Sarina Beach

It was the Queen's Birthday holiday here yesterday (Monday) ... and also mummy's choice day as to where we were going to have a picnic and for her to relax. LOL yeah right "mummy's day" ... mummy still had to go out and buy the food, prepare the food and drinks, pack said food and drinks, and make sure the kids were dressed appropriately and with hats ... where is the relaxation in all that? LOL

Anyway I made the executive decision - against all the kids wishes as to where they wanted to go *inserting evil laugh* - that we go to Sarina Beach. I love Sarina Beach.

I find the ocean, listening to it, watching it, very relaxing and soon find myself de-stressing (which I think was hubby's idea all the time) - it generally centres me, iykwim. While hubby and the three munchkins played footy on the beach - and yes my beautiful daughter joined in on that one - I walked along the beach, towards the rocks. I'd taken my you beaut digital SLR along meaning to take some wonderful photos - LOL don't think I took wonderful photos, but they'll do. The tide was going out, so alot of the rocks were left with interesting little rock pools. The idea struck me then to get slightly arty farty and take photos of the pools - and also to get inspiration for a current challenge themed "Rock Pool". So these are my attempt at arty farty.

The first one here is of the beach, the rocks and the headland - those rocks there are where I was walking around and taking photos ... and generally enjoying the peace and serenity of the whole place.

With this one below, I wish I could have captured the trickle or flow of the water. The water was racing down from the rocks towards the beach and water - and making this gorgeous meander across the beach.

I won't bore you with anymore - I took heaps, but these are the ones that really caught my eye while I was de-stressing. Hope you like my trip to the beach as much as I did.

Lady of the Lake

This was made for a "Ladies of Camelot" Challenge on the Beading Forum. I am the hugest Arthurian legend fan, and this piece just brought out the creative juices in me ... and the first thing I thought of was the Lady of the Lake. So without too much hoohaaaa this is my interpretation ....

The Lady of the Lake

The great King Arthur is dead!!!

As Excalibur was slowly drawn back into the Lake, the magical powers of the Lady of the Lake started to wane. Mere mortals had foresaken the magic folk and the Goddess, instead choosing to believe in the “One God”. She could feel the magic draining from her body as she slowly disappeared into the misty icy water. The curtain between the world of magic and humans was closing. She closed her eyes …. time to sleep ….

This piece represents the disappearance of the world of magic at the demise of King Arthur. The Lady relents to the pull of Avalon and drifts off into the misty icy water ... her magic ebbing away from her body (that's what the cabs represent) ... and disappears forever into the mists.

OK ... the details ... done with 11s and 8s seedies in various shades of blue and white, Czech fire-polished beads, freshwater pearls ... and quite a few of Wendy's fused glass and dichroic cabs that reminded me alot of water. The face cab I've had sitting in my cab box just waiting for inspiration to hit - it's a gorgeous Jen Martin face ... and the celtic looking scrolls on her face just fitted in so well. I've even got Excalibur in there with the sword toggle clasp.