Keeping Up With Karen…

You know that scene from Alice In Wonderland when the March Hare scurries past Alice exclaiming “I’m late, I’M LATE!”? Well, that pretty much sums up how my week has been… scurrying around exclaiming I’m late – though when I say ‘scurrying’ I actually mean hobbling *rolls eyes* There’s been so much to do and so little time. Between preparing for our trip to Wales as well as Em’s 1st Transfer Test… there hasn’t been a free moment to catch my breath this week.

Thankfully the first of the 3 transfer tests went without a glitch. It seems such a horrid process for any little primary 7 student to go through as the workload has been utterly gruelling. Seeing her and countless other primary school children flood through the gates of the local grammar school on Saturday morning was heart wrenching. So many anxious little faces and equally anxious parents. There hasn’t been any of this process I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed. Worse still, after her last test in December there’s the waiting game for the results in January, followed by more waiting (well into 2017) to find out what secondary school each child has been accepted into. Such a dragged out process for everyone.

At last we have our trip to Wales to look forward to this week – a break from exams and all the other pressures will do us all the world of good I’m sure. As I’m away, there’ll be a small Blog & YouTube vacation as I very much doubt I’ll get the time or energy with the wedding schedule and family catch ups arranged. However, I do promise I’ve a few super exciting posts lined up over the weeks after I return so I’ll certainly be making up for it!

As for this week’s shenanigans, if you’re in the mood for a glance over what’s been happening on Confetti & Curves lately then why not take a peek at the snippets below. As always, you’re more than welcome to leave a link to any blog posts you’d like me to check out too!

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1000 YouTube Subscribers… THANK YOU

Tuesday’s post paid tribute to reaching yet another awe-inspiring milestone = 1000 YouTube followers!! I still can’t quite believe my little channel has snowballed this far… a huge thank you to everyone who’s clicked the subscribe button! You’ve made me one very happy YouTuber ❤

If you’ve a channel you’d like me to check out be sure to stop by and leave a comment – I always love meeting new YouTubers!

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How To Promote Your Nail & Beauty Business On A Budget

Did I mention I’m obsessed with marketing? Actually, it’s one of the business topics I’ve always thrived in! On Wednesday’s chatter, I discussed a few useful hints and tips on how to get the clientele for beauty business rolling in, particularly if you’re on a budget. Definitely worth a watch if you’re self-employed or freelancing in the beauty industry!

Don’t forget, you can *Click Here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you never miss an upload – and there’ll certainly be more to come on freelancing!

As always, thank y’all so much for the support, comments, re-tweets, shares, likes & just darn right loveliness. You lot really are an awesome bunch. Do feel free to pop a favourite link from your blog in the comments below for the rest of us to check out, otherwise do stop by & say a quick hello!

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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How To Promote Your Nail & Beauty Business On A Budget…

Be prepared, be very prepared… as today’s chatter is one heck of a verbal marathon gals! How I managed to whittle on for that length of time without stopping for water (or air seemingly) is beyond me, HOWEVER, it may be a really useful chatter for many budding beauty enthusiasts out there, as well as being one that’s close to my heart…

So many of us, every day, make the brave decision to go self-employed. It’s an exciting aspect, but it’s also one that fills many of us with dreaded thoughts such as… What if I don’t get enough customers? What if I don’t make enough money? What if it fails? Usually, a lot of these fears are united around one aspect – advertising to ensure enough people know your business exists. But how do you do that when you’ve already emptied your pockets on making ends meet, stock & paying general bills etc. It’s tough, really tough.

Over this past year, I’ve spent quite a lot of time on Facebook interacting with others in both nail tech and beauty groups. For many that either dream of freelancing, are in the process of setting up or are struggling to fill their appointment book it can be a stressful and frustrating process. But what if you don’t have to spend the earth letting people know you exist? Cue today’s upload of useful promotional tips…

Okay, so I may not have a masters degree in marketing or business studies, but what I do have has certainly been worth its weight in gold for me – hands on experience. Heck, I’ve made mistakes, BIG mistakes – but each time it was part of a learning curve. Get your fingers burnt once and chances are you’re not going to be stupid enough to repeat the process. However, it does make celebrating the successes even more meaningful!

