...except today it IS! It's day nine of the Digit-al Dozen's celebration series, The Digit-al Dozen, Does it All Again! Today is ALL about the BLING! Last time we did bling week I was so uninspired. Don't get me wrong, I do like sparkly pretty things but I just get so overwhelmed at the amount of bling-y things I have and then I have no idea what to do with them. This time was a bit of a happy accident. I had intended to use this mani during Fashion Week but then put it aside to squeeze in another one and...well...its QUITE bling-y! This is based on a Christian Siriano design which I LOVE but wish were a bit shorter!!

Isn't it gorgeous?  I hope you like the design! Please don't forget to enter the September Specatcular for your chance to win a $200 gift card! There is still a few days left to enter and win! And check out what my fellow Digit-al Dozener's came up with by clicking the link below!!

Colors Used:

OPI Skull & Glossbones

Milani Gold Gems

Orly Luxe

Zoya Raven

Well this week on Project Runway was certainly...interesting!  I was actually really glad they did this challenge because I think it brought some fun to the work room and it got the contestants out of their comfort zones! The challenge was to create a piece for Heidi's children's line at Baby's 'R Us. The kids were SOOOO cute! But if it weren't bad enough that the designers were working with pint sized models, (thank God Ven was out, no? Can you just see him flipping out about REAL bodies?! The horror!) they also had to take care of 'babies' Heidi left them in the workroom.  This sparked off some of the funniest comments of all season.  Dmitry and Elena were especially disgusted to have to care for their babies while designing.  Elena even nicknamed her baby, A$*hole.  Too funny.  Fabio seemed oddly attached to his plastic child  and Melissa became completely overwhelmed.  I was shocked that this season it seems none of the remaining designers have kids! How did that happen?  Anyway I chose to base my design on this wicked cute little piece Dmitry made.  This kid looks like he just fell out of a video game and while I think it is a bit too modern for some parents personally, I'm in love with it. It's so graphic and fun!  Here are the nails!

I used butterLONDON Pillarbox Red for the base and then used a Models Own Nail Art Pen to outline and add the truck detail.  Sonjia won this week for her boys outfit which was warranted.  It was much more accessible to the average mom.  Christopher also won with his girls outfit which was SO cute even though the mother of his model seemed embarrassed by it.  Elena went home this week and I really felt like it was unwarranted. Melissa should have gone home for sure since her whole outfit was basically a throwaway.  But I digress. Did your favorite win this week?

Don't forget to check out what Emma and Jewli came up with this week!!

This week's episode of Project Runway asked the designers to design a costume for the Radio City Rockettes.  I liked the idea of this challenge but I thought most of the designers kind of missed the mark.  The above design was the winner and it came from Christopher.  I liked that he was inspired by the city and I love the top of this but I think the bottom is a throwaway and let's face it, it's doing nothing for her figure.  I did my nails this week based on Christopher's design BUT I have to say I feel like Dmitry was absolutely robbed this week.  If you take away the New York skyline in this design you have what amounts to a boring, unflattering, lifeless dress.  These are the Rockettes for Pete's sake!! This is just so muted and lifeless. :/  I think he won based more on the love of New York than anything and that irritates me but that's neither here nor there I suppose.

 I felt this costumer by Dmitry was amazing. It hugged all his models curves and moved even when she was standing still.  The lines and color of it were far more interesting and it just looked amazeballs. Although...you can kind of see her nipples! :o

Anyway I didn't use Dmitry's design for my nails so I digress...

I used Juelp Malin for the base on these so that it would just have a nice pearly sheen but still be fairly neutral.  Then I used butterLONDON Diamond Geezer to create the buildings and accentuated them with Barry M Silver Foil.  Last I added some sequins to the remaining two nails.  I do really love the way these turned out.  I'm trying to experiment with texture more because I think it's fun and unexpected but it's also difficult for me because I work with my hands and it just seems to come off so easily!  

Bonus Instagram pic!

 

Ven went home this week and it was definitely warranted.  His outfit was a hot mess. I think I'm also kind of still jaded on his attitude from the Fix My Friend episode and I haven't been wowed by anything he's done since the Candy Couture challenge.  Whose outfit did you like best?

