Monday, December 31, 2012

My Top 12 Favorite Nail Art Posts of 2012

I wasn't planning on doing any sort of countdown post this year, but seeing everyone else's really made me want to do one! I've decided to do a countdown of my favorite nail art that I did in 2012. You'll see that all of the selections ended up being freehand nail art, I guess freehanding really has my heart! If you click the link next to each of the countdown numbers, you'll find more photos and more information about each of the manicures.


Read on to see my list and find out which manicure got placed at #1!

#12: Neon Starfish (+ Tutorial)
I'm not sure why, but I'm always drawn to this manicure. Perhaps it's the full nail pattern on the neon yellow base? I don't use yellow as often as I'd like and it paired well with the little starfish buddies.



#11: Chalkboard Nails for What I Wore
I did this one alllll the way back in February as a collaboration on the style blog What I Wore. I love the mix of patterns and am still proud of the execution today!



#10: Inspired by a Book: The Missing Piece
This book has a lot of emotional significance for me, and I was pleased with the sketchy style that I was able to achieve with the black striper.



#09: Valentine's Owls
Everyone loves owls, and these little guys are just so friendly! Fun fact: this is my number one most stolen photo on Instagram.



#08: Bulbasaur
What can I say, I love Pokemon!



Not gonna lie, I was pretty proud of the idea to make Ron Swanson out of bacon. I love the way the eggs turned out, too.



The combination of the sandy accent nails, the baby starfish on the pointer, and successfully representing the reflections in the water made this one a winner for me.



This one took forever but it was totally worth it.



I think the color combination in this one really pushed it up the list for me, and you can't go wrong with intricate damask swirls! 



#03: The Eye of Sauron
I am so proud of the way the brushiness contributed to the look of Sauron's flaming eye, and c'mon, it's Lord of the Rings.



#02: Adventure Time
Maybe less impactful if you don't watch the show, but I put a lot of effort into this one and think I did well at capturing their cartoon essences!



#01: Blue and White China Floral
The intricate and delicate pattern plus the simple combination of two contrasting colors really made this one a favorite for me. It's hard to explain why it got the number one spot... I guess it's just a gut thing.



So there you have it! My top 12 favorite nail arts of 2012. Are there any that didn't make my cut that you guys would have chosen?

Best of wishes from Chowder and me to you and your families in 2013! 
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55 comments

  1. I just love the owls, ocean scene and the egg and bacon mani :)
    You Are so talented!!

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    Replies
    1. POKEMON!!!!!!! And WOW WELL DONE!

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  2. Ron Swanson should have been number one!! LOL. Jusst kidding, all your manis are number one in my book! Can't wait to see all the awesome things you come up with next year. <3

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  3. I am still amazed by your Eye of Sauron! Just about all of your nail art is incredible, but that one's definitely my favorite. :)

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  4. are all beautiful, sources of inspiration for anyone ... loved. kisses.
    http://esmaltespontocom.blogspot.com.br/

    ReplyDelete
  5. yeh, I can't really disagree with any of those. Some (and only a little) of the nail art sometimes leaves me cold, but that's only because I don't understand the US references - Ron Swanson ?? But The Eye of Sauron ? masterpiece, my dear, masterpiece xxxx I would have loved to see a Top 10 art and a Top 10 patterns too xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ron Swanson is a character from a very popular sitcom here call Parks & Recreation. He is famous for his mustache and deadpan quips :)

      Delete
  6. You are so talented! I love all of these, thank you for sharing your inspiration in 2012 x x x

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  7. love love love the ocean scene one! I'm tempted to try something similiar after seeing it! Haha. :)

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  8. Your comment about #9 being your most stolen pictures cracked me up! LOL! It's not funny that they are stealing from you - just your comment is funny. My favorites are #'s 3, 5, 6, and 9

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  9. Totally agree with your choice for the number one spot !

