I have no idea why, but weeks ago I decided that I was going to do some mauve leopard print nails this fall and it just sort of became a given. Of course, I didn't know what polishes I was going to use or how the design was going to look, just that there were mauve leopard print nails in my future. Because I've previously - twice, in fact - done mauve leopard print nails in a glossy, holo finish, I decided this time to keep it créme and matte. Also, I decided to do some reverse stamping rather than hand painting... since I pretty much hate hand painting and feel like I'm generally not very good at it. ANYWAY....

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From back when I first started doing nail art, which seems like it should be more recent than it actually was because time has no meaning anymore, one of my favorite types of nail designs has been plaid nails and I really just don't do them enough anymore. Of course, as cozy season ramps up, there's no denying the need to put some plaid on my nails. For this mani, I kept it simple (and sort of cozy flannel PJ pants vibes) with a speckled mauvey pink base and some charcoal grey stamping. It's simple, but I really love it and I feel like there are unlimited color pairings you could do with this simple mani that would both look amazing and also change up the vibe.

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Honestly... It's not fall, right? It's not fall on the calendar, it's not fall on the weather report, it's just not fall. And yet... September 1st hit and in my brain, it's fall. In my brain it's time for sweaters and cozy and it's almost Halloween. It's not, but also it is. Know what I mean? Anyway, when I sit down to do nails now, my brain has entirely shifted away from summer and into fall designs, so I grabbed for a stamping plate that has been sitting in my collection just waiting for it to be fall time and went to town for my first undeniably fall themed mani of the year.

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Sometimes when I see a stamping plate, I have an immediate inspiration to do a very specific mani, and that's very much what happened with this mani. I've had my eye on KADS stamping plates for a while now, but I hadn't gotten around to picking any up until recently when I finally bit the bullet and ordered a few to try out. The one I was most excited to try out from this order was the NATURE 056 stamping plate, which has a sort of random assortment of images. One of them, though, was this sort of grungey chevron image that inspired me pretty much as soon as I saw it, and basically as soon as the package came this mani ended up on my nails. 

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I feel like today's mani is a design that has become sort of a staple for me and it's one that I really, really love. While so much of the nail art that I do involves stamping, which is definitely my favorite and most inspiring technique, this is one design that I do and love that doesn't require any tools or really even any specific skill when it comes to nail art. It's also really, really versatile and works for any occasion, which is always great. So of course, as I was doing a week of nude/neutral nail art, I had to throw together a mani using this design along with my new favorite flakie pond mani base technique. 

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I swear, there's a thing in my brain that shuts down and doesn't allow me to do bold, bright, intricate nail art when what I really need is something soft and simple to reset my brain. Anyone else have those palette cleanser moments where you just need to keep it soft? When I sat down to do this mani, I had some other, more bold and intense and theme-y nail designs in mind and I even tried a few of them before accepting that I just needed a wee break to try something softer and then... this just sort of happened. 

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Sometimes a mani just sort of happens as it happens. Honestly, I generally go into most of my mani's with some sort of plan, even if it changes along the way, but this one was 100% a product of just happening as it was happening. I started with a base polish - a gorgeous one that I think could absolutely be a staple in anyone's collection, but particularly a nail artists collection - and then I just sort of when with whatever struck me until I had these nails. And I kind of love them. 

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Sometimes when I'm stuck for nail art ideas - or just not in the mood to do the things that I already have ideas for - I just sort of wing it, as you do. Honestly, a lot of the time that ends up being a disaster that leaves my going to bed with naked nails, but there have also been times that I've done some of my all time favorite designs during those sessions, so it's worth it. This mani definitely started with frustration and a lack of inspiration, but ended with a result that I'm pretty in love with and I'm really excited to share it.

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I'm sorry to admit that this is another one of those mani's that I know was inspired by another artist's mani, but I can't remember whose it was. If it was you - someone who had a naked nail and then added this sort of swooping black and white galaxy tip - then I thank you for the inspiration! It's been a long time since I've particularly liked French tips - probably since back in the day when I used to get really brutal acrylics done for special occasions like my high school graduation, and they air brushed on some French tips - but in the past couple of years I've really developed a liking for different types of non-traditional tips like this one. They're fun and there's the added benefit of the flowy design having a lot of wiggle room if you don't have the steadiest hand.