Friday, 30 October 2015

Lots of Strange

Hi Everybody!
This week went by really quickly again, and once again it is Friday. And tomorrow it is Halloween, so happy haunting if you have been invited to stir a cauldron or fly to the moon.

For Paint Party Friday I made an A3 mixed media art journal page. The central part is a hybrid mix of images made out of earlier creations and some digital add ons. The stone heads are from June at Dezinaworld and the Elizabethan gent  is a freebie from Foxey Squirrel. I painted round the picture using a mix of gesso, titan buff and ocker, and then further distressed it with pastel chalks, before adding some stenciling with DIs. I wrote various quotes around the edges, you may need to turn your computer, or stand on your head if you are athletic, to read them. Well, I called my journal page 'Strange'








For Art Journal Journey I have a hybrid page, using an altered photo I took last week as background, with additions from Dezinaworld and Itkupilli. I used an overlay with script over the photo before adding the various elements.



When I am on my walks I sometimes treat myself to a cappuccino at the 'Burghof', a restaurant, cafe and Beer garden at the Rhine. There is a collection of vintage cars there, all rusting in peace.


If you look into the windows you can see strange things, too:


(That's not a ghost, it's me taking the photo!)


The tables are made from long, thick planks cut from huge trees. You have to go into the Bistro/ wintergarten to order your coffee/beer or whatever you want.


There's a wonderful view of the Rhine from the terrace, that's why I like to drink my coffee there, so peaceful. (In summer, when it is packed, perhaps not so peaceful!)


If you look up when you go in to order your coffee, you see this scene:


And if you go through the bistro into the main part of the house, where the restaurant and gallery are situated, you see some strange sights in the hallway, too. And not just for Halloween, it's always like this.




And if you dare to venture into the Ladies' restroom, you can sit and admire the scenes on the ceiling and walls:




We do have lots of normal cafés and restaurants here, but this post is about STRANGE!

And I will leave you with a peaceful view of the Rhine:


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

53 comments:

  1. Thanks for the 'strange' tour. Interesting page for PPF and your AJJ page has a spooky look.

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  2. Lovely work for both challenges, and great photos - that beer garden - cafe is certainly strange! Have a nice day, hugs, Sarah

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  3. Wonderful photos. I agree with Christine. Nice to see you Valerie. Hope you are doing good.:)::hugs::

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  4. I agree that this is one very strange post and journal page. Back soon was so clever!

    The restaurant is one that would interest me. I know you've talked about this place before with the rusting cars, but I was simply thrilled to see the inside, too. It's a very unique and quite strange, but fun place, I can see why you like it.

    One question: did you scare the rooster (grin)?

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  5. Spooktacular post...loved the artwork and those spooky photos gave me goosebumps...so good and I love the plethora of interesting items in that cool restaurant!! Thanks for sharing all this marvel!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  6. I love it! Your very strange but lovely coffee shop and your strange pages today. You made me smile! How much fun!

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  7. wunderschöne seite val,und die bilder sind klasse,mein favorit ist der geschnitze baumgesicht.einfach klasse.
    wünsch dir schöne halloween.

    hugs jenny

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  8. Interesting page, Valerie -- keep seeing different things in it. Much to see. How lucky are you to have such interesting stops along your walk where you can stop for a lovely coffee.. Love the red hen in the car. :o) Enjoy your day, hugs, Donna

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  9. Richtig STRANGE heute lol! Beide Arbeiten sind absolut mein Ding und die Tour passt perfekt für Halloween...lol! Den armen Gockel hast Du scheints zu Tode erschreckt.und es sieht fast aus als ob eins der Hühner im Auto den Löffel abgegeben hat vor lauter Schreck über Dich.... lol... streckt ja die Krallen von sich und liegt am Rücken...uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
    Happy PPF, AJJ and HAPPY HALLOWEEN Sweetie!
    oxo
    Susi

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  10. Loving all the layers of interest in your first piece of art work. Happy PPF

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  11. I love your page today with the quirky ideas and interesting quotes. The upside down one is so true.

    Great photographs and some are definitely not what you would expect--amazing! Can't get the image of the hen in the car out of my head.

    Have a great day

    Love Chrissie xx

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  12. Brilliant journal pages Valerie and what an amazing cafe.
    xxx Hazel.

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  13. Great journal page and gorgeous photos.Simply amazing!

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  14. I am in love with that place! Oh how I wish I could visit... Awesome tour. I love the layers and layers of you page. Title was appropriately given but it's a great spread! Diane #22

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  15. Your paint PPF piece is strange but fun. I actually think all those images you used worked really well together, as unrelated as they are. And the Beer Garden looks like a fun place to stop for a little break in your walk. I remember you have shown the rusting cars before but I love all the details in the rest beer garden. What a fun place to stop.

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  16. What a cool place, a bit scary, but totally Strange! I love the carved tree root. I spent as much time admiring your strange art today--such great quotes and you are a master of collage! Happy Weekend!

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  17. fabulous sharing

    have a happy PPF

    much love...