Don't forget to check out what Emma and Jewli came up with for today's challenge!!

So this week's Project Runway episode is the classic "Make Your Own Pattern" challenge.  I actually really like this challenge in general and I LOVED it for this season because freaking no one works with prints!! It's so annoying! It's like every week is a funeral on this darn show because everything is so monochromatic.  This week that didn't change much despite the pattern making.  Most of the patterns were black and white.  I LOVED Sonjia's pattern although it reminded me a little bit of elephants.  I also really loved this one which was Melissa's.  It was definitely outside her box and in a very good way. I think one of the things I love most about this dress is that it has a really great silhouette and it would be amazing in a simple black or solid color as well as the pattern. I also think it looks very easy to dress down for the office by throwing a sweater on top, or to dress up at night.  Perfection.  Of course, it didn't win.  Dmytri won and while I thought his jacket was innovative and fun I didn't think that it really went with the pattern challenge that well.  I mean, yes his pattern was cool and his jacket showcased that.  HOWEVER, he essentially made a simple shirt with the pattern and then went right back to doing what he always does with solid black. ARGH!  At any rate...here are the nails:

I used Wet and Wild White On for the base and then stamped on a pattern with butterLONDON Pillarbox Red.  I tried to randomize the pattern a bit but unfortunately I didn't do it in the right order and so it just looks like my pinky and index are going rogue!   Still I liked the effect.  I wish the stamp hadn't dragged in places too.  I was experimenting with different top coats! Back to Seche I go!!  Gunnar went home this episode and I was sad to see him go but let's be honest, his outfit was a throwaway. :(  Sad times.  Did you watch this week? Which was your favorite design?

Don't forget to check out what Emma and Jewli came up with this week!!

I used a combination of China Glaze Foie Gras and Lime Crime Milky Ways for the base which is meant to emulate the two tone skirt.  Then I used China Glaze Emerald Fitzgerald for the french to capture the jacket on top.  They kind of remind me of football season.  The brown ball and the green grassy field? No?   Alicia went home this week and I felt like while it wasn't warranted this challenge per say, it was about time she went home at any rate.  Did you like the winning look this week best? Do you think Alicia should have stayed?

Don't forget to check out what Emma and Jewli came up with this week!!

This weeks episode of Project Runway asked designers to create a design to complete a collection for Lord & Taylor.  They were meant to be making a cocktail dress and I think some of them used that term way too liberally.  I really LOVED Gunnar's dress and I was so sad that he ended up in the bottom.  When it looked like he was definitely going to be out this week...I actually gasped.  I mean, you'd have thought I was watching a Red Sox game! "FOR THAT?!" I screamed at the TV.  I was heartbroken. His design was GOOD. Yes, it was expected and yes he could have turned it up a notch but come on!  Alicia's dress was a HOT. MESS. In a twist of fate though, no one was out this week.  Thankfully!  I wasn't super impressed with the winner of this week either though.  I mean, they accuse Gunnar of creating an already 'done' look but Christopher wins when we've seen him do the same thing over and over and over with the shredding? Really?  I also felt that while his dress was pretty, the proportions were a little off.  I mean, a floor length cocktail gown? Meh.  I chose to base my nails this week on Dmytri's dress which I think was sadly unappreciated.  He should have made it EASILY into the top and I would have worn this dress for sure! The gown was made of a pretty steely grey material which shimmered so to create a similar effect I used butterLONDON Gobsmacked to make a glittery base. Then I added a thin coat of Nails Inc. Trafalgar Square and used the magnet to pull it away from the shimmery base.  It was much prettier in person but the sunshine has been hiding lately so this was the best picture I could get:

How did you feel about this weeks episode? Did your favorite design win? Will you be purchasing Christopher's dress from Lord and Taylor?

