by 10 people |
... a few of my favourite things
It might seem a bit corny but I have so many favourite things that it's really hard to choose what to put in a lens like this.
Why so many favourites? Simply because what I admire is skill and beauty. I admire craftsmanship, whether it is displayed in a carving or on the football field, I admire professionalism and impartiality and I admire the beauty of Nature (and in Nature I include everything on this Earth), especially as interpreted by an artist's eye or the written word.
Skill and an appreciation of the World can be displayed in so many ways that I am bound to leave out some aspects of my favourite things but the beauty of a lens like this is that I can add to it as time goes on and I find sufficient material to support my choices.
Lens picture courtesy of Fantastic Fotos on eBid.net
If you like the lens picture, check out the video module below the guest book for more Fantastic Fotos.
Dragons
... perhaps because I am a dragon
A look at my artwork, which is available as greeting cards or prints to frame, will tell quite a lot about me and you should certainly notice a few dragons in amongst my portfolio (you will also find some of my daughter's artwork there).I was born in the Year of the Dragon, Water Dragon in fact. The Chinese Zodiac is fascinating and I know there are excellent lenses on Squidoo which are dedicated to the subject. This Zodiac consists of 12 animals, each ruling for a year and most people are already aware of these, they are the Rat, Ox (2009), Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
What is not so widely known is that there is also a cycle of elements which influences the signs. If the year ends in 0 it is Yang Metal, ending in 1 it is Yin Metal, in 2 it is Yang Water, 3 is Yin Water, 4 is Yang Wood, 5 = Yin Wood, 6 = Yang Fire, 7 Yin Fire, 8 Yang Earth and 9 is Yin Earth.
This makes me a Water Dragon and long before I knew anything about the Chinese Zodiac, I was fascinated by dragons.
In mythology, dragons appear in all cultures, in parts of Britain they were often referred to in local lore as Wyrms. I have a good number of dragons in my home but I would really like to be able to find one of those enormous plaster dragons in red and gold you sometimes see in restaurants, I would like it for my hallway ... and a sign to say "Here be Dragons".
One of my favourite dragons is a mammoth ivory netsuke (pronounced net'ske) which no-one gets to touch but me. I would never support trade in elephant ivory but mammoth ivory is very different and, frankly, I prefer it. Pictured below is my favourite mammoth dragon.
Mammoth ivory is much lighter in weight than elephant ivory (and I do have some elephant ivory, sent to me from Rhodesia many years ago) and frequently carries interesting discolourations, as you can probably see near the bottom of the netsuke where there is a bluish tinge.
This is a modern creation made from the tusk of a mammoth which died thousands of years ago and it therefore combines the modern and the ancient in a display of superb craftsmanship, the skills of which have been passed through the generations for centuries. The finest detail can be seen on this delicate and beautiful creation which is less than 2 inches tall.
... on eBid
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More dragons
Plants
... I love my garden
I started a lens some time ago to show off my garden and one of these days I'm going to add a picture to that lens which will surprise everyone who has become familiar with it.
A garden is the best thing in the World. It's your own little slice of paradise, your own Eden which you can plant and watch grow to maturity or you can grow your own vegetables - if your child won't eat green veg get them to grow it themselves, you'll find they want to eat what they grow, regardless of what veg it is - and help to ensure your family is eating healthy food.
My own garden is a bit of a wildlife haven, constantly alive with birds and small creatures like toads and harvest mice who try to get to any berries before the birds do.
It's an extra room on your house with moss for a carpet and stars on the ceiling - what could be better.
A garden is the best thing in the World. It's your own little slice of paradise, your own Eden which you can plant and watch grow to maturity or you can grow your own vegetables - if your child won't eat green veg get them to grow it themselves, you'll find they want to eat what they grow, regardless of what veg it is - and help to ensure your family is eating healthy food.
My own garden is a bit of a wildlife haven, constantly alive with birds and small creatures like toads and harvest mice who try to get to any berries before the birds do.
It's an extra room on your house with moss for a carpet and stars on the ceiling - what could be better.
... on eBid
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Chocolates
... pure indulgence
I'm a member of the Chocolate Tasting Club, run by Hotel Chocolat. I get boxes of chocolates through the mail and the flavours are fabulous. There is actually so much which can be said about chocolate, the different varieties, the possible blends and combinations - have you ever tried chocolate with chile or peppers, it's a fabulous combination - that it probably deserves an entire lens to itself.
Chocolate - unless you have an allergy to the ingredients - is actually good for you so go out and indulge yourself but, of course, you have to bear in mind that not everything out there which calls itself chocolate really is chocolate, beware of items which say 'chocolate flavour' they may not actually contain any chocolate at all.
... on eBid
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Water features
... well, I am a Water Dragon
A water feature can provide focus in a room or in a garden and they will contribute to your Feng Shui and encourage good chi.
Water features are also relaxing and, outdoors, help to attract wildlife, especially birds, to your garden. There is something about the gentle sound of tinkling water which is very soothing and therapeutic ... unless you have a weak bladder of course, in which case it may send you off to the little room in a hurry.
Water features are good for all sorts of things, including meditation and relaxation, I would love to have a small indoor fountain but in modern houses it just isn't practical so a table water feature is ideal to replicate the effect.
Water features are also relaxing and, outdoors, help to attract wildlife, especially birds, to your garden. There is something about the gentle sound of tinkling water which is very soothing and therapeutic ... unless you have a weak bladder of course, in which case it may send you off to the little room in a hurry.
Water features are good for all sorts of things, including meditation and relaxation, I would love to have a small indoor fountain but in modern houses it just isn't practical so a table water feature is ideal to replicate the effect.
