Sunday, September 25, 2011

Nicole by OPI Nail Design inspiration

My last week of being Nicole by OPI'S spotlight blogger is coming to an end. I've had so much fun, and its been extremely incredible. I'm supper grateful and very honored that i got to be the blogger of the month. As a thank you to Nicole by OPI i did a special design dedicated to these polishes that have helped me discover my true passion. Thank you for everything Nicole by OPI this was truly an amazing adventure.

Everything was hand drawn, and sculpted in 3D art even the little polishes
Used: Nicole by OPI 'Make a Comet-ment, and 'Enchantress'







Monday, September 19, 2011

Nicole by OPI Nail Polish Giveaway

Hey everyone as you might already know, I have had the honor of being the Blogger Spotlight for Nicole by OPI. They were so incredibly wonderful they even, 
gave me a whole Nicole by OPI collection to give away to you.

I have the 12 full colors that make up the Something about Color collection for Target.
Colors at Random: 
Brilliant Idea, Iceberg Lotus, I m a Pool of Lv, Make a Comet-ment, Nicole s Nickel, Pink Seriously, Pink-nic in Park, You re Steal One, Green up Your Act, Sounds grape to me, Its Not Me/Blue, 
and Lv You Chrry Much.


Here's how to enter the giveaway!

1. You must be a follower of this blog, new followers are welcome
2.You must like my facebook Page Karla Nail Design at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karla-Nail-Design/193176844050046
3. You must be a U.S Resident (sorry international followers)
My blog is mainly about how i discovered my passion for nail art through my illness. And on how this changed my life dramatically to make it a career. Therefore the fourth rule is to...

4. Comment me here 2-3 sentences on Anything difficult you've gone through that helped you discover something about yourself, or has helped you over come that obstacle.

5. Last but not least you must be a nail polish addict (lol)
6. this one is optional since not everyone has a twitter account but follow me if you like at: 
http://twitter.com/#!/Karlapatricia00
 
I will verify that you are following this blog and my facebook page.

There will be 3 winners with a total of 4 Nicole By OPI polishes each, and I will choose 2 local winners to win a free manicure and 3D nail design done by me.
So if your local please make sure to comment me (so i know who you are) that way i can choose by random.

Contest ends September 30, 2011 at 12:00 am 
and I will announce the winners on 
October 1st 2011
Good Luck and share your stories with me.

Email or comment me for any questions.


Sunday, September 18, 2011

The nail adventures

I love love love my manicuring class, each day i learn more and more. Its amazing how much I'm learning. Last night i gave my mom and dad a pedicure, and they loved it. I keep amazing myself at how cool it is to actually know the real techniques to do something. I had been doing pedicures for quite sometime but nothing compare to how it's really done. Now that i have all the steps down its piece of cake. So far our proffesor has taught us manicures, pedicures, french tip and flowers. I was really exited to learn to do the french tip with technique. Its supper cool and fun, and i must say the Kolinsky French brush 666 is fabulous. 
The french tip comes out wonderful!
I'll come back when i learn something cool again.


French tip manicure

Pedicure done and French tip


Kolinsky French Brush 666 (I have the black one, but i really want the baby blue one)


Monday, September 12, 2011

I'm finally a manicurist student!

Hello to everyone, how are you guys? I'm doing good supper happy about almost everything in my life. I've been preoccupied and haven't been able to post any nail designs but i promise to try my best to post something this Friday. So i finally started school last week, i'm adjusting to incorporating myself back into society but i love it. My manicuring class is amazing my professor is so cool, and all my class mates are supper chill and friendly. don't have anything bad to say about it. I just love it. I just love it, i had to buy a manicurist kit and i love that too. It brought 2 OPI polishes that i didn't have so i was exited about that. I can't believe i'm finally doing this. As soon as i begin doing actual acrylic nails ill post pics. For now we just began to do manis and pedis with technique which i was a bit off. But now i'm learning and i'm really happy about it.

In the meantime i have to start practicing more often so who ever wants to be my Guinea  pig just howler!


Friday, September 2, 2011

Bowverdose in 3D

My friend Liat loves gold and i just bought these gold specks that adhere so easy to the polish.
Enjoy the 3D bows.



