A day of slightly loose ends is best finished with a RAPS post. Even though my old job is not over yet (hopefully working until June), the bubble has burst and I really have to motivate myself to put in my usual effort. As the shock wears off, the doubts and self-recrimination set in. I am most happy when I am creative; it keeps my mind from wandering, too, and so I spent the weekend at the sewing machine, repurposing my son’s old jeans. I doubt that sewing will be my new career, but at least I won’t be lacking in bags… 😂
But back to today’s May Day loose ends. I am going to fight them with number three of the recent shrine production. The silver shrine is already on its way to nordlicht; now the last one needs a home. It may seem a little context-less, but there was a point to this design which I will explain below. I chose a tin for it that came from a stash sent to me by our lovely fellow fan K___ from Slovakia. Rudely, I have not yet properly written to her. So here is a first preliminary thank you, K___.
Um. Picture obscured by camera shake. But well, the inside is more interesting.
Ok, let me explain the context. Herba and Die Pö’s creative community blogging project had called for submissions on the topic of cacti in March. The deadline was April 1, and my submission did not make it in time. They’ve been doing their creative challenge for over two years now – pretty amazing, if you ask me. I always like the challenge of thinking up a way of reacting to the topic with a shrine, yet I take part not nearly often enough. Or I only get round to it when it is too late. But well, in this case, I thought the adjective “succulent” *always* applies…
*coughs*
Anyway, Armitage definitely looks as sharp as a cactus in his formal wear. And yep, luscious muscles inclusive.
Small and simple. Probably particularly good for those of you who enjoy sharp dressed Armitage *cue ZZ Top*. If you are one such, drop me a comment so I can find a new home for this pocket shrine!
Phew. That has definitely lifted my spirits. To be repeated, soon.
Guylty Pleasure 
Looks like your *creative juices* are flowing nicely! Sharp-dressed…casually dressed…undressed…I’m not picky! Best to you as you navigate the closing of one door and the liberty for new possibilities it brings!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL – “undressed” sounds particularly juicy *hehe*.
Yep, I am really excited about the new possibilities. I’d like to do something more creative – or possibly more photography again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
At first, I thought you’d gone mad, because the lid reminds me of cockroaches and EWW! Once I kept reading, I fell in love with the inside of this shrine. It is succulent, and I’m hungry for it! (I’m also literally hungry and waiting for my Chinese food delivery.) 😁
Sorry to hear you’re going through a rough patch. *hug*
LikeLike
Yeah, the tin outside is a bit weird. I chose to interpret those furry circles as eyes with eyelashes…
Hope your Chinese takeaway arrives soon. yumyum
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is SOOOOOO cool!!!!! I really love it and will add this definitvely to our result post. Thanks for participating and ‘Kopf hoch!!!!’ I am sure you’ll find something new 💋
LikeLike
Oh, I didn’t realise that you would even add such a late-comer to the result post. But yay, please :-). Thanks x
LikeLiked by 1 person
We/the project are all about the fun and not so much about the rules 😎
LikeLike
Oh, that sounds really good, I have to say… Maybe I should go back and get some RA cake done, now…
LikeLiked by 2 people
I would LOVE to see that one!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Peach cake? *hehe*
LikeLiked by 4 people
Whatever you prefer….but please no white socks anywhere near the RA cake. That would be a reason for disqualification ;P
LikeLiked by 1 person
*hahaha* well, those socks would not fit into that scheme, anyway.
LikeLiked by 1 person
ohh remind me of the peach crumble cake my German-ish bakery sold ones, yuummmmm…
LikeLike
Oh, and I am taking this as a reminder too. I want to bake more, and maybe a peach crumble is the start…
LikeLike
(Not an entry, surprisingly 😉) Thanks for this thesaurus lesson, I suppose this synonym is not limited to English. Great shrine again. Actually, cacti are my favourite plants because they are so easy-care. I wonder if this is true for the variant in the shrine as well.The bag looks really nice, too, by the way. Something creative to work would definetely be the best for you. Hope everything will fall into place for you. You know, when one door closes, another opens (und das gibt jetzt 1 Euro ins Phrasenschwein).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hehe, you can enter as often as you like, nordlicht 😉. Oh, and cacti are your favourites? Then this would’ve been perfect for you. As for easy-care and RA – I seriously doubt it *hehe*. Actor, artist, and all that. Probably needs a lot of time to himself and can be erratic in his responses. The way he presents himself in public may just be misleading because he is making a conscious effort…
Thank you for the good wishes. ‘Phrasenschwein’ 😂
LikeLike
Yeah, I’m in doubt about easy-care, too. But besides from looking sharp and luscious, he has more in common with cacti. I’m quite sure he can be prickly sometimes (referring not only to kissing when he has stubbles 😉).
