'Embrace all that you are'

This one is about exposing different layers and parts of ourselves. It's kind of like the Russian doll idea. Each ball fits inside the one before and when it's all together you don't see what is contained.

It's (from largest to smallest), silver with sapphire beads, titanium, silver with red fluffy inside, gold, silver and enamel (like stained glass so the light shines through when you hold it up).

This one came about partly because it just appeared as these tend to do but also as a response to my life over the last few years. Peeling away the onion skin and exposing new bits. Maybe I should call it 'mid life crisis'!

Hidden Treasure

This is what I do...I'm a jeweller.

This is 18ct white gold with diamonds and sapphires...and titanium. It's part of a series of 'Hidden Treasures' that I am making. It's a long term project and they will make up an exhibition when there are enough of them. I love making them and have to steal time between more mundane orders and repairs. I am making one with a dragon inside at the moment although I have been too busy to pick it up lately. Gotta remedy that...

Meme

Oh NO! I've been got! Lucy has meme'd me - twice (actually I think it's fun...). So, here are some of my answers -

The first one was a middle name thing. Using each letter of my middle name I have to find a word that describes me. My middle name is Lucy (wouldn't you know!).

L - last minute. Never late but always by the skin of my teeth.
U - unruly. Tee Hee.
C - compassionate.
Y - youthful. Last time I got asked for my proof of age I was 34! Youthful is all very well except when you want to be taken seriously.

Next one is a series of questions.

1. If you could have superpowers, what would they be? There is no obligation to be unselfish, save the world etc.

Hmm, I would be able to fly. Apart from being a lot of fun (Johnathan Livingston Seagull eat your heart out...), I would be able to visit my family who are far too spread out around the world for my liking (UK, Australia, France, New Zealand and last time I looked, Mongolia).

2. Stranded on a desert island with a CD player and 10 CDs, what would they be?

1.Bob Dylan, probably Desire but I'd want more so -
2.Bob Dylan, my own compilation that I had burned onto one CD.
3.Tom Waits, The Black Rider although again, it would be hard to choose which one. Black Rider because when I listen to it it makes me want to dress up in deep red velvet.
4. Nick Cave, anything but how about The Boatman's Call. SO romantic in a very intense Nick Cave kind of way.
5. Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack, so I can have a good theatrical sing and dance around my palm tree.
6. The Black Crowes, Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. To satisfy the bluesy rock chick in me.
7. Meat Loaf, Bat Out of Hell. To satisfy the corny rock chick in me.
8. Bob Marley, Legend. This would go well with the scenery.
9. Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon. Love Pink Floyd anyway but I once heard this playing really loudly from someones parked car when I was walking on a track by a river. It was echoing magically through the whole valley. I would normally hate this but it was very mellow and beautiful to hear the music there.
10. The Cat Empire, album of the same name. An Australian band that most of you probably haven't heard of but lots of fun and something on it to satisfy most moods.

3. If you were a smell, what would you be?

Sandalwood.

4. If you were a bird, what kind would you like to be?

A hummingbird. Small, can't keep still, brightly coloured.

5. If you were a bird, whose head would you poo on?

Isn't that supposed to be lucky? Not in my opinion so in that case... all the stink boat (power boat) owners who tear around the no wash zones without caring/stopping to think about the chaos they leave behind.

6. Are there any foods your body craves?

Chocolate, potato, avocado. Perhaps not all at the same time!

7. Favourite time of year?

Summer so I'm warm through to my bones and autumn because it's the calmest most beautiful time out on the water.

8. Favourite time of day?

Sunset. All those colours (don't do sunrise but I hear that can be nice too).

9. If a change is as good as a rest, which would you choose?

Change. Sorry but resting is not as good.

10. If you could invite five people living or dead, past or present to a dinner party, who would they be?

My dad. My mum. My brother. My sister. All are living except my dad who died when I was 5. Think we would all have a lot of catching up to do. Don't think we would need a fifth person...

Now, the rules of this game is that I have to pass this on to four other people. First choice is obvious to me. Has to be Lee because he's always got something like this on the go.

Second is Julie because I have had lots of nice comments from her and it's about time I replied!

Third is an open invitation for anyone to reply. Get me untangling some of this blog spagetti.

Fourth is snowsparkle because I like her blog name!

Very orange

I seem to be enjoying the sunlight on things (see earlier daffodil entry). I have recently moved into a very light sunny place and sunlight spills in here all day. I sat in that sun today and started peeling an orange. Looking at the way the light shone through each segment made me smile. It made me remember a meditation that I heard about a few years ago. It is from the Vietnamese zen teacher - Thich Naht Hanh

"I often teach "orange meditation" to my students. We spend time sitting together, each enjoying an orange. Placing the orange on the palm of our hand, we look at it while breathing in and out, so that the orange becomes a reality. If we are not here, totally present, the orange isn't here either.
There are some people who eat an orange but don't really eat it. They eat their sorrow, fear, anger, past, and future. They are not really present, with body and mind united.
When you practice mindful breathing, you become truly present. If you are here, life is also here. The orange is the ambassador of life. When you look at the orange, you discover that it is nothing less than fruit growing, turning yellow, becoming orange, the acid becoming sugar. The orange tree took time to create this masterpiece.
When you are truly here, contemplating the orange, breathing and smiling, the orange becomes a miracle. It is enough to bring you a lot of happiness. You peel the orange, smell it, take a section, and put it in your mouth mindfully, fully aware of the juice on your tongue. This is eating an orange in mindfulness. It makes the miracle of life possible. It makes joy possible."

Squeeze!

The workshop shrinks but the boat doesn't! Many times when people have seen my boat in this space they look worryingly at the doorway and ask if I will be able to get my boat out when I need to. As you can see, I got it in there and so should be able to get it out...

OK, yes, I was hiding something...

Here you go. This is specially for you Jonathan.

And now for something different.

So far I have filled my blog up with all things boats. So, here is a completely different subject...

Body painting! The local community arts group organised a body painting extravaganza. Having more than a little exhibitionist tendencies, Mikey and I shouted "Hooray!" and leapt in. Little did I know that Tom, my twin sister was coming on a surprise visit from the UK and luckily would be here too. Very useful having a twin for this kind of thing...we won first prize.

Mikey being a fire. Don't you think he looks hot?!

We don't have a car and couldn't get a lift so we had to catch the bus home.

It's really funny how well people can pretend you look normal when they get on the bus and walk past you. Maybe they were just being polite...