Hello and welcome!  I decided to officially welcome spring this year with some colorful floral stamps.

At the start of spring, I was really craving using the bright pastel colors that are so totally cliche.  But even if they are expected and kind of plain, pastels only catch my attention once a year, so I had to take advantage.  So I decided to do a full spring themed design.  I was thinking something along the lines of what @bruisedupdollie did when the Uber Chic Welcome Spring stamping plate was originally released.

What I Used:

• Base Coat:  Glisten & Glow – Base Coat
• 1st Color:  Glisten & Glow –  Jukebox & Jitterbug
• 2nd Color:  Glisten & Glow – Your Mountain is Waiting
• 3rd Color:  Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear – Sun Kissed
• 4th Color:  Maniology – Lilac Clouds
• 5th Color:  Twinkled T – Vibin’
• Top Coat:  Essie – Speed Setter Top Coat
• Maniology Mini Lotus mat
• Uber Chic Welcome Spring stamping plate
• silicone stamper & scraper
• lint roller sheet
• Twinkled T clean up brush, size #2
• acetone nail polish remover

I started with base coat, like usual, and then two coats of Glisten & Glow – Jukebox & Jitterbug.  I’ve used this polish as a base color before (which I try to never do, so I can wear all of my polishes), but it’s just a perfect bright spring green that I couldn’t resist.

Then I mixed pink, orange, and lilac on the floral stamping image.  I originally included yellow on my first try, but hated it.  So for all of my other nails, I stuck to the three colors.  I also covered up the first one with the yellow, but you can’t tell.  Sadly, I forgot to add liquid latex around all of my nails, so clean up was more annoying than I hoped.

The next step was to add some more flowers to the background of my ring finger, one in each color.  And then add the phrase “hello spring” on top.  And with some careful top coat application, I was done!

Stamping on all but my ring finger

Flowers & “Hello Spring” stamped on ring finger

It’s definitely a fun, light design, perfectly made for spring (in my humble opinion).  And as far as stamping designs go, it was pretty easy.  If I had remembered to add liquid latex then it would’ve been quick too.  But you live and you learn.  Next time will have liquid latex, and no yellow on top of green.

Final look – left hand

Final look – right hand

Hope everyone enjoyed the start of the spring season!

Update:

I went a little crazy with the picking this week.  I kept it contained to just one nail, but that might have made it worse.  My poor ring finger was pretty destroyed, and I had to file it down to keep from making it worse.  Sometimes I feel like I’m never going to stop picking at my nails.  I’ll do really well for a few weeks, but then one day comes along when I just can’t help it.  So disappointing…

A small chip on my thumb

I picked at my ring finger… a lot