DIY - Holiday Nail Art

I wish I had time to do more nail art because I love it! I'm not much of an artist, and freehand isn't my thing, but I've had fun playing around with glitter and other small details. With the holidays around the corner, I really wanted to do something cute. I thought about a Christmas tree with colorful ornaments. That so didn't work! But some other things did. Here is a little photo tutorial for you. I wish I could have taken photos of actually painting the nails, but I didn't have Joel (or a third hand) so you get before and after and a few tips...no pun intended!

Here is what you will need. A ton of nail polishes to play around with, a few paint brushes, polish remover, and a steady hand.

Because I want the art to be the focus, I opted to paint that nail a very neutral color. Essie's Ballet Slippers is the perfect color! Also great for a classic mani. (I only painted the nails I was going to experiment with.)

I started with a Santa hat. I used OPI Red. It's pretty much the perfect Christmas red, don't you think? I used a thin paint brush to make a triangle and then filled it in using the same brush. 

Below is the brush I used. It's pretty thin.

I used Revlon's Night and Degas for the ball and fur on the hat. I used the actual brush that came with the polish. You don't need to load the brush full of polish. Just use a small amount and build up the volume you want.

Next up, I decided a little snowman would be fun for later in the winter. Using the same Revlon white polish, I made three circles one larger than the other. Like an actual snowman! I used Essie's Butler Please for the scarf and I used the same thin brush as before. Just brush on the polish to resemble a scarf. Next time, I won't use the black to make eyes. I don't think they are needed. Now, this where the polish remover comes into play. I poured a small amount into the cap to clean the brush between paintings. 

 Lastly, I made a little holly. I used Essie's Mojito Madness and OPI Red. I thought it turned out pretty well, but I will definitely add a little more red to make it a little darker and a little more defined. I used the thin paint brush for both the leaves and the berries.

After all was said and done, I went with the Santa hat. It looked the most natural and perfect for the season at hand...again no pun intended! I can't wait to experiment more with nail art. I'm not sure I could ever move beyond my left ring finger. I can barely paint my right hand, let alone try to doll it up! Maybe something to try and accomplish in 2014.

 

What do you think? Are you into the nail art trend? If so, would you attempt this at home or pay the pros? To be honest, I don't know a salon in town that does this so if you do, pass it along! I would love to know who you trust.

Happy Holidays!