I don’t know what it is lately, but I’ve been REALLY digging pastels. Actually, I know exactly what it is. It’s the fact that this 6 month long winter finally appears to be over. Now, I don’t want to jinx us here but I think it’s safe to store away those snow shovels and pea coats. Something about those blooming trees and waking up to the sound of birds chirping always makes me want to inject a little bit of mint green or pale pink anywhere I can get away with it.
And nowhere is the selection of pastels as abundant, varied, and readily available than in the nailpolish section of your local supermarket or pharmacy. Come to think of it, everything needed to complete this project can be found at either of the above. I’m all about saving a trip to the craft store if possible.
In my case, all of the above was lying around the house. How convenient is that! A Starbucks frappuccino bottle, some pastel nailpolish, and some binder reinforcement rings (originally purchased for these mugs). Sadly, the sharpie used in said mugs didn’t hold up as well as I’d hoped. I have higher hopes for nailpolish.
First, a little confession..I can’t paint nails to save my life. I ALWAYS manage to screw it up. I miss half my nail, instead opting to paint my entire cuticle AND can never sit still long enough for it to dry. And spill it all over myself from time to time. Even when I manage to avoid the above, it still never fails to look terrible. So, I thought it best to leave it to the professionals
But every now and then, I see a pretty color while browsing at CVS and think ‘how hard could it be?!’. And inevitably I screw it up and the nailpolish sits there unused. So, I’m glad to have found an alternative way to use it.
This actually came together a lot quicker than I anticipated and you can totally apply this to any glass or plastic surface (I may just need to redo my mugs!). First, apply binder reinforcement rings to your surface to create the polka dot pattern. As you’re applying them, don’t stick them down all the way but fold up the edge that you won’t be painting. Trust me on this one, it makes peeling them off MUCH easier.
Then, you just color them in with your choice of nailpolish! You want to apply thin, even coats (exactly the way you would if you were painting your nails). I went around the bottle once, let dry for a minute, and then gave them a second coat. The number of coats will depend on the opacity of your nailpolish and the look you are trying to achieve.
Once your polka dots have been painted to your liking, let it dry a little bit, and proceed to carefully peel the stickers off. You want to peel them off slowly (as in, opposite of what you would normally do with a band-aid). Otherwise, you risk losing part of your polka dot. Let the nailpolish dry fully, and enjoy!
I had this vase from the dollar store that could use a little polka dotting as well. If anything, this seems like a pretty genius way to enjoy that color you absolutely loved in the bottle that doesn’t look as amazing paired with your skin. Or if you continuously buy nailpolish despite never painting your own nails. In case you’re wondering, the colors I used are Mint Candy Apple and Fiji, both by Essie.
What do you guys think? I was pretty impressed with how perfect the polka dots came out! Who knew nailpolish could also serve as glass paint?!
This is a brilliant idea! I have been trying to think of ways to make my flower vases more fun. Thanks for the post! Glad I ran into your blog from #sharefest!
Lisa recently posted…Five-Ingredient Fridays: Strawberry Cucumber Refresher
Thanks so much for stopping by, Lisa! I’m so glad you like the idea! The polka dots definitely add some fun to plain glass vases, and so super easy :).
Such a clever idea! I love this! Pastels are very beautiful–maybe it’s spring that through you into “pastel-mode”! Found you on the #SitsShareFest linkup! Pinning this!
Definitely a serious case of spring fever over here :). So glad you like the idea, Emily! And thanks so much for stopping by!
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So adorably you, Lusine! Good call with the nail polish. I’ve got too many old bottles sitting around that I need to use up!
Amy @ Homey Oh My! recently posted…Patio Style
Thanks Amy! And ditto on the old polish. Luckily, I think polka dots look good on just about anything, so I’ve been going to town with this one 🙂