Thursday, 1 September 2016

New month, new challenge at Art Journal Journey

Hi Everybody!

Hope your week is going well!

Today we are starting a new month and a new challenge at
Art Journal Journey 

-Back to School-

And our lovely Elizabeth and Bleubeard of


are our charming hosts this month.
Elizabeth writes as her introduction:

'Greetings!  We are Bleubeard and Elizabeth and you can find us at Altered Book Lover.  We are delighted and incredibly honored to be invited by Valerie and Susi to host AJJ.  Bleubeard is the face of our blog and I create the art, usually in an altered book. 
Whether you are pre-K through high school, heading off to college, or conducting post graduate studies, it’s time to head Back to School, our theme for September.
So grab those back packs, fill them with crayons, rulers, iPads, notebooks, colorful pens, and pencils.  Put on your new clothes, and head Back to School.  And don’t forget to honor those teachers who shaped or will shape your mind over the years.'

As I have spent the best part of my life at school - 16 years as a student and later 35 years as a teacher, I love this theme, and here is my very simple starting piece - Art journaling does not always have to be complicated or take up a lot of time:


I always loved grungy blackboards and writing and drawing with chalk. The energetic kids were drawn and painted with felt pens. I was always amazed at how much energy the kids had when they stormed into the classroom each day!


You have the whole month to get creative and post to our blog!


We had another great start to the day - I would sometimes wish to sleep longer, but I do love to watch the sunrise:



Today a stork was standing on the freshly plowed field on the way down to the Rhine, probably looking for edible goodies. It stood very still on one ringed leg, just moving its head back and forth:




And this pigeon found itself a great vantage point on the top of a willow tree:


As usual I watched the boats, and the people getting on and off of the ferry:




And I love to stand at the bottom of the Market Street and watch the ships pass:


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

28 comments:

  1. Oooh! I came here to see your collage and get a twofer, not only that a brilliant twofer! I suspect I will be making a few entries this time! I love your chalk board kids - I remember the energy kids seem to have in those first days back to school too - yours look as though are all set to go! Great photos - the stork seems very happy to be around people. Looks as though there were plenty of boats while you were watching! Hugs, Chrisx

    ReplyDelete
  2. I guess I should have waited one more day before I posted my page. This is a great new theme. Your student page is great and I love that wonderful grungy background. These kids look like its the first day of summer break. :) Great bird photos too. Are storks common around you? I've heard about them nesting on roofs and I've always wondered if that was true. Hugs-Erika

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I had to smile when I saw your page yesterday! Storks are not common around here, so always nice to see them. They like to nest on roofs and Church spires etc!

      Delete
  3. what a fun new theme! I love your piece and enjoyed the stork and pigeon photos today!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is a very fun theme. I love these photos too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is a fantastic first entry, Valerie. I actually had no idea you were originally a teacher, so that makes me very happy. Like you, I spent over half my life in a classroom, mostly as a student.

    Your grungy students are very energetic and so much fun to see. It's amazing how those awesome blackboards have been replaced, many times with computer generated programs.

    Lovely art and great photos, especially the stork. Thanks for the great intro.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Deine Schüler sehen toll aus.... ob sich alle grad so freuen auf den bevorstehenden Schulstart ? Ich bezweifle es...lol.
    Ich bin nie wirklich sonderlich gern zur Schule gegangen... also bewundere ich jede(n), der/die nach der Schule auch noch das Bedürfnis hat Lehrer(in) zu werden und seine Schulzeit ins Unendliche zu verlängern!

    Der Storch ist prachtvoll! So schöne Fotos!
    Einen schönen neuen AJJ Monat wünsch ich uns allen!
    Bussi
    Susi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Die Meisten haben sich echt sehr gefreut. Schule war oft hart, aber immer gut!

      Delete
  7. sooo schöne schulzeiten und seiten,einfach großartig,ich hab eher a meine kreative zeit in der schule gedacht bei meiner seite.
    die bilder sind klasse und der storch ist so prachtvoll.
    einen schönen tag.

    hugs jenny

    ReplyDelete
  8. Fantastic page Valerie and such a great theme for the next month. Love the way you did a simple page but made it so very happy.

    Great photographs today and the ones of the stork are fantastic. You certainly see wonders along your walks for sure.

    Have a great day

    Love Chrissie xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Liebe Valerie
    echt gelungen, mit diesem Beitrag hast du dieses Septemberthema
    perfekt umgesetzt, diese Fröhlichkeit die deine Seite ausstrahlt,
    die Lust am Lernen - super.
    Ich wünsche dir einen sonnigen Tag.
    Lg Sadie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dake! Als Lehrerin hat man die Verantwortung dafür zu sorgen dass Lernen Spaß macht!

      Delete
  10. ooh your art is super fun today Valerie - I can't stop smiling looking at it - brilliant! Love the new AJJ theme - my head is buzzing with ideas already - just hope I don't end up getting a detention or sent to the naughty corner :)
    A great walk with you via your photos - nice to see the lovely stork.
    Hope you have a lovely day.......... Gill xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Fabulous art page, the theme is talking to me already. The kids sure look like they are having fun. Tell Gill to leave space on the step for me.
    Super photos the stork looks very regal.
    Yvonne xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Let's Have Fun is a great piece and your blog header is super too liebe Valerie! I bet you were a dynamic AND fun teacher.
    That handsome stork looks like a statue.
    We don't see those here in Virginia.
    Happy September (already!) oxo

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love your new blog banner! And I don't think I've ever seen a stork before! What great photos!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the pigeon and stork pics:)
    35 years. Wow. What grades did you teach?

    ReplyDelete
  15. perfect theme for this time of year and i LOVE your first entry Valerie! Beautiful photos of your surroundings too.

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a fun theme! I love how energetic and friendly your art is. Your photos are wonderful, I especially love the birds.

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is brilliant Valerie, so much fun, I love it! xx

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh my fathers - I had better get busy. Your page is delightful and so perfect for the theme.
    I learned a bit more about you too! No wonder you are so smart!!
    Sandy xx

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hallo Valerie, ich bin ja schon ewig nicht mehr hier gewesen und war ganz überrascht von deinem neuen Bloghintergrund. Passend zum TioT-Thema, coole Idee. Dein Werk dazu gefällt mir ausgesprochen gut, die farbenfrohen Schüler machen richtig gute Laune.
    Ich wünsche dir einen schönen September.
    Sehen wir uns auf dem Mekka? Ich bin wieder am Stempelei-Stand zu finden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ja, ich hoffe da zu sein, ich komme 'Guten Tag' sagen!

      Delete
  20. Fun back to school piece Valerie! ")

    ReplyDelete
  21. Eine tolle Seite mit den lustigen Strichmännchen, Valerie.

    Deine Fotos sind - wie immer - grandios.

    Ich wünsche Dir ein schönes Wochenende

    ReplyDelete
  22. a great journal page. I always feel like I'm on holiday when I look at your photos.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. All your comments are much appreciated! Please be aware that by leaving a comment you are voluntarily sharing your name and / or the details of your blog.