Friday 18 July 2014

Playing with cardboard and trying to keep cool

Hi everybody!

It's really hot today, 36° outside and not much less inside. I tried to keep to shadowy paths to walk along this morning, but this afternoon I walked through the fields and it was scorching. My plaster cast is off, which is good, but my poor thumb is still very painful and stiff, and I am hoping it will be back to normal soon.

In between walks I played with some corrugated cardboard, painted some backgrounds in my journal, and just tried to get the feel of paint again!

The card here was painted with white gesso. The top tag has been partly peeled, stamped, and embossed with copper EP and perfect pearls in copper. The image (Lost Coast Designs) has been stamped with archival green. I used some fibres, textile roses, and a TH token (almost hidden by the fibres) for embellishments.




This tag has been put together with parts out of one of my many  bit boxes. I used gold Utee into which I stamped and some paper scraps for the background. The little girl was in my stash, and already cut out, but I think I distressed her a tad too much this time!
I added an angel charm, some Prima leaves and scraps of ribbon and string.




I am linking to Paint Party Friday, Moo Mania - anything goes,  Manon's Paper Saturdays, and Feline Art Friday.

Today the skies were wonderfully blue:



There are lots of leafy lanes and paths to walk along:



 Some of my fave paths are those along the old fortifications:



And I never get tired of watching the Rhine:



Here's wishing you all a great weekend, with time for creating and relaxing. Have fun, take care, and thanks a lot for coming by!

38 comments:

  1. beautiful wok!!! Beautiful photos too, but wow 36 degrees, that is far too hot!

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  2. Love your tags, but take it easy when it's so hot, and hope your hand soon feels better. Hugs, Sarah

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  3. I do like the first tag very much, I think it's the combination of the green and the antiqued image along with the roses. I'm also admiring your little ghost girl and all her accessories, fascinating.
    I also love your photos, as always, and studied them trying to find a favourite. Maybe it's the last, as I too would love to sit on one of these benches, watching the Rhine and river activity.

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  4. It's a wonderful place to sit and dream, and I'm afraid I spend a lot of time just sitting there!

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  5. Both tags are gorgeous Valerie! Your scenic photos are especially gorgeous today. Glad your cast is off. Big hugs, ~Diane

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  6. Your work is beautiful as always. Your photos blew me away today, what a lovely area you live in, and what a great photographer you are. Hope your thumb will recover soon.

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  7. I'm sorry about the heat wave, but thrilled to hear that your cast is off and you are diving into your artwork fully once again. Those two tags are exquisite, especially the second one, with it's unbelievable blend of blend of textures, lettering, and imagery. Happy PPF and Blessings, my dear friend!

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  8. Two great tags Valerie, love all the gold UTEE.
    Glad to hear that the cast is off.
    Have a great weekend.
    Avril xx

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  9. Da drücke ich dir die Daumen, dass es deinem Daumen bald wieder besser geht und die Schmerzen verschwinden. Deine beiden Tags sind wunderschön, mir gefällt wie du mit der Wellpappe gewerkelt hast. Das tolle Wetter dieser Tage ist genau mein Ding, ich verbringe die meiste Zeit auf der schattigen Terrasse und lasse fünfe gerade sein. Mein Bastelzimmer sieht mich eher selten..... Deine Fotos sind soooo schön, der Weg lädt zum Spaziergang ein.

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  10. Your pieces have such great texture--just stunning! Your walks always look so peaceful. Glad your cast is off- your thumb will be back to crafting in no time! Have a good weekend. Hugs!

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  11. you have opened my eyes to how marvelous and versatile and classy plain old cardboard can look. How fantastic! Watching those pics of the Rhine somehow reminds me of Schumann and all the classical music stuff I did in my youth

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  12. Wonderful makes both of them, love the top one specially with that cool wood grain effect on the LC stamp!

    Hope the thumb gets better soon! Wonderful photos like always, here in Australia it's freezing, so good to see some sun drenched photos from your wonderful walks!

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  13. lovely texture in your card and tag Valerie. The blue skies belie the heat. Hopefully the thumb goes back to normal as you use it more.

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  14. Gorgeous art..I am really drawn to the green lady..wonderful vibe to her..love her!! Wow..spectacular photos..some truly bewildering and beautiful shots!! Magnificent my friend!! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. It must seem like one step forward then two steps back for you at the moment.
    The effect with the stamp is captivating, I love the way the ink is running down the panel.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  16. So pleased that you have had your hand liberated and hope the pain eases for you.
    Two fabulous tags, your bits and pieces boxes hold amazing treasures.
    Take care in the heat.
    Yvonne xx

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  17. Nice Cards Valerie. Love your photography. Happy to hear the cast is off. YAY. Now the hard part. Getting movement back in the thumb. OW.

