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3 Rad Spring-Inspired Nail-Art Designs (Plus, The How-Tos)

We don’t know about you, but we're only three weeks into spring, and we’re already up to about seventeen new nail colors we can’t live without. Cool mint green, pure grape purple, neon pink, deep-hued teal — how’s a gal to choose? Well, how about you don't?
We called upon three style-savvy bloggers (and bona fide nail artists) to craft a range of your fave hues into some seriously spring-inspired nail art (obviously). The result? Three DIY designs we love just as much as those candy-colored polishes. Read on to scope them all and get the deets on how to paint ‘em up yourself.
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Blogger: Grace Atwood, Stripes & Sequins
Nail Design: Garden Party
Inspiration: "The original inspiration behind my design came from a Mara Hoffman shirt I spotted on Honestly WTF. I absolutely love Hoffman's designs, and thought the zigzags and bright, bold colors would be perfect to reinterpret on my nails."

The How-To:
1. Paint two coats of nude polish on every nail except your ring finger. On the ring finger, paint two coats of orange lacquer. Be sure to allow enough time for each coat to dry, otherwise you risk bubbling and smudging.
2. Beginning at the center of the nail, paint a thin zigzag pattern in teal with tiny dash strokes.

3. Paint a line of purple zigzags alongside your first zigzag pattern. Do the same thing with pink, working the different colors together. Have fun with it and don't worry about being too precise — the best part of this design is that it's meant to look a little bit haphazard.
4. Once you are happy with how your design looks, seal with a clear topcoat.

If she had to wear one nail polish color for the rest of her life, it would be… "That's a tough question! If it was for the rest of my life, I would choose Essie Mademoiselle. Boring, I know, but it's simple, chic, and goes with everything."
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Blogger: Dianna Baros, The Budget Babe
Nail Design: Coachella Nights
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Inspiration: "I was daydreaming about taking a vacation, so I attempted a palm tree design. It came out a little sketchy-looking, so I decided to go with a cactus creating a summery desert landscape."
The How-To:

1. Apply two to three coats of mint green polish for your base.
2. Next, dab a few drops of teal and mint onto a piece of cardboard or thick paper — this will be your palette. Using a small brush, mix up a very light shade of green using your two colors.
3. Break off a small piece of a makeup sponge, dab it into the light green, then lightly "sponge paint" the bottom three-quarters of the nail with the lightest green. Repeat this process with gradually darker shades of green until you've created an ombre effect over the entire nail.
4. Finish your "night sky" with a touch of sponge-painted purple at the very tip.
5. Once your sky has completely dried, mix up a small amount of green and purple and use your small brush to paint a mini cactus "growing" from the cuticle of each nail.
6. Finally, dip a toothpick into a nude color and create tiny dots (stars) in the night sky.
7. Finish with two coats of Seche Vite topcoat to protect your design and smooth out any bumps.

If she had to wear one nail polish color for the rest of her life, it would be… "Not fair! But if I must answer, I guess it would have to be coral — not too pink, not too orange, but a just-right, super-bright coral."
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Blogger: Jenni Radosevich, I Spy DIY
Nail Design: Hot Mod
Inspiration: "The diagonal color blocking on Tommy Hilfiger's Spring 2012 Runway helped me dream this one up. The colors I used are a perfect match to this one-piece swimsuit."

The How-To:
1. Diagonally, paint half of each nail in teal.
2. Paint the top half of the unpainted section purple, and the remaining space hot pink. Feel free to experiment with different color combinations!

If she had to wear one nail polish color for the rest of her life, it would be… "I am currently obsessed with Cajun Shrimp by OPI. It is so perfectly bright."
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