Thursday, 12 September 2013

This and that


Hi everybody!
Hope your week has been better than mine, life is not much fun here just now. And to add to it all, I cut my hand on a piece of glass that I oversaw in the dishwasher, and now have stitches in my right hand, so am not even able to make a decent mess with paint and glue just now.

The first piece is a journal page, which is my entry for Paint Party Friday, hosted, as always, by Eva and Kristin, and which I am also linking to Art Journal Journey - Less is more, and Journal Journeys - Childhood.
The pictures I have used so rather bleak images of children, so I have painted the pages using mostly sombre grays and black. I just added a little blue and yellow, in the hope that those children saw some blue sky and sunshine in their lives, too. Both pictures were taken in the East end of London, the first one at the beginning of the 2oth century, and the second one is from 1963. The quote I have used on the right side is from Agatha Christie. We so often think of the happy side of childhood, and this is good so, but I think it is important to remember all the less unfortunate children, from past days and today.





(images courtesy of Wikipedia)

The autumn / Halloween hanging was made as part of my Guest DT work for Gecko Galz this month. I started, as so often, with corrugated card, which has been partly peeled, and painted with white gesso. The harvest hymn and the owl are both GG images. The owl has been printed onto canvas and the edges frayed. The right side has been embossed with gold Utee, into which I stamped with a flourish stamp and a script stamp - both stamps belong to those which I use over and over again.. For embellishments I used the usual eclectic mix of flowers, leaves, beads as berries, and bats, which Diane cut for me with her Zing. The branches have been cut from a TH branch tree die. I added the brown lace, string and some home made paper beads to tie it all together, and two coloured eyelets to match the embellies.





 I am also linking to  Craftroom Challenge - leaves/trees, and Simon's Monday Challenge - Embossing.

Have a good day you all, take care, and thanks a lot for coming by!

65 comments:

  1. Two different makes Valerie :) both wonderful in spite the damage to your poor hand !
    Von ♥

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  2. Love the wonderful journal pages, and good that you call our attention to those kids who don't have it so good. The hanging is great, I always love your Autumnal delights! Hugs, Sarah

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  3. Gorgeous journal pages Valerie very thought provoking and the colours are just right, I also adore your Owl hanging...love owls. Hope your hand lets you get messy soon :-)

    MaggieH

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  4. Two very different pieces - difficult to think they are made by the same person! Your childhood pages are fascinating and quite beautifully done, I like your use of handwriting on them. Your owl piece is very jolly and it's so interesting to read about your techniques.

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  5. I love your pages Valerie und ich mag auch Dein Hängerchen -
    danke für Dein Mitgefühl bezüglich meines Stresses...

    ich haaassse Hausarbiet und Renovierungsmist!

    igitt!

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  6. Du weisst wie sehr ich es nachempfinden kann and dass Die H********T nicht meine grosse Liebe ist!

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  7. How horrible about your hand....and stiches...Ooouch!
    I hope you heal quickly or at least gain mobility without pain.

    I love what you did with the journal pages. IMO the contrast in colors help to offset the serious tone of the children's images.
    Love the script!

    Your owl turn out amazing. Love the gold and the little bats!!

    Happy Crafting
    Tracie

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  8. I have fallen in love with your childhood pictures Valerie. You work is so amazing. Hopefully your poor hand gets better soon. Hugs from Scotland. Rita xxx

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  9. Wow beautiful work. The Art journal page is amazing and so is the Halloween hanging piece. Wonderful details on both :) Greetings, Shirleyx

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  10. Love your journaling, Valerie! Cool Halloween ones as well :)

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  11. Very sorry you are having a bad time...
    I am sending healing good wishes for you ♥

    Your Childhood pages are very moving and beautiful in many ways...
    The owl hanging really speaks of the season and printing the owl on fabric is brilliant!

    Take care of your hand and feel better soon Valerie
    oxo

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  12. Your journal pages are beautiful and really makes one think! That owl is amazing and a gorgeous decoration! Hope your hand heals quickly! Hugs!