So in a nutshell, if you have a dream to be your own boss and fear is holding you back, stop and evaluate exactly why. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve your goals, and furthermore never give up on them. For those that are embarking on their journey in the beauty industry, in whatever role that may be, I really hope you find this video useful in helping to inspire you to promote your business without having to spend a fortune – which may make reaching your goal seem that little bit more achievable. Who knows 😉

Once again guys, a huge THANK YOU for helping me reach my YouTube goal of reaching 1000 subscribers! Wow, I still can’t quite believe it! And if you haven’t done so already, why not *CLICK HERE* to pop by and subscribe too – you’d certainly make my day!

Have you ever wanted to set up your own business and become your own boss? Do you have fears that hold you back? Is self-employment a goal you’re aiming for in the near future? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to hear from you in the comments below so do stop by for a quick chatter 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Keeping Up With Karen…

Howdy Beauty Buddies…

What a fabulous weekend it’s been. Friday night was a loooong overdue evening out to Belfast for a yummy meal with my little sis, which I must admit was deeelish – followed by a few cheeky cocktails thereafter 😉 I know, I’m a sucker for a strawberry daiquiri, needless to say my IBS didn’t show the same enthusiasm *sigh*  However, on Saturday afternoon Emma attended her bridesmaid fitting for her sister’s big day! I can’t quite believe my beautiful little step-daughter is getting married. Hayles and I first met when she was just a teeny bit older than Emma – it’s been such a journey over the years and I know I’m going to be a mass of tears and hankies on the day. Yes, waterproof mascara is top of my makeup essentials gals! Needless to say, I can’t wait to make the trip over to Wales for it, it’s been soooo long since I’ve seen the Welshies. There’ll certainly be lots of hugs and catching up to do!

Talking of catching up, if you aren’t up to speed with this week’s shenanigans, then why not grab yourself a cuppa and check out some of the fun features I’ve linked below. Hope you’ve all had a fabulous week, don’t forget you’re welcome to link any of your own blog posts you’d like me to stop by and check out too 🙂

Okay, I’m off to dig out the suitcases and make a packing list, what’s your plans for today?

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Competition Closed

Monday’s post was a quick reminder to get your entry in pronto as it was the last day of the Kat Von D competition! Competition is now CLOSED – all entries will now be placed into a hat and one lucky winner will be drawn from random… could it be you?!

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Chrome Nail Tip (with a sparkly dash of Holo) 

Following one of the key nails trends at the moment, Chrome, I thought I’d attempt a funky chrome tip with holographic fade. Clients are certainly loving this look right now – perfect for upcoming festive designs don’t you think?

Don’t forget, *Click Here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you never miss an upload!

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The Beauty Collective… What do YOU wanna know?

Following on from the success of Behind The Blog, The Beauty Collective is an exciting new series that gets up close and personal with beauty bloggers of all levels – novice, amateur & professional! Regardless how long you’ve been blogging you’re welcome to get on board. Why not submit a burning question that you’d love to ask other bloggers about their beauty & blogging habits too?

As always, thank y’all so much for the support, comments, re-tweets, shares, likes & just darn right loveliness. You lot really are an awesome bunch. Do feel free to pop a favourite link from your blog in the comments below for the rest of us to check out, otherwise do stop by & say a quick hello!

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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The Beauty Collective…. What Do YOU Wanna Know?

Fancy taking part in something exciting? Course ya do!

Wanna interact with others? Meet new blog buddies? Find out what makes your fellow bloggers tick? Then why not roll up your creative sleeves and take part in an exciting new mini-series The Beauty Collective!

Okay, bit of a back story for those of you who’s ears are perked and eyes are peeled… As you can see (up along the menu bar on Confetti & Curves) there’s an intriguing little tab entitled ‘Behind The Blog‘ – this was a series of fun weekly interviews that a whooooole host of fabulous bloggers took part in over a two-year period. The point of it? To allow the rest of us nosey bloggers to learn a little more about you & your fabulous corner of the interweb.

Of course after taking a break from Behind The Blog I’ve been inundated with emails from new bloggers asking if it’ll be making a return. However, fear not my little computer companions as it’s high time we started afresh  – and YOU have control in choosing the questions.

SO, in a digital nutshell, I’m inviting you lovely lot to submit a burning question you’ve been itching to ask other bloggers… this can be anything like:

‘How obsessed are you with your stats?’

