’m loving it! I am not at all comfortable with dotting tools (ha, ha, ha!) so I might just give this a try because cherry blossoms are awesome and yours look super tidy! 🙂
Yadi recently posted..OPI Reached My Gold!
So it’s not just me? I find a way to mess up dots. It’s like dotting tools freak me out and I end up doing stupid looking dots. That’s how I knew I had to use glitter for the flowers.
Cynthia recently posted..The Lacquer Ring – Cherry Blossoms
My first thoughts when I saw your photo were the opposite of tacky. “breathtakingly elegant” and then, “OMG did she do what I think she did to make those flower petals? Shut the front door!” This is brilliant. and your branches are perfect, because they are so asymmetrical and willowy- a very natural feel. If you tried to make them “perfect” as in perfectly symmetrical, it would take away the effect of a real cherry blossom tree. You are inspiring me to try this. There are cherry blossom trees all over my city- my favorite time is when they bloom.
You are such a sweetheart! You have to try this. I swear to you that it’s super easy and barely takes any time at all. I decided to use the glitter only because I knew I would seriously mess up simple dots.
Totally gorgeous! Love that you used gleequins instead of painting on the blooms.
Vic recently posted..My heart is broken; somebody fix it
your nails were my favourite from this edition of the lacquer ring.
i’m doing a lot of freehand nail art and i’ve notice that i’m getting better at it.. i cant remember the last time i used the stamps.. and it is shame cause i have a lot of stamps lol.
i think that you need practice, nail art is highly addictive.. i freehand nail art more relaxing than just doing my nails.
in the last line it was supposed to say: i FIND freehand nail art…
Thanks, Maria! I also notice that doing freehand designs is more relaxing and it also takes more concentration so it’s more relaxing. I wish I had the time to do more.
maybe you can try to create new nail art while swatching collections..
let’s say you’re swatching the new essie autumn collection, maybe you could create one nail art using as many nail polishes from that collection..
i’ve seen some bloggers that do that and I’ve noticed that it increases the reach, cause many people pin the nail art picutre on pinterest..
I’ve thought about doing that but I would feel lazy not swatching every single polish. I think I’m obsessed with wanting to know how each polish behaves. I guess I’m more of a swatcher at heart. 🙂
I’m impressed, you did excellent! Love your color choices. And top notch photos as well : )
Thank you, Jill! 🙂
i love this, so pretty!!
LittleMonsterx14 recently posted..Look Book: artRAVE
Thank you! 🙂