Essence Meet You in Budapest

I didn't know anything about this brand when I first saw this color, but I new I had to have Meet You in Budapest. It's a perfect, so perfect, teal with a super-jelly finish. I managed to track down someone who wanted to swap, and I was so excited! Essence is a drugstore brand from Europe, and I didn't know what to expect in terms of application, but I was completely blown away. It applied flawlessly, and was perfectly opaque in two coats, which for a jelly is amazing! And do you see the shine on this? There is no topcoat. That's right. No Seche Vite, no Poshe, this is all Essence's natural finish. I actually picked this dulled down picture because the rest of them reflected me in my nails! This was a limited edition color, but if you have any super nice European friends, ask them to track it down!


I haven't done any swatch comparisons with this, I'm waiting to get the new China Glaze collection to see if it's close at all to Flyin' High, though the more swatches of that I see, the less similar they look. Possibly similar to RBL Teal? I'll need to compare next time I bring it out!

Strutting Like a Peacock

Peacocks are proud birds, at least they seem so......
Some of us are like peacocks. We don a uniform and are proud of what it represents.

More importantly, we should give honour to whatever position of trust we are in, never to ourselves..........

Ephesians 3:16-19 (N.I.V) written by the Apostle Paul is also applicable for us today.  

"I pray that out of His glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through His spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, (so that you are) able to grasp....
 How Wide and Long and High and Deep is the love of Christ (FOR YOU!).
 And to know this love that surpasses all knowledge.....
that you may be filled to the measure of all the goodness of God.. AMEN.....

Rainbow Lorakeets feeding on a native wattle tree.  

Palm Tree and Lambs Tail Wattle Tree...

Sapphire in the Snow...bank

I am a wonderful driver. I've never been in a crash or fender bender, never accidentally brushed my bumper against something I shouldn't, and have never had a ticket. Yet in the last week I have put my car in a snowbank TWO times! I wasn't going faster than 15 mph each time and the second time wasn't so bad, I just rocked the car out. But it's rather embarrassing to be chastised by your dad when you've had a clean driving record since you got your license.

Putting aside my exasperation with icy Minnesota winters, I'm quite in love with today's NOTD. This is my very first vampy color and I still don't know why I didn't jump on these earlier. Application was great and opaque in one coat, though this picture is two. Unfortunately I was having a terrible lint day and some stuck to the color before I put on SV, but I tried to fake a perfect mani with my camera! Sapphire in the Snow was from OPI's holiday collection, the only one I picked up while they were in stock. I'm so glad I did! I have a list of about 8 other almost-blacks to pick up now, I'm completely hooked.

Our Conscious, Subconscious and Unconscious Mind (Soul)

Book Sharing Monday: Mouse's First Snow

My youngest son is a huge fan of the Mouse series by Lauren Thompson. When it came to learning about Winter this month, I knew I had to find a Mouse book that would suffice. Mouse's First Snow by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Buket Erdogan is a wonderful story about Mouse's first encounter with snow. On a bright white winter's day, Mouse and Poppa go out sledding, skating, make snow angels and

Minty Fresh

Today I have more lovely mint shades! I recently found OPI's discontinued Hey! Get in Lime! for what I thought was a reasonable deal on Ebay. And while I generally don't like to buy from the auction site in this case it was totally worth it! While it took 4 coats and seemed kinda watery the end result is beautiful. If you are at all lemming this, pick it up before you won't be able to find it for under $20.

Claire's Dream Catcher is super popular right now. Just google search for "Dream Catcher Channel Jade Dupe" and you'll see why. While it's not a dead on dupe, it's just a touch more yellow based, it's close enough for you to close your eyes and think of Jade. This one is a super bargain too, I think Claire's always has BOGO 50% off on their nail polish. The application was a little finicky but not the worst I've ever dealt with. This was 4 coats.

Essie Mint Candy Apple was also popular this last month but it seemed like the jury was split on this one. You either loved it or didn't. I loved it, but not as a mint. It's more of a robin's egg blue. This is one you have to see in person because almost every picture I've seen makes it look chalky and pastel-ish and it's really not. It's bold and smooth. This applied really well with 2 coats but I needed a third to cover up some bald spots.


So my mint collection is growing slowly! Anyone have any recommendations I should hunt down?

Forgiveness and True Repentance

I am the survivor of abuse. I am no longer the victim.


Do I forgive my abuser? Yes I do… Do I still see this person? No I don’t.


Was I ostracized because I walked away from the situation? Yes I was.


Why? You may ask. …. The reason, … many Christians believe forgive means to forget and continue to live with an (EVIL) person.




I am a Christian and struggled with the concept of what I should do for years. After all I reasoned, didn’t I myself hurt others at times requiring forgiveness also…… and didn’t Jesus say, “Forgive 77x7.” So what is the difference with me being forgiven, and what the other person continued to do? Good question.


The answer comes from Gods Word on REPENTANCE.


Matthew 3:8 “Bring forth therefore fruits, meet with repentance.”


Other scriptures on repentance: Matt 3:2. Acts 20:21 2Peter 3:9.




So did the other person ask me or God for forgiveness? The answer is NO!


Yet, there are many (so called) Christians who abuse and ask forgiveness of their victim. And they expect that forgiveness over and over.


This is done to turn the abuse from themselves, back onto the person they abuse.


They don’t wish to STOP! They want to continue what they are doing. They justify their actions by making the other person believe they are the one in the wrong.


(As in incest (children obey your parents) and spousal abuse (wives be subject to your husband).


They don’t want their act declared in the LIGHT. And no one suspects what is going , on behind closed doors.




When the perpetrator continues to hurt another, using clever manipulation to get their own way, then they do not display the fruits of repentance.


If this is the case, God is not their Father.


No!…..Satan transformed as an angel of light, is their Father, (2 Corinthians 11:14).


As Christians we are not to be involved with such persons. Jesus gives His example on this…...


In Matthew 4:10. Jesus deals with Satan when Satan conveniently turns scripture around to suit himself.


Jesus DOES NOT! Allow Satan to get away with his liars! Instead he rebukes him, and sends him away………using The Word of God


Physical, Mental, Emotional and Verbal Abuse ……Penetrates and Wounds the Soul!


“You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free! (John 8:31 )

My Home Garden of Happiness.