0ctavias0fferings my Lenses and me

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The Lensography of 0ctavias0fferings

It dawned on me that this Squidoo thing is a really good idea. Granted, it took a while for the lights to go on but I realised that it's the best way there is to get everything I want to tell the World out there.

So, why this lens? Well, I guess I could try and get everything into one lens ... is there a record for the longest lens? I would definitely be in the running if I tried to fit it all into one. This lens is to help organise and direct friends and clients to my other lenses.

At the time of starting this, I had seven lenses (now over 100) but my interests are many and varied and I have plans for more. I made it to GiantSquid (end of 2008) and now I'm hoping I will join the Giant100 club ... maybe at the end of June :-).

In time this lens about my lenses should prove to be a Really Useful Thing as it should let me organise them into groups - once the lenses are up and running - and make it much easier for you, dear reader, to find your way around my World.
Creative Commons License
0ctavias0fferings my Lenses and me by Katherine Carington Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 UK: Scotland License.
Based on a work at www.squidoo.com.

Online auctions, selling and me 

This was my first Squidoo lens, started on 28th April 2007 and is mainly about the history of my ventures into ecommerce. I've tried a range of auction sites, many of them don't exist anymore.

In fact, if you watch the online auction industry for any length of time you'll find new start-up (or should that be up-start) auction sites coming onstream almost every day of the week. The vast majority either disappear or toddle along at a very low level of listings, often based on family and friends listing.

There are sites which are long-established, broad-based in their membership and benefitting every time eBay annoys more of its sellers by a huge boost in traffic and membership.

My favourite of the "alternative" (to the 600lb gorilla eBay) auction sites is eBid. This site started out at about the same time as eBay and is UK based but with sites for a growing number of countries - this page will show you the countries eBid currently operates in.

Go to - Online auctions, selling and me.

Handmade Cards and Prints from the Scottish Highlands 

Begun on 13th September 2007, this lens shows (most of) the range of cards and prints I have available on eBid.net.

Many of the cards are hand finished and therefore unique and they are all finished to order. Although they are blank inside, we can add a message for a modest fee.

We're always on the lookout for new ideas and welcome suggestions. You can have a card designed specifically for you or for an upcoming occasion.

Visit my Cards and Prints lens.

Poetry is a Performance Art 

This lens was begun on the 16th September 2007 for my poetry.

I have been fortunate in that a number of my poems have been published in anthologies and magazines.

One time I attended a gathering of women poets in Oxford and chatting, as you do, after dinner I was amazed when one lady, on hearing that I had met with this success, piped up "oh, you're a real poet then" - it did make me laugh.

Being chosen from the thousands of submissions proposed anthologies receive is an honour, no mistake, but poets are an insecure lot who rarely think their work is worthy. Even the most successful of poets have the same basic insecurities because it is in the nature of poetry that we scribble in lonely corners at strange times.

I consider myself an adequate scribbler rather than a real contender but if one of my poems touches someone or resonates with their own experience then I am successful.

Some of my poetry is available on my cards.

I was so pleased when my poetry lens was awarded Lens of the Day on 17th November 2008, it's a real honour. Thanks Megan



Visit my poetry lens

DJD Designs Miniature Magic 

*DJD* Designs - History in Miniature

I set up this lens on 18th October 2007 to showcase the items of eBay seller jamnatmat, *DJD* Designs, and her work in one of a kind miniatures.

These handmade, unique dollhouse items are truly special and Deb has built up quite a following for her beautiful, tiny works of art.

Click here to see Deb's fantastic work.

The Map of the Tarot 

The Map of the Tarot lens was begun on 27th Jan 08 and links to my own personal website where you can read all about The Map.

The Squidoo lens is to answer questions anyone may have and to give some idea of the range of Tarot cards which are available out there.

Because Tarot cards vary so much in size as well as in illustration, choosing a deck and learning how to use them can be a daunting task.

More examples of Tarot decks are added frequently to this lens.

To visit The Map of the Tarot Squidoo lens click here

The Map of the Tarot website 

Click here to go to my website - The Map of the Tarot.com where you can find plenty more details about the Map and more information on reading Tarot cards.

0ctavias0fferings Art Cards 

I have recently started listing art cards on eBid.net and discovered the joys (and difficulties) of uploading videos.

I did promise myself that I would start selling these art cards some time ago but wasn't sure how to show them to best effect. Now that I've found focus etc is not just incredibly simple, I know I'll have to practice, practice, practice
to get it looking better.

As these are OOAK works, this lens, started on the 29th May 08, will help to provide a record of things I have done.



A design I put together for boxes to store the art cards in the stock cupboard and for shipping them in. These boxes are not quite strong enough to mail without further protection around them but the art cards are very much safer in the cupboard now.

Click here to view my art cards.

Pictures of Strathspey in the Scottish Highlands 

On 5th June 2008 I started this lens to show some of the beauty of the area in which I live, which happens to also be within the Cairngorm National Park.

The Scottish Highlands is a beautiful place to live and work but the weather can be harsh at times. I hope to capture something of the uniqueness of my little part of the Universe.

To see Strathspey click here

Vintage and Antique Dollhouse Collection 

... lens number 9 ...

My lens about collecting vintage and antique dollhouses has just been started today (19th June) and is very much a work in progress.

Once finished (well, you know what I mean) it will not only provide a record of dollhouses over at least a century but should help with information for those looking to restore a dollhouse.

Postcrossing - communication old style 

... send and receive postcards all over the World


Postcards



I've just joined Postcrossing and am about to send out my first cards to other members.

I love the idea of this and I've started a lens for Postcrossing. I'll add any cards I get as they come in but I don't think it would be entirely fair to put the cards I send onto this lens before they are received, it would kind of spoil the surprise for the recipient.

