Novel Nail Art Display Ideas

Since some clients may be lukewarm to the idea of nail art, perhaps seeing is believing. At least that’s been the case for Beth Hamm, owner of Perfect Pinkies in Naples, Fla.

Wanting to market her talent, Hamm decided to display her artwork on a straw wreath. She wrapped the wreath with a ribbon and bow, and hot-glued her handpainted nail tips to it. So far, 50 tips adorn the wreath, and there is room for many more.

While walking the aisles at a craft show, nail technician Dusty Darrah saw some shadow-box frames and knew they would be the perfect showcase for her art work.

Darrah, who works at The Permanent Solution m Littleton, Colo., used to rely on selling the service from wearing it herself and hoping people would see her designs on her clients’ nails. She recently began displaying her nail art to get more clients interested in the service “I think it’s important for people to see what designs are available,” she says.

Darrah’s shadow-box display is an 8-inch by 10- inch 3-D picture frame about 1- to 2-inches deep with a 1- to 2-inch space between the matting and glass. To affix each nail tip, she applies a drop of acrylic on the back to attach a straight pin, then sticks it in the cardboard backing.

“I’m an artsy-craftsy person and nail art brings out my creativity,” says Darrah.

Inexpensive acrylic picture frames decorated with nail art have been a great selling tool for Carla Clancy, a nail technician based in Manchester, N.H.

Clancy hand-paints nail art designs to match each season and holiday. For Valentine’s Day, she slips a piece of red foil in the frame and paints pink and red hearts around the frame’s border. To attach each tip, she squeezes out a large, chocolate-chip-shaped ball of aquarium silicone (available at craft stores) and drops it onto the top of the tip, then places another ball on the bottom. Next, she sticks the tip directly on the frame.