Cat Nails!

 Those of you with pets/cats will understand this post completely.

Those of you without will think I'm well on my way to becoming the craziest cat lady.

And you might be right.

There's no way of writing this without sounding a bit mental so I'm just gunna tell you outright.

I painted my cats on my nails.

I saw something similar on Pinterest and pinned it to my Nail Inspiration Board then went about stalking my cats to get good enough photographs of them to work from.

Anyway, here they are.

This is Tiff. She is our eldest at approximately 3/4 years old. She is also Ruby's Mummy.

We are not sure how old she is exactly because we rescued her when some nasty old neighbors moved out and left her, also she is a small cat so her age is just a guess on what the vet has been able to tell us. She is gorgeous and very much a Daddy's girl. She will tolerate sitting on my lap if MrGT is unavailable but she will turn her back to me and not enjoy it one bit!

This is Suzie who will be two on Halloween. We got her as a kitten when someone we know discovered her male cats were in fact not male. And both pregnant. We only agreed to have one kitten as some company for Tiff but ended up taking Suzie and her sister who we named Roxie home with us. They were inseparable and MrGT couldn't bare to part them. He denies this now, but I remember clearly him saying to me 'But look, they go everywhere together, we can't take just one'. Unfortunately Roxie was run over about a year and a half a go the morning we went on holiday. We had just moved and hadn't let the cats out yet as Tiff was an indoor cat (by her own choosing) and the kittens weren't quite old enough yet. But they all managed to get out through the kitchen window one night. Tiff and Suzie stayed in the garden but Roxie went for a wander. We were devastated, she was my baby :-(. 

This is Ruby the baby. She has just turned one. The night the cats escaped and Roxie was run down, Tiff was 'caught' by a boy cat. About 9 weeks later she went into labour, gave birth to one tiny stillborn kitten then the labour stopped. We were very worried about her and called the vet (late at night) who told us we could be in for an all nighter but if she hadn't shown any more signs of labour by morning to bring her in. I barely slept that night, spent most of the time with my hand on her belly trying to feel the other kittens moving, which they were! As soon as we could the next morning we called the vet who told us to bring her in, she was examined and they heard a kitten heartbeat so decided to do a kitty C section on her. We waited hours to hear anything then finally they called to say she had 3 kittens, Tiffy was fine but two of the kittens were very tiny and weak and things weren't looking good for them. they called extra staff in to keep rubbing them and feeding them as Tiffy had no milk come in for them and by the evening we were allowed to take them home! We had to feed the kittens by hand every two hours until Tiffy was able to feed them herself which was only a few days. Ruby was the smallest kitten who they thought we would lose, but now she is a Mummy's girl and a fidget bum in bed!

Ruby having a 3am feed the day she was born. They are MrGT's hairy arms not mine!

So there you go, my cats, on my nails.

Any other crazy cat ladies out there? Or crazy pet owners in general?

I'm a sucker for any animal really!

Colours used are - 

Barry M Berry Ice Cream.

Models Own Nail Art Pen in Black.

Barry M Matt White, Mushroom, Yellow, Peach Melba and Mint Green.

♥ A ♥

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 14 - Flowers

I find that when I'm in a nail art slump Pinterest always gets me back in the mood for painting my nails.

The other day whilst having a nosey around on there I came across THIS which I fell in love with and decided to use it as my inspiration for todays nails.

I started with two coats of Barry M Matt White then I used the water colour technique with Barry M Strawberry Ice Cream, Blueberry Ice Cream, Lemon Ice Cream, Mint Green and Berry Ice Cream. Then I used the same colours plus Peach Melba and Grey but not watered down to add details.

To finish off I used Models Own Disco Heaven glitter.

 Unfortunately I can't tell you much about who originally did this design as the site it's from HERE is in Japanese and the Google translate still doesn't make much sense of it. There are quite a few beautiful designs on there though!

♥ A ♥

Bank Holiday Nail Polish Purchases

It feels like I haven't blogged in ages!

Mr GT took sometime off over the bank holiday so he could have a nice long weekend off before the kids start back at school next week, so I haven't been doing much with my nails but I have been shopping!

I've never done a 'haul' type post before. Mostly because I really dislike the word haul but also because I usually tend to buy nail polish in dribs and drabs so I never really have a 'haul' worthy amount to show you, but this was not only Bank Holiday weekend, it was also payday weekend, so I spoilt myself.

Firstly I ordered three of the new China Glaze Bohemian collection earlier in the week then Mr GT ordered the other three for me.

It's not often I can say I love an entire collection but I really do love every one of these. So beautiful! I don't plan to do any swatches of them as there are hundreds already out there but if anyone particularly wants me to swatch them too I will.

I am however thinking up some nail art ideas for them!