WantOneGotOne.com 

Site review for WantOneGotOne.com lens started on 23rd July 2008

I got paid to do this site review and it was a pleasure putting it together. Take a look at this new site and you might find out why I genuinely think it's one to watch.

Zolanta.com Online Auction Site 

Lens started 4th August 2008.

I'm always looking at auction sites online, I wouldn't like to think I might be missing out on something, but there are so many sites out there, where do you begin? Well, don't go around them in alphabetical order or you might miss out on a gem of a site, Zolanta.com.

To read more about Zolanta, please visit this lens.

How Does Your Garden Grow. 

How Does Your Garden Grow was started on 8th August 2008, this lens is about my garden in the Scottish Highlands.

As a (now) disabled gardener, I planned ahead years ago so that the garden would be easier to look after, I hope to pass on some hints and tips.

It will take a while to add all the pictures I want to show so keep checking back to see what's new.

Furnishing Vintage and Antique Dollhouses 

Furnishing Vintage and Antique Dollhouses was started on 8th August 2008.

In time it will build up to show a range of the types of vintage and antique furniture you can get for your dollhouse.

There will also be suggestions for modern makers whose one of a kind miniature works of art can blend perfectly into any antique or vintage setting.

Restoring Your Dollhouse 

Restoring Your Dollhouse was started 14th August 2008.

We hope to cover many aspects of dollhouse restoration in this lens which, as with the others relating to dollhouses and dollhouse furnishing etc, this lens is being put together in collaboration with my daughter.

She is actively involved in restoring a good few vintage and antique dollhouses and with more than one project on the go, it's a wonder she finds time to write about what she's doing.

Keep watching this lens for more information coming up on restoration.

1950's Memories from Scotland 

Started on the 20th of August 2008, memories from my childhood of holidays spent at my Grandparents' cottage in a seaside town on the East coast of Scotland.

We were not well off but we were rich in many other ways.

Aliester Crowley 

Aliester Crowley has been a controversial figure for many years. Generally spoken of in detrimental terms at one stage, it is only in more recent years that a wider public has picked up on his works.

Perhaps the most enduring of those is currently The Book of Thoth Tarot deck.

I began this Squidwho lens on 20th August 2008

Deb Jackson Designs Miniature Fairy Magic 

Deb Jackson Designs Miniature Fairy Magic was started on the 22nd August 2008 and is the first spin-off lens from the original DJD lens (see above).

It really was time to organise this lens better as it had become far too long and trying to find the pieces you are interested in was getting difficult.

Deb Jackson Designs Medical Miniatures 

DJD Medical Miniatures started on 23rd August 2008 is the second spin off lens from the DJD lens I originally put together.

I am hoping that this splitting up of the lens will make everything easier to find.

Deb Jackson Designs Miniature Chamber of Horrors 

DJD Mini Chamber of Horrors is the third spin off lens from the original DJD lens. This one was also started on 23rd August 2008.

I'm really quite pleased with the effectiveness of splitting the original lens and may produce yet another spin off as grouping the miniatures in this way seems to me to showcase them in the best way.

0ctavias Favourite Tarot Decks 

Octavias Favourite Tarot Decks is the first spin off from my Map of the Tarot lens. There will be a couple more lenses to come out of this ... I hadn't realised just how many Tarot decks I would want to show you.

The A to Z of Fortune Telling 

The A to Z of Fortune Telling was started on 27th August 2008.

This lens will be a work in progress for a while yet.

Being a glutton for punishment, I chose this subject which includes an unbelievable number of options and methods for divining the future.

I make no judgement on the veracity of the results obtained by these methods ... wait until you see what some of them involve and you'll fully understand why LOL

Deb Jackson's Complete Miniature Settings 

Yet another lens has grown out of the original DJD lens, this one for complete settings.

I judged whether they should be included in this lens on whether I would have them stand alone on a shelf or be the major feature in a room box setting.

Published 28th August 2008

Safe Shopping Online 

Does exactly what it says on the tin ... I hope.

Shopping online these days can be hazardous, as I was reminded when I read this story.

Before you start shopping online there are things you need to know and tips to keeps you safe. The advice I give can be found on this lens.

Tarot Decks for Beginners 

Started on 31st August 2008, this lens contains a selection of Tarot decks which I would recommend for complete novices.

Choosing your first Tarot deck can be daunting as there are many hundreds to choose from. All too often, a novice will buy a deck which is complex and not easily understood and which would be more appropriate as a second deck once the basics of this form of divination have been mastered.

I hope this lens, which could be added to as I find other suitable decks, will help beginners and newcomers to the subject to choose the best deck for them.

Cleansing Your Tarot 

As so many Tarot decks are only available second hand, I started Cleansing your Tarot on the 2nd September to offer a little guidance on some very simple methods of cleansing a Tarot deck and preparing it for use.

I will be building further lenses for Tarot and related subjects so if your interests lie in this direction, keep checking back.

Tarot Decks For More Advanced Readers 

Begun on the 5th of September and completing the move of all (apart from the Dali) the Tarot decks from The Map of the Tarot lens, this lens displays the Tarot decks which I would not recommend for a beginner.

This may be because the imagery is complex or because there are renamed or extra cards in the deck.

All my Tarot lenses will be added to over time.

Elizabeth Bathory 

Published on 7th September, this lens is for Elizabeth Bathory.

It is rapidly nearing the 400th anniversary of her death, is it not time she was understood and exonerated or do you think she really deserves the title "Blood Countess" or "Countess Dracula"?

My Music Video Showcase 

My Music Video Showcase certainly doesn't cover all the music CDs I have but it should give you some inkling of the range of my tastes.

