Hi Everybody!
Hope your week got off to a good start. Here it's still warm, wet and windy, but not really as we expect in January. But perhaps better than ice and snow!
Thanks for all the good wishes for my fingers, they are getting better. My skin is regenerating and the open spots are now drying out and healing, so I only have one bandaged finger now. It's still painful so I need to be careful, but it's definitely going in the right direction, for which I am very thankful.
On Sunday I decided I wanted to try some left-hand crafting, which is something new for me. I found some strips of a Degas calendar page which I had evidently sliced up at some time - no, I don't know why!! Anyway, after I had them on the table I started to arrange them in a loose weave:
Then I put some spots of glue under some of the flaps to hold it together, and
transferred it to a large sheet of white cardstock when it had dried. I used more spots of glue on the reverse to fix it to the paper, and started to look for things to add:
Then I decided to do some left handed stenciling - an adventure! My left hand does what it wants and not what I want. I held the Stencil Girl stencil with my right hand and used a sponge with Stazon ink to add the figures and sentiment. It took a long time, but in the end I got it done. It's all rather wonky, but hey, that's life! I gave the dancers some feathers to hold. No sewing this time, I'm not going to try that till my hand is better, but I'm happy I got this done. I'm linking to Jo's theme 'something new', at Art Journal Journey
and to More Mixed Media, anything goes with optional blue, as well as to
On Sunday I went for a long walk again, and then crossed over the bridge to the other side, walked to the next bridge over the Rhine, walked through Hofgarten and then back home, after having a hot, crispy chicken roll and a coffee at a bakery. I am still using my smart phone to take pics, it's not ideal, I just can't manage the camera yet. But soon!
Saw lots of sheep, crows and ravens:
wow so many sheeps:D
ReplyDeletehave a great day:)
DeleteHi Val, glad to hear your fingers are getting better, but don't overdo things yet! You blue woven piece is fantastic, love it, and also that you never give up! Great photos, what a huge flock of sheep - is that in Oberkassel? Have a nice evening, hugs, Sarah
ReplyDeleteThanks! Would I overdo things?🤪🤪
DeleteI reckon left handed crafting, or anything for that matter, if you are right handed lol, is bound to be good for the brain!! I don't think I could manage or even be brave enough to attempt that but wow, what a job you have done Valerie!! Super talented lady!! Loved sharing your walk too!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pinky!
DeleteI like your art craft! :)
ReplyDeletefiftyshadesfashion.com
Thanks Sweetie!
DeleteWell done on your left-handed crafting. Wow! That is a lot of sheep. They look like clouds on the grass. Have a good day
ReplyDeleteHello Dear Valerie, I love your beautiful header!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you've had some finger problems... I must go back and catch up. However, its nice to know you're on the mend, it can't have been a good time.
Beautiful (and imaginative) art. I like the way you came up with that :D)
Lovely walk too, that coffee and toastie looks so inviting. Hugs xx
Thanks Sue, good to see you around again!
DeleteOhh I ´m so happy your fingers are better today Valerie !! that´s well.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that your page is INCREDIBLE !! Gorgeous design, and your left hand works very good. The dancers are wonderful.
I wish you a very Happy T-day!
Love those photographs, the sheep are amazing.
Happy Wednesday dear friend, and big hugs,
Caty
Wow look at those sheep! I've never seen so many!!! In fact, I rarely see them here, what a great bunch of photos! I'm so happy to hear you are on the mend Valerie! Your piece is lovely and left-handed to boot!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rain, we have several flocks of sheep 'working' along the river, they keep the grass short and tread the earth down firmly to keep the banks in good condition. I always love watching them!
DeleteWonderful art work using your left hand! Love to see the really wooly sheep on your walk.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteIt is a fabulous page and a great idea to weave the strips together . You did amazing stencil work as well with your left hand. Mine would have refused this task completely.
ReplyDeleteThank you for adding this page to Jo's AJJ theme as well.
Super photos from your walk, its good to see the animals grazing in the fields, I hope we are not going to get a time of bad weather for them.
Yvonne xx
What an absolutely brilliant- page Valerie! Left handed crafting turned out great! Love those photos, especially the sheep- I do miss the sheep.....Hugs, Chrisx
ReplyDeleteI love your blue woven piece, the dancers and added feathers - it looks great.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't get over all of those sheep! WOW! So many.
Pleased that your fingers are so much better, but don't rush into things until they are fully healed...
Have a Happy Wednesday.
All the best Jan
I love this piece! Wondrous.
ReplyDeleteAnd look at those black sheep:)
Hugs
Your left handed crafting came out fantastic. I know what you mean about your hand doing what it wants to do. But this piece doesn't show any of that independence. The blue really pops! Happy idweek. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeletebeautiful left hand crafting and lovely photos today!
ReplyDeleteI am very pleased to hear that your fingers are healing, Valerie, but I am quite sure that you do better with your left hand alone than most do with both hands healthy and working in tandem.
ReplyDeleteFabulous weaving here, the design looks brilliant...hugs. x
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever idea with the calendar. And it really looks lovely. Don't badmouth your phone -- it's taking much better photos than a lot of cameras!
ReplyDeleteYou're right - but I sooooo miss my camera!
DeleteHow beautiful the sheeps are! Valerie, the photos with your mobile are perfect!
