Lazy Days of Summer - Inspired by Your Favorite Towel

Today's theme is "Inspired by Your Favorite Towel", and I assumed this was reffering to a beach towel. This is not my current favorite towel (my husband and I rarely go to the pool or beach) but the towel that inspired this mani is one that I remember from growing up. It was a white/tan base with palm trees of yellow, orange, and red. VERY similar to my Summer Ombre nails so I switched up the colors a tad for this mani.

Inspired by Your Favorite Towel:

Polishes Used:
-Sally Hansen - Petal Pusher
-Konad - Special Red
-Sinful Colors - Hazard
-Sinful Colors - Cream Pink
-NYC - Matte Me Crazy

I used a stamping plate from my Salon Express kit. I REALLY want to try some of the Bundle Monster plates that I have been seeing out. I have some Konad plates, and these Salon Express ones and I would love to get more, especially full nail designs. Do you have a favorite brand of stamping plate? How about a favorite beach towel?

Lazy Days of Summer - Flag Day

Today's theme in the Lazy Days of Summer is "Flag Day". I was thinking of saving this mani and posting on July 4th, however, since we have to go in order for the LDOS I didn't want to wait that long; i've been having fun with this one (and I'm sure i'll be able to come up with another fun mani for the fourth.... already have some ideas brewing)

Flag Day:

Polishes Used:
-Nailtiques - Formula 2 Plus
-Sinful Colors - Snow Me White
-Wet 'n Wild - Saved By The Blue
-Konad - Special White (Salon Express Stamping Plate)
-Red Striping Tape
-Out The Door - TopCoat

This was my first time using striping tape since probably middle school or high school. My biggest issue with it then was that it always seemed to peel up off my nails and not stay put; I was hoping with my improved nail skills and advancements in adhesive since then that I would have better results with this, but even as I am typing this I just feel like the tape is starting to lift (I used 2 layers of topcoat - any suggestions for next time? Maybe I should use Gelous?)

Onto the accent finger, the Salon Express plates stamp well but their "full nail" designs don't cover my entire nail at all, hence, why I went for a tips/half nail look with this. The plates would probably be fine for someone with smaller nails or even a child, on a positive note, the individual designs are pretty big and they all transfer very well.

Even with all my ranting and raving, I really do like the look of this mani and hopefully it lasts until tomorrow without me picking at it. LOL. So, some final questions, have you ever had any issues with striping tape, and if so what did you do to "fix" it? And, on a more personal note, do you have any plans for the 4th of July?