Love is for Everyone

Today’s Valentine Challenge theme from The Lacquered Landlubber is simply “french tips.” I actually did 3 manicures ahead of time and photographed them, so that I can keep my Friday manicure all week, so I knew I needed to do something simple enough that I could do it quickly. With a theme of “french tips,” I wasn’t too worried because those always take less time because they dry more quickly (less polish, I guess).

I had plenty of ideas running through my head: my classic glitter tips, where I do a french tip and do the overlay in a glitter. Or maybe a simple pink tip and a rhinestone border. I love french tip designs so very much! BUT, while talking to my friend Jenn, she suggested I do “rainbow french tips, because love is for everyone.” (“#somethingaboutrussia”). Apparently she was joking but I LOVED the idea. Love IS for everyone and I do love making a topical statement!

I’m sure Jenn was envisioning a skittle rainbow manicure, but NO WAY! This is me we’re talking about! Go big or go home! Ever since my Circus Nails I have been just ACHING to do a french tip vertically striped with all the colors of the rainbow.

It was tricky to decide how I wanted to handle the edge of the rainbow, as I usually put a stripe under tips like this to make them look cleaner, but since this was a rush job and I did not use base coat, I could just clean up that edge with acetone and a brush.

I also knew I wanted black hearts that looked very hand-drawn, so I had to practice these SO many times to get the look I wanted, I LOVE seeing the rainbow through the open hearts. These make me want to do another peek-through type manicure with the whole nail done in rainbow and peeking through a design in black on top.

I don’t regret doing 3 manicures in one night, but this did teach me that I really ought to be doing my nails at my desk, like I used to. My back and neck were not happy with me after 3.5 hours. So now I need to find a cheap desk for my room. Or move the desk in my living room into my bedroom and replace it with a smaller one.

I am kind of regretting not using THESE in one of my nail art competitions I entered, though. Oh well!