LikeLike
LOL – definitely prickly in more than one sense of the word.
LikeLike
*drops a comment*
*it breaks*
*sad face*
comment smithereens
😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂that’s a great comment. I have glued it back together so that it can go into the raffle 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Da kriegt der kleine grüne Kaktus ja plötzlich einen ganz anderen Kontext. Lol. Dieser hier sticht durchaus auch: mitten ins Herz… (Schmalz… und noch 1 € für’s Phrasenschwein 😉 )
Deine Ideen sind wirklich immer wieder erfrischend – danke dafür! Lass Dich nicht unterkriegen! Das wird!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hehe, die Phrasen sind doch alle gut – passen ja auch wunderbar auf Herrn A.
Solange die Ideen noch fließen, ist alles ok. Wenn ich mal keinen Bock mehr habe zu basteln, dann fange ich an, mir Sorgen zu machen.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Succulent. Yes! 😍
LikeLike
It’s a really nice word, somehow. Although I prefer the adjective to the noun.
LikeLike
very juicy indeed!!! especially those arms .. just make you want to nibble
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d be happy just to touch…
LikeLike
OMG those arms. I can’t think about succulent without remembering our adventures with that damnable prickly pear harvest in Greece! Love the shrine and love that denim bag!
LikeLike
Oh, God, yes. That prickly pear was a gift that kept on giving. Literally. I can’t remember now, but was there ever a reward for the pain, i.e. did Obscura actually *make* something from the prickly pears?
Yes, those arms. Honestly, my mouth waters when I see that picture.
LikeLike
I *thought* we discarded them at some point along the drive, but the tiny pricks did persist long after the fruits were chucked. Though to be honest, I can’t be sure. If we did taste them, the horror of riding with them has overshadowed my memories entirely. LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too. It seemed like such a good idea at the time. Too bad there was way to much prickly and not enough pear.
LikeLike
Spot on. And I wasn’t even in that car 😂
LikeLike
(Not an entry.) Luscious indeed! You are definitely on a roll! As to the paid work, try to take them at their word that this was a strategic reorganization and no reflection on you. Something good will turn up.
LikeLike
Thanks for the reassurement. Yep, I have to keep the negative thoughts at bay and focus on the positive. It’s probably my age that is now making me feel slightly less optimistic than was usually my nature. Distracting myself with luscious pictures, helps.
LikeLiked by 1 person
zZ Top????I think of beards and the South and my X who liked that band.Love that shrine, you are just so creative.Nice bag.
LikeLike
ZZ Top – it kind of dates us to know that band 😁.
LikeLike
Succulent…a perfect way to describe RA. Hoping your work prospects turn around for you soon,,,even though we are enjoying to rewards from more creative time on your hands.
LikeLike
Some English words just have a certain ring to them…
And I am quite excited about more me-time, too 😉
LikeLike
Pingback: Gemeinschaftsblogprojekt ‘Mach was!’ – Ergebnis #37 und neues Thema | Unkraut vergeht nicht….oder doch?
Great shrine. The comment about cacti being easy made me laugh as my daughter had some while at university and managed to kill every one.
Fingers crossed 😆
LikeLike
😂So much for easy-care…
LikeLike
“Succulent” certainly describes Mr. A! 😁
LikeLike
I have no idea why I didn’t think about it earlier 🌵
LikeLike
Love the Shrine, of course. I really need Mr. Guylty to make me one of those fabulous cabinets to hold shrines and other RA memorabilia. You know I’d give it a warm loving home.
