THING:
There are only four absurd reasons for wearing sunglasses at night (I mean when it’s dark and you are indoors): 1) You are famous and need to remind everyone of this  2) You wish you were famous and need to remind everyone of this  3) You are hiding the visible side effects of illegal substance consumption OR 4) You have a pretty awesome pair of shades you don’t want to take off.   My new Super Duper Strength sunglasses by Karen Walker ALMOST makes reason number 4 justifiable, almost.  Round.  Big.  Tortoise.  Perfect for the summer.  FOUND at The Future of Frances Watson in Parkdale, Toronto.

NAILS:
My inspiration for this design was a deconstructed pie chart. I’m not going to lie, patience is mandatory for this one, took some time.
1.  FIRST, two coats of AVON SWEET MINT
2.  THEN, free hand pie chart design with BLACK NAIL ART PEN (create a circle outline first, and then fill in each section with colours).  I used NAYLENE 60, YELLOW NAIL ART PEN, AVON BLUE ESCAPE and NAYLENE E4
3.  FINALLY, finish with SECHE VITE DRY FAST top coat

THING:
Prom.  It was a pretty big deal.  My memories include impractical heels/ hurting feet, endless flirting, bland banquet hall food, several dress trials and the BEST hotel after-party in town.  We may or may not have been kicked out of the hotel due to noise complaints (that will remain undisclosed).  If I could have a do-over, I’d rock these nails and they’d probably be the first thing crossed off my checklist.  My take on prom nails for flare.com’s Prom Nail Art Ideas.  Check out my exclusive HERE.

NAILS:
I’ve been experimenting with different types of fabric for nail blotting effects.  This is done with a swatch of denim.
1.  FIRST, one coat of OPI ALPINE SNOW MATTE (dries quicker, good for layering)
2.  THEN, use a swatch of denim to blot on SALLY HANSEN NIGHT FLIGHT.  Create pink dots with ESSIE LIGHTS and triangles with a BLACK NAIL ART PEN
3.  FINALLY, finish with SECHE VITE DRY FAST top coat

THING:
The Burger’s Priest makes the best burgers in Toronto.  Period.  I’m prepared to battle it out with anyone that disagrees.  So I thought it would only be fitting to hold one of these for my submission to nailburgeler. This beauty is called “The Priest”.  What is it?  A delicious cheeseburger made on a griddle, topped with “the option” which is a deep fried portabello mushroom patty injected with gooey cheese. FOUND at The Burgers Priest in Toronto.

NAILS:
This psychedelic design is made up entirely of my fingerprints.  Remember finger painting in grade school?  Well it’s still fun when you’re all grown up.  I created this pattern by dipping my fingertips in polish and stamping my own fingerprints onto my nails.  I’m really happy with the transparent effect.  Messy but fun! To avoid creating a muddy brown, designate a new finger for each colour you dip into.

1.  FIRST, one coat of OPI DID YOU ‘EAR ABOUT VAN GOGH
2.  THEN, create the psychedelic pattern by finger painting with a few contrasting colours (dip your fingerprint into a small puddle of colour and stamp it onto your nails– kind of like an ink pad) .  I used NAYLENE H9 (bright pink), SEPHORA BLUE,  REVLON WINDFALL (green), and a small dab of NAYLENE 61(orange)
3.  FINALLY, finish with SECHE VITE DRY FAST top coat

I’m super excited to announce my guest post for Canadian Living‘s style section!
To learn how to recreate this manicure step-by-step, with images click HERE.

SPRING FLORAL MANICURE INSPIRED BY MARY KATRANTZOU:
This spring is all about colour and pattern play (from pastels to brights). And no one does it better than incredibly talented designer Mary Katrantzou.  She has a keen eye for mixing bold graphics with equally bold colours. Plus, with her capsule collection for Topshop finally available in Canada this week, one of her creations could be hanging in your closet at a fraction of the usual cost (if there is anything left).  Get the look here.

