Fisherman's work is never done

AM

PM

Every day 

from early in the morning until sunset

this fisherman is doing his work in my "front yard".

And we greet by waving to each other.

Amanda Palmer: The art of asking

Littleblackwings.tumblr.com

Last evening a friend told me about Powa meditation and this morning it was the first thing I had in mind even before I had opened my eyes. After having surfed about Powa for an hour or so I stumbled upon Amanda Palmer on Youtube. She is an artist/ musician with her own way of living, seeing and experiencing. I was very touched by her story about life and people. Watch it, it is worth the 10 minutes!

She also summarised what it means to "ask" people for something. I too find it difficult to ask people for help and what she said was spot on. Amanda's view is refreshing and I learned that asking and trusting goes hand in hand.

Amanda Palmer:

"Through the very act of asking people, I connected with them. And when you connect with them, people want to help you.

"It is not easy to ask, asking makes you vulnerable"

-Asking is about trust-.

Koh Phangan

I have arrived.

I am home.

Koh Phangan.

My island.

A Thai version of Bali. 

Or is Bali an Indonesian version of Koh Phangan? ;-)

It has changed immensely in 4 years.

  I am here to stay for awhile.

SYLK Studio

Where oh where art thou?
My little precious studiou?

At some point I realised that working from different locations and having my jewellery in both SE-Asia and Europe was not very efficient. Too many times I had to explain customers that the piece of jewellery they were interested in was located on the other side of the world. I also felt I needed a steady home for my tools and materials. For that sewing machine I want, the Dremel, kilos of beads, a corner for silver smithing, a space to display the pieces etc.

So about a year ago I decided to set up my studio somewhere in a warm country, a place yet to be found. Could it be Spain? Close to my family in Europe and stay abroad during Spain's winterly months? Could it be Central America? Costa Rica, Mexico? I still haven't found the right spot to settle down, I just don't know. The only thing I do know is that SYLK is begging for a studio.

But for now... I am about to leave for a Thai Island and will be staying there for awhile. Just to charge my batteries. It has been a pretty dynamic year for me and I seriously need a time out. Yoga, meditation and nature will be on my daily menu. And when the right moment appears the search for SYLK's studio will be continued.
But first things first: Sun, here I come!

Chinese horoscope Summer necklace

                   

Once upon a time there was a little Monkey, a Rabbit and an Oxe and they went on Summer-Summer-Summer holiday to the tropics. They brought their beading stuff with them and made their Summer necklaces made of wood, Jade and Turquoise.
For the photoshoot they picked the coconuts themselves. For the last ones to pick the little Monkey climbed on Oxe's shoulder and fell... But except for some bruises (and some little Monkey tears) the coconut-mission was safe and successful. They picked and plucked until de coconut tree was totally nut-free. They asked Tommy and Wurmi to show the world their Summer necklaces and here they are....
The 3 of them were very happy and danced at the Pondjesbrug until they got sleepy and thirsty. So they went home and opened the coconuts one by one and quenched their thirst by drinking the coconut water. It was so refreshing, it was nature's gold! With droopy eyes they went to bed and dreamed about how much luck and prosperity the Summer necklaces would bring little Monkey, Rabbit and Oxe ...

~The end~

Little girl's verdict

Last summer I was in Austria for a family visit and on a warm summer afternoon my little nephew and I decided to go to the playground. I had brought my beads with me and sat down at a wooden table under a large tree, and I started beading something casual. Then a 7-year old girl with sunny blond hair walked towards me and asked what I was doing. I told her I was knotting a necklace that can be worn as a bracelet as well. She followed every move I made with my hands. After awhile she said:
"Das ist aber seeeehr schön.../ That is actually reeaaaally pretty...".
And with a big smile she finished the sentence: "Sie haben Talent! / You are talented!"

She made me laugh out loud...

Kids... what's not to love about them!

Impermanence

Creamwhite Freshwaterpearls, Turquoise dyed Howlite, 

Chrysoberyl cateye & 925 Silver.

 Matching bracelet with 925 Silver Ohm sign

May 2011 was a memorable month for Ms. J. She turned ... oh my, I forgot ;-), but I remember a figure that reminds us (again) of our passing existence in this world. We no longer think in terms of "later-in-the-future-when-I've-grown-up", but we start to realise we already are floating on this "later in the future". And have we grown up...? Well, let's skip this one, shall we...? ;-)  We just don't have the eternal life (and I thank the Buddha and gods for this) and we are more and more aware of the impermanence of our being on planet Earth. It's a beautiful phase... We know ourselves better than before (if we're lucky...) and as time and energy has become something more limited, and therefore precious, we want to spend it more carefully, more meaningfully.

For this occasion I made a pair of earrings and a bracelet for Ms. J.

When you imagine a circle around the earring, you'll see a Peace sign.

The matching bracelet has an Ohm sign in the middle. It has a broad meaning in Sanskrit, but the part I thought of when making it was the part of the Universal "All", "Everything": Everything from the past, the present and the future.

I wish Miss J. love, laughter and lots of light!