Well it's time for another episode of Project Runway. This week's episode was called "Fix My Friend" and the premise was that real women chose a friend who needed a make-over and each designer was in charge of making that happen.  I wasn't really into most of the clothes for this challenge although I LOVED this one. I'd totally wear it and I'm so glad it won.  I was a little surprised that Fabio pulled this out because I'm generally non-plussed with his work.  BUT the highlight of this week's episode was Ven's bad attitude.  The woman who he was paired with was *GASP* not a size zero.  Rather than taking this as a challenge, like MOST normal people who understand that in the real world, everyone isn't the size of a swizzle stick, Ven chose to take it as an opportunity to make his client feel like crap.  He actually told her that he didn't have a belt for her because they didn't have any big enough for her. Really?! Then he tried to say, well it's not his fault because he doesn't normally work with "real" women.  I was so happy when Heidi called him out on his bullcrap on the runway and I feel that, if for no other reason than he clearly has no tact and is not interested in working with REAL clients, he should have gone home.  Instead it was Nathan who got the boot this round.  I feel like Nathan's time was coming anyway, but I just think having a crappy attitude and making your client freaking CRY is unacceptable. Period.  It makes everything he makes to me ugly.  And to top it off, Ven isn't exactly going to be a supermodel anytime soon either. :(  Anyway...here's my design based on Fabio's FABULOUS winning design:

I used Wet and Wild White On, Zoya Carey and Models Own Moody Grey to create the lines of his simple but stunning dress!  Thanks for following! Do you think the right designer went home this week?

Don't forget to check out Jewli and Emma's designs for this week!!

It's time for another Project Runway design!! This week was a group challenge and from the moment the challenge was announced there was tension among designers.  I realized again this week why I really HATE Elena.  She tried to control every aspect of EVERYTHING and was a real hindrance to her team.  I felt like Nathan's design was one of the worst and yet, his team chose to throw Gunnar under the bus for his dress rather than stating the obvious; Nathan's pants were a HOT mess.  Also, this is the first time I've even noticed Nathan and really, that's not a good thing!!  I hated the whole silk charmeuse idea and I thought the pattern was kind of lame.  While Raul's top was kind of a mess I disagreed that it was office inappropriate.  I'd have been much more comfortable in the office all day in a ruffled top with a nice pencil skirt than a pair of ridiculous dress/pants which make my crotch look like it's hiding a BIG secret and a silky resort wear top.  Although I did see the point that an older woman might be more comfortable in Nathan's ensemble than a younger one.  I chose to do my design based on the winning gown by Melissa. 

I watched this episode two days before I did the art and for some reason I was thinking the blue was much brighter so you can see that the color is all wrong.  BUT I still like the way they turned out.  The back of the dress had a zipper running up it in a kind of wavy pattern which I could not find a picture of for the life of me.  While I loved this dress I also felt that it wasn't really work appropriate.  It's just a bit too much for most offices!  I hope you're all enjoying the series!

Don't forget to check out Emma and Jewli's blogs to see what they came up with this week!

It's time for another Project Runway design!!  I don't know what it is about this season but I'm just really uninspired by it.  This week was a real downer.  Andrea left in the night which I think was just SO shady.  Not that I don't think Raul should have gone home but if she knew she wanted to leave then why throw a royal fit on the runway to try to save herself when Chris pointed out that she was ambivalent at the last runway?  And then on top of Andrea leaving like a coward, Kooan decided to bounce too. :(  I knew Kooan wasn't going to be the winner of this season, his aesthetic is really not very mainstream, but I enjoyed what his personality added to the workroom.  Sadder still is that Buffi went home.  Now, I knew again that Buffi was not destined to be the winner of this season.  But I didn't think in the scheme of things her look was THAT bad.  And aside from that she was so bubbly and upbeat.  Now everyone there has the personality of a wet rag.  ARGHHH!!  So this runway was a challenge for me.  Everything was black and white or grey.  I'm sorry but as a woman who does work and who does have a social life there is not one thing that walked that runway that I'd be comfortable working in all day and then going out at night in. Sonjia's winning dress looked like her model had a saggy third boob.  And don't even get me started on Elena's look.  Her model looked MASSIVE.  No thank you.  I instead chose to base my design this week on the pattern that Fabio used for his dress.  

