Fussy Bee

It took three months to make this reel! But good things take time 🥲 Sharing my art process - see how I work! Should I do more reels despite the struggle? 🩷

So excited to share how to create this beautiful, colourful, bright, cheerful, shiny, rainbow nail art design! 🌈 I loved wearing this set soo much, it made me happy to look at every day, and caught the eye of everyone I met. Making the clips into a reel has been a goal for three months, with a bunch of discarded edits. Working with the crew in the Monaco Salon Success Accelerator course one of our mantras has become “done is better than perfect”… Which challenges me, I prefer to aim for perfection. So, while I could have spent another three months working on this reel, here’s “done”… And how to create this beautiful art! (Turn the sound on to hear me talk through it ☺️). The edit is down to one minute, but you bet the clips are sped up and this work takes real *time* to create 💗 I’d LOVE to see if you give it a go 🥰 Products used: 🌈 My favourite files and buffers are the @artisticnaildesign ones from @monaconailacademy 🫧 Chromes from @lunabeauty_store 🌈 @luxapolish gel colours, Hard gel and Shine top coat from @nailartnz 🫧The shards are cut from a strand of shiny plastic from a broken toy, but you could easily use glitter or chop up some nail art foil. I made sure to cleanse mine with diluted isopropyl alcohol first. If you’re eager to learn how to use these professional products safely, start with “The Theory of Nails” at @monaconailacademy - use my name “Anthea” as a code for 10% the course cost. If you’re getting your nails done, make sure your nail tech is qualified - stay safe! 😎

I am sooo satisfied with this work. Things are exceptionally challenging in my life at the moment, but my nails look sick as hell, so it’s all ok! 🥹✨ if you like it, share it with someone ☺️

For the nail techs… it’s hard gel overlay on natural nails and I chopped up a sanitised strand of laser foil from a broken toy for the shards. Each nail has two shades of chrome to finish, which gives amazing depth and dimension. I recorded a demo, so one day I’ll share that video!
Everything is product from except the shards, and the chromes are from .
I’m available for mentoring through where anyone can learn to be a safe, professional nail tech (use my affiliate code “Anthea” for 10% off any course). I listened to the Monaco podcast while working on this art! 🩷🦄

Spent about six hours today getting 45% done with my nails 😅 probably the most boring live streams that ever did happen today hehe.
I’m preparing to go away for a month so my high standard is literally sky high this time. Still to do - couple more special effect layers on the right hand and all the decoration on the left 🤭

Every Monaco family member (students, grads and staff) we could get in one place at one time at the NZ Hair & Beauty Expo and NZ Nail Competition - not a bad effort!

From left -
Teresa OMG Beauty Solutions
Nati NS Nails
Zaytia Zaytia. Beauty Studio
Erin Little Moon Nails
Steph Reverie and Gel Inc Supplies
Hanna 222Beautynz_
Carl Monaco Nail Academy and Tairua IT Services
Penny Monaco Nail Academy and Hard Lacquer Nail Studio
Leonie Nails by Leonie
Jess Gloss Nail Salon
Katie The Glossary
Anthea Fussy Bee
Trudi Nail Candy Couture
Mel Jungle Nails NZ
Parveen Goddess Nail Studio
Becca Nails by Becca - Woodbine Studios
Pat Patsitive Beauty

Like most nail techs I’m a perfectionist, and I was having a mega stress about sitting the e-file assessment today. I already have an e-file certificate from another educator but I needed to do the Monaco one so I can properly assess students myself!
Anyway, I was CERTAIN I was going to fail, and had messaged the teaching crew to let them know to expect failure… I was working on myself doing a backfill service within 3hrs (this usually takes me six hours on myself!).
I finished in time and marked my work (we need 80% to pass). I scored 96%. 🙄
Eyes rolling at past-me for the anxiety and stress (I’m also just not that well at the moment). Here’s a reminder, especially to our students - just do the thing! We’re usually underestimating ourselves or overestimating the challenge. ✨💅🏽

I’m now teaching courses! Currently booked up doing in-person lessons for a student in Papakura, Auckland. I cover the Taranaki area also for in-person classes, and do a full day online once a month. My next online class I plan to live stream on Facebook for Monaco students too. It’s fun sharing my nail nerdery, so if you know anyone interested in learning - send them to me! And remember, nail products don’t harm your nails - uneducated use of them does 😌

More - other than nails, I have a million hobbies (apparently that’s normal for people with ADHD)… I like all kinds of art, gaming, photography and here’s a knitting project I picked back up a couple weeks ago. It’s a poncho! Comment if you want to be friends on Ravelry and I’ll drop a link :) This is the first time possibly ever that I’ve been inspired to start knitting again at a seasonally appropriate time. Just as well, because this alpaca/possum/polwarth yarn blend is toasty to have in my lap. Hope to spend a lot of my Easter weekend doing this and listening to audiobooks (currently: “A court of mist and fury” by Sarah J Mass). 📖🧶🐱💕

… so challenged us to show a bit of our real life on our business profiles… Here’s my cat Queen Eviebean (I generally call her Ratbag or Evie). She’s frolicking about the long grass after her shut-in time. We’re still living with my folks out in Coromandel 💕 how ‘bout that no-filter view and sky scape though? Sunset and twilight is my very favourite time of day. 🌅