It's my first Blogiversary!

Find a full list of polishes used at the end of this post!

That's right! Nails in D Major is a year old today!

I'm so thankful for all the support and encouragement that I've received over the past year. Without that extra push to create a "big girl blog," I likely would not be pushing myself to become a better artist every day.

On to the nails!

I wanted to do something cutesy and special, so I whipped up my favorite: a mix & match mani! Every design was created with a dotting tool. I love love love the little cupcake on my ring finger. I'm quite obsessed with it, so do not be surprised if you see a full cupcake mani soon! Because cupcakes are so simple to create (trust me, they're much easier than you think), there are a ton of tutorials on YouTube, and it shouldn't be hard to find one that works for your type of nail!

I'm not going to lie: the number 1 on my index finger was such a pain to get right. And it still did not turn out as clean as I would have liked it to be. Nevertheless, I am happy that my first foray into lettering was not a complete failure, and I'm so pumped to try again (and get better! ;))

It's been a wonderful year, and I look forward to many more!

Tumblr: nailsindmajor.tumblr.com

Instagram: @donithax

List of polishes:
Base: Wet 'N Wild En Voyage
Sinful Colors Snow Me White
China Glaze It's a Trap-eze
Wet 'N Wild Candylicious
Wet 'N Wild Tickled Pink
KleanColor Red Alert
Essie Devil's Advocate

Yay, super-saturation!

New Job, New Manicure, New Me

L.A. Colors Circuits, Sally Hansen Blue Me Away! and Disco Ball, Sinful Colors Snow Me White

Tomorrow, I begin my summer job, working as a TA (Teaching Assistant) for Upward Bound! We just finished a week of training, and the students arrive tomorrow! I'm so excited to learn, grow, and challenge myself in a new way! That being said, I feel like this summer is going to be a busy one, so I needed my nails to match! I am exhausted, so I fell on a go-to: a mix and match!

I fell in love with the glitter (Disco Ball, which I inexplicably overlook all the time) over a solid black polish, and just went for it with the designs. Nothing earth-shattering here, but I'm so thrilled with the combo of polishes, along with the matte finish. I would use it more often, but it takes forever to dry, and it always smears (#struggles)!

That's it from me! I'll try my best to keep up with weekly posts, but with the way my schedule is looking, painting my nails may have to be put on the back burner :(

A New World, A New Manicure

China Glaze Snap My Dragon and Sephora Conceited with Color Club striper in Fine Gold and Sinful Colors Snow Me White

 This weekend, I'll be in Bowdoin's production of Songs for a New World! I'm beyond excited; there is a wonderful cast, and we've been working really hard! Also, I get to play Mrs. Claus. Since the dress for the show is only a black top with blue jeans, I need to spruce up other aspects of my look. I decided to roll with the Claus/Christmas theme, and do a little something on my nails.

At this point, I am willing to admit that I am addicted to mix & match manicures. They're always my go-to, and it gives me a chance to try new things. Like the design on my thumb! I've never tried it, and I love it so much, I did it on all of my right fingernails. And I think my nails will channel Christmas, but not look wholly festive.

Here's to hoping we break a leg!

in indirect sunlight

Springtime Mix & Match!

Revlon Empower, Love & Beauty Sky Blue, Sally Hansen Lightening with Sally Hansen Disco Ball Sinful Colors Snow Me White

Here in Maine, we've been experiencing a streak of days with temperatures above 50º F, so it feels (kind of) like spring! To celebrate, I wanted to do something bright and fun on my fingernails! I didn't do anything new, but a nice mix & match always does the trick for me. My only rule was that I needed to use colors that I haven't tried before. I'm so in love with the Sky Blue; it's light and cutesy, but it is opaque in two coats, which is wonderful!

I really like the color combination, and the subtle coat of glitter. The effect'll be awesome once I get some sun on these bad boys!

ASB Nails!

Nicole by OPI's A Phil's Paradise with Revlon Empower and Essie Devil's Advocate
For the first week of my spring break this year, I took a trip with 11 other Bowdoin students to New York City to participate in an Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip. We volunteered as teaching assistants in an elementary school in the Bronx, and did a week long service project in Harlem. I had such an amazing time, and I made so many new friends. It's hard to put into words just how blessed I feel to have gone to NYC.
I did the nails above on the first night, thinking I'd do something fun and simple (and quick) to reflect my optimism and excitement for the week. I had just bought Empower and Devil's Advocate the day before in a Rite Aid sale, and I really wanted to use them. So I just went for it with my dotting tool, and it ended up as leopard print. Not even mad, though. I got many compliments from my second graders and other kids at the school, so it worked out. :)  

China Glaze I Herd That with Sinful Colors Snow Me White

 I did these gold nails for my friend Tori on our last night in NYC, after a long day of volunteering and sightseeing. Since St. Patrick's Day was right around the corner, she wanted something eye-catching and sparkly. I forgot my green polish, but I Herd That seemed to do the trick. Add in a mix and match (my fave), and we were good to go!

VagMons-Inspired Mix and Match

KleanColor Red Alert with China Glaze Tinsel Town and L.A. Colors  Color Craze in Black

Because I am performing in The Vagina Monologues this weekend, I needed to have a red and black mani to match the occasion. I decided to add some silver for a little "pop," and boy, am I glad I did! I am so in love with this mani! It's so busy, as I sort of went crazy with my dotting tools, but that's just what I need: Something to boost my confidence for this weekend! :)

Have another picture because I can't get enough:

Designs of Nails Past

I decided to showcase a few of my earlier designs (from last summer/semester) because I still like them a lot, even if the photo quality isn't that great. They also provide a good reference point to which I can compare all my future designs, especially since the fanciest tool used here was a dotting tool. You can find them here for about two dollars, which is an amazing deal!

Green Mix and Match

Sinful Colors Exotic Green, Sally Hansen Disco Ball with white striper polish

I let my brother choose the color, glitter, and everything for this design! I never paint my nails totally green, but I really liked this mani!