Before & After: Mardi Gras!!

Hello!!

As you may know, this week is the beginning of Lent, which is informally marked by, you guessed it: MARDI GRAS! While I've never been to an official Mardi Gras celebration in Louisiana or anything, I love it and love to celebrate it. And I've been to New Orleans, where there is a touch of Mardi Gras happening all the time, and it's one of my favorite places on earth. So today I have one of two Mardi Gras manicures I've done this year to show you. :) This one is funny because it actually started out as something else, and evolved into a New Orleans Mardi Gras bonanza!

I started out with a magical polish by Laquerlicious called Indigo Storm. This is one of those polishes that cannot be captured on film properly, it's so gorgeous. It's a deep blurple jelly with all sorts of pretty flecks and glitters in blues and purples and reddish pinks. There is a ton going on, but it doens't overwhelm--it just gives the polish depth and subtle sparkle that make it shine like the night sky:

As I say, this didn't start out as a Mardi Gras manicure...it sort of took on a life of its own as I just kept adding stuff. I stamped some musical instruments, keyboards, and Mardi Gras masks in China Glaze Passion and Kalahari Kiss, using Anna's W217 plate and my Cheeky XL. Then I saran-wrapped over the stamping (that's my new thing, not sure why, lol) with Sally Hansen Freeze! and Pure Ice First Time. Finally, of course, there were glequins to be added!

And there you have it! For me at least, it captures the musical, colorful feel of New Orleans and just plain makes me feel good when I look at it. :)

Thanks for taking a look! Xoxox,
M.