Amidst all those beautiful summery and warm vacation nails, I bring you a sparkly negative space gradient with snowflakes.  It's winter here in Australia, and it's been bloody cold and a little moist too, which meant the snow fields actually opened a week early this year.  The snow fields are only about two hours drive from our place, and we did venture out a last year to take the kids to the snow so they could go tobogganing. 

I don't think we will be heading to the snow this year though. I very much prefer summer vacations, and would rather save my leave at work to go somewhere warm.  I think that all we will get in for vacations this year will be a trip up north to the Gold Coast in Queensland, stay with family and take the kids to the theme parks.

I'm a cheater. I'd love to tell you that I stamped this super cool design, but in fact they are water decals. They are from a huge sheet I got from the Born Pretty Store in about nineteen forever ago. I think the sheet (which has at least 10 designs for 10 nails) cost me $1.  So all in all, the decals used for this full mani cost me about 10 cents.

I like that the pattern is continuous across the nail, and also that is is rather simple that had I had similar palm shaped stamping plates, I could have actually achieved this look.  Perhaps I should have just said, yeah, I stamped these so I don't look like I cheated too much on this prompt for today.

It's no surprise. I do love me a nautical holiday. Specifically, I love going cruising.  Our first cruising holiday was way back in the early 2000's some time where my hubby and I cruised around the Mediterranean. We went to Egypt to see the Pyramids, to Turkey, Greece, Venice and Cyprus. It was truly amazing. It was only a small boat, something that I would never go on now days, but the itinerary was incredible.

Since then we have cruised to New Zealand and seen the beautiful Fjords. To Tasmania in Australia, several times to the Pacific islands around New Caledonia and Vanuatu, around Hawaii and most recently on both the East and West of the Caribbean.  I love all the places that cruises take without needing to unpack. Plus all the activities on board mean the kids are always entertained and we can really relax.  And I haven't even mentioned all the food and drinks!

Sadly we don't even have another cruise holiday planned yet. We are still paying off the huge USA trip from last year. I'd love to cruise from Australia to Hawaii via Tahiti, or do one up to the glaciers in Alaska, or even one that goes around Australia. Hmmmm, so much holiday fun to be had and so little money to do it all.

I'm so happy with how this mani turned out.  Firstly I found the perfect colours to achieve what I wanted. I used a few picture polish cremes for the gradient and a clear textured top coat from Dance Legend that can turn any colour into a textured polish.  Then I managed to actually do some water spotting to get the sea foam to look good. Plus, check our the name of the Picture Polish shade I'm holding - Salt Water! Yay me! I'm winning today.

Also, don't you just love the gold shell charms on the textured sand. Also a few little pearls thrown in.  Seriously, this mani just screams summer holiday's at the beach.  Which sadly is a long way from where we are right now. It's the beginning on winter here down under, and I'm currently snuggled under a big soft squishy blue blanky to keep me warm. 

I'm back, which must mean it's another Digital Dozen week. I'm certain that the Digital Dozen posts are the only thing that keep this blog alive these days.  Which is a little worrying, because last month the Digital Dozen, was only about four bloggers.  So lets hope there will be a few more participating this month, and also that we are able to recruit some new nail art bloggers that might be interested in a monthly challenge.

This months theme is Vacation.  It's interesting because we don't really use the word Vacation much here in Australia. It's definitely Holiday! School holiday's, going on holiday's etc.  

For my first look, I've gone pretty simple, with a pretty pastel gradient and some silhouetted palm trees that I painted freehand.  I loved these so much that I wore them a whole week.  Can I just say that wear on this mani was phenomenal. I'm not sure what the combo was, as I had a mix of JOSS base coats, Pretty Serious and Picture Polish cremes and Seche Vite top coat, but I had zero chips at the end of a full seven days!