Now what kind of a music collection would we find in here?

Hope you enjoy the show folks :-)

All Hallow's Eve - Hallowe'en 

The celebrations and customs of Hallowe'en derive from ancient traditions.

There will be more to be added to this lens in the coming days / weeks ahead of October 31st.

First published on 9th September 2008, you can view the story so far here All Hallows Eve - Hallowe'en

My Stores on eBid.net 

I needed to open a new store on eBid.net to seperate out the art and greetings cards from the other assorted items I sell.

Of course, I thought, I can write a lens about this ... well, since it took less than ten minutes to open the store, it was going to be a very short lens LOL

So, it has turned into a lens in which I will feature some of the items selling in my stores and I'll add RSS feeds for any stores I find selling handmade goods on eBid.

Dollhouse Dolls 

First published 11th September 2008, this lens will be added to over a period of time as the collection expands.

My daughter is an avid collector of dollhouse dolls and constantly going after even more unusual little people for her houses. Those which don't quite fit into any of the houses are grouped in scenes on shelves.

One day maybe one of us will acquire a 16th scale castle for the Duchess here.

Getting to know your Tarot 

Getting to know your Tarot, started on 12th September 2008, follows on from the other Tarot lenses I have put together and takes you one step (at least) further towards performing your own readings for yourself, the cat or for other people.

I hope my readers find it helpful.

Psychic experiences 

Published on the 16th September 2008, Psychic Experiences is a personal account of some of my psychic experiences but I would love to hear of yours as well.

I may make other revelations on this lens in the future.

Custom Dolls, Houses and Miniatures 

I started this lens on 18th September 2008.

CDHM.org is a wonderful site where the most exquisite dollhouse miniatures and stand alone miniatures can be seen.

Take a little time out to visit this beautiful place.

Custom Dolls, Houses and Miniatures.

On Reincarnation - Life before Life 

Published 20th September 2008, there will be more to add to this lens as I find examples of reincarnation to add.

There are many but I will sift through for the best examples so check back frequently to see what has been added.

You can see this lens here.

The Johnny Depp Zone - My Favourite Movies 

My Favourite Movies is one lens I will be expanding on and it's a good excuse to watch my favourites one more time just so I can tell you more about them.

Lens first published 21st September 2008.

Debunking Prehistory 

On the 22nd September 2008 the experts decided that because they had found a bunch of stone chips (which had come from the 'blue' stones at Stonehenge) buried on the site, Stonehenge must therefore have been a healing centre.

Well, find an item, multiply it by ritual and that's what you get.

Personally, I prefer a great deal more common sense to airy fairy expertism, so I had to make a lens Debunking Prehistory or What's New in Antiquity.

What do you think?

How do you Squidoo 

How do you Squidoo?

This lens was first published on 28th September 2008 and will be added to as I go along.

I hope it provides some useful information for new and adventurous Squidooers.

Vladuz 

Vladuz the eBay hacker appeared to be in the pink last time we saw him. Where is he now? No-one knows.

I have more to add to this lens ... eventually ;-)

Household Saving Tips 

First published 5th October 2008, I will be adding more to this lens over the next few months.

There is every chance that I will make a few lenses on specific aspects of making savings and recycling your goods.

From Rags to Rugs 

From Rags to Rugs was begun on 6th October because I realised that folks needed more information about some of the money saving ideas given in the lens I started yesterday.

This lens deals with making a rag rug - which can be any size from table protector to bedcover.

Rag Dolls and Soft Toys from Fabric Scraps 

Rag Dolls and Soft Toys from Fabric Scraps was begun on 10th October 2008 and is linked to from the Household Saving Tips lens.

I have more pictures to add to this and may expand with a few more pattern templates for you to try.

Hats Scarves and Accessories from Recycled Clothing 

This and the other recycling lenses will continue to grow as I add more ideas for using up old clothes.

Recycling jerseys and sweaters into accessories really isn't difficult, you don't have to be great at sewing, you don't have to be fantastically clever either, you just need scissors, needle and thread :-)

Keeping you in Stitches 

Easy stitches to help you recycle clothing was started on October 17th 2008 partly to save me repeating how to do each stitch I use when cutting up old clothes and remaking them into new items.

As I expand the recycling lenses I'll be referring to this lens for the instructions on stitches and may well add a few more stitches to this lens to help provide a variety.

Turning old clothes into funky bags 

On the 18th October 2008 I started this lens about remaking old clothes into bags.

I've started with just one small (kid's size) shoulder bag made from an old pair of jeans my daughter wore when she was about 7 years old. More styles and types of bags will be added to this lens soon.

My Group-ography 

On the 21st of October 2008 I started this lens to gather together my groups.

I began putting my lenses into groups because with a growing number of them, it can be easy to lose track of them on the dashboard.

So here they are being organised into groups of like-minded lenses, hopefully it keeps them happy and stops them hiding from me. It should make life easier, for me and for my readers.

Eventually all my lenses will be included in one or more groups in my Group-ography

Penny Auctions 

Penny Auctions all items starting at 1p/1c included in a promotional drive for sellers on alternative auction sites.

This promotion begins on 26th October 2008 and will run as long as the sellers and sites want it to.

Stay tuned to the lens to see bargains as they are added.

Vintage Action Man 

Vintage Action Man began his first tour of duty in the UK in 1966.

Over the 18 years which followed, he developed into one of the most collectable toys sold. Please don't call him a "doll", he's a model soldier with the most fantastic range of accessories, uniforms and vehicles you could possibly wish for.

Nor was 1984 the end of the story, Action Man had a second tour of duty, more of this later.

Modern Action Man 

Action Man from 1993 onwards is going to spawn some offspring as I have a large collection of the modern figures with vehicles and all kinds of accessories.