‘Are you a self-confessed blog-stalker?’

‘What made you start blogging?’

‘Where do you see your blog in 5 years time?’

‘What ticks you off the most about blogging?’ 

‘How do you organise your blog schedule?’

(…and lots of other blog & beauty related questions)

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A list of chosen questions will be compiled into a questionnaire and used as a great way to get to know fellow beauty bloggers. Sounds simple? Thought so 😉

For those eagerly waiting to take part, feel free to submit a question and if YOU would like to be a featured blogger on The Beauty Collective leave your details in the comments below & I’ll be in touch with more info very shortly.

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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How To: Chrome Powder Nail Tip (with a dash of sparkly holo)…

If you’re a nail tech, or even if you’re just obsessed with nails, you’ll probably be only too familiar with the chrome powder trend that’s been sweeping the nation over the past few months. Now while I’m not personally a huge fan of it on my own talons (it doesn’t seem to compliment my pink sausage like fingers) there’s no denying it does look impressive elsewhere… a hefty mix of futuristic meets chic.

Having invested in a few pots of powder, I’ve been playing around with it over a number of weeks – some clients love it some just aren’t so sure. However, for those that simply want a touch of chrome, this funky metallic nail design could be just what the nail tech ordered! And yes, it’s super easy peasy – no degrees in artistic nail studies required!!! *hooray*

So if you’re thinking of investing in some mirror powder or a little pot of chrome, then why not check out this week’s chatter as it may help sprinkle some design inspiration when creating a few eye-catching looks for yourself!

Is that the kettle I hear? 😉 Time to grab a coffee and get comfy… don’t forget, you can *click here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you never miss an upload!

What’s your thoughts on chrome nails? Are you mad for metallics? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick hello gals 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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COMPETITION CLOSED: Win a Kat Von D Eye Shadow Palette of YOUR choice…

Happy Halloween y’all 😀

Anyone else pretty much oblivious to how the heck that came around so fast? To think it’s November tomorrow (almost) makes me want to crawl under the bed for fear of waking up to shop shelves filled with Frozen paraphernalia whilst blasting out cheesy 80’s festive tunes *arrrgh* HOWEVER, without dwelling too much on future events lets focus on today shall we 😉 Which brings me to my next point chums… it’s the LAST chance to enter my Kat Von D  INTERNATIONAL giveaway, where one lucky entrant will win themselves a gorgeous eye shadow palette of their choice. Sounds nifty, huh? Then if you haven’t done so already be sure to get your name down – if you’re not in you can’t win! Competition closes midnight tonight GMT.

Sitting comfy? Then feast your eyes on what you could win and how to enter! Goodluck…

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Shade & Light Eye Contour Palette

“This eyeshadow palette is something special, y’all! Arranged with the perfect blend of neutral, warm and cool tones, it contains base, contour, highlight and define shades…just one look and you know this sh*t is insane!

Each matte powder is finely milled and highly pigmented for true payoff and awesome blendability! We dare you to find a shade that you don’t absolutely adore“

*Excerpt from KVD website*

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Interstellar Eyeshadow Palette

“Seize the night with Innerstellar’s twelve starry-eyed shades. Our signature color quad configuration gives you larger-sized base shades (so you don’t hit pan on the ones you use the most), plus a dazzling constellation of pop colors in shimmer and matte finishes! Each base shade is arranged above three accent shades, creating three color quads in this one palette!“

*Excerpt from KVD website*

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Chrysalis Eyeshadow Palette

“The Chrysalis Palette opens up a world of breathtaking beauty, inspired by the cool, dramatic hues of a butterfly. Create full eye metamorphosis with the swipe of a brush! Each finely-milled eyeshadow is saturated with bold, pure pigment. Crease-free and long wearing, these powders have super rich payoff and gorgeous blendability!“

*Excerpt from KVD website*

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1) If you haven’t done so already then get following Confetti & Curves via WordPress OR you can:

*Click Here* to follow via TWITTER

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2) Re-Blog OR Share this post via whatever Social Media your heart desires ❤

3) Leave me a comment below stating the Kat Von D palette of your choice!