... on eBid
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Fantasy art
... nothing like a good fantasy
It's pure escapism but fantasy art is big and probably always will be.
Whether you are into fairies or mermaids, vampires or aliens, fantasy art is for everyone and although there are a fair few art originals offered for sale around the net in this category, you will also find many art posters and prints available at very reasonable prices.
I always feel that there is something in the fantasy art category to suit everyone so I hope you might enjoy browsing the feeds I've added below.
Whether you are into fairies or mermaids, vampires or aliens, fantasy art is for everyone and although there are a fair few art originals offered for sale around the net in this category, you will also find many art posters and prints available at very reasonable prices.
I always feel that there is something in the fantasy art category to suit everyone so I hope you might enjoy browsing the feeds I've added below.
... on eBid
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Recycled products
... we all need to get used to recycling a lot more
Recycling is going to become a really big business in future years.
When you stop and think about it, it's obviously the way we are all going to have to go in the future as this planet has finite resources and we won't be finding a second handy planet to exploit any time soon, so we had better get used to this.
In truth, it's only in relatively recent times that we have become a throw-away society and, much as we may have enjoyed our love affair with disposable goods, we need to find a new sense of responsibility towards future generations and leave some resources behind for them.
I've started a group of recycling lenses which will be added to over the coming months as I write down many tips and hints recycling your goods and, in the process, saving money.
I'm also hoping that some of the recycled goods which should show in the feeds below will give some inspiration to my readers.
When you stop and think about it, it's obviously the way we are all going to have to go in the future as this planet has finite resources and we won't be finding a second handy planet to exploit any time soon, so we had better get used to this.
In truth, it's only in relatively recent times that we have become a throw-away society and, much as we may have enjoyed our love affair with disposable goods, we need to find a new sense of responsibility towards future generations and leave some resources behind for them.
I've started a group of recycling lenses which will be added to over the coming months as I write down many tips and hints recycling your goods and, in the process, saving money.
I'm also hoping that some of the recycled goods which should show in the feeds below will give some inspiration to my readers.
... on eBid
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Shiny things
... it's the old Hippy in me LOL
I ised to have a huge collection of brassware, plaques, horsebrasses, jugs, plates, figurines, you name it and I had it somewhere in my home. Sadly, arthritis became a real pain in my life and all that polishing just had to stop.
Of course, it wasn't just brassware, I had copper, silver and other shiny things as well.
I know I could have covered some of the items in a lacquer which would have kept them shiny for a very long time but I had already had some experience of lacquered brassware and wouldn't do that to my own. Fact is that eventually the brass under the lacquer will tarnish and then you have given yourself a major headache as you need to remove the lacquer before you can polish the item.
I have already sold or disposed of most of the shiny things I used to have - but I have discovered glassware now - shiny, doesn't tarnish and you can just wash the dust off.
Of course, it wasn't just brassware, I had copper, silver and other shiny things as well.
I know I could have covered some of the items in a lacquer which would have kept them shiny for a very long time but I had already had some experience of lacquered brassware and wouldn't do that to my own. Fact is that eventually the brass under the lacquer will tarnish and then you have given yourself a major headache as you need to remove the lacquer before you can polish the item.
I have already sold or disposed of most of the shiny things I used to have - but I have discovered glassware now - shiny, doesn't tarnish and you can just wash the dust off.
... on eBid
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Sunsets
... what better way to end the day
When you stop and think about it, how many glorious sunsets do you see in a year? Of course, some folks will be lucky and live in places where a striking sunset is seen more often than not but for most of us there are not so many of these spectacular sights.
In each year there will be some though, even if you don't see them all. Super sunsets are like rainbows, there are not enough of them in anyone's lifetime.
Pause to think a moment about your age, the time on this Earth which you have left to you and how many sunsets or rainbows you are likely to see in that time remaining.
Now ... take the time, make the time to go and watch a few spectacular sunsets.
In each year there will be some though, even if you don't see them all. Super sunsets are like rainbows, there are not enough of them in anyone's lifetime.
Pause to think a moment about your age, the time on this Earth which you have left to you and how many sunsets or rainbows you are likely to see in that time remaining.
Now ... take the time, make the time to go and watch a few spectacular sunsets.
... on eBid
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Other favourite things lenses
If you have a lens about your favourite things, let me know in the guestbook below and I'll add a link here.-
I Love Little Baby Ducks...
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I love all of the things mentioned in Tom T Hall's song "I Love". All of the things mentioned in the song are simple, everyday things that can seem extraordinary when looked at through rose colored glasses. To see beauty and grace in the face of the...
Do you have a favourite things list?
I will be adding a few more favourite things to this list as time goes on but I thought this was probably enough to be going on with for now.
submit
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- Ecolicious Ecolicious Oct 7, 2009 @ 1:45 am
- I need to make a favorite list lens
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- BusyQueen BusyQueen Aug 3, 2009 @ 9:49 am
- 0ctavias0fferings,
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It's well done. 5 *****'s
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- samuilgr8 samuilgr8 May 11, 2009 @ 4:46 am
- Nice collection of information...........!!!
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- Pantherart Pantherart Jan 5, 2009 @ 9:08 am
- Great lens I see that you worked hard and did some great research on this one.
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- Joan4 Joan4 Jan 5, 2009 @ 8:09 am
- Enjoyed your favorite things list! that would be a good exercise for the new year - list of favorite things! I think I will do that - Thank you!
Fantastic Fotos
If you like art photographs, here are some by Ken Gillam. These are available from Fantastic Fotos on eBid.net.
My lenses by interest
... those in italics are groups of lenses
Making it easierMy 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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... each item takes you to one of our stores
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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...
