Apple Nail Art Tutorial

As part of Blogtober, I'll be re-running some past posts that fit this month's theme. This post was originally published in November 2013.

I love a theme! After my Halloween nail art, I was getting kind of bored with regular nail polish so I wanted to create another seasonal manicure. Instead of traditional Thanksgiving nails (okay, maybe those aren't traditional for most people), I wanted a general autumn situation on my nails. I almost went with leaves, you guys, but since I didn't get to go apple picking this year, I had to go with my favorite fall fruit. Plus, I had this vintage apple fabric for the backdrop so it was kind of inevitable.

What You Need

• Red Nail Polish {NYC 223}

• Green Nail Polish {Sally Hansen Going Green}

• Lime Green Nail Polish {Sinful Colors Innocent}

• Brown Nail Polish {Wet n Wild Wet Cement}

• Black Nail Polish {Wet n Wild Ebony Hates Chris}

• White Nail Polish {Wet n Wild White 449C}

• Pale Nail Polish {NYC Love Letters}

• Green Striper Nail Polish {L.A. Colors in Bright Green} - Optional

• Top Coat {Seche Vite}

• Dotting Tool

Instructions

Start with a base of the pale polish. I'm using one meant for a French manicure. You can also just start with bare nails, but this adds a more polished (PUN ALERT) finish.

Use the small end of a dotting tool (or a nail art brush) to draw a curved line that looks like the top of an apple [a] across the middle of a nail. Fill in the space below the line to create the apple [b].

Repeat on all nails, using different shades.

Use the brown nail polish to add a small stem above each apple shape.

Use the green striper or the green polish on a brush or tool to add a leaf shape next to each stem.

For a fun variation, create a sliced open apple by painting a white shape that mimics the apple shape inside one of your apples. Add two black dots for seeds.

Use the dotting tool or a brush to add a white highlight mark on the right edge of each apple.

Finish with top coat.

I know bananas come in a bunch, but what do apples come in? Whatever that is, you have one now!

Are you into seasonal manicures? What would you choose for fall nail art? What do your nails look like right now?

20 Cozy Sweaters You Need This Fall

Ahhh, sweater weather. The weather so nice they make novelty t-shirts about it. Somehow they don't see the irony there?

Source

This is (or will be when we stop getting these random 80 degree days) the perfect time of year to wrap up in a soft, maybe fuzzy, maybe oversized, sweater to keep the chillies at bay. A girl can only fit so many sweaters in her closet, but no one said anything about limiting (browser) window shopping, did they?

Color Block Sweat Dress, ASOS $48

Intarsia Hound Dog Sweater, Modcloth $49.99

Knit Sweater with Embroidery, H&M $49.99

Outlander Cable Knit Cape, Torrid $68.90

E.L.K Relaxed Sweater In Fluffy Cloud Knit, ASOS $48.00

Plus Size V-Neck Sweater, Forever 21 $19.90

Daisy Street Sweater in Rainbow Knit, ASOS $32.00

Plus Size Grey Off the Shoulder Sweater Dress, Missguided $21.00

Striped Choker V-Neck Pullover Sweater, Target $39.99

CURVE Sweater in Block Stripe, ASOS $51.00

Sylvia Alexander One Size Wrap Sweater, Target $39.99

Plus Size Rose Printed Pullover Sweater, Target $29.99

Hooded Sweatshirt Cardigan, H&M $49.99

Button-Front Duster Vest, Lane Bryant $69.95

Knit Beaded Sweater, H&M $49.99

Plus Size Animal Print Any Day Cardigan, Target $24.99

Talah Eyelash Cardigan, Anthropologie $148.00

Off the Shoulder Chenille Sweater, Lane Bryant $69.95

Color-block Sweatshirt, H&M $49.99

Ruffle-Hem Plus Size Swing Sweater, Old Navy $44.99

What cozy sweaters are you wearing this fall?

