She is a pretty girl. I am not to sure about the softening technique though, looks like you have run the blur-tool almost randomly over the image. I think you would achive a much better result using neatimage. Also, the crop on the left is a bit too tight for my taste. Apart from that it is a nice portrait and a lovely model.

It is a thermometer, very beautiful capture. The refraction of the glass and water and the color of the fluids in the balls makes it a very scrumptious picture indeed.

I am guessing "Frozen in ice", or rather, "Placed on ice and let sink in"

I like it, really cool and very Tolkienish. Such a great idea and well performed. It took me a while to figure, and I could still be wrong... But I think I am right :)