ReplyDeleteAs for your fingers, PLEASE take care of yourself!
I understand how difficult is for you to use your left hand. But your project is gorgeous! And the idea to put these feathers is brilliant!
Hugs,my friend.
Thanks so much Mia!
DeleteYour art is amazing!! I love it. and I love seeing all those sheep-hugs
ReplyDeleteOh, ja, gestern war es windig, meine Herren!
ReplyDeleteDas Journal ist super geworden! "Mit links", quasi ;-)
Hoffentlich get´s dir später nicht wie mir. Nachdem ich über 6 Monate alles mit links machen musste verwechsele ich oft rechts und links....
Schöne Fotos, einen schönen Tag dir, GlG, Iris
Ich verwechsle immer rechts und links....
DeleteGlad your fingers are doing better. Great creation, love the colours. Great photos on your walk. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteValerie,
ReplyDeleteI'm happy your fingers are doing better. I think I missed what's causing your suffering but I figured it must be arthritis since you mentioned cortisone. Am I correct? I'm amazed at what you pulled together with your left hand. I sometimes try to do things with mine but it doesn't cooperate well. I remember as a kid, how we'd practice writing with our less dominate hand and how it looked so squiggly. How fun to think about that this morning. :) Lately, I use my iPhone for all my photography and I miss using my Nikon DSLR but in time I'll resume using it. I found it interesting to see the herds of sheep grazing with a city backdrop across the river from them. That's a lot of sheep. On drives in the country we might happen upon sheep feeding in an open field but the numbers are not where near what you photographed, though. The soup and sandwich looks very yummy. Thanks for sharing your adventures and art with me. Have a good day, my dear!
Thanks Cathy, I have answered on your blog!
DeleteWow Valerie, this is gorgeous!! I love the open weave, I've done paper weaving before but never thought to do it like this, I much prefer your way! The stencilling and feathers are perfect. No way could I have done this with my left hand, it's for decoration only lol. I'm so glad your fingers are improving, take care of yourself, Sue xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue. I'm going to have another try at left-handed crafting later one!
DeleteHope you are feeling better today Valerie !
ReplyDeleteI think the chicken is crossing the road to visit a pretty hen and will invite her to a great journey for Valentin´s day ! ♥ What else ?
Happy afternoon, and biiig hugs,
Caty
That's a great answer Caty, thanks for the smiles!
DeleteOh your crafting is amazing
ReplyDeleteWow that is so creative. Well done indeed.
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! The stencilling and feathers are perfect to the whole project! I DO LOVE this artwork!!! You got a new follower now LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Mariann!
DeleteI absolutely LOVE your piece. It all flows so well together!!
ReplyDeleteyour left hand crafting is nothing short of brilliant. wow! love the sheep photos! xo
ReplyDeleteThanks Michele!
DeleteBeautiful page! I love the loose woven pieces and the dances with their feathers - amazing 😁. Thanks so much for joining us at Art Journal Journey again! Your walk looks wonderful too and that's a lot of sheep, I may go to sleep counting them all though ...lol 😉. Happy and creative wishes! Hugs, Jo x
ReplyDeleteI love the weaving!
ReplyDeleteNow that's a lot of sheep! Delightful :)
OMG Valerie, I'm sorry you've been hurting, and glad that things are starting to feel a little better. You're so talented that even your left handed crafting is pretty phenomenal! Wow, that sure is a lot of sheep!(lol) Hugs and sending lots of hugs your way! RO
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry your hand has been hurting, I'm glad that it's healing, I hope it continues to heal well and quickly. Your left handed art is still beautiful! Love the sheep photo very much too!
ReplyDelete*wow* das ist wundervoll ich liebe es wie du das ausgedacht hast mit den Federn und den Tänzerinnen!!!
ReplyDeleteDie Schafe sind draussen herrlich wie gross die Herde ist!. ich muss erst Mal dahin kommen mit dem Fahrrad mit dem Wind braucht es zu lange..
Ich wünsche dir eine gute Nacht!
Lieben Gruss Elke
Wonderful nature photos Valerie, and I love your amazing woven page! xx
ReplyDeleteYour mention of a stroll along the Rhine takes me back to happy times strolling along the river in December when I have visited Dusseldorf for the Christmas Markets. Still my favourite place, my favourite markets - probably because it was my first. But I love Dusseldorf.
ReplyDeleteSorry, got carried away a bit.
I love love love your Degas strips weaving. You know Valerie, I have done this on odd occasions with strips lying on my desk but never thought of using them, just idly wove them together. Now you have shown me what can be achieved with a little glue under the flaps I can see many happy hours ahead (now where did I put my Bargello strips?).
The colour of the picture is beautiful, so rich - and the addition of the feathers just adds to the opulence. I would never have thought of the stencilling but it works so well and brings the whole page together.
Thanks for a lovely picture and a new idea.
Hugs, Neet xx
Thanks Neet! The Christmas markets here are indeed lovely, as is the Rhine. It's great fun weaving things like this, I am making more now.
DeleteI missed this post at the time, but have just hopped over from Craftytrog who was inspired by your paper-weaving. I can see why... it looks fantastic, and I just love the dancers interacting with the paper strips. Beautiful blues too!
ReplyDeleteAlison x