I also love what you did with the blue jeans, especially that zigzag pattern. That bag is gonna last a lifetime much longer than leather.
LikeLike
Speaking of Mr. G’s cabinets, I saved a picture of one but can’t find the other. Can you repost pictures of both so that we know what to aspire to when displaying our own memorabilia?
LikeLike
Just off the top of my hat I can offer you this: a link to the original post where I wrote about receiving the ‘Original Portable Shrine’. https://guylty.net/2013/12/30/heres-to-rl-love/ But you have given me an idea here. I really should do an update post and show what has accumulated in the shrine…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why do I keep thinking he made two shrines for you?
LikeLike
Hehe, no, only the one. But that was the start to it all…
LikeLike
The shrine still makes me laugh when I see it. These days it is closed, but I do occasionally open it and grin at the whole thing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
[not an entry]. I know so well that pattern of self-reproach and wish you much success in drowning it in creativity!
LikeLike
Thank you, S! It’s the completely wrong approach. Overthinking, overanalysing – and holding oneself responsible *despite* assurances from the (ex-)employer/client that they were happy with one’s work. I hope that over time, the reproaching will stop. At the moment, I am literally losing sleep over it. Too much mulling over in my mind when I switch off the light at night. Silly me.
LikeLike
Oh yes, succulent is perfect word to describe him. 😉 And the word looks better than the Finnish translation, mehevä.
LikeLike
Hehehehe, ‘mehevä’ sounds a bit like ‘meh’ … BTW, the German translation isn’t any better, either. It’s “fleischig” – (pronounced /fly-shi-k/) – and that sounds really shifty 🤢
LikeLike
To my knowledge you are the first to connect Mr A to the word succulent and bravo for being spot on. He may prefer to play up the prickly tough exterior but we all know he’s all soft and juicy on the inside. (with a mouth-wateringly succulent visage) The shrine is great and I love the quirky cover. Also, hope I’m not too late to wish you a happy blogiversary. You’re such a positive presence in the fandom and you keep it interesting and fun with your uplifting perpective and wry humor. Thank you.
Sometimes life will set up a roadblock out of nowhere and force us to change the direction of our journey. This detour may lead you to new and exciting possibilities and that is my wish for you in the near future. Best of luck. ❤️
LikeLike
*perspective oops! ☺️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, I’m glad if I have coined something new 😉. IDK whether he is really playing up the prickly exterior – he keeps mentioning how ‘difficult’ he is, anti-social, messy, erratic, irascible, yet he always comes across as a really nice person, whether it is during fan events or press junkets with journos and colleagues… Maybe there’s a juicy secret there, somewhere 😁.
Thanks for your lovely words – humour and perspective are something I both enjoy. And like you said, enforced detours can be the start of something new and exciting. I am hopeful.
LikeLike
the tin cracks me up b/c it looks like ‘shifty eyes’ to me and then you open it up to Richard described as luscious, tender, and juicy 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha, shifty eyes is exactly what I thought. Definitely describes me when it comes to RA…
LikeLike
Love those shifty eyes, and the succulent theme – brilliant. Although for some reason I am craving a steak right now. A tender, juicy one.
LikeLike
If RA were a steak, I’d give up vegetarianism.
Wait a minute. I am NOT vegetarian anyway… Hm. Well, even better then… I’ll take a spare RA any day.
LikeLike
Oh, my. I love it, and adjective tag is the best. And that green t-shirt ❤ XD
LikeLike
The whole green t-shirt scenario goes to show that even a chunky RA is very very yummy.
LikeLike
This is my fave ‘built’ of him ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
another lovely and that tote bag is a winner!! you could totally monetise your craftiness if you were ever so inclined 🙂 Hope time has helped with the worries and i am very confident the skills you have will bring something new along! x
LikeLike
I’ve been wondering whether I should start creating a few bits and pieces and then revive my etsy shop. Funnily enough, I have a strong urge to craft at the moment. Should use the momentum to explore something new…
LikeLike
“Succulent” is the perfect word to describe Richard… 😉
LikeLike
It is, isn’t it? Juicy, but sometimes also a bit spiky 🌵That fits!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: RA Pocket Shrine 165/? – Barkley’s | Guylty Pleasure