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  13. very moving pieces today Valerie (kids today take so much for granted). The blue and yellow does lighten it up. and a lovely Autumn hanging. So sorry to hear about your accident, but glad you are all stitched up.

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  14. Hope your hand recovers soon. Love the pages you have done here :)

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  15. Loving both of your fab pages and the great owl hanging. Sorry to hear of your accident Valerie, I hope the wound clears up soon.
    Annette x
    http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

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  16. So sorry to hear that you hurt your hand. I do hope it doesn't hurt to bad. Loving all your projects though.. Take care my friend.

    Hugs~

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  17. I like your owl piece, but I LOVE your reflective art journal pages on Childhood. I hope you have a much better week, and that your hand heals quickly. Blessings, my friend!

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  18. Sending healing wishes for your hand! Despite that you still managed to create awesome art!

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  19. I have to I really adore the childhood journal pages very much fantastic images. I thank you for joining in with journal Journeys so lovely to have you along. I do hope your back to painty play time soon I hope your hand is feeling better Dxx

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  20. Beautiful work! And fabulous details! Thank you for joining us this week for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. ~ Michelle

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  21. Your AJ page is very inspiring! I've seen something new here!Background is artistic. Pics sits perfectly on that and quote make me think about it...
    nagaonkarshilpa.blogspot.in

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  22. Where to start with your journal pages Brenda? I just love everything about them and it would be silly to write a long list. So thought provoking and the images are perfect.
    Your owl is lovely with lots of detail to keep the eye entertained too.
    Have a lovely weekend - hope things improve and so sorry to hear about your injury - sounds nasty to me!
    Hugs, Juliaxx

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  23. Not sure why I put Brenda, Valerie?? A senior moment I fear. So sorry!
    Jxx

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  24. Don't worry, sometimes I'm not sure who I am either, but don't tell!

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  25. Ouch hope your hand is all cleaned up and heals quickly. So glad your great art here today was all created and ready to be shared. Thank you for sharing with us at Craft-Room Challenge XOXO Zoe

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  26. Wow! Lots of lovely work this week. I love the colours you have added to your children collage and the sentiment behind it. The Halloween owl is lovely with lots of great embellishments, the stamping works very well and brings the whole piece together. Well done!

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  27. You ARE having a bad time just now. I'm so sorry you cut your hand so badly, and hope it will heal soon.
    All your artwork is terrific, no-one would ever guess you were working under difficulties. You have used the vintage photos of East End children with sensitivity and they are so effective against the background of the cracked walls. As you say, the colour represents the hope that they found some sunshine and happiness in their lives - the 1960s child may be alive today, and would only be about 55. If so, I hope that he is having a happy life now.
    Your Hallowe'en hanging is beautiful, as always.

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  28. so many amazing pieces you have worked on!! love the owl!!!!

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  29. Wow..such a beautiful post..the images of children.. very touching. The halloween creations are gorgeous, bright and festive..totally magical!
    Fabulous works!!
    Victoria

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  30. Love your journal pages - those images are haunting and wonderful. 'Hope your hand heals quickly!

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  31. Wow..such a beautiful post..the images of children.. very touching. The halloween creations are gorgeous, bright and festive..totally magical!
    Fabulous works!!
    Victoria

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  32. Love your AJ pages and your Owl is fabulous!! I am also already posting Halloween stuff, love this time of year. Hope your hand heals soon! xo

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  33. Excellent compositions! I love those pictures! I think it's a nice lesson mounting!

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  34. Your children pages are just excellent! The contrast of the gray photos and the bits of color, like dots of hope, make for some beautiful work. I do hope your hand heals very fast.

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  35. Sorry about your hand. Great pages. I really like your Halloween Owl.

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  36. Yes, sorry about your hand. Hope it heals soon. Those children are beautiful despite the surroundings. Your work certainly tells a story. Very nice work.
    gloria

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  37. The Childhood pages are so beautiful. The Grey tones with the touches of yellow and blue are stunning.
    Happy PPF.
    xx Monique

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  38. Wowwww, einfach schön.... großartig. Gefällt mir sehr.