THING:
These are the heels you put on when you need super powers.  They are also proof that Camilla Skovgaard makes killer shoes.  FOUND at Carte Blanche on Queen West in Toronto (recently closed).  Sad to see Carte Blanche go, but with a dedicated focus on her Pink Cobra collection, owner Tania Martins will surely take it to the next level.  Can’t wait!

NAILS:
1.  FIRST, one coat of COLORAMA VERDE AGUA (from Brazil)
2.  THEN, maze pattern outline in BLACK NAIL ART PEN
3.  AFTER OUTLINING, fill in a few spaces with a contrasting colour such as KIKO #343 SPRING GREEN, layer over this with a lighter neon shade such as CHINA GLAZE CELTIC SUN to give it a two-tone effect
3.  FINALLY, finish with SECHE VITE DRY FAST top coat

THING:
This wooden easel is actually meant to hold spools of thread.  For those that sew, that would be great, but I saw it, and immediately thought: RING HOLDER!  Perfect for the larger rings that fit awkwardly into jewellery boxes.  Inception holding: me holding a ring holder, holding my rings.  Sound confusing?  It’s not, it actually makes staying organized much easier. FOUND at Fabricland in Toronto.

NAILS:
1.  FIRST, two coats of RISQUE NIASI POP 4 YOU in matte finish (from Brazil, thanks Nata!)
2.  THEN, free hand black squares in SALLY HANSEN NIGHT FLIGHT (to keep the contrast of matte and glossy, do not use a top coat)

THING:
Fingerless gloves always make me happy.  Among other things, they’re good for flipping the bird to terrible drivers while simultaneously flaunting your mani (it may happen rarely, but bonus!).   FOUND at Klovrat 79, Lisbon based designer Lidija Kolovrat’s quirky boutique in Principe Real in Lisbon, Portugal.  She also makes stunning architectural statement necklaces.

NAILS:
1.  FIRST, two coats of OPI TICKLE MY FRANCE-Y
2.  THEN, create a hollow effect by free-handing oval outlines in COLOR MADNIC NAIL ART pens, alternating WHITE and BLACK
3.  FINALLY, finish with SECHE VITE FAST DRY TOP COAT

THING:

NAILS:
1.  FIRST, one coat of KIKO #343 SPRING GREEN (love this brand, picked it up in Portugal, the pigment is great!)
2.  THEN, free hand V pattern in COLOR CLUB DISCO DRESS followed by stripes in OPI WHITE OUT, SALLY HANSEN CHARTREUSE CHASE and BLACK STRIPER pen
3.  FINALLY, finish with SECHE VITE DRY FAST top coat

THING:
What was your fave childhood cereal?  If MJ’s King of Pops actually existed, this would be mine.  Not for the taste, but for the amazing vintage cereal box design. My good friend Michael De Pippo was eating a bowl of Cap’n Crunch cereal while Michael Jackson’s Thriller came on– this inspired him to design and illustrate four cereal boxes based on MJ’s signature looks and music.  My grayscale nails match MJ’s sunglasses!  MJ’s Frosted Mini Thrills, also a must see.  Oh, did I mention that Mikey’s retro muppet concert posters have already gone viral, been picked up by Disney and sold out?  FOUND in Mikey’s ridiculously creative brain.

NAILS:
1.  FIRST, two coats of OPI BLACK ONYX
2.  THEN, free hand grayscale pattern with three colours.  Start with a wide brush and dark colour, and work to the top with a thinner brush stroke and lighter colour: OPI SUZI SKIS IN THE PYRENEES SUEDE, REVLON HAZY, SALLY HANSEN WHITE TIPS
3.  FINALLY, finish with SECHE VITE DRY FAST top coat

THING:

NAILS:
1.  FIRST, alternate nails with OPI DS RADIANCE and REVLON GOLD RUSH
2.  THEN, free hand variegated black stripe with CINA BLACK NAIL ART PEN
3.  FINALLY, finish with SECHE VITE DRY FAST TOP COAT