Tutorial Followed - Acid Leopard Nail Art

I saw the tutorial for this manicure earlier in the week when Colette first posted it and as soon as I watched it I knew I wanted to try it.  Colette is one my biggest nail art inspirations.  I've tried several of the water marble tutorials she has posted on Y0uTube but I haven't had much success making them look very good.  But I love watching all her videos and I obsessively check her blog for updates every evening before I go to bed. 

So Colette posted this tutorial on how to create "Acide Leopard" nails.  I followed the tutorial to the letter aside from using more of a creamy, opaque white as the base rather than a sort of shimmery white like she used. I also picked up the same nail art pens as she used in her video.  I must say it looked like she had a much easier time using it than I did. It was a catch 22 because I tried using the pen before I put my top coat on but after sponging the paint was not smooth and I couldn't draw a half circle for anything.  So I put on a coat of seche vite which made the surface smoothe, but seemed too smooth for the polish in the nail art pen to soak in.  I might add this was my first time ever trying leopard print free-hand so I'm happy with how it turned out. I think I will be better next time I use it.

So here is how it turned out on me:

I am so geeked over this manicure!!!  Thanks to Colette, for breaking this down into steps that are easy to follow. For my very first time sponging polish onto my nails, I am extremely happy with how this looks. And best of all, I think the world of sponging has been opened to me and I am having lots of ideas of how I can incorporate the technique into other designs.

I might throw some matte top coat on this tomorrow after work - I am curious to see what that will do to the look.  But either way, I like this so much I think I will keep it for a few days.  I want to show it off at dinner with some girlfriends on Tuesday night.