Halloween Polka Dot Mani

Happy Halloween folks! It's already that time of year. Get your candy ready, your scare on, and out comes the Halloween mani's!

I got this idea off of Instagram. I have created an Instagram account so please follow me here or add me (@fabnfrugalnails).

I like this fun take off of Halloween colors without being too obvious.

What you will need:
- Top and base coats
- Black polish
- Orange polish
- White polish
- Gold glitter polish (optional)
- Dotting Tool
- Small piece of foil




Start by prepping your nails (clip, file, etc) and then paint your base coat and let dry or cure if you are using the gel polish.

Now, paint your thumb and ring finer orange. Paint you pinky and index finger black. Then your middle finger white. Let completely dry or cure if you are using the gel polish. Repeat as needed for as many coats you need.

Now, using a small piece of foil, dab some black and orange polish onto the foil. Grab your dotting tool and place random black and orange dots on your middle finger that is painted white. I used two different sizes dots for effect.

Add polka dots with dotting tool

Using your gold glitter polish paint over the orange nails with glitter to add some accent. Now let dry completely (or cure if using gel).

Add accent glitter (optional)

Lastly, paint your top coat and let dry. I added two top coats because I use the gel polish and I like mine thick. Enjoy your mani! I had help from my kitty Mya afterward. She sure seemed to like the mani!

Kitty Love! <3

No Sew Halloween Tutu Tutorial

OK now that is fun to say, "Halloween Tutu Tutorial". Say it five times fast. Haha, OK back to work! I made a tutu for my friends daughter. She's an October baby so I decided to make it Halloween themed.

I adopted these steps from many other blog sites, this tutu you can do with any color and any length tulle. I am going to just go ahead and post how I did it.

What you will need: 
- Black tulle (about 3 yards)
- Orange tulle (about 3 yards)
- Elastic (I used 1/2 inch)
- Scissors
- Ribbon (optional)
- Chair or stool



Start by measuring the waist of the child. Add a few inches to allow for the knot to tie the elastic but the elastic will stretch so you only need about 3 inches longer than the measures waist size.

You will want to cut your tulle pieces. I bought the tool that was already cut width wise so I could just cut the pieces in the length that I wanted. I cut my pieces about 18 inches long. Keep in mind that you will be folding these pieces in half, so cut long enough to allow for the fold. I didn't want my tutu too long (ha!). There is no rhyme or reason here. I cut about 30 pieces of each. You want the tutu to be full so cut enough to go all the way around. If you are using the large by the yard tulle, you probably want the tulle a width of about 5-6 inches and however long you want the tutu.

Now tie a knot at the end of the elastic and use a stool or a chair to stretch the elastic around while you attache the tulle.

Now, take one piece of the tulle and fold it in half. Take the half that has the fold and place it against the elastic. 

Next, pull the tulle around the elastic to make a knot and pull tight. Repeat these steps alternating colors every time.

When you are finished going all the way around, feel free to add some ribbon as an accent.

Fluff the tutu as needed and try it on! Have fun, and try it with different colors and lengths. You can also double the amount of tulle and use two strips to make a more full tutu. 

Halloween Glitter Mani Tutorial

This picture is taken with a flash

I wanted to do something a little different for my Halloween Mani this year. I did candy corn last year. I am not sure if I like the outcome of these yet. The orange glitter ended up turning out green after I put the top coat on, but I went ahead and decided to post the tutorial anyway.

What you will need:  
- Base and Top Coat
- Black Polish
- Orange Polish
- Black Glitter
- Orange Glitter
- Brush (to apply the loose glitter)



Start by prepping your nails (clip, file, etc). Then paint your base coat and let dry (if using gel polish cure your base coat).

Now, paint the nails you want black, with the black polish. I did my pinky, middle, and index fingers in the black. Then go back and paint your remaining nails with the orange polish. Let dry (or cure if using gel) Repeat this step if another coat is needed.

Next, we are going to apply the glitter. I did a reverse ombre and added the glitter starting at the tips. Dip your brush into the glitter and carefully apply to the the nail.

Apply the black glitter on the orange nails and the orange glitter on the black coat. Then apply your top coat and let dry (or cure if you are using gel polish). I like to add two top coats when using the loose glitter.

For some reason the orange glitter came out looking green but green is still kind of Halloween. What do you guys think? Ya or Na on this one?

this picture is taken without a flash in natural light

No Sew Girls Halloween Headband

Someone, please help me! I am addicted to the glue gun! I found this blog post on Pinterest that showed me how to create these adorable little fabric flowers and I have started going crazy with making headbands and hair clips.

I have decided to recreate the tutorial in my own way, but I do not want to take credit for this. As I said I found this post that initially gave me the idea.

I have made a few pretty girly ones but with Halloween right around the corner I decided to make a few for a friends little girl in black and orange.

