Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day Mash Up

I was trying to figure out if I actually wanted to do a Valentine's Day manicure since I don't really give one little crap about Valentine's Day. I tried to make some hearts with a dotting tool and I just couldn't do it so I opted out of a Valentine's mani. Then I was looking at some ideas for a Mardi Gras mani, trying to figure out if I would be any good at doing some beads with a dotting tool. I decided it wasn't really something I wanted to do and be annoyed with because it wasn't coming out how I wanted it to. So, even though I'd just done gradient glitter tips, I decided that I was going to do them again with China Glaze Glitter All the Way (which I added specifically to my wishlist, and was gifted over Christmas, just so I could use it for Mardi Gras!) with Dior New World Purple (which I ALWAYS call New World Chocolate in my head because, ya know, it looks nothing like purple) because that's what I was wearing and didn't feel like taking it off because it's beautiful. While I know little to nothing about Mardi Gras, I don't there's any brown colors associated with it but it does make a great base with Glitter All the Way. So how many polishes does it take to create a Mardi Gras/Valentine's Day mani?

The answer is 5.

Sinful Colors Let's Talk and San Francisco, butter London The Full Monty,

Dior New World Purple and China Glaze Glitter All the Way.

My cuticles look horrible again. And my hearts are not that great at all. And there's shrinkage from all the top coat I had to apply to get the glitter smooth. And the blue heart? That's actually a royal purple. But you get the idea.

These two taken in really dull light, next to the window.

With flash.

I actually really like how this came out despite the fact that it's not anywhere near perfect. Happy Mardi Gras (from a Northerner and current UK resident!) and Happy Valentine's Day (even though I don't really like it haha). Do you have any plans for either day? And please post your MG and VD manis in the comments!