*CLICK HERE* To subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YOUTUBE channel and leave a comment on any video you wish & you’ll automatically grab yourself an entry! *waa hoo*

Current subscribers simply need to leave a comment🙂

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THE ABOVE GIVEAWAY IS RUNNING THROUGHOUT OCTOBER – ENTRY CLOSES 31/10/16 @ MIDNIGHT (GMT)

ONE LUCKY WINNER WILL BE SELECTED AT RANDOM & CONTACTED ON MONDAY 07/11/ 2016

ENTRANTS MUST BE 16 YEARS OR OLDER

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Once again, thank you all SO very much for your support, encouraging comments & generally just being a fabulous bunch. Wishing all those who enter the very best of luck!

Keeping Up With Karen…

Ooft, what a busy little bee I’ve been this week….

Between creating some fun & sparkly nail enhancements, organising mini Halloween costumes, pumpkin carving with Ems and wedding outfit hunting. Isn’t it just THEE best feeling when you order something ever-so-pretty online and it turns up fitting and looking rather nifty too?! That rarely happens to me when I order from the interwebs but everything came together perfectly, which certainly helps the stress levels when it comes to planning for as big a day as your step-daughters wedding *Yippee*

Needless to say, I’m spending today catching up on a list of things I simply haven’t gotten round too – emails is high on my priority as I’m almost terrified to open my inbox for fear of virtually drowning in them! Oh, and before I forget – there’s only one more day to enter the international giveaway (details at the bottom) – if you’re not in you can’t win so get your name down chummies! Otherwise, why not take a peek at some of the fun shenanigans that’s featured on Confetti & Curves this week…

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Seven Spooky Nail Art Designs For Halloween

Mondays post was a run through some of the coolest claw ideas on the interwebs! If you’re thinking of dressing up your digits for Halloween night then take a peek at this spooktacular lot! Which one’s your favourite?

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The Nail File: Gel Polish Vertical Ombre with Mermaid Dust

This weeks upload was a quick chatter through one of my favourite looks for fall – a gorgeous ombre. If you’re as undecided as I am when it comes to picking colours then why not combine a few of them to create this fabulous look! Don’t forget, you can *Click Here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you never miss an upload 😀

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Halloween Costumes Throughout The Years

Friday’s post was a tad sentimental as Emma celebrated her last year attending her primary school annual Halloween party… as a little tribute to seven years of annual spooky shenanigans, here’s a peek through some of her cute and quirky costumes!

As always, thank y’all so much for the support, comments, re-tweets, shares, likes & just darn right loveliness. You lot really are an awesome bunch. Do feel free to pop a favourite link from your blog in the comments below for the rest of us to check out, otherwise do stop by & say a quick hello!

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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***CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE CONFETTI & CURVES INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY***

Halloween Costumes Throughout The Years…

It’s not often I share snippets of my family life here on Confetti & Curves… but this year it felt a little different as it’s Emma’s last year in primary school. No more getting up at the screech of dawn to dust off the face paints and fake blood. It’s certainly the end of an era, but as my little girl prepares for High School I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of her cute, quirky and slightly gory Halloween costumes right back from P1…

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Primary 1

 

Emma’s first year at school and her first Halloween party with all her new best friends… lots of green face paint and scowls as she opted for dressing up as a tiny witch!

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Primary 2

Her second year of school and once again it was witching hour… only this time I reckon she’d perfected the pose a little better 😉 Practice makes perfect after all!!!

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Primary 3

For her 3rd year of primary school, Emma based her costume all around her mini hat that she loved wearing… a long black wig and sparkly ball gown was the perfect ensemble for a scary victorian vampire type lady – we’re still trying to put a name to it 😀 Check out her makeup – all done by a tiny but talented Emma!

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Primary 4

More wigs, layers of cream makeup and a super hot wig with purple highlights transformed this little lady into a rather spooky (if not slightly cute) vampiress!

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Primary 5

Lots of hair back-combing, oozing fake blood and dark sultry eyes edged with veins was the ingredients required for Dracula’s Daughter. This scary look won her first prize at fancy dress! *woo hoo*

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Primary 7 – Emma’s last year!