Friday Faves Vol. 13: Autumn Edition

This tutorial for DIY pumpkin pie garland!

This adorable & cozy autumn sweatshirt!

This incredibly decadent salted caramel apple Snickers cake!

This witches brew mug that's perfect for fall!

This perfect rainbow pumpkin mantel decor!

This drool-worthy recipe for pumpkin & almond stuffed french toast!

This falling leaves photo makes the perfect autumn phone wallpaper!

This pumpkin nail art makes for perfect statement nails!

This list of the best pumpkin foods at Trader Joe's in 2017!

This mulled wine table-scape is autumnal heaven!

What cool stuff have you seen lately?

Apple Cider Donut Whoopie Pies with Apple Cider Whipped Cream Filling • (NO, I'M NOT MESSING AROUND)

Okay, yes, I'm obsessed with fall. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so is everyone else. But as a New Englander, it feels like autumn is in my blood and I live for those precious few months of cool, perfect weather, crunchy leaves under my boots and bright blue skies against orangey-yellow trees. 

But the best part of autumn? The smells, baby!

There is literally NO better scent than that of freshly frying apple cider donuts wafting right up into these nostrils as I walk into my local farm stand, with hanging mums and painted pumpkins as far as the eye can see. It’s like sensory overload; my nose is excited, my tummy is rumbling’ for donuts and I wanna buy every orange thing I see.

Sure, you can replicate the idea through, like, a Bath & Body Works candle or whatever (no shade - Yankee Candle Hot Apple Cider is life-changing), but making your own festive fall treat is so worth the time and effort. I wanted to try my hand at homemade apple cider donuts, but then I thought, “why stop there?” and decided to create this recipe for apple cider donut whoopie pies with apple cider whipped cream filling because I go for it. Won’t you come with me?

Ingredients:

• 6 T butter

• 2 C apple cider (reduced from 4 C)

• 2 T honey

• 1/2 C brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 C flour

• 2 t baking powder

• 1/2 t cinnamon

• 1/4 t nutmeg

• 1/2 t salt

Topping
• 2 T melted butter
• 2 T apple cider
• cinnamon sugar {1/2 C sugar & 2 T cinnamon}

Apple Cider Whipped Cream
• 2 C whipping cream
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 4 T apple cider
• sugar to taste {optional} 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  

2. Reduce apple cider by bringing to a boil in a saucepan and simmering over medium heat until the cider is reduced by about half. (I started with about 4 cups and ended with about 2 cups. This step is optional, but it helps concentrate the apple flavor to make it stand out more in the finished product.)
  

3. In a small saucepan, melt butter, then stir in apple cider, brown sugar and honey. Set aside to cool. When cooled, stir in eggs.
  

4. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  

5. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients. The batter may be slightly thin, so you can add up to 1/2 C of flour more if needed.

  

6. Pour batter into a pastry bag or a large ziploc bag and cut off the corner tip. Pipe the batter into a greased whoopie pie pan or, if you don't have one, pipe the batter straight onto parchment paper in shallow circles about 2 inches apart.

  

7. Bake the cider donut whoopie pies for 6 minutes or until golden.

8. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

9. To make the topping, combine the melted butter and apple cider, then either paint it on the tops of the whoopie pies or dip them into the mix. Next, roll the moistened whoopie pies into the cinnamon sugar to coat.

10. To make the whipped cream, add cold whipping cream to a large bowl, stir in apple cider, vanilla and sugar to taste (you can take a little taste to check the sweetness/flavor before whipping). Using a hand mixer, stand mixer or just a good old fashioned whisk, whip the cream until it thickens. You'll see it transform in stages - from liquid to goopy to soft billows to ultimately soft-yet-firm whipped cream.

11. When the whoopie pies have cooled, scoop apple cider whipped cream onto one pie and top with another, toppings sides out.

What's your favorite fall baked treat? 
What kinds of flavored whipped creams have you ever made or tried?