The look wasn't awful although the proportions were off and it was seriously commercial....but at least the pattern gave you something to look at!  Did any of you watch this episode?  What was your favorite and least favorite look?

Don't forget to check Jewli and Emma's blogs to see what they came up with for this week's challenge!

Well this week's Project Runway challenge was certainly interesting.  It didn't really give me any new favorites: I still love Buffi and Christopher, but it did put new perspective on some other contestants.  What the heck was going on with Elena?! And Andrea with her whole "I'd feel relieved to go home" spiel...then goes on to tell Christopher he's being 'demeaning' when he points out that she doesn't care to be there on the runway. Grrr...I hate it when people play games like that.  At the end of the day, I felt like Buffi and Elena REALLY worked it out.  Their dress was one of my favorites and I was really stressing how it would come out.  I hated Dmitry and Melissa's look yet the web was buzzing with people who felt it was short changed.  It looked like a weird chiffon sweatshirt over a nice dress.  Just. Odd.  I was also in love with Kenley's dress even though, let's face it; I hate Kenley.  I do love her style! I did think Irina's dress was lovely on her even though I was reminded that she's a total beyotch.  I was feeling kind of smug when her dress got into the top after she said she was embarrassed to walk in it and bad mouthed the sewing skills of the designers. And even though Gunnar is a total Christian Siriano wannabe...I was hoping he'd win.  So that brings us to the design I chose to do for my nails.  I was rather unimpressed by most of what went down the runway this week.  Things were too simple for my taste or too cliche.  But I was surprised by Nathan and Sonjia's dress for Valerie. I felt like it was too much for Valerie's frame and it made her look too old and heavy BUT I think a statuesque young actress could ROCK this thing.  I could see someone like Miley Cyrus just bringing this thing to life. I love the glitter and the gold and the tiny hints of shimmery chiffon in the sleeves.  Fabulous.  So I chose to do my nail design based on their design.  It wasn't the winner. It wasn't the loser. But in my  book...it was the one with the most pizzazz!  Which look was your favorite for this week? Did this episode change your opinion of who will win?

Colors used: Deborah Lippmann Believe, Tokidoki Savanna, NYX Gold Glitter

I don't know about you, but I'm just a little obsessed with Project Runway.  I've been watching since the very first season and I've just always really enjoyed it.  Fashion goes hand in hand with nail art many times and just like the beauty and nail industry, fashion is always changing.  It's something that we can all relate to: having our very own personal style.  I love that you can play with fashion and make it your own and the idea that you can give sixteen people the very same task and no two will do it alike.  My favorite's were Jeffery and Christian (of COURSE Christian) and without much failure I've predicted nearly every winner from the get go.  This year I haven't really got any favorites yet although Buffi really makes me laugh and Kooan...well...there is Kooan.  So this year I decided to do something I've wanted to do for awhile now and challenge myself to play along with the contestants with my very own 'nailway'!  I got a little behind due to some seriously crazy personal things going on BUT I'm back on track and ready for action!  Above you'll find my episode one nails.  I chose to replicate Kooan's design for the first episode who's challenge was to make a companion piece for a garment they had brought from home and show them in Time's Square.  Obviously...this look did not win!  But it didn't' lose either!  I love the Japanese/Harajuku look and I think this is really fun and interesting.  I'd never wear it as is but the idea of the mixed patterns and textures is really cool.  I did a matte leopard background with some sponging and then a grey panel with blue dots to represent the jumper Kooan paired with his leopard top.  Below you'll find my nails from episode two.  Episode two was the unconventional materials challenge and they  had to make a look out of candy.  I REALLY loved Sonjia's look for this challenge! But I chose to do a look based on the winner's dress instead because I loved the subtlety of it and also it reminded me a little of one of my favorite Disney films, Beauty and The Beast! :P

You can check out full sized photo's of my artwork for the challenges on my Facebook page and don't forget to check out my fellow Runway Fashionista's Emma and Jewli!!  I hope you enjoy the art! What was your favorite look from this week's challenge?