    LG Carola

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  39. gorgeous projects Valerie! Your children series is so poignant. Love the Halloween hanging! Sorry about your hand-ouch!! Hope it heals quickly so you can paint away again.

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  40. You have been so productive!
    The pages are bittersweet, with those children who you only hope did have good childhoods even though it looks as though their lives would be full of hardship.
    Another fabulous GD project. Tell me, is the canvas the sheets suitable for printers or do you use regular canvas? I ask because I wonder how you regular canvas would be able to feed through a printer.
    Anyway I am so enjoying all your GG Guest Designer projects.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  41. Sorry you've having a rough time of it!! Hope your hand heals quickly...great collages very powerful!! Love that owl too!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  42. Ouch on those stitches...drat...we really do need those hands don't we? Hope it mends soon, what about rubber gloves....Beautiful journal piece about childhood striking images...fun owl piece, lots of scrummy gold. xox

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  43. sorry about your hand love the pages and halloween

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  44. sorry about your hand love the pages and halloween

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  45. I ope your hand heals up quickly. Nice work this week!

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  46. Love the pictures of the children and the blue and yellow splashes in the background.

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  47. Great pieces of art! Especially I like your excellent journal page very much! Get well soon!

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  48. Was für eine tolle Seite!! Und diese Fotos sind auch so unglaublich...
    Ich bin hin und weg!!

    Alles Liebe, Beate

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  49. These projects are so different , yet both are fantastic. The pages with the childhood images are so striking and make you think how all children don't get the start in life that they should.
    Yvonne x

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  50. Hi from Artists in Blogland!
    You are right childhood in the past had its dark side especially poor kids in the East End who ended up in the workhouse. Your collages are very powerful
    Really love the halloween pics too
    Emma

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  51. Sorry to hear about your hand! Take care. The work here is so incredible. The first two pieces - you just wouldn't know they were all those years apart would you. Of course, LOVE your Halloween piece. hugs, Donna

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  52. Touching and beautiful pieces! Hope your hand gets better soon! <3

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  53. The children's piece is so very moving, really touches my heart. Love the owl too, love all the layers.

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  54. The Journal Pages look so great, I like them very much. Your little owl is also good looking.
    Greatings
    Sabine

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  55. These are both really beautiful Valerie, your childhood piece is so sad, those images convey so much and they are perfectly set with the crackling and peeling of the background. I hope you hand heals quickly, and I'm sorry to hear you're having a rough time xx

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  56. Beautiful journal art and the owl is so sweet! Wishing you a fast recovery!

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  57. love your owl!! thanks for sharing with us at Craft Room Challenge, Debi x

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  58. Wonderful pieces Valerie, I love your Autumnal hanging, thank you for sharing it with us at Craft-Room Challenge.
    I'm sorry you're having a bad time at the moment and hope your hand heals quickly.
    xxx Hazel.

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  59. Those pages are so moving. I love the treatment of the papers and the soft tissue behind the photos. Very sorry to hear about your hand!

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  60. I am a little late with this comment so I do know that your hand is healing now. OUCH! The the pictures of these children are quite dramatic. In today' world, all you have to do is turn on the television to see the suffering of so many children around the world. The background for the two journal pages really suit the subject matter.
    Love the wall hanging - that gold UTEE really makes a statement! I keep saying, one of these days I am going to make some paper beads too - I love yours!
    Sandy

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  61. I love the details on your mixed variety of essentials. Childhood wasn't that colorful, but we didn't know it. The great memories of the oldsters in the family and family things we did stays with me and makes me smile. I'm glad I wasn't brought up with tv but with playing outside until dark and all the fun and friendships. Blessings, Janet PPF

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  62. Wow,deine seiten sind grossartig,und dein hängerchen ist auch große klasse,habe deine kunst sehr vermisst und freue mich wieder sie genießen zu Können :-)

    GLG Jeannette

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