Today’s manicure is inspired by summertime and all the gorgeous green grass and flowery meadows that come with it. To get this look, I’m going to use a technique called flocking to give my nails the illusion of having a grassy texture. It’s a fairly simple process, with a result that is definitely eye-catching. If over-the-top nails are your kinda thing, this is the DIY for you!

What you’ll need:

• Green nail polish
• A sheet of paper to use as a work surface
• Clear top coat
• Green flocking powder. You can find this in the scrapbooking section at the craft store. I’m using one by Stampendous that is non-toxic.
• A fluffy brush (I’m using an old blush brush, but a paint brush would work, too.)
• A plastic sandwich bag or an envelope with a cellophane window
• Yellow and white nail polishes
• A nail-dotting tool or bobby pin
• Tweezers

How to flock your nails:

Step One

You’re going to start off with a few coats of green nail polish as a base. It doesn’t need to be completely opaque. Just use enough to get some color on your nails. While that dries, grab a sheet of paper and lay it down on your work surface.

Step Two

Next, apply a generous layer of clear top coat to one of your nails.

Step Three

Immediately after applying the top coat, pour a small amount of flocking powder (just enough to cover the surface of your fingernail) over the wet top coat.

Step Four

Gently pat the flocking powder into place with your index finger.

Step Five

Brush away any excess powder with a fluffy brush. Repeat Steps Two through Four with each of your nails. This may feel like a time-intensive process, but the payoff is definitely worth it!

Step Six

Once you’re finished, you’ll be left with some totally rad AstroTurf-esque nails! You’re probably wondering how these will hold up through hand-washing? They hold up just fine! The fibers will obviously get wet, but once you pat your hands and fingernails dry, they should go right back to being fluffy again.

Next up, we’re going to add some daisy detailing to make these nails extra cute ’n’ summery!

How to add daisy details to a flocked manicure:

Step One

To make the daisies, take some white and yellow nail polish and use a nail-dotting tool or bobby pin to dot some flowery shapes onto a plastic sandwich bag (the cellophane part of an envelope works, too).

Step Two

Once the flowers have dried completely (I let mine sit for a couple hours), carefully peel them off of the plastic with some tweezers. If your tweezers aren’t super sharp, you may also need the assistance of something pointy, like a safety pin or toothpick, to help lift them off the plastic.

Step Three

Finally, apply a *very* tiny dot of clear nail polish to the underside of the daisy…

…and press it into place.

And with that, you’ll have nails that are super sweet, super summery, and, most of all, super fun! ♦