I Scream, You Scream! {National Ice Cream Day}

On the real, isn’t every day really National Ice Cream Day?? But if we must, let’s celebrate National Ice Cream day in style – with an Ice Cream manicure!

National Ice Cream Day Mani // Novels and Nail PolishFrom the time I was little, Mint Chocolate Chip has been my absolute favorite flavor! Nowadays, I tend to dabble in the cookies & cream realm too, and well, if you can combine mint and Oreo, I’m in heaven! So this little mani is an homage to to the creamy goodness that is frozen mint and chocolate chips.

Tools I Used // Plie Wand + Julep Max + Essie Sand Tropez + Fashion Playground + OPI Alpine Snow
Tools I Used // Plie Wand + Julep Max + Essie Sand Tropez + Fashion Playground + OPI Alpine Snow

The multi-mani still hasn’t lost it’s appeal for me yet, so that’s what I did! Julep Max is seriously the PERFECT chocolate chip glitter, which is what really inspired the whole manicure. I played with striping tape for my thumb and pinky to give a little bit of geometric fun to the whole look, along with a solid mint nail and color-blocked pointer finger.

National Ice Cream Day Mani // Novels and Nail Polish

Now let’s get down to it – the ice cream cone! I started with a base coat of OPI’s Alpine Snow and let that dry. Next, I used striping tape and Sand Tropez up half my nail to create the cone. I applied a couple coats of Fashion Playground to the other half of my nail to begin the ice cream. Once that dried, I used the dotting tool attachment for the Plie Wand to create the scalloped edge and small drip down the nail. Topped it off with a quick coat of chocolate chips, and there you go!

National Ice Cream Day Mani // Novels and Nail Polish

What flavor ice cream are you celebrating today with?? Happy Reading!

Literary Love {Save the Date}

Hey, remember that time I started a series about planning the perfect bookworm wedding? Let’s continue it, shall we? So you’re engaged and took the cutest bookworm engagement photo shoot. What comes next?

Save the dates!

This next step in your trip down the road of love is a treasure trove of inspiration for us book lovers. Will you take it down the library route OR take inspiration from a specific novel or era? So many options for your literary wedding Save the Dates!

Vintage Book Save the Date
Image // Zazzle

One of the more common directions to go in is the library card Save the Date! They’re classic, a little bit vintage, and really a perfect way to lay out date information.

Sweet Mint Press Library Card Save the Date
Image // Sweetmint Press & Paperie Etsy
Image // Etsy
Image // Etsy

And you know, people love getting pretty things that also function as something they can use! Perhaps, a bookmark??

Literary Bookmark Save the Date
Image // Mia Maria Design
Image // Mia Maria Design
Image // Mia Maria Design
Bookmark Save the Date
Image // Style Me Pretty

C’mon people, you really can’t forget iconic publishers!

Image // Elle a Dit Oui
Image // Elle a Dit Oui

Did you have book-inspired Save the Dates? I want to see! Happy Reading!

Novels and Nail Polish on YouBeauty

I am so incredibly excited to announce that Novels and Nail Polish is featured in a story on YouBeauty, a fun site dedicated to everything related to living and feeling beautiful!

YouBeautyRachel, a freelance writer, reached out to me about wanting to tell the story of Novels and Nail Polish‘s creative focus. I had a blast answering her questions, but I am completely blown away by the amazing article she wrote and picture she painted of what I do! Go read it!

Novels and Nail Polish on YouBeauty I am so proud of this little blog, and am always completely grateful for all of the support I’ve received from family, friends and the bookish & beauty internet communities! Thank you for joining me on this journey, and I can’t wait for what else is to come!

Happy Reading!

Nail Polish Favorites // Summer 2015

Summer – Now is the time to paint your nails the color you want and spend your days outside in the sunshine! This season, I’m all about textures and colors that stand out past the normal cream red that is classic during June, July and August.

Summer 2015 Nail Polish Trends // Novels and Nail Polish

Sun-bleached pastels, jellies and berry brights are living on my nails these days! I was really interested in the unique textures and finishes that the fashion shows and magazines were highlighting for summer 2015, so collecting these polishes was a lot of fun. Let me show you what I’ve found!

Summer 2015 Nail Polish Trends // Novels and Nail PolishPowder Blue – Bleached, pastel polishes like Essie’s Find Me An Oasis are just so perfect for summer. They have a little more personality than stark white, but are still clean and classic for those summer nights! Plus, they really make your tan look fab!

Glitter – No longer are glitter polishes only for the holidays! Chunky glitter is fun, AND a layer of it on top of your mani can extend the life of your polish for another couple of days. Play around with cream polishes and coordinating glitters for a punchy manicure!

Summer 2015 Nail Polish Trends // Novels and Nail Polish

Lavender – As the days get longer, summer sunsets are so gorgeous and I adore the blues and purples of twilight! Lavender always reminds me of that time of day when you’re sitting outside and watching the sun go down, cold drink in hand.  Julep London is full coverage and creamy, and a great pastel to bring into summer months.

Neutrals – I’m a huge advocate for big, bright colors during the summer months (you’ll see below!), but sometimes you want a nice, nude nail to polish off your crisp white summer sundress! I might be biased, but that’s where Zoya’s Taylor makes her debut!

Summer 2015 Nail Polish Trends // Novels and Nail PolishFuchsia – Flirty. Feminine. Fun! All my favorite adjectives to describe the berry bright fuchsia, especially OPI’s Pink Flamenco. Take inspiration from the blooming bougainvillea all around!

Tangerine Red – Jellies are all the rage this year, so why not combine the summery tangerine with a fun sheer look. One coat gives you a sexy, peek-a-boo mani, or pair with a chunky glitter for a whole new effect!

What are you wearing on your nails this summer? Happy Reading!

Happy Birthday America {4th of July}

Damn America, you’re lookin’ good for 239!

Happy Birthday America // Novels and Nail Polish4th of July is always the perfect holiday for nail art. Red, white and blue just seem to go together so naturally, which makes coming up with new designs that much more fun!

This year {with the help of Essie, Christian Louboutin, Julep and Nails Inc} I went for a more geometric, color-blocked design with a little bit of sparkle. My besties, striping tape and dotting tool, helped me get the crisp lines and polka dots!

Happy Birthday America // Novels and Nail PolishWishing everyone a safe and fun 4th! Happy Reading!