Eventually, all my Action Man lenses will end up in a group together.

I know action figures are popular and these will be collectables in the future so I'll try and provide information about them where I can.

Action Man Vehicles 

Action Man Vehicles.

This lens is set to grow quite a bit as I have a whole parking lot full of Action Man vehicles of many different kinds.

Of course, here we're talking "modern" Action Man, 1993 and onwards. There will be more lenses to follow as well, specifically for different types of transport.

Check out my Action Man Group :-)

Action Man on Two Wheels 

Action Man on Two Wheels is the 52nd lens I have started.

There is more to be added to this lens as this 12 inch fully posable figure has a wide variety of bikes to choose from, both motorbikes and cycles.

Some of the date details I'm a little hazy on at the moment but I hope to sort that out in time with a bit of research ... this involves getting some boxes down from the attic.

Handmade Cards by Raven of Edinburgh 

Handmade Cards by Raven is the first lens hived off from my original handmade greeting card lens.

With any luck splitting up that original lens will let us see where we need to expand the ranges of cards we produce and we'll be able to bring you even more of a choice to say what you want to say in an appropriately illustrated card.

Photographic Cards from Scotland 

Photographic Greeting Cards from Scotland is the second lens I have extracted from the original which I made rather a long time ago.

It's definitely helping breaking it up into handy chunks as I can see there is room to add more photographic cards to the range.

Digitally Inspired 

Digitally Inspired handmade cards from Scotland, the latest lens to grow from my original handmade cards lens.

I will certainly be expanding this range of cards in the coming months, not only to include new designs but also new colourways for this range.

Handmade Cards for Children 

Handmade Cards for and featuring Children was started on 28th November 2008 and is the last of the group of handmade cards.

I can say with some certainty that I will be expanding each of these ranges of card in the months to come.

Homecoming Scotland 2009 

Homecoming Scotland 2009 - the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland's best known poet, Robert Burns, will see a series of events held throughout Scotland.

The word is going out to Scots and their descendants across the World that this is the year to pay that visit home.

A warm welcome awaits you.

Saint Andrew 

Saint Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland ... and a whole host of other places too, some of them are mentioned in this new lens.

Referred to as the first Apostle, less is probably known about St Andrew than any of the other disciples, the Gospel - The Acts of Andrew - was rejected and appears to have been lost.

Getting Saucy 

All about sauces ... sweet and savoury ... to jazz up leftovers and make more of a meal of any dish.

This lens is in preparation for a group of lenses I'm planning for recipes using up leftovers. There are hundreds of sauces you can make but I'm only offering three basic sauces here on which you can build an amazing repertoire of your own sauce recipes.

Experiment and invent, it does you good.

Sauces to Jazz up Leftovers

Making Pastry 

This lens was made for referencing from other lenses I am preparing with recipes using up left overs etc. As with the lens above, it will save me from repeating myself endlessly and provide a handy reference for the reader..

Real men don't eat Quiche ... 

... oh yes they do ;-)

You just have to call it 'bacon and egg pie'.

Great for using up leftovers or spinning out a small amount of food to feed guests - unexpected or not - quiche is one of those truly versatile dishes which can be served hot or cold, is perfect for picnics, lunches, dinners, snacks ... any time you like.

Zimbabwe 

Zimbabwe was named after the ancient ruins of a stone built city which dates back centuries.

It was a beautiful country, now reduced to a shadow of its former self, once productive, now its nationals flee from starvation and disease. The collapse of the infrastructure and hyper-inflation, coupled with extraordinarily high unemployment rates, have brought the country to its knees.

Raindrops on Roses 

Raindrops on Roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens, wild geese that fly ... oops, sorry, getting a little carried away there.

This lens is all about my favourite things - well, some of them at least. I reserve the right to add and add and add to this lens LOL

Hopefully it will interest, amuse and even maybe inspire some readers.

Picture courtesy of Fantastic Fotos on eBid.net

Leftover Chicken - Food for the Imagination 

Using up Leftover Chicken

It took me longer than I thought to make this lens as I had to actually prepare, cook and eat the food you see pictured. Not that it was any hardship to do so, but I'm a one meal a day person so it was always going to take a while.

I still have a lens to make on various chicken soups ... that will take a little while to complete as well LOL

Do your chicken justice, don't bin that carcass, you have no idea how much delicious food you are throwing away.

Cheaper Electricity for UK Low Income Earners 

Social Tariff electricity in the United Kingdom.

I started this lens to help draw attention to the fact that anyone paying out more than 10% of their total household income in fuel costs is classed as being in fuel poverty but very few are aware of this.

It isn't going to save you a fortune but every little helps, as they say, and it's time we all claimed the deductions we are, in fact, entitled to.

There are some pitfalls with the electricity companies and, in view of what happened to me with my prepayment meter, anyone who pays by direct debit or standard billing needs to be aware of this not so small problem with changing tariffs.

Why send a Press Release? 

A lens about putting together a press release may seem superfluous to some people but, as an admin and moderator at an online auction industry forum, I see some of the worst spelling, punctuation, grammar and wrong usage of language, not only in the forums but, far worse, in submissions for publication on our home page where we post news and articles of interest to the industry we support.

Let me make it clear, press release = good, press release which shows up your ignorance = bad.

I can't be much more clear than that, read what makes the difference in this lens.

Purely Politics 

My views and occasional rants on global and local politics will be gathered in this lens and I don't expect to be agreed with, in fact, I expect there are some who will call me naive, it doesn't bother me.

At my age and with the variety of experience I have had, there really isn't anything new, indeed, if you have ever read Plato you'll know that the way politics is played out is just the same old same old which has clearly been perpetuated for thousands of years,

Come rant with me ...

Holiday on the West Coast of Scotland 

On the West Coast of Scotland, not far from Fort William, there's a place I really like to go. The scenery is fabulous, there are so many sporting opportunities and there you are surrounded by history.

If you're planning a trip to Scotland, whether it's for golf, fishing or sightseeing, you might want to take a look at my lens about Linnhe Lochside Holidays where you can have a self-catering Alpine style chalet for the greatest of comfort or you can pitch your tent or park your touring caravan on the areas designated.

Touring caravan pitches have the usual hook up available.

Read more about this beautiful corner of Scotland.

... and a sprinkling of Angel Dust 

Lens number 69 ... interesting number and perhaps appropriate for the lens about SquidAngeling since there are two sides to every SquidAngel.

What is a SquidAngel?

You'll just have to go and check out the lens to find out what I mean by a sprinkling of Angel Dust.

Action Man in and on the water 

Modern Action Man in and on the water displays some of my collection of Action Men with their various outfits and equipment.

Where I can give dates I do and where I don't know the dates I'm tryong to find out. If you are an expert on Action Man and can help with dating any of the items shown, I would be very happy to hear from you.

Meantime, I hope you enjoy seeing this 12 inch tall wonder.

There are still many more Action Man lenses to come in the series, all of them are in one group The Action Man Group to make them easier to find.

Max Steel Man of Action 

Max Steel from Mattel was an Action Man type of figure and you may see him wrongly advertised as an Action Man.

Whether you are setting out to form an Action Man collection and want to avoid errors, or whether you are looking for something a little different to collect, you should know about this action figure and his friends and enemies.

I purposefully maintain a small collection of Max Steel items as these are likely to become rarer as the years go by.

To find out more about Max Steel follow the links on this lens.

Action Man Airborne 

My 12 inch hero in airborne mode parachuting, flying helicopters and looking great in his uniforms.

You just can't beat Action Man for sheer diversity, although I don't have too many of the larger planes etc in my collection. It's a question of space, for example the helicopter is about 27.5 inches long (70 cms) so requires a lot of shelf to display.

Thank goodness there are smaller flyers than the helicopter.

All my Action Man lenses can be found in The Action Man Group.

Action Man Friends and Enemies 

My newest lens for Action Man lets you see many of his Friends and Enemies, many of whom are not easily recognised unless you already know who you're looking at.

Probably the most readily confused character is Brandon, he looks very like his long time pal Alex Mann (in case you didn't know, that's Action Man's proper name) but also easily missed is Natalie.

Then we have Flynt, Redwolf, Dr X and his nefarious henchmen ... I guess if you don't know them you'll just have to look here.

Action Man Police Forces 

Action Man Police Forces is yet another lens in the Action Man series.

I have also included on this lens some of the associated services because I simply don't have enough of them to justify a seperate lens.

This is the 8th in the series and there are more to come so check back frequently if you're an Action Man fan and if you can help in identifying dates for any of the undated items or additional equipment which should accompany them, I would be very pleased to hear from you.

This lens also belongs to my Action Man group of lenses, there is a link to this group in the Action Man Airborne module above.

Action Man Snow Patrol 

Action Man in the snow is number 10 in the series of Action Man lenses, all of which you'll find in The Action Man Group.

An extensive range of fugures, vehicles and equipment is available for Action Man in extreme weather conditions and he must make good use of them to defeat Dr X in his Arctic base. Some of the equipment and vehicles are shown in this lens.

I thought I would have about a dozen lenses about Action Man but have just realised there will be a minimum of 14 lenses, so if you're an Action Man fan you may want to bookmark the group page and check back frequently to see what is added.

Bookmark the group page here.

Action Man Animals 

Alex Mann, that's Action Man to you and me, is a great guy all round and has a natural rapport with animals of any kind.

In my 76th lens, Action Man Animals, you can meet some of these creatures for yourself.

In my opinion, these are amongst the most collectable of the Action Man items but it must be remembered that for the most part, the figures (or at the very least their outfits) are specific to the animal sets so try and make sure you get the full set when you buy these second hand.

Action Man Sporting Hero 

Action Man Sporting Hero, the latest in my series of Action Man lenses, shows you some of the vintage as well as modern examples of Alex Mann, sporting hero.

Of course, there are many of the figures and equipment which could be included in this lens, so I've chosen a few for you to see but if you can't see the one you want to compare with, take a look at the group of Action Man lenses I have as it might appear in another of these lenses ... and I still have another dozen to make so do check back again.

Bookmark the group page here.

Action Man in Space 

Action Man is no stranger to space, he has been equipped for space travel and has had his enemies in space for over forty years. Action Man Space Adventures shows some of the outfits and equipment which have been available to Action Man since the space age erupted on us in the 1960s.

For the full vintage story I recommend you buy the book Action Man by Frances Baird. You'll find a link to it on most of my Action Man lenses where the books on Amazon are displayed.

This is the twelfth in my Action Man series of lenses, stay tuned for more.

The Guidance of Angels 

Be Guided by your Angels is a resource for all those who have only just begun their journey on Squidoo and for those who want to venture a little further.

The SquidAngels put together many lenses to help newbies and old hands alike and you'll find links to many of them here. Angels look for and help to nurture new talent on Squidoo and we do collectively look at thousands of lenses every day in the hunt for those lenses which have that special quality, enough to earn them a blessing.

Take the advice of the Angels and perhaps your next lens will be one of those which stands out from the rest.

Action Man's Nemesis - Dr X 

The infamous Dr X is constantly striving for World domination and Action Man thwarts him every time.

