Party Crashers

About two weeks before her wedding, Anne Silvey, now Mrs. Anne Franscioni, was putting the finishing touches on the plans for her big day. She’d had the color palette picked out long ago — navy, cream, and wine — and her six bridesmaids were prepared with their navy dresses. Wanting everything to be perfect to the last detail, she of course wanted a perfectly matched look for the group’s fingernails and toenails.

Behind the Scenes: Chris Haubruge

(Re)introducing Karyn and Candice

We'd like to welcome two new bloggers to Blueprint of a First Year. Don't worry — Alica and Melodie will continue to blog at least until their year ends in September, but we want to bring

Hard Candy Sweetness

Julie Tran uses LCN color gel to create this hard candy French design.

Duck Nails Are a "Not" On "What Not To Wear"

Giving up her duck nails causes a breakdown on the TV series "What Not to Wear" (episode "Tristen"), as nail tech Julie Kandalec keeps her cool and gives Tristen a classier nail look. (Kandalec tells us it took her five hours to re-do these nails.)

Picking Wildflowers: Nail Art Tutorial by Essie

Watch as essie nail artist, Julie Kandalec demonstrates how to recreate this spring-inspired nail art design using Essie polish colors.

Easy Holiday Tinsel Nail Art Tutorial

Julie Ventura shows how to create an easy holiday tinsel nail art tutorial.

Statue of Liberty Nail Art Time Lapse

Julie Ventura shows an intricate Independence Day nail art design.

Easy One-Stroke Wood Grain Nail Art Tutorial

Julie Ventura shows how to create a woodgrain look on your nails with polish and the one-stroke technique.