I also bought Hang Ten Toes from the neon collection, I thought I didn't need it as well as Love's A Beach but I was wrong. I did.

The last few times I have bought China Glaze polishes I have bought from HERE and they have always arrived super fast and really well packaged.

Whilst on Amazon I also bought a few other bits and bobs including these new nail art brushes.

They are Sable and really soft. They were £6.44 including P&P from HERE.

They also have a website HERE but it is for some reason slightly more expensive to order this set straight from them at £6.94 inc P&P. There do sell a lot of other nail polish and nail art supplies at fairly good prices as well as make up too so it might be worth a look!

My local Superdrug had Barry M Nail Paints for 2 for £5 (not inc effects) so I picked up Coral, Cobalt Blue, Yellow and Block Orange.

They also had the Magnetic polishes for 2 for £8 so I bought Cosmic Glow, Super Nova, Dark Silver, Venus Sunset, Neptune Sea, and Moon Dust. Again I don't plan to swatch but if you would like me to I'd be more than happy to oblige!

I also got the new Burgundy Croc Efftects which wasn't offer, I had just lost all self control by then.

I'd also just like to say that the Barry M's were bought over the space of a few days not all in one go and I used my Superdrug Beauty Card Points on them. Mr GT reminded me at the till on our third trip that we did actually need to eat this month. Spoil sport.

Finally my most exciting purchase.

Let me introduce you to Hetty!

Oh yes. I named her.

Sorry if this bored you silly! I do like to see the odd haul post on other blogs every now and then but like I said I usually buy here and there so these will probably be far and few between on Glitter Tips!

I do have some nail art posts lined up for you as my nail block has finally lifted, and I have also finally got all the bits for my 100 follower giveaway! Hurrah! 

Keep your peepers peeled for that.

♥ A ♥

Best of British - Weekly Roundup - 26/08/12

The weather in the UK may have improved a little but not enough for Vic to justify running off to Cornwall to catch the surf. Instead she's made do with her Surfin' USA mani.

It's been KBShimmer Week this week at The Crumpet 5 polishes, but which was her favourite ?

Laura has been trying out stamping for the first time this week and was particularly fond of her classyblack and silver floral design.

PrettyKittyClaws has been making the most of the sunshine by copying The Crumpet with a Red Holo Dotticure. feautring Ozotics 518

Helly at the Nail Newbie got her holo on with a purple holo gradient featuring OPI DS Original!

Charlotte at Charlottes-nails has been catching up with the lazy days of summer challenge with a ruffle accent nail.

Alexis at Glitter Tips managed to overcome a nasty case of nail art block with a Black and Gold NOTD inspired by her jewellery collection.

Claire at nuthin' but a nail thing managed to get hold of some OPI Black Spotted and gave it a go over some bright NEONS.

Seeing as the British weather has been seasonably rainy, there has been a lack of barbaques this year. Unless it is in the form of nail art from Enigmatic Rambles.

Lou entered the Golden Jungle over at Painted Nails & Baking Scales finding some new polish species to describe

This week at Northern Nails there are Turtles in a Guest Post , Also Jo has started a new series of posts called Mashups!

Emma's been busy swatching the newBarry M Burgundy Croc Effects over different colours on Imagination In Colour!

It's texture time in the BFF Challenge and Kerrie from PishPosh and Polish made great use of Heart-Shaped beads but was it a success?

Ruth had some fun with pastel colours and created some colourful zebra nails using her new stampers!

Steph is showing off. Peacock feathers in the (rare) sunshine.

It's been a special week for Allie and in celebration she's been wearing some Sea Green Glitter Birthday Nails.

Dimpal is absolutely loving these fish egg nails Fish Egg Nails she also did Nicole's Me+Blue Mani

Sarah Louise reviews LeaLaC's Stamping Plate XL - A See the post for swatches and a manicure using her first Bettina Nail Polish.

Sam at Polished Art kicked off the 31 Day Challenge with a red leopard print mani.

Kerry starts the first off Nail Inc Sprinkle swatches with Sweets Way.

Black & Gold NOTD

I've been suffering a bit of nail art block this week.

I have tried a few different designs that I've had in my head for a while but they didn't turn out how I wanted and a complete lack of inspiration meant I was having trouble trying to think up anything new.

So I did what inspired me on Day 15 of the Makeup Savvy Nail Challenge.

I opened my jewellery draw!

I've already mentioned that I love anything with skulls on it, but I'm also liking studs, spikes and accessories with a black and gold colour combination at the moment and that's what inspired these nails.

I used Barry M Black, Gold Foil, Gold Glitter and Milani Jewel FX Gold.

Do you suffer with nail block too? If so what do you do to get your inspiration back?

P.S. Today is the last day to vote on the Makeup Savvy Challenge so if you haven't voted yet please vote for your favourite nails HERE! And a huge thank you to anyone who has voted for my Tangled nails, I honestly appreciate it so much.

