fantasy art and tree chatter of aquariann

I couldn't resist the siren's song at the Art of the Belly dance festival last weekend. Jamberry consultant, Kristin Beno, lured me to her booth with free samples and a smile. Swimming away without buying the Mermaid Tales design to match my lake blue sequin hip scarf would have sunk my spirits! After fishing through the Jamberry nail wraps in my collection, I chose Sapphire Sparkle as an accent nail. Want to be a guest blogger for my Manicure Monday when I don't have new nails of my own to show off? Please fill out the form on my contact page if you're interested in a free feature. Or if you've done a mermaid manicure in the past, comment with the link and I'll add it to my featured finds below. Mermaid Scales Nail Art Finds:

If you liked my sunset photograph from last Wordless Wednesday, you're going to love the newest addition to my jewelry collection! Renae (aka Mademoiselle Mermaid) and I may have moved to opposite sides of the country after becoming fast friends at college, but we enjoy photographing similar subjects. When she offered to send me one of the new nature photo pendants she's selling on Etsy, I chose her Santa Monica Sunset necklace as a memento of the beautiful beaches I saw when visiting her in California. She has several flower photo necklaces that were tempting to pick, too! And one lucky reader can pluck one from her whimsical garden for free. Just travel to the Jewelry Giveaway I'm hosting for her and follow the Rafflecopter instructions to enter to win before April 5, 2015.

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over. Congratulations to Eugenie Wu for submitting the randomly-chosen 799th entry. Rica Jewels will email you within 24 hours with instructions on how to claim your prize. The winds of March are making me wonder why I haven't learned to properly braid my hair yet. Not only would my tresses get less tangled, but there are so many pretty patterns available online now. The only braid style I ever mastered was how to make friendship bracelets back in the 1980s. Daniela of Rica Jewels offers a much more intricate braided bracelet called the Kusma Bracelet. The mixed metal bracelet is made with silver, bronze and copper. The beautiful bracelet is 7" long and 0.4" width and can be bent gently on the edges to better fit the winner's wrist. Yes, you read that right. Daniela's giving the above bracelet away to one of my readers! Rica Jewels has several marvelous metal and beaded bracelets for sale. Daniela received a bachelor’s degree in ...

Spring might not officially start until Friday, but the time change has lightened my mood! Getting to see stunning skies instead of darkness while driving home from work is glorious. This beautiful sunset convinced me to pull over at Wagamons Pond to capture its colors reflecting on the water.

Even if I'm suddenly struck with amnesia on Tuesday and don't wear a green outfit for St. Patrick's Day, I won't get pinched! Not only do I have green hair tinsel tied in my tresses, but I'm wearing an ombre green manicure. I bought Jamberry Nails' zebra print nail wraps last year before they retired, but it's not too late for you to hunt them down. For example, there's still a half sheet of the Emerald Ombre Zebra design available on Amazon. Want to be a guest blogger for my Manicure Monday when I don't have new nails of my own to show off? Please contact me using the form on my contact page if you're interested in a free feature. Or if you've done a St. Patrick's Day manicure in the past, comment with the link and I'll add it to my featured finds below. Zebra Nail Art Finds:

EDIT: Giveaway is officially over. Congratulations to Mai Tran for submitting the randomly-chosen 17th entry. Mademoiselle Mermaid will email you within 24 hours with instructions on how to claim your prize. Now that temperatures in Delaware have risen and I'm no longer worried that I'll turn into an ice sculpture by breathing the arctic air, I've started strolling through the local vineyard again. Although I look forward to the grapes growing, I'm more excited for the rose bushes to bloom that guard each row of grapevines. Even if the flowers are slow to flourish this spring, at least I can get a flower fix by visiting my dear friend Renae's nature photography shop on Etsy. She lives in Santa Monica, where lush tropical landscapes, whimsical gardens and inspiring vistas are abundant. To share her botanical Wonderland with ladies like me that were daydreaming about winter ending three snow storms ago, Renae is giving away a pretty photo pendant! The lucky winn...

Snow, snow, go away ... don't come again until Christmas! Sunshine sparkling off the ice crystals on the dunes at Lewes Beach was a stunning sight when we stopped on way back from breakfast last Saturday. But I'm glad that we've had warmer weather the last few days and the snow has probably melted entirely, except maybe the massive plowed piles in the parking lot.

Three years ago when walking around Yorktown for the first time, I was convinced I'd found the Entrance to Wonderland . Last month during my birthday vacation to Virginia, we discovered Cornwallis' Cave on another wonderful walk. Don't let the gorgeously green ivy fool you about how cold it was - we got smacked with snow on the way back to the hotel in Williamsburg.

Guest Post by Kimberly Carman of Kiss My Tips Today I'm savoring Moon Glass, one of Jamberry Nails' many designs that recently retired from our 2014 Fall catalog. The new 2015 Spring Jamberry catalog rose on the first day of March. Let's just say I may need an intervention! There are so many beautiful nail wrap styles, lacquer colors and nail care items that I will be feeling nothing but pampered this year. Want to gaze at the favs that made my shopping list? Land on my Jamberry Pinterest Board and repin your favorite new product to get an extra chance at winning my $25 Jamberry Gift Card Giveaway before March 10, 2015. Kimberly Carman is an independent consultant with Jamberry Nails. Her company Kiss My Tips was started in September of 2013 and growing FAST! Jamberry has shown outstanding growth. If you'd like to know more about the company Jamberry Nails, purchasing the wraps, hosting a party or the ins and outs of the business opportunity, visit kissmytips.ja...