Used: OPI 'San Tan-Tonio', 'Symphony in Gold,' and 'Black Satin'

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Read my Nicole by OPI interview

 I love this so much, my tools look fantastic

Crista Funk wrote such an amazing interview, she captured everything i said.

Blogger Spotlight - Originail Kolors


Wow Jenny did such a fantastic job with this design I absolutely love it

Nothing is more gratifying than learning that our products help people through hard times. And that’s exactly what it did for the owner of the nail art blog Originail Kolors, Karla. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in late 2010 and after suffering from anxiety, depression and stress, was forced to leave college. With nothing to do, and a fear that her friends wouldn’t understand what she was going through, she focused her time on polishing her nails. Now nine months after her diagnosis, she’s found her life passion-creating unique designs unfathomable by many of us.
Karla stopped by the Nicole by OPI office recently for a facility tour and awed us with her sweet personality and nail art skills. She spoke candidly about nail lacquers role in her recovery and gave three Nicole gals memorable manis. See what she had to say and the designs we rocked all that week below.


KarlaWorking1 

How did you get into doing nails?
I’ve always been passionate about nail art, but I didn’t have good polishes to work with until high school. I worked for my school paper and we would be in class all day. I would stare at my nails and they weren’t polished. It drove me crazy, so I started doing my nails. After I started college, things got hectic. I got really sick in June of last year and had to quit school. Before I quit I met this woman who told me her mom was moving and had a bunch of nail polish that she couldn’t take with her. She asked if I wanted them and I said sure. She gave them all to me-70 or 80 bottles of OPI. I had surgery November 5th for my thyroidectomy and it was discovered that I had cancer.  At night, to ease my anxiety and depression, I just started to do my nails. As I was doing them, it would take me to a completely different world. I would forget what I was doing and I would just concentrate on the art. That is how I started.

 Were you just polishing your nails before?
Yeah. Sometimes I was doing simple flowers, but that was it. With the Harry Potter nails I did I was like, I really have to make something cool out of this. It took me three days to do his face. It was my first design. Once I did it though, I thought that I really needed to start doing more of this.

Do you always do designs now or do you ever have a single color of lacquer on your nails?
I always do designs. I can’t stand just having my nails polished a single color. It’s just crazy. I have to do a flower or a dot or something.

You have 3D art on your nails right now, how did you figure out how to do that?Karlas nails

I’ve been researching a lot about how to do nails. That’s how I started my blog. I had a blog for my every day life, kind of about my illness, and then I wanted to separate my illness from the nail art. I didn’t want people to just see me as a cancer patient, but better yet a nail artist. I did explain on my nail blog that I had cancer, but that wasn’t the focus. I started my nail blog in January. I started posting pictures after the OPI holiday contest.

You just researched 3D art and taught yourself then?
I kept researching it and the Japanese have this great 3D art. I saw online that they sold molds where you just do the acrylics and then pop out the molds. I bought stuff on eBay, but I didn’t have the brush. I’m not an expert, as I said, and I couldn’t get it to work right. My mom took me to this salon downtown and this girl told me what brushes to use.  I just started doing these last week and it worked out well. I did them on press-on nails and then put them on.


Cristas nails 

What do you enjoy most about doing nail art?
I love the self-expression and having art on my nails.  I love when people tell me they love my nails. It’s very calming to me and I love seeing my hard work.

How often do you polish your nails?
Now, I probably paint them every other day. I have so many polishes, I have to or they won’t get used.

We completely understand that. I think there are people who have lacquers they haven’t even tried yet.

Absolutely. I think I have some of those. I seriously spend 30 minutes trying to figure out what colors to use. That’s why I have to have an idea of what design to do before starting, because if not I’ll stand there forever.

You want to go to school to become a nail tech, right? Are you currently enrolled?
I plan to enroll by end of August. There is a waiting list. If I get in I would start in September.

Jens nails 

Do you want to focus on doing nail for a living? 
I do. I want to make a career of this. I want to concentrate on nail art. It would be great to work with an agency that works with celebrities and do their nails or something like that.

Have you done designs on other people?
Yes, I started doing them because a friend asked if I would do her nails. I wasn’t confident to say yes at first. She said she would pay me anything and really pushed, so I said ok. I was so nervous, but after that everyone kept asking me to do their nails.

