Grey Nails with Pearls, Studs and Diamantes

I've had these little pearls, studs and diamantes for ages (another Ebay buy) and only just got round to using them! I was originally going to do this with a pale, sheer colour but I decided to go for contrast instead and used Models Own Grey Day, with Essie Matte About You topcoat (which has gone very thick and glue-looking but still did the trick making my nails matte).

I started thinking about adding Barry M Nail Effects in there too for a real contrast between the grey, black crackle effect and delicate pearl and crystals but I decided that was probably a little bit too much for work. I tend to like accent nails better than doing a full set of nail art too, I think it stops it from being TOO much (though I secretly love really ghetto OTT nails but more in an arty way than actually wearing them), on my left hand I only had the embellishments on my middle nail.

I used my trusty Nailene Brush On Nail Glue and an orange stick with a bit of blue tack stuck on the end to pick the gems up and apply them to the nail. Technology! I'm not sure how long everything will stay attached - because I made the polish matte, I didn't apply a topcoat over the top of the gems too - and I suspect I might wake up tomorrow with a couple missing.

I think this would look better with something darker in it as well, like a black crystal or bead or something, maybe the Nail Effects wouldn't have been so bad after all....