Punk Rock Nails- Fall 2013

Punk is in! Spurred by the Met Gala back in spring of this year, this fall all things punk are totally in style. From studs, leather and spikes to tartan fabrics and more, get ready to sport some rebellious attire this autumn! My most favorite look from the Gala was Cara Delevingne, head to toe in Louis Vuitton. Ahhh-mazing. Since we all know fashion is moving at least a half-year ahead of us, just now the style is becoming mainstream. And of course, a part of every outfit is definitely your manicure!

I went with a very simplified punk theme; mixing patterns and dark colors and topping it off with some nail "studs". Simplified plaid, along with a dip-dye nail and houndstooth pattern make for cool elements contrasted by the simpler middle and pinkie fingers.

This is actually a very simple manicure, but it does require a nail stamping plate for the houndstooth nail (index finger). If you don't have one feel free to hand-paint or do a plaid nail, like on the ring finger!

Let's get started.

Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are nail pearls, a Konad (or BundleMonster) nail stamp and scraper, the BundleMonster BM19 plate, and varying colors of nail polish: gunmetal (I used Sally Hansen), red (I used OPI I'm not a Waitress), white, and deep purple (I used OPI Lincoln Park after Dark) and then a red nail art polish (with the long skinny brush). 

Step 2: Paint your nails (two coats): thumb= gunmetal, index= white, middle= red, ring=gunmetal, and pinkie= deep purple. On your index finger, use your Bundle Monster plate #19, the houndstooth-like pattern. Add one coat of your deep purple over it and stamp on your finger, over the white. For more information on this technique, look at my Zebra Neon Nails tutorial!

Step 3: It should look like this! Now, on your ring finger, use your long-tipped brush to make a plaid pattern; two vertical stripes of red, one stripe of white in the middle. Paint over with another red stripe.

Step 4: On your middle finger, add a nail pearl (black) on the bottom; adhere with a bit of clear nail polish and press down. Add a red pearl at the bottom of your pinkie. On your thumb, create a tie-dye effect with red, white and more gunmetal. For more info on how to do this, look at Step 3 of my Neon Zebra Nails tutorial. Paint everything with a top coat (except your index finger, it will smear the pattern if you do!) and let dry completely.

This is just simple enough, and not too punk-y (for those who are not huge fans of the look!). If you would like to use different colors, if you are not a punk fan at all, feel free to; this in a pastel theme could turn from punk-y to sweet, or all rainbow brights would really make a statement! Feel free to do it your own way! That is what punk is really all about!

Photos (except first) copyright Allison Beth Cooling. Please do not use/post without linking back and crediting me! 

Color Pop Bobby Pins

Fall fashion is in full swing! One of my favorite shows was the Ralph Lauren show at NY fashion week. It started off with an achromatic black and white scheme in simple silhouettes. Then, at the end, it was a huge surprise when a bright green sheath dress walked down the runway, followed by a rainbow of other colors! Totally unexpected, I knew this would be a great inspiration for a tutorial.

My Color Pop Bobby Pins are made from....can you guess....??? Legos! Flat legos work extremely well at creating a cool, minimalistic accessory but with a pop of rainbow, sparkly color! Just like the RL show!  

These are a really cool accessory that people will keep asking about; they would never guess that Legos are used as the base!

The little notches on the Legos are great places for gems to sit, and remind me of models in their dresses strutting down the catwalk! Also, all you really need to know how to do for this tutorial is glue; no hard work here!

Let's get started!

Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are bobby pins, white nail polish, flat legos (about 1.75" long), flatback gems (5 or 4mm), and E-6000 glue. 

Step 2: Use the white nail polish to paint the edges of the lego, all the way around. Make sure to not get any on the top of the lego, just the edges!

Step 3: Get out your flat backs; the order that I used is green, yellow, orange, red, blue, then green again. It's the same order as the actual runway show!

Use a dab of your E-6000 glue and put a dab on top of each lego notch. Add on your gems in the correct order! 

Let all the glue dry.

Step 4: Glue on your bobby pin to the back. I used E-6000 glue because it's a better hold than hot glue. If you want to use hot glue, which is easier, that is fine, but keep in mind the glue may pop off the lego if handled roughly. Let the glue dry.

Instructions and photos (excluding runway photos) copyright Allison Beth Cooling. Do not use without permission and do not claim as your own!

Fall Trend Nails: The Gilded Manicure

Fall 2012 is all about excess; from the baroque trend, the layers upon layers of leather and furs (that's not nice!), the obsession with glitz and glam, and with bordeaux being the "Color", I knew this would be the perfect opportunity for a manicure tutorial.

It mixes a base of the deep red with metallic "brushed" texture on top, mimicking the way designers have mixed and layered gold and silver fabrics this season. 

Plus, they are SO easy to do; and you will use an unexpected material; tin foil. It gives the polish that great texture that will shine and layer well. The result looks like a mix of brushed metal and crackle polish. It's super quick to do and it doesn't take any skill at all!

I used silver on top of gold for a mixed metal look, but you can use one or the other if you'd like. Also, change up the base color for different looks. A darker color works better; deep sapphires, rubies, and amethysts would give you a very rich look!

Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are a base coat of polish (use any dark red for this look, change it up for other looks), a gold polish, silver polish, and tin foil.

Paint the nails your base coat, you probably need 2 coats.

Step 2: Rip a piece about 2" of tin foil; crumple up real good, then carefully undo the ball till it's flat again. Put a medium drop of the gold polish, and stamp the tin foil into it, then stamp onto your nails. Make sure you only use a little of the polish at the time to get detail. Stamp all over the nails, but leave a lot of red show through.

Step 3: Let all the gold dry. 

Do the same thing, but now with the silver; take a little at a time, and make sure you don't overly stamp, you want both the gold and the base color to be visible.

Let dry. Clean up any mess on your nails with nail polish remover.

See? I told you it was super quick and easy. It's great if you need to do your nails fast, but still want something creative vs. a plain color. The mix of metal colors give a great shine.

Copyright Quiet Lion Creations. 

Baroque Gem Earrings

The look for fall is opulence; the trends of over-the-top embellishment, gold accents, and baroque-inspired patterns are here to stay. Ornamental frills and lots of gems characterize the look, as well as the chic combo of black and gold. 

The Fashion Police majority even said it's a trend to keep, and I agree. 

You just have to be careful not to go overboard with the look into ornamentation overload. This DIY below adds the perfect touch of this trend to any outfit.

It's all about richness; or, the illusion of it.

Yeah, I don't have the money (or intentions) of buying a totally real Balmain or Cavalli silk dress, but I will make a knock-off pair of earrings.

That's just what I do.

And so can you.

Let's use our crafty scraps and make a totally eye-catching pair of dangles; old felt, plastic gems, some glitter. They look like you spent the big bucks.

How envious will people be when they find out they're handmade?

Let's get started.

Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are felt scraps (black and yellow felt), glue, a paintbrush, fine gold loose glitter, scissors, plastic gems, fish hooks and jump rings, gold acrylic paint and clear lacquer.

Step 2: Cut out a teardrop shape of black felt (you can make it any size you want). Paint the edges with clear lacquer to stop fraying. Repeat for next earring. If there are any flyaway frizzies, cut them off with scissors to trim.

Now, cut a smaller teardrop of the yellow. Repeat for next earring.

Take your gold paint and paint the top of the yellow teardrops. Make sure to blot them with a tissue so that they are not totally soggy (they won't dry very fast if they are). 

Once the gold is dry, paint a coat of clear lacquer, and pour glitter on top. Give it a couple of minutes to dry, then fish out the teardrop and tap off any excess glitter. Repeat with other gold teardrop.

Step 3: Take a glittery teardrop, paint the back with glue, and press onto the center of a black teardrop.

Repeat with other teardrop sets.

Step 4: Embellish. Take your gems and glue them in whatever pattern/motif you want to your earrings.

When the glue has dried, poke a hole right at top of the gold teardrop with a needle; put your jump ring through this hole and affix the fishhook to the jump ring.

Repeat for other earring.

All photos and instructions copyright Allison Cooling for Quiet Lion Creations.

If you share/use/post this tutorial, please link back to me. It is much appreciated!

J'adore Dior! Nail Design

Do you adore Dior? I know I do. 

I came up with a manicure that captured the richness and elegance of Charlize's dress, but that's still easy for any budding nail artist to apply.

I used varying shades of golds and browns, and finished with a buildup of glitter at the top of the nail to mimic the bejeweled look of the dress.

Gone are the neon manicures of summer; fall brings in the the refinement of metallic tones and opulence of texture and sparkle. I don't mind.

This manicure features a deep gold base with added glitter tip- three types of glitter to be exact. 

You can't go wrong here.

Let's begin with the tutorial.

Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are clear nail polish, a taupe (I used Sinful Colors Nirvana), a shimmery beige (I used Sally Hansen #4453), a shimmery gold (I used LA Colors Seashell), a gold glitter (I used Sinful Colors All About You), fine gold loose glitter and chunky gold glitter.

You will also need a paint brush, and nail polish remover for cleanup.

Step 2: Paint one coat of the taupe. Let dry. 

Paint one coat of the shimmery beige. Let dry.

Paint two coats of the shimmery gold. Let dry.

You are building layers of colors which add to the richness of the paint.

Step 3: With the gold glitter nail polish, take a small glob and paint evenly only the top 2/3rds of your nail, leaving the bottom third the plain gold color.

Repeat with each nail. Let dry.

Step 4: Paint a coat of the clear nail polish. Working quickly, take your dry paint brush and dip in the fine loose glitter. Tap the end towards the top half of the nail so some glitter falls onto the nail. 

Now, take a pinch of chunky glitter and sprinkle on tip of nail; it's ok if it falls a little lower like seen in the picture. We are aiming for a glitter dusted tip look.

Repeat with each nail. Make sure to press down the glitter on the nail so it sticks.

When dry, apply top coat over everything. 

A close up of the glitter-dusted look!

All photos and instructions copyright Allison Cooling for Quiet Lion Creations.

If you share/use/post this tutorial, please link back to me. It is much appreciated!