When you tried to start doing your nails, was it hard to do designs on your right hand? 
It was extremely hard. Because of my illness I was going through a lot of hormonal changes-it affects my sight and coordination. It’s hard to do something when the coordination of my hands is off. Now I manage to do it. Sometimes I’ll just do one hand and the other hand something simple. It’s really hard. The only things I’ve become an expert at doing on my right hand are roses. I can almost do those better than on my left hand.

Where are you today with thyroid cancer?
It’s very strange. I got my entire thyroid removed. That affected my mood swings, my metabolism, and my hormones. It’s a very important body part. I can’t sleep often, I get dizzy, and I get headaches. It changed my lifestyle. I just have to try though. I don’t know if I am in remission yet, but now it’s just living with everything. It’s just been hard adjusting. But like I said, nail lacquer and my art have helped tremendously.

It’s great that you have this force in your life that is helping and you are very

Jennys nails 

good at it. What is your favorite nail design so far?
My birthday one I did last year. I did a self-portrait; and then a birthday cake, some balloons and a party hat. I think that’s my favorite one.

How did you decide that you wanted to start doing the different countries theme seen on your blog now?
 I have friends who travel a lot and they travel all over the world. I love learning about other cultures - the traditions and holidays. So my friend was talking about Israel and I decided I was going to challenge myself, I would research countries and then do a nail design on each.  I said I would do it for a month, but I think I’m going to extend it. I’m going to continue to do it whenever I can so I can learn about new countries.

For other designs that aren’t country-focused, how are you coming up with those ideas? Such as the cupcake ones you did awhile back. 
My friend wanted cupcakes and I had never done them before. It was her birthday, so I gave it a try. I just did Edgar Allen Poe nails. There was a screening of the movie coming up and it just inspired me to try to do nails themed after the film. If I am going to go to the beach or movies, I’ll just come up with a theme to match.

Do you usually stick with cream finishes or do you use glitters and shimmers?  
I will use glitters every once in awhile.  I mainly stick to creams though. If I’m doing something youthful and flirtatious, like my flower nails now, I will do glitters.

Have you used Nicole colors to do your designs?
I love the colors from the One Less Lonely Girl collection. I especially like My Lifesaver.  I have about 60 Nicole by OPI bottles. I love the colors and I love the Target Exclusives. My favorites are definitely My Lifesaver and Nicole’s Nickel.

What types of tools do you use?
Actually, my only tool is a dotting tool. I have brushes, but I’ve never used them.

Even if you are drawing faces or something you only use a dotting tool?
Yep, that’s it. The other side is a fine tip.

karla working 

Do you polish your nails a solid color first and then start the design? How thick is the polish on the nails?
I do a base color, let it dry and then after 10 minutes I begin the design. You can’t have it too thick because then you will get creases or dents in it. I have used acrylic craft paints, because it dries fast and it’s thinner.

What advice would you give someone who wants to do nail art?
Just don’t be shy. Just go for it. If you think you have a clear picture in your mind of what you want to do, you’ll be able to do it.  It’s just takes a lot of practice. Practice, practice, practice. You will get something in the end. Never give up.

You’ve spent the last nine months working on nail art and growing your skill, what is the overall role nail lacquer plays in your life?
It has played an extremely important role. It is probably one of the most important things in my life right now. My room kind of revolves around my nail lacquer.  Not only has it helped me figure out what I want to do in life, for a career, but it also has helped me emotionally.  There are days when I am really stressed and I just look at my bottles-they make me happy.

For more about Karla and to see the incredible designs mentioned here and more head to her site, Originail Kolors










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My wonderful day at OPI

 Supper exited and thrilled for you guys to read about my wonderful OPI experience and tour. 
I've been dying to tell everyone all about it.

 August 15, 2010


I just had the experience of a life time, at one of the most incredible places making this day one of the most amazing days ever!


Last month i received an email from Crista Funk (OPI Interactive Media Coordinator) telling me that she loved my work and if would like to be The Spotlight blogger for September. I couldn't believe it, honestly i had to read it about a million times to actually make sure it was real.


OPI (my favorite nail polish) contacted me to be the Blogger of the month (September) seriously how cool is that!

Did my nails in my favorite OPI polishes along with my very first 3D flowers
check out my interview mani.  

Used: Italian Love Affair and Do You Lilac it?