♥ A ♥

GOSH Galaxy - Swatches & Review

GOSH Galaxy is an interesting polish.

When I first saw it in the shop I thought it looked a bit 'meh'. I only picked it up because the lid had little stars printed on it and it caught my eye.

On closer inspection I realised this could actually be a really pretty Autumn colour so it came with me to the till. I got it home, put it away and promptly forgot about it until today when I was trying to think of something to do with my nails. 

I started applying it and... wow.

I just wasn't expecting that much pretty.

Describing the base colour is a bit tricky as it changes depending on the light. Sometimes it's a bronze, sometimes it's charcoal, sometimes it's a olivey green so I just don't know! I'm not even going to attempt it.

The shimmery reflects are something else and are what really make this polish special. They give subtle flashes of blue, green, gold, purple and pink making this polish appear to be ever changing and very unique. It's just so beautiful.

The application was great, I applied two coats for the above photos and although it didn't really need it I did apply a topcoat too.

You can pick this pretty up for £4.99 at Superdrug.

Well worth every penny.

♥ A ♥

P.S. The voting has been changed for the Makeup Savvy Challenge due to some cheekiness! If you have voted then you will need to vote again HERE. Please go vote for your favourite! And if your favourite is me (the Tangled nails) then thank you so very much, I really do appreciate it!

31 Day Nail Challenge - Day 13 - Animal Print

I'd just like to say first of all a huge thank you to anyone who has voted for my nails so far in the Makeup Savvy Challenge!

My Tangled nails were picked as one of Fee's three favorites and I am absolutely thrilled! Although they are not my favorites from the challenge they were the ones which were the most challenging for me took the longest, a good three hours was spent on them! So for anyone else to see the effort it took is a huge compliment!

Now the challenge is over I can get back to the 31 Day Nail Challenge I was plodding my way through.

I am now on Day 13 which is Animal Print.

I have done these nails before but as I wasn't blogging back then I only have a crappy phone pic of them, so I decided to recreate them for today's challenge.

I used 2 coats of Barry M Matt White as a base then Barry M Pure Turquoise and Shocking Pink for the gradient. For the middle of the leopard spots I used China Glaze Beach Cruise-R and Spilsh Splash then Barry M Black for the outside and Zebra Stripes. Then I added a bit of Models Own Juicy Jules through the stripes for a bit of sparkle.

♥ A ♥ 

Glitter Framed Nails

One of my favourite nail blogs to read is The Nailasaurus.

I just love how everything she does on her nails is always so neat, precise and clean looking!

Something that I have seen a lot over on The Nailasaurus recently is Hex Glitter or 'Glequins' as she has aptly named them.

When doing my nails for the metallic day of the 15 Day Nail Challenge, the glitter in Milani Jewel FX Gold reminded me of glequins and today when pondering what to do on my nails I came across it again and knew exactly what I wanted to do.

I loved them exactly how they were, but I had lots of ideas floating around my head and it wasn't enough.

So I took it a bit further.

I'm hooked.

The polishes I used were Boots 17 Lasting Fix in Royal Indigo and Milani Jewel FX Gold applied painstakingly slowly with an orange stick.

They remind me of little sheilds, what do you think?

♥ A ♥

Makeup Savvy 15 Day Nail Challenge - Day 15 - Anything

Today is the last day of the Makeup Savvy 15 Day Nail Challenge!

Anyone else look at the challenge for today and have their minds go entirely blank?

I had no idea what to do for today until I was looking for some jewellery to wear this morning and realised I have a lot of pieces that have skulls on. I do have a bit of a thing for skulls, and this gave me an idea.

I LOVE IT.

I decided to mix in a few other things I love too such as roses, pink, glitter and gradients.

The colours I used are - Barry M Matt White, Black, Shocking Pink, Strawberry Ice Cream, Spring Green and Models Own Magenta Divine glitter.

I have enjoyed this challenge so much! 

It's got me out of my nail art rut and made me use my imagination. 

It's also pushed me to try things I would never have thought I could pull off successfully before now. 

I've looked forward every day to seeing what everyone else has come up with and discovered some great new blogs to read through it!

Thank you Fee for hosting!

♥ A ♥ 

Makeup Savvy 15 Day Nail Challenge - Day 14 - Dots

Today's challenge is dots.

I've had some appointments to go to today so I just wanted something that was quick, simple and bright!

I'm still in love with my China Glaze Neons.

Today I used two coats of Barry M Matt White and China Glaze Loves A Beach, Orange You Hot?, Sun-Kissed, I'm With The Lifeguard, Splish Splash and Beach Cruise-R.

Just looking at them makes me want to go jump in a ball pool!

Tomorrow is the last day of the challenge and the theme is anything!

♥ A ♥