There are a number of different versions of this character and I show many of them on this lens. It seems the team behind these designs had a lot of fun with their remodelling of Dr X but even they probably didn't realise that when ultimately defeated he would cry like a baby.

Didn't know there was a Dr X crybaby version? take a look at my Dr X lens to find out more.

Desert Sands to Jungle 

From the Desert Sands to the Jungle, Action Man is equipped to fight Dr X in any conditions and on any terrain.

I do feel sorry for Dr X at times, he's such a bully and, like all bullies, he's really a big coward and can't ever seem to get anything right. Action Man has the better equipment I'm sure but it's not the only thing that makes a difference between them.

In all the Action Man stories, Dr X's motivation is negative, he just wants to destroy, whereas Alex Mann himself will go to any extremes to defeat Dr X and his cronies. In this lens I show some of the equipment, vehicles etc available to Action Man to help in this quest whether on the sands of a desert or the depths of a jungle.

Streetwise Martial Arts 

Streetwise Action Man is the latest in the series of Action Man lenses I am compiling and features some of my favourite figures, like the one on the right here.

The play value in these figures is excellent and I recommend these toys to anyone with youngish children, they are far more educational than you might at first think.

Many can still be found on eBay, especially eBay UK, but always check out the current prices for any of the items more generally on the net before bidding, this will give you some idea of what you might reasonably expect to pay for used figures etc. I did recently check the cost of some of the sets, new in pack, on Amazon and was really quite shocked at the asking prices.

Action Man DVDs and Books 

Action Man annuals, magazines and DVDs are bound to become scarcer as time passes so I advise that you snap them up if you intend to collect Action Man figures and accessories, while you can still buy them cheaply.

One of the great advantages of having a collection of the magazines and annuals is ...

... now where would be the point in telling you that? You'll just have to visit the lens to find out what the advantages are.

I don't have a full collection but I have quite a few and I'll share them with you here.

Action Man Room Decor 

Decorating a child's room can bring certain difficulties. Do you choose a theme which your child will probably grow out of in a year's time? What then?

If you get the background colours right then even if your child's favourite cartoon hero changes every year, you should be able to keep up.

Keeping it simple is the key.

Being Action Man oriented, this is a boy's room but it is adaptable to the changing needs of a child and therefore will not need anything more than changes to displays as the child grows.

Visit the Action Man Room Decor lens.

A Passion For Puppets 

I know that many people find pupets creepy but I've never really understood why. My love of puppets started at a very young age when I happened to meet a remarkable man, a meeting I have never forgotten.

I guess we all have these little beacons of moments which stand out in our lives and this was certainly one for me. I was just seven or eight years old, an age at which life was really not being good to me at all. It's funny how little kindnesses come along completely unexpectedly and at the most surprising times.

You can read a bit about it on this lens and 'meet' him yourself, along with his diminutive sidekick. There will be a few more lenses to come on this subject and I hope eventually that I can infuse my readers with a little of my own Passion for Puppets.

My Egg Collection 

My egg collection may surprise you but I hope you will enjoy looking through the lens and reading the information I have gathered about the different eggs displayed.

A couple of the eggs shown are, as yet, unidentified. If you can help to name them I would be delighted to hear from you either through the guestbook on the lens or through the contact button on my lensmaster profile page.

I do have a few eggs which are not yet included in the lens and so it may grow a little longer although those I have not included may well appear on a very different lens. Puzzled? You won't be once you click the link to view my eggstensive collection.

Naturally Precious ... 

Naturally Precious ... natural things is lens number 87 for me and gives you a look at the mainly stone objects which I keep around me.

The natural world is filled with so much of wonder, many beautiful objects which can be found while out walking, that we should all be taking more time to look around us every day.

My son went to Italy on a school trip and, though I'm sure it raised a few eyebrows, he brought me back a rock. Of course, it was no ordinary rock, it comes from the mountains in the North of Italy ... where emeralds are found. I was delighted with it.

Crystal Balls 

Crystal Balls come in all sizes and colours and make a most attractive collection, whether you keep them in a dish, a large jar or display them on stands.

It is important that you keep any clear crystal balls away from direct sunlight as a clear crystal ball can act as a lens and focus the sun's rays into a beam intense enough to start a fire but, having said that, even in an otherwise dark corner, with the aid of a small spotlight you can create a courful and fascinating display.

Mine catch the evening sun in Summer but the crystal ball you see to the right is always kept covered as a precaution.

The Nature Table 

The Nature Table grew from a small start and many of the temporary exhibits have long since returned to Nature but we still have some of the best, most durable pieces and many of those are included on this lens for a bit of inspiration.

Everyone with a young child should have a nature table of some description where you can gather creepy crawlies in specimen jars or watch tadpoles turn into frogs before releasing them in the wild. Here you can gather found oddities and use them as a basis to tech young children not only about the natural world around them, but also how to carry out a little bit of research for themselves.

Teach your children how to ask questions and how to look for answers by creating a Nature Table (or shelf) in your home today.

Netsuke, Ojime, Inro 

Anyone who has been following the progression of my lenses will have realised by now that I like miniatures. It follows that liking miniatures and handmade goods I was bound to come across netsuke etc somewhere along the line and when I did the growing collection started getting smaller.

Although the netsuke etc which I have are mostly modern, these are produced in a traditional way, made by craftsmen and often recreating ancient designs. You can see most of my varied collection on this lens which happens to be my 90th lens, published 9th June 2009.

Modern Puppet Makers 

My steadily growing collection of puppets consists of quite a few Pelham puppets and a god number from modern puppet makers.

In fact, it's the modern marionettes I'm collecting more than anything else at the moment as I see these as a very good future investment, especially at the prices some of them can be picked up on online auction sites.