    Blessings
    Jim

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  18. Both tags are so terrific, Valerie. I especially love the first one, the green image is fabulous. And the second one has a great textures and an amazing little girl, I really like too. Beautiful photos! Glad your cast is off. Hugs, Mar

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  19. Thanks for visiting and commenting on my second attempt at painting your hibiscus. Your artwork this week is wonderful. I especially like that little angel. And I love looking at your photos. I would really enjoy walking along that narrow path in one of the photos. Beautiful.

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  20. Gorgeous tags - I don't think the girl is too distressed at all. Love all the textures. Sorry about the heat - I know you're not used to it there. Hope all the stiffness in your thumb disappears quickly.

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  21. Hi Valerie. Glad your cast is off and hope your thumb continues to improve. Such great lanes/walkways that you have in your country. It's beautiful over there as is your work. Very nice. Have a great day/evening.:))

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  22. Outstanding and brilliant Valerie...love the cheerful look of these wonderful creations...and as always you brighten up my day with your wonderful views of nature...if you are hot lol, come on over and stay here for a while...it's cold...xx
    ♥aNNie

    The Journey is the Start

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  23. Wow,tolle tags hast du gemacht,gefallen mir seehr gut.
    schön das es deinen daumen schon besser geht,weiterhin gute besserung.
    bei uns ist es total heiß und ich hab den ventilator an,bei dem wetter sollte man eigentlich sich schonen,und was mache ich,sport und treppen laufen,jeden tag mindestens dreimal hundert stufen laufen,puh,hinterher bin ich soo aus der puste,das ich gleich fest einschlafe.
    wünsch dir ein schönes WE :-)

    GLG Jeannette

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  24. I love your artwork and photography. Wow! So exquisitely original.

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  25. It was equally hot here too in Alberta. Ugh, there is not much relief inside or out, except if one is lucky enough to find an air conditioned place. I hope your thumb heals pronto! It is wonderful that you can still produce art and take path photos! The paths look like they would provide some cooling refuge! The tags are so dynamic. What do you use them for?

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  26. So pleased your plaster has been relieved but sad to hear that your thumb is still sore-hope it feels better today.

    Your artwork is terrific and like the sound of you getting used to the feel of paint again-it must have been awful not being able to do painting as I know you love it so much.

    Beautiful shady places in your photographs in your photographs and must have been great to be under the trees in that heat.

    Have a good day today

    Love Chrissie x

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  27. Zwei wunderschöne Anhänger! Mir gefällt der zweite ganz besonders ... Die Farbkombination mit dem Gold und dem Rosé wirkt klasse hier! Schöne Fotos sind das auch wieder. Wie gut, dass es schöne Schattenplätze gibt! Weiterhin gute Besserung für deinen Daumen ... alles Gtue für dich!
    Schönes Wochenende und liebe Grüße, LonettA

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  28. love the layers and textures your photos and hope your thumb is on the mend

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  29. Hi Valerie, it's been a while since I visited. School's out now here, so I'm on holiday and finally have time for blogging. Love your two tages, really pretty. Must be a nuisance, not being ablke to use your thumb properly! Hope it gets better soon. Lovely pictures! Hugs Frea

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  30. ganz wunderschöne Stüce liebe Valerie! Gefallen mir sehr! Tolle Fotos!
    Thank you for joining MOO MANIA& MORE CHALLENGE!

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  31. Hi Valerie, WOW you make cardboard look like an expensive and elegant element! Beautiful work.
    Sure hope your thumb gets better soon. Try not to overdo it.
    Have a great rest of the weekend.
    Hugs

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  32. Beautiful artwork and photography Valerie. 36 degrees is way too hot, hope you are keeping cool :)

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  33. Wow that first tag is very haunting I really like it a lot. Glad your cast is off but every time you bump that thumb it is going to hurt. ouch. The photos are amazing. I would love to go there.
    Nicole/Beadwright

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  34. Love the depth and layering - so vintage looking! Keep cool and happy PPF!

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  35. Beautiful tags and thanks for the lovely nature photos.

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  36. Some more great card board and crackle...bits of shimmer to. xox

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  37. Deine Tags sind traumhaft schön geworden, Varlerie. Auch die Fotos gefallen mir sehr gut.

    Danke für's Mitmachen bei MOO-MANIA & MORE

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