Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Inspired by a Flag: Barry M Buzz

I'm on the 28th day of The Challenge. This challenge was the toughest one yet. I took me a long time to get inspired by something. I was Googling all sorts of different flags (I even looked up Hello Kitty flags TWICE). Eventually I remembered flags I had seen while on vacation on Fire Island last summer. The community of Ocean Beach has these super cute Elvgren-inspired flags all over. I guess technically they are banners, but let's not go there, okay?


How cute, right? I love the use of color in them. Sure, they've got the red, white, and blue which is pretty typical for a lot of pin-up inspired stuff (especially in the nautical realm), but I really love that they added in the mauve color. I would have never thought that would work with the theme, but it gives it a uniqueness that I appreciate. So, I decided to do a mauve mani!




I used Buzz by Barry M, sent to me in my very first swap with Nicole at Top to Toe. It's not an exact match, I know, but I either had colors that were too pink or too brown, but not the right amount of each. Also, it's not nearly as pink in real life as my photos would lead you to believe; my camera just couldn't pick up the color accurately.

The application was fine. I used two coats, and had no issues with it being too thick or too thin. It did smell horrible though. I'm talking Kleancolor bad. It dried quickly to a nice shiny finish. However, it did not get along well with my Poshe topcoat. I made these photos about an hour after applying the polish, and I was already getting shrinkage. Doesn't bother me in real life, but it's a real eyesore in up close photos of my nails, and for that I apologize.

I think, for most people, this color would probably be a bore. It seems like one of those colors you'd find in your grandmother's cabinet, and would avoid. But I actually quite like it. It's got an old fashioned appeal, like something from the days when nail polish only came in shades of red. Plus I think it works well with my skin tone.

With that, I am off to work on some crafty holiday gifts, and grad school stuff. Yippee.

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