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  10. Love them all! My "Top Seven Sarah Nail Art Favorites" are: the black and orange on a nude base dotticure, the Jackson Pollock, the newspaper with drips, the Nemo one, the laser gradient, the blue and white china and the bacon. ♥

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  11. These are all so great, I've enjoyed following your blog for the past year!

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  12. Your stripes and leopard print mani is to this day one of my all time favorite designs- ever! And your number one pick would be mine as well- Toile is one of my all time favorite patterns and that is what it reminds me of.

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  13. You are amazing at nail art so many looks you have created that i have loved but i must admit i think your Sauron eye is fantastic x

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  14. I am a young blogger, and i really think that your nail art is unique and creative. My favorites are the sea nails and the bacon and eggs.


    -Rubber Toast

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  15. Where is the tortoise shell- that was my absolute favorite nail art of the year.

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  16. They're all gorgeous! I heart Ocean Scene!! :)

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  17. How did you ever pick?! I love the beach one :)

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  18. love love love all your nail art! happy new years

    xx, annick from http://only4feet9.blogspot.com

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  19. #6 was probably my favorite mani I've ever seen, #5 is awesome because it has fish, as was your Day 31 Koi mani. (I seem to like fish-related things just a bit...)

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  20. Nail art awesomeness overload! Love them all and can't wait to see what you come up with in 2013!

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  21. Beautiful choices, I love them all - Happy New Year!

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  22. I am impressed all over again. The missing piece one is my fav- simple and makes me smile!

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  23. congratulations on the superb collection! :)

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  24. All are amazing - but my favs of 'em all are the Ocean scene and the blue and white china. Thanks for a fab year..I have a lemming list a mile long and acquired probably 50 polishes alone just 'cause I saw 'em here first!

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  25. Beauty and the beach is my fav! Great job in 2012!

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  26. Looking on these now make me realize there is absolutely no way in this world I could pick only 12 for a top-list.
    You are so talented and so creative and such a perfectionist and above all - such a sweetheart ;-)
    Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR and I am looking forward for next year's pick :-D

    ReplyDelete
  27. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

    Awesome list! My favorites are the book and the Eye of Sauron. That's just genius!

    ReplyDelete
  28. The beach one is my favorite! I just love the depth and details! :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Nossa que talento!Parabéns.
    Passando para visitar e aqui fiquei, estou amando o blog.
    Tem 2 sorteios rolando lá no meu blog,
    seria um prazer te-la párticipando:
    http://esmaltesdedivas.blogspot.com.br/2012/12/sorteio-de-aniversario.html
    http://esmaltesdedivas.blogspot.com.br/2012/11/sorteio-phytomare.html
    Kisses

    ReplyDelete
  30. My favorite manicure has to be lord of the rings. This look was executed wonderfully and it came out a winner. I also really like Beauty and the Beach. The sandy nails look awesome!

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  31. My thoughts as I read: "I love the inspired from a book one!" "The Baroque is my favorite." "No, The Eye of Sauron is my favorite." "No, the china pattern." :) They are all fabulous and I can't wait to see what you've got in store for us for 2013.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh! One I loved but didn't see was the double gradient mani you did... It was bright colors (China Glaze Summer Neons?) and I think had a fishnet-ish pattern?

      Delete
  32. Hello , you are such an inspiration and so talented !
    There manis are awesome. As a Lotr fan, the eye of Sauron is one of my fav manis ever!
    But i love Beauty and the beach too, very sweet =)

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  33. Wow!!! These mani are all so pretty. Great choices for they all look elegant and classy. Aside from that, extraordinary and cute designs. Great picks!

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  34. Eye of the Sauron is for me the top manicure you did last year :D

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  35. My favorites of these, in order, are:

    Ivory and Turquoise Antiqued Baroque
    Adventure Time
    Ron Swanson/Bacon and Eggs

    Those are the ones that I repeatedly showed to my friends.

    ReplyDelete
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