Today is my mom’s birthday, so this one goes out to her. I hesitated to dedicate such a messy mani, but since accepting weird, unintentionally Picasso-inspired art projects as gifts is kind of what moms are supposed to do, I figured this was more than appropriate:

For those who might want to recreate it, the procedure goes as follows:

Cut a tissue into thin strips, about two or three millimeters wide, then separate the layers and set aside. The cheap, non-fuzzy type works best. Apply a base coat, then from here on out work on one nail at a time. Apply one coat of a white or off-white polish. (I used Nubar White Peony.) Work quickly while the nail is damp to lay the strips of tissue across the nail. If the nail starts to dry, lightly dab on some more white polish as you go. This also helps to get overlapping strips to stay down. Use stork scissors, or other small scissors to trim the strips of tissue along the walls of the nail. The scissors are also helpful in pressing down the strips as you lay them down, without smudging the polish underneath.

And that’s it! Don’t use a top coat because it will make the strips transparent. While this isn’t the most durable manicure, it’s not one of those that turns you into a completely helpless person either. I was still able to open a can of lemon La Croix, and you can get the nails wet as long as you just gently pat them dry.

Peace & love (and happy birthday, Mummy!),

Sonja