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  18. Love your mysterious art. So glowing and full of intrigue and mystery....just like Halloween.
    I can't stand on my head tho I would knock myself out.
    Happy PPF

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  19. Such a marvelous, warm and wonderful journal page, Valerie. And I love the photos of your Rhine area photos. You live in such a unique place, full of history and character.

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  20. What an incredible post, Valerie, from beginning to end you that crazy 1920s feel, right down to the marvelous carving (I love carving). Full of energy, passion and a delicious touch of loopy-loo! Hope you are feeling better btw

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    1. Thanks! Sometimes it's good to be crazy, gets everything back in perspective!

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  21. Hi Valerie. Thank you for showing all the details of your art page. I have a question, i know you work in bigger formats like A3, how do you store them? I find it easier to work in an altered book or sketchbook because i can always keep my work together. But i also want to go outside the boundaries from time to time. The only thing that stops me is the storage issue. I liked the dose of strange in the post.Wish i could see the place in person.Have a nice weekend...

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    1. I sort them into A3 file folders each month, and then, when I have time, I bind my fave pages together with a spiral binding to make a large album.

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  22. Strange and beautiful at the same time. What a fantastic post today. Another visit to the bistro for coffee and marvelous photos of its character and ambiance. The rooster nest in the car is hilarious and I like your spooky shadow in the frame of the last shot. Happy haunting..
    Hugs,
    C

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  23. Very strange in the most wonderful way. Love the page and the tour

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  24. Oh, I love all the juicy art in here. I love love love your journal page. The male image from behind, just awesome. Such a mulitl ayered piece. I loved the carved man in the branch too. Lots of fun in your post today.

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  25. Wow! This is Beautiful! The upside down quote is too good! So are all the pictures :)
    Good to hear from you and good to be back. :)

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  26. You have definitely captured "THE STRANGE" with this post ♥ Love it !!! The art is so original and definitely on the strange side which is probably why I love it so much. Like Elizabeth I remember your posting on the exterior of the restaurant before but the interior is really great! I love going to places like that with all the eye candy you can handle ♥

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    1. Yes, it's a fun place to visit, and I prefer it to the cafes which are always so plain and boring!

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  27. Thank you for sharing so many strange and wonderful things!

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  28. I really enjoyed your sharing of strange art and photos! Fabulous post, Valerie!

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  29. This was all very dreamlike, what a strange place to have a coffee. I wouldn't like to get locked in there on a dark night, especially if I had to go to the Ladies' room.
    Even your artwork has a strange quality today, the lady and the statue clear again the spooky background.
    And a hen in the car? Moving around it seems from your two photos.
    Sounds of feet running away......................................

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  30. Wow your photographs are amazing what a great spot to sit and enjoy a cuppa. Beautiful collage as well. Happy Halloween :) xx

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  31. Oh wow, I love your versions of 'strange', its a great duo of journal pages. The photos were amazing, what a wonderful place to have your coffee, just wish I could have a visit to see ot in real life.
    Yvonne xx

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  32. Love your journal page and yout photos are always awesome.

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  33. I love how you added all those quotes everywhere! Great page! And amazing pictures: looks like an interesting place!

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  34. I tried to stand on my head, but the blood rushed to it and gave me a headache, so here I am upright again - wowed by your creativity.
    hugs,
    Teresa

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  35. Strange they may be, they are wonderful! Happy Halloween.

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  36. Love your strange page! Some wonderful images there! The cafe looks fabulous - I bet there are still little details that you haven't noticed before! Great view too! Chrisx

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  37. Schöne Collagen! Und deine Fotos sind klasse, die Hühner im Auto gefallen mir besonders :-) Was für ein schräger Ort! Aber grossartig!
    Herzliche Grüße Ilona

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  38. I=This collage has so much depth and so much to see! And what a fun place - that cafe/restaurant - would be to visit! Loved seeing that!

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  39. I love your artwork--and those photos are just amazing--I was especially intrigued by the one you took of the ladies room! Eeeek! lol

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  40. Again, I feel as if I have been on a tour of your part of the world. Your journal page is one of my favorites. And the unique cafe would give you enough inspiration for a long while. Have a lovely week and thank you so much for sharing.

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  41. I like 'strange' things and specially if they are restaurants or cafes! We have enough 'normal' around us - in Finland anyway. (it's almost too sterile here...)
    Hope you have a good week creating new art!

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  42. Absolut klasse deine Collage! LG Ulrike

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  43. Hello...... what fabulous strange and quirky things you see on your walks, there's always something fascinating to see or to smile at... loved the photos!
    Love both pieces of your artwork also, very fitting for your theme today.... or I should say theme on Friday considering I am behind again - sorry - normal service will be resumed soon :) xx

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  44. Excellent journal page. . .I love the photos. . .Oh My Gosh, that restaurant is fantastic, but the old cars, so sad. . .I love old cars. Blessings, Janet PPF

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  45. Such a cool place to visit! I love when you share such special places you have been- thanks for taking me along! ")
    And btw, The digital piece you did is Fabulous!! xo

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