So today Monday August 15, 2011 I headed to meet Crista at OPI. at first I was feeling cool and completely confident until I reached the OPI  door, I got anxious and nervous. But meeting Crista eased my anxiety she was so extremely nice and immediately gave me a tour of the hallway filled with OPI adds through the years (they were so cool totally 80's.) After the hallway i couldn't believe my eyes there were amazing OPI polishes all over the cubicles. Then i got to see an actual room for techs where Crista said is where they test out the polishes (I want to test out the products lol.) She then showed me by far one of the most coolest room; a room completely stocked with non other than all the OPI collections, products, acrylics etc... (I was in OPI heaven.)


After that she gave me a tour of the cafeteria (which i would of never thought they had, all very modern, spacious and fresh) We then met with Bernd (Director of Special Projects) he gave me a brief history of the company. And also let me know that Nicole by OPI is named after George Schaeffer (President and CEO of OPI) daughter Nicole (how cool is that, having a nail polish named after you) Bern also explained how OPI began as a dental supply business and how Schaeffer realized that the acrylic “porcelains” used to make dentures were similar to and, in fact, even better than the materials used by Nail Professionals for crafting acrylic nails. (Which i would of never guessed) As we overlooked the factory buildings he pointed out to one of the bungalows. And explained, how that bungalow was the very first building in which they would do all the products (and still keep the original OPI logo) 


We then walked over to a bungalow in which they put the lacquer inside the Nicole By OPI bottles we had to put some safety goggles on due to dust and it was extremely noisy. Once inside i got to see the machinery and employees doing the whole process. Empty bottles Nicole by OPI bottles get air sucked out of them and then 2 little metal beads get deposit into the bottles then comes the lacquer (i believe they were filling up the bottles with 'Enchantress' my guess) After that the bottles get their brushes, the sticker on the bottom, checked and boxed over to be shipped. 


After that we went across the building to yet another building that happens to be OPI as well. As we were crossing over Bern told me how OPI had donated the traffic light at the intersection of Saticoy and Ethel Streets to city.  The building we went into is where they design, make and test out the UV lamps. I then got to see where they store Nicole by OPI lacquers and Sephora by OPI in boxes (again it was heaven) and where trucks come to load and stock up on all these wonderful products. The tour was sensational i had so much fun learning about OPI. 


After all that Crista and I headed back to her office and i got to see her wonderful collection of polishes (I believe she has all of them so she can keep track of which color is which. To my surprise i discovered that Crista is charge of the Nicole by OPI, OPI and twitter accounts; All by herself (so keep in mind next time you ask a question on one of these sites and don't get a reply back asap)  That's a lot to handle for just one person and she does a hell of a job. 

Crista then interviewed me in this room that had colorful portraits and drawings done by Nicole Schaeffer herself. (The interview was so much fun, it felt good being the one interviewed rather than interviewing)


I then got to have lunch with Crista in one of the meeting rooms. We spoke about her amazing job, the wonderful polishes my favorite colors her favorite colors. It seriously felt like i was out with one of my closest friends she was supper sweet, nice and so welcoming. All my Lacquer questions were answered. I did Mani's for Crista, Jenny (Designer she creates the wonderful art on the blog) and Jen (advertising and interactive media manager) they all choose what they wanted Crista wanted cupcakes, Jenny a nude color topped with pastel leopard print and Jen asked for a tribal design (which i had never done before so she was my first) They were all so wonderful seriously all these girls were incredibly sweet, they welcomed me into their work place and i just felt so special to be part of their day. It was such an incredible day and I'm so unbelievably thankful.


After that Crista took me back into OPI heaven in which i got to choose and keep colors for myself. Choosing was extremely hard since all the OPI are so wonderful. But these are the ones I chose.


San Tan-Tonio, No Room for the Blues, Need Sunglasses, Are We There Yet? and Get in the Expresso Lane.






Sensational Scarlet, Girl Talk, "Baby" Blue, Truth or Lilac and Change the World.






and i also got these other products
Lint free nail wipes, Expert touch lacquer Remover and OPI Avoplex nail cream

for more background on OPI check out the site www.OPI.com

Check out my Nicole by OPI interview in another post

for a complete gallery of my work
follow me on Twitter @Karlaeatricia00 or facebook page: 
Karla Nail Design http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karla-Nail-Design/193176844050046