I must admit that I often feel sorry for the sellers because I know the cost of these puppets when they are brand new but since I'm not a lottery winner yet, I can't afford the prices direct from the manufacturer so am searching specifically for these hand crafted modern puppets and am delighted to add them to my collection when I can.

There will be more lenses about puppets so if you are a fan of this form of entertainment or a fan of hand crafted goods check back again to keep up to date with developments.

My Scotland 

Originally I started a group to pull together all my lenses connected to the Scottish theme but it seems a little unfair to dangle the carrot of a group and say no-one else can join me in it so I have transferred all the information to a new lens, My Scotland.

I've also added a little more information on the lens and will continue to add more featured lenses about Scotland and the Scots as I create them.

Action Stations 

All my Action Man lenses are now gathered together in one place for your convenience of viewing.

As with the Scottish lenses, I did have all of these in a group but found it was a rotten job telling other folks who applied to join the group that, sorry, it's only for my own lenses, so I've closed the group and included all the information and links in this one lens.

There are still more Action Man lenses to come and as I create them I'll add the links to this lens. If you are an Action Man fan, this is the lens to bookmark so you can keep an eye on future developments. Still to come, amongst others, is a lens for the Action Man Traning Tower, a wonderful vintage plaything.

The Wonderful Bee 

Bees are fascinating creatures and there are so many species of bees that you can watch them for hours as they go about their business and never be bored for one minute. The Wonderful Bee is my tribute to the bee. He doesn't set out to scare anyone, he is only interested in gathering the ingredients needed for his hive. He is probably more afraid of you than you are of him.

Be nice to bees, we really need them on this planet. I can feel another lens about bees coming on ... just can't get enough of that sweet sweet honey.

Dollhouses and Dollhouse Miniatures 

The plave to go for links to all my lenses connected with dollhouses and dollhouse miniatures is this lens where I have pulled them together in a mini-lensography just to make them easier to find.

I hope you enjoy browsing these miniature worlds where there are fairies at the bottom of the garden because we put them there and every type of scenario is possible.

Collecting dollhouses and miniatures can be highly addictive, you have been warned.

Originals Cards and Prints 

This is another mini-lensography, this time for my cards and prints lenses and including original artwork.

I know that I'll be adding a few more lenses to this group in time so if you are interested in keeping up with what's new in our cards etc bookmark the page and keep checking back.

The artwork we produce varies in style and we're always happy to hear from folks who are looking for something a little different to be designed for them. Contact us through Squidoo or our sales pages on eBid.net.

Bees in your Garden 

Bees in your Garden, do you want them there? In this lens I tell you a little about how you can attract bees to your garden or plan a garden to minimise their presence.

I have also given a bit of advice on what to do in case of bee or wasp stings.

Ever had a striped flying insect in your car when you were driving? Relax, it might not even be a bee.

I hope you find this lens helpful.

Recycling for the future 

A mini-lensography organising my recycling lenses. There is something of interest here to anyone interested in a green lifestyle, to crafters (free patterns) and even if you're looking for recipe ideas.

This group will eventually contain information on many aspects of reusing all kinds of things we currently throw away. We've been spoiled by a period of abundance and now it's payback time, we have to think about everything we throw away.

0ctavias Spiritual and Tarot Lenses 

My spiritual and Tarot lenses are all gathered together in one place now, much easier for reference and it lets me see where I need to do more work.

I have a slightly different approach to life from most other people because of a unique experience which you will find on one of the lenses linked to here in the group lens.

If I cause you to stop and think then I have done enough ;)

If you have an interest in standing stones and stone circles, you will find lenses to read here, or if you are curious about psychic experiences or past life regression. I cover a range of subjects in my lenses, often in ways you might not anticipate.

0ctavia's Second Century 

0ctavia's Second Century is my lensography for the next 100 lenses I intend to make on Squidoo.

I would not have believed I could make a hundred lenses and yet, here I am at a milestone and with enough material to be going on with through the next century of lenses.

Who knows how many there will eventually be. There are so many subjects queueing up to be written about that the difficulty is in keeping the queue orderly and stopping the more pushy ones from jumping forward, they'll get their turn.

I hope there will be something for everyone in my lenses, and this is the lens to bookmark to keep up with those developments.

Places to look for help building lenses. 

Squidoo Secrets
Info and advice.
Basic HTML
A Squidoo lens with basic html tips.
Advanced HTML
A Squidoo lens giving you some advanced html you might like to use.
Squid Utils
A very handy site to register with (supported by donations) where you can ping your lenses.
YouTube
Help on YouTubing - remember, you can add your YouTube vids to your Squidoo.
Squidoo creation help
A guide to creating a successful Squidoo lens.
Tips from a GiantSquid
Some great tips from a seasoned Squid.
Lensography advice
What's Lensography ... click the link to find out.

Something beautiful ... 

A friend passed this beautiful picture and poem to me and I want to share it on here - the title is Life's Clock



Life's Clock

The clock of life is wound but once.
and no man has the power
To tell where the hands will stop,
at late or early hour.
To lose one's wealth is sad indeed,
To lose one's health is more,
To lose one's soul is such a loss
as no man can restore.
The present is our own, live, love,
toil with a will;
Place no faith in tomorrow,
for the clock may then be still.



Author unknown.

More about me 

I'm not exactly the sort of person to blow my own trumpet normally but I hope some folks might be interested in a bit more about how I came to be who and what I am.

I was a peculiar child, full of questions about life, the Universe and everything but could never find satisfactory answers to the questions I asked.

Too many adults glibly state "you're too young to understand" when children ask difficult or 'advanced' questions. If the child has the intelligence to ask the question then it should be answered and if the adult doesn't know the answer then they should say "I don't know the answer to that but let's see if we can find out."