Gosh my little girl looks so grown up… all dressed in her victorian maids costume she was eager to have her face painted just like a Victorian dolly – finished off with the little crack in her head to give the illusion of broken porcelain! I wonder if she’ll be up for doing some extra chores around the house seeing as she looks so good in character?! *hehe*

One very proud mama – it’s been such an exciting and fun journey creating her primary school costumes over the years and watching her flourish into a confident little lady! Not gonna lie, I’m a little saddened it’s her last Halloween at primary school with all the great memories and friends she’s made but I’m pretty sure it won’t stop her partying just as hard next year at high school!

Wishing you all a fabulous Halloween weekend whatever you’re up to, don’t forget to say a quick hello in the comments below 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

Catch me on:

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***CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE CONFETTI & CURVES INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY***

The Nail File: Gel Polish Vertical Ombre with Mermaid Dust…

Howdy nail addicts & beauty buddies…

If like me, you spend far too much time deliberating over a trio of gorgeous colours, why settle for one when you can have all 3? Yep, my thoughts exactly chums 😀 as this week I talk through one of my favourite nail looks for virtually any season – a gorgeous vertical ombre *happy sigh* However, not only have I combined three of my most coveted colours; being the sparkle-obsessed magpie that I am, I just couldn’t resist a sprinkling of mermaid dust to give the finished look a gorgeous subtle shimmer.

Note for fellow Nail Techs: If you haven’t already invested in mermaid dust then I insist you treat yourself on your next nail art spree. This stuff is SUPER popular, gorgeous over virtually any shade of gel polish and perfect for any season. Whatsmore, it’s the perfect compromise for those clients that like a hint of shimmer without going full bling. Voila!

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Anyways, time to grab your cuppa and nestle back into your comfiest chair for a few minutes as I chatter through how to create this easy peasy nail art look that is a must-have option for those who either can’t decide on a delicious range of shades or those who simply love to glam up their nails with an eye-catching paint job 😉

Are you a fan of the ombre look? What trio of colours would you opt for? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to know, don’t forget to say a quick howdy in the comments below🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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***CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE CONFETTI & CURVES INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY***

Seven Spooky Nail Art Designs For Halloween…

I’m currently obsessed with browsing over intricate little nail designs, which is no surprise coming from a nail tech. Pinterest, Instagram, Google – I could spend hours sifting through the hoards of awe inspiring nail designs. However this Halloween I’ve a few clients who are super excited to get their talons transformed into something rather spooktacular!

To help me conjure up a few concepts of my own I’ve stumbled across some inspirational design ideas that have been hand-crafted by some of the best nail artists on the web. So if like me, you’re on the lookout for some fun ways to jazz up your nails this Hallows Eve then check out this creepy crew…

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1) Peek-a-boo

Cute, fun and best of all an easy peasy nail art project for virtually any skill level. All you need is some good quality black & white polish, along with a dotting tool, and hey presto – you can create your very own little spooky eyeballs!

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2) Mummified

How hilarious is this Egyptian mummy inspired nail art by YaGala?! I love the little googly eyes that give it such a fun 3D quality – definitely one I’ll be trying out over the next few days!

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3) Sugar Skulls

Over the past few years ‘Sugar Skulls’ have become a hot Halloween trend, with awesome face paints and fun makeup tutorials! I love these colourful skull nail decals which make decorating your talons a whoooole lot easier. Simply wet, peel and stick! What a fab idea 😀

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4) Haunted House 

Wow!! I adore this cute little Haunted House scene from Stylish_Mom. That gorgeous matte ombre effect finished off with such intricate hand painted designs makes this the perfect eye-catching illustration for any trick or treater!

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5) Itty Black Kitty

No Halloween nail art collection would be complete without the universal accessory of spookiness – the illustrious black cat. I love the purple background and cute kitty’s face peeking over the free-edge created by The Nail Trail. This is definitely one to etch onto on my to-do list!!

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6) Wonder Web

How fabulous is this chic spiders web design? However, fear not fellow shaky-handed folk as there are plenty of Halloween themed stamping plates to help you achieve the same precise detail without having to be a modern day Picasso!

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7) Jack Skellington

Obviously, I had to include a nail design of one of my favourite Halloween characters’ – the fabulous Jack Skellington. I’m head over heels for this work of nail-art by Cute Polish… and it looks pretty easy to recreate. It’s certainly inspired me to give it a go!

What’s your favourite spooky nail art design? Will you be giving your nails a frightful makeover? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by for a quick chatter 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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***CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE CONFETTI & CURVES INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY***