Criss-cross Gradient Overlay Nails

I actually didn't really care for these nails when I first did them. But they are starting to grow on me :)
It was an experimental design. I created a mini-tutorial below; they were actually super easy to do, but took a little time to wait for the polishes to dry.

1. I started out by doing a gradient design with a sponge. You can use any 2 contrasting colors you want, I chose a light peachy pink and a bright hot pink because I like the way they looked with the black. To do a gradient design, first I painted my nails with the lighter color pink. Then I took a makeup sponge with a flat side and painted some of the hot pink mixed with a bit of the light pink onto it. I started tapping the nail about halfway down. When that was nearly dry I took the sponge again with only the hot pink polish and tapped it on the last 1/4th of the nail (the very tip).

2. When they were completely dry I took some striping tape and made 3 criss-cross, or X's down the center of the nail.

3. Next I used a black polish with silver sparkles and painted the entire nail, right over the tape.

4. After it was completely dry, I carefully removed the striping tape. Voila!

5. (Optional) Last I added a dark rhinestone to the center of the middle X. In the center of the top and bottom X's I added a silver microbead(on the ring finger I just used 3 rhinestones). They didn't show up too well in the photos though. Finally I stuck a light purple bow on the thumb because somehow my polish ended up purple-ish looking, no idea how that happened lol... Finished with a top coat of Seche Vite. :)

I wanted to add a bow to the ring finger, but then I started having flashbacks of when my nails were getting stuck on everything & tangled in my hair when I ingeniously glued bows and flowers all over them the last time. <sigh>
Anyways...thanks for reading :)