There should be even less excuse for denying a child that knowledge now that there's a whole internet full of answers but I was born long before the internet was a twinkle in someone's eye.

There was only one way to find answers and that was to go look in books for myself.

I was seven years old when the matter of religion raised itself as a question in my head. I had been brought up until then in one 'style' of Christianity and when we moved home due to my father's employment, there were no churches of 'our ilk' in the locality.

Having been faithfully packed off to Sunday School every week for as long as I could remember, suddenly I wasn't allowed to go to the local church with my new schoolfriends. Of course, I asked the questions and got no answers - so I read the Bible from end to end, not once but twice, in the following year or so and came to one conclusion only.

The Bible talked about the principles of the Christian faith but nowhere did I find anything about all these various different types of Christianity, which I had discovered there were a great many of, and so I decided that it must be people who were at fault.

I was 8 or 9 years old when I started reading about other religions from around the World and, even at that tender age, I could see the good in all of them.

I didn't finish reading about the various main religions until I was in my mid-teens and, during the course of that reading, the Tarot had come to my attention.

I had decided in childhood that Christianity, with all the splinter groups it contained and its constant bickering about the Right Way, was not a religion I would want to belong to in spite of the fact that the principles of the religion (and all religions) are laudable. There was not any other religion which I felt spoke loudly to my inner world, though all held appeal in one way or another, and so I decided to put off any decision and remain unattached.

This, of course, was only one small (though very important) part of my early development but one which has directed my course since.

Many may ask "who could make such decisions as a child" but a child will find whatever answers are available to them and sees facts unclouded by adult prejudice.

Never tell a child "you are too young" when they are looking for answers.

Having found the Tarot in my religious wanderings, I very soon realised that it also contained the same wisdom I had found in the major religions and so, for over forty years, I have studied the Tarot as time and my family life have allowed. The Map of the Tarot is the tangible fruit of that study.

I never did settle on any religion. I still see the good in all the major religions and my own principles in life find harmony with the Truth expressed by them all. I also find empathy within Wicca and in other belief systems.

But I belong to none, I follow my own path as all our paths must inevitably lead to the same enlightenment. Sometimes we walk the road alone, sometimes we have company along the way.



This photo is much more recent. That's me with my daughter's two little dogs, Dani - nice but dim, a typical loving Cavalier King Charles, and Marley - a very feisty little Jack Russell.

0ctavias0fferings 

0ctavias0fferings is my online business name. One day I hope to actually make an income from this online business but at the moment I'm still building my links around the web.

I started by selling on eBay and I have to thank eBay for showing me just how easy it could be.

When the fee hikes were announced in 2006 I very quickly realised that in no way would it ever be possible to run a business properly on eBay when at the drop of a hat, they can slash your profit margins by substantially altering the fee structure. Stock has to be purchased in advance in most normal businesses!

So, I decided it was time to leave eBay to the dropshippers etc and moved on.

It was like breathing fresh air again. I moved to eBid at that time but thought I would need to spread my stock items around a number of online auction sites in order to gain exposure.

I'm going to write more of a lens about this experience.

Now you'll only find me selling on eBid. I still buy on eBay from time to time, funnily enough I tend to pick up items cheap on ebay from some of the very poorly put together listings which I know I can photograph better, describe acurately and sell at a profit - on eBid.net

 

0ctavias0fferings - GiantSquidAngel

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Lenses by interest ... 

... those in italics are groups of lenses

Making it easier
My Lensography
0ctavia's Second Century
My Group-ography
... and a sprinkling of Angel Dust
Be guided by your Angels

My Newest Lenses
Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi
The Truth About The UK National Health Service
Surviving abuse
0ctavia's News

Politics and Life
Low cost electricity in the UK
Purely Politics

Shopping and selling
Auctions starting at 1p/1c
My kind of shopping
Stay safe shopping online
My eBid Stores
Sending a Press Release
All Hallows Eve - Hallowe'en
Online auctions and me
DerivativeImages.com
WantOneGotOne.com
Zolanta.com

Action Stations.
The Action Man Group

The Arts
My Art Cards
My Poetry
Originals, Cards and Prints by 0ctavia and Raven

Recycle and Re-use.
Recycle and Save
Stitches to help you recycle clothing
The Foody Group

Hobbies and interests.
Netsuke, Ojime, Inro
The Postcrossing project
My Music Video Showcase
My Favourite Movies
How Does Your Garden Grow
Pelham Puppets
A Passion for Puppets
Modern Puppet Makers
Dollhouses as a hobby

The Natural World.
The Natural World

Handmade Dollhouse Miniatures
Deb Jackson Dollhouse and other Miniatures
www.cdhm.org

Divination
The Tarot and Spiritual Group
The Map of the Tarot
The A to Z of Fortune Telling

People and Places
My Scotland
You Are Not Alone
Aleister Crowley
Countess Elizabeth Bathory
Vladuz and eBay
A Walk Around Nethy Bridge
Zimbabwe

Help lens.
How do you Squidoo?
Octavia's Hothouse

Spirituality
Debunking prehistory
Everyone is psychic
Past Lives

The Zolanta Sellers' Group
The Zolanta Sellers Group

0ctavia's News 

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My stores on eBid 

.. some of my general auctions

The items which display below will give you links to my four stores on eBid.net

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You can now follow me on Twitter 

Follow 0ctavia's Twitters

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Submit your lens to this free directory. 

Submit your lens to NetStoreSearch Directory free. There is a section specifically for Squidoo lenses.



Go on, you know you want to.

by 0ctavias0fferings


The picture I've uploaded is about 20 years out of date as the little darling you see there is all grown up now.
I'm a grandmother. I live in the H...

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