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DIY: nail art decals + silhouette file

i have been dying to show/tell you guys about this little discovery since foreeeever, so i hope you get as excited as i did (and still do)! you all know i love me some polish and painting my nails. it's fun and relaxing for me, and i love looking down throughout the day to see a happy little manicure on them. well do you remember back in January, when i posted about these awesome nail decals? i loved them so much, and wanted more, but didn't want to keep paying for them (am i cheap? maybe....), especially when i started formulating a plan to make my own nail decals...using my Silhouette SD! i figured, why wouldn't that work? so i tried it you guys. and it WORKED.


i seriously can't tell you how excited i was to figure this out. just ask my girlfriend Nancy, or all my sisters, my sis-in-law Lins, or my mom. i texted them a lot about this (and they are probably sick of hearing about it from me now. ha!).

would you like to make your own too?! (and don't worry if you don't have an electronic cutter - i have some tips and links at the end on how to make your own decals without a machine!)

SUPPLIES
▲ vinyl sheet(s)
▲ Silhouette machine
▲ nail polish of your choice
▲ clear top coat of polish



when this idea popped into my head, i jumped on Amazon and bought this pack of vinyl. when it arrived i couldn't wait to get started.

STEP 1: i opened up my Silhouette Studio software, and Photoshop. 

STEP 2: then in Photoshop, i created an image that i wanted on my nails (today it's an anchor and small stripes), and saved it as a png file.

STEP 3: i opened that png file up in my Silhouette Studio, and traced it. bam. the hardest part was done. 

STEP 4: send it to the machine and CUT!




the colors:


• charlotte russe (i couldn't find a name or # on this bottle-sorry!)
• new york color: french white tip (#134)
• new york color: extra shiny top coat (#271)
• orly: LAB4402 (i couldn't find a name on this bottle either!)


...and don't forget the dotting tool (first mentioned in this post)!


i think i did a lot better this time than on my last time using it :) oh, and if you were wondering, the idea for these nails came from here.

below are some of the ways i have been using/wearing my own nail decals! check 'em out:


now i know a lot of peeps don't have Photoshop. so i am sharing a Silhouette file i created for you to use, to cut your own decals with! it has some of everything that i've been using thus far (aka: lots of options)!




and there you have it. you can create some fun designs, have a girls night while doing your nails, and save some moolah (maybe to spend on more cool polish? haha)! i hope you love these as much as me!
.............................................................

so now the question: what if i don't have a Silhouette or any special cutting machine? don't worry my friends, i found:

▲ this great youtube video 
▲ this awesome tutorial, as well as
▲ this pin

...and tried it myself! all you need are some scissors, scotch tape, and your choice of polish!


i used some fun pinking scissors to create some chevron decals, and you can see them in that big collage above. (they are the white chevron used with the green polish and black aztec designs, in the top right and bottom left corners!)

and for those that don't care to do either of these options, then get on over to Etsy and grab some cute decals from:

Nailed It Decals (by Made By Munchies Mama)
▲ Cover It In Vinyl

i've bought from both of these ladies and loved their decals and service!

**update 2/9/15: i had a request to share the png files, for those without a Silhouette (maybe using an older Cricut and Sure Cuts A Lot!), so here ya go:


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