Messy Manision Stamping Plate Review plus 4 bonus Ink swatches - Pic Heavy

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I have something different to share today in addition to my usual weekly swatches.  About a month ago, Julia from Messy Mansion contacted me to tell me I won the birthday giveaway on her facebook page and could choose 3 of her stamping plates as my prize.  I can't begin to tell you how excited I was or how hard it was to choose just three of her awesome designs!  And she even kindly allowed me to wait for a plate that wasn't even available yet for purchase.  They came in Friday, and I couldn't wait to review them.  But wait, there's more!  She also included a blogger sample.  So I have four of her awesome plates to show you today.

I can't begin to say how amazing these plates are.  They stamp like a dream!  The images are crisp and well etched, the surface of the plate is smooth so cotton doesn't get stuck when you clean them, and the designs are just too cute.  I'm also amazed at the excellent customer service and quick shipping.  These babies made it all the way from Australia to the U.S. in just over a week. But what thrills me most is the full nail image size.  I have the hardest time finding images that fit my thumbs without having to stretch them.  These fit with room to spare!  My thumb nails are 22 mm long and 16.5 mm wide (measuring across the c-curve).  The full nail images on these plates are 24 mm high by 18 wide according to my measuring tape.  But unlike many of the larger images out there, they are detailed so that they also work well with shorter and/or narrower nails (like my pinkie nails, which measure 16mm long and 12 mm wide across the c-curve).  Julia really nailed it on the designs.

So, onto the plates.  First up, MM06.  Let's take a closer look at this French inspired beauty.

This plate taught me a quick lesson.  My stamping skills need some serious work.  I can't stamp straight lines to save my life.  Thank goodness I use SOG.  Otherwise, I would have wrecked a hundred manis just trying to do these images justice.  But I digress.  Note the detail in that center image.  Look how beautifully it transfers to the stamper.  Not a single dot is missing.  The only flaws are the result of my poor scraping in the thicker portion of the flourish.

I had a really hard time choosing which images to show on this plate.  But I stamped a few to show you how they transfer to the nail.

I couldn't stop at just that, though.  The chandelier image in the top right was just begging for more attention...and crystals!  Don't you agree?

I tested this plate over a base of Ink Fallen Shadow.  This is a gorgeous, baby blue cream.  Since I was focusing on the stamping in the photos above, here's a color accurate swatch picture.

Moving on, the next plate I want to show you is MM12.  This is the plate I waited for.  Who doesn't love a plate of nothing but chevrons and zig-zags?  Look at the detail in that image in the center left!

And because I'm sure you're wondering, all of that detail transfers to the stamper beautifully!

Here are my test images.  Sadly, I didn't do that crazy image above justice.  I used a slower drying polish that smushed a little as I stamped it.  I know better than to stamp too quickly with that one, but I didn't even realize I had done it until after I applied the top coat.  :(

I tested this plate over a base of Ink Rose Fantasy, a bright, shimmery pink.  Here's the color accurate swatch.

Moving on to MM19.  This is the blogger sample Julia slipped in with my prize plates.

I don't know how she knew that I was torn on choosing this one instead of the first one I showed, but she apparently had a hunch.  I am so glad she did.  This plate has so much awesomeness I couldn't decide on just four images.  Looking back, I wish I had picked a different color for the stamping.  The shimmer in this bronze makes it hard to see the actual images.  But it is one of the easier colors I have for clean up, so I went with it to cut back on the staining.

Though I have shown 5 of the images above, I just had to throw in this tree image too.  Also, it shows how the images fit my thumb without the distortion from stretching.  Yea!  And yes, my thumb nail is crooked.  That is one of the reasons you never see it in my photos.  That, and when I swatch I only paint four fingers.  ;)  But look at these trees!

I tested this plate over a base of Ink Cameo.  Cameo is a gorgeous mint green with a subtle shimmer.

You can see the shimmer better in this close up.

Finally, the one Messy Mansion plate I didn't have any trouble choosing.  MM07.  I have been lemming this plate since I first discovered Messy Mansion earlier in 2013.  I don't know what it is about roses that get me, but I just can't resist them.  And that leaf image in the center is the perfect balance between stamping image and background color.

Of course, just as with the others I have shown you, this one stamps beautifully.  I did not top coat over this one since the base is the the one I am wearing for my weekly mani (below).  But I think you can still see how well the images stamp.  :)

I tested this plate over a base of Ink Ruby Red.  The picture above is edited to show the stamping better in a failed attempt to reduce the glare.  Here is a true color swatch.  I was a bit shocked when I opened the bottle on this one.  As a July baby, I am very familiar with rubies, and this is NOT a ruby red.  I consider it more of a copper toned red.  It's gorgeous and perfect for fall.

All said and done, I am a HUGE fan of Messy Mansion now.  My husband will surely hate Julia for giving me the opportunity to try these plates through her contest and the blogger sample, because now I know I need them all!  And I hear she's working on stamping polish as well.  :)

And finally, here's my mani for this week.  I absolutely love the color combination for fall, and the images are so elegant.  The bronze stamping polish really pulls out the copper tones in the base color.  It makes me a very happy girl.  Details below.

Base Color: Ink Ruby Red
Stamping Color:  Mundo de Unas Bronze
Stamping Image:  Messy Mansion MM07

Whew.  That's all for tonight.  I spent quite a bit of time on this post, so I likely will only have one other to share this week.  But it was worth it, right?

~Michelle