I decided on black fabric and orange tulle for accent

What you will need:
- Hot glue gun
- Soft felt (about 2 square inches worth)
- Fabric
- Elastic (for headband) or clip
- Ribbon or tulle for accent (optional)





Start by cutting your fabric. I used about 14 inches of fabric length at about 1 and 1/2 inched wide.
Now, cut a circle out of your felt.
Next tie your fabric in a knot at the end and glue knot to the felt in the middle (see picture below).

I tied my fabric knot with my tulle for accent. You can
Do the same with ribbon or other accent material.

Now, twist the fabric as you roll the fabric and glue it down as you go around. You want the fabric to be sort of tight so it glues down and does not come undone. If you hold it down as you glue it, it makes it easier.

Repeat these steps until you are done wrapping the fabric around the knot.

If you have extra fabric left over tuck it underneath the felt on the backside and glue it down. Cut any access felt so it's not exposed in the front.

If you are making a hair clip, glue the clip to the back of the felt. If you want, you can hand sew it as well.

If you are making a headband, cut the elastic to size then glue it to the back of the felt. Take another piece of felt and cover the part you just glued. By doing this, you cover the exposed glue and protect the head from scratches. (some photos below of another headband I did so you get the idea)

These are so easy to make and you can use them for far more than headbands and hair clips. They can be easily applied to jackets, pinned on purses, or just pinned to a cute blazer.

Easy White Wine Spritzer

A post that celebrates summer leaving! It's still a bit warm some days here in Arizona and I am not ready to let the summer go quite yet. Mostly just the pool time, the head can go but the sun can stay!

I love white wine spritzers especially on a warm summer day. These are my favorite and they are super easy to make.

First, get your favorite bottle of white wine. I like pinot grigio. My favorite being from Barefoot. It's affordable, yummy, and you can find it about anywhere.

Next, choose some summer fruit of your choice. I like grapes and strawberries in mine.

Now, get a lemon-line soda. I like diet 7up because I don't want the extra calories.But regular will taste just as good.

For 16 oz glass: (1 serving about 120 calories **with diet soda**)
- 3 or 4 strawberries sliced in half
- 5 grapes sliced in half
- fill cup with ice
- 5 oz of white wine
- 1/2 c of 7up (or sprite)
- Stir with a spoon and enjoy!

Everybody Loves Glitter, Vol. 3

OK here's another mani done with gel nail polish. (This can be done with regular polish as well)

This one is a little different than my last few glitter ombre posts. Instead of doing an ombre effect, I decided with this one to do a diagonal tip in silver glitter.

What you will need for this one:

- All over color (I used Gelish Harmony Bella's Vampire)
- Base and top coats
- Powder glitter
- Tape
- A brush (for the glitter)


Start by prepping your nails. If this is your first time doing the gel system, read my post here on how to do the gel polish as I won't go into details on that here. This mani can be done with regular polish as well.

After prepping your nails, paint your base coat and let dry. (if you are using gel, cure your base coat).

Now, paint your all over color on all of your nails. You want thick even color. I used two coats, curing each coat with the UV light. If you are using regular polish make sure to let each coat dry completely between each coat.

Now this next part I did not take pictures of, as it was too hard once my hands were taped. Next time I do this I will sucker my husband into taking the pics for me.

**Note if you are using gel polish, you will want to paint a top coat and cure before you go onto the next step. Once you paint a top coat and use your alcohol to get rid of the stick substance on the nail, go onto the step below.

Using some tape (I used clear gift wrapping tape) tape off each of the nails so that only a diagonal area of the tip is showing. The part that is showing is what you will use glitter on. Paint the exposed part of the nail with top coat. Before the top coat dries, use your brush to dab on the powder glitter. (you will do the same thing for gel nails. Paint the top coat on the exposed part, then dab on glitter, once you do this, cure, then repeat adding more glitter).

Now, carefully peel off the tape. Paint another top coat over the entire nail. (If using gel, cure after the top coat).

Enjoy this mani. I received countless compliments on this one!

Who Doesn't Love Glitter #2?

Another simple glitter gel nail idea. I didn't use powder glitter for this one, I just used Gelish Harmony Water Field over IBD Just Gel color Serendipity.

I love the IDB colors. I only have to do two coats and they go on so smoothly and evenly. The top picture is in artificial light and the one below in natural light.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love gel nail polish? :)

Who Doesn't Love Glitter?

I was a bad blogger last month. Not that I think too many people read this, but for those few that do, I apologize. I only had a few posts and shame on me!

I did manage to do a lot of tutorials and nail ideas I just didn't get around to posting them, so I will make up for it this month.

My first October post has nothing to do with fall just a cute glitter mani I did for a friend. I did not post step by step instructions on this one because it's a lot like my post on glitter ombre nails. The only difference was we did less glitter on the bottom and one nail covered in the silver glitter.

Thanks to Amanda for being my hand model on this one!