Tuesday, 22 June 2021

New Challenge at TIOT

Hi Everybody!

Hope your week got off to a good start. It's cooled down nicely here after the rain and storms, and now it's pleasant inside and out again. And my bronchitis is getting better day for day!

Today we are starting a new challenge at TIOT - Here comes Summer. As always, you have 2 weeks to link to us and projects of all formats are welcome. Hop over to our blog and you will find lots of inspiration from my teamies!

I made a hybrid piece. The background was painted and stamped. The purple flower was painted with water-colours, the pink flowers are a photo.  The frame, fairies and butterflies were added digitally, as was the sentiment. I am also linking to Mia's butterfly challenge at AJJ:



And CJ asked to see some photos of Balconia, here are a few:





















And this lovely photo was taken by my dear neighbour:


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

70 comments:

  1. I love today's art, so cute and colorful! Today's flowers are beautiful and colorful too. I'm glad to hear the weather is nice again and that you are starting to feel better. Hugs!

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    1. Thanks Martha, this is more my taste in weather! Have a great day, hugs!

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  2. Wow. How adorable is that hybrid entry. It is whimsical and colorful and childlike. It is also a great entry for Mia's theme at Art Journal Journey, too.

    Your flowers on Balconia are beautiful and doing so well. I don't see how they thrive in your heat, but they must love it, because they seem to be flowering with a lust.

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    1. Thanks Elizabeth! The flowers thrive because I constantly give them water in hot weather, so they're enjoying themselves with hot sun and cold drinks!

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  3. Hi Val, good morning! It's grey and cool here, hope it's cooled down for you, too! Love the colourful art and photos, all such a delight to see. Have a great day, hugs from us all, Sarah

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    1. Hi Sarah, good morning to you, too. I'm up early today, couldn't sleep! Glad you like my page! Have a great day, hugs to you all!

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  4. wonderful, just so much summer feel to your card on my cold wintery day. xx

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  5. Glad your bronchitis is easing. Your art shouts summer from the rooftops! Your osteospermum with the purple centre is very like one of my ICAD's! Have a lovely week, Deb

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    1. Thanks Deb, it's definitely getting better. Osteospermum are so beautiful. Have a great day!

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  6. Such a beautiful art piece Valerie! LOVE how you mixed the 2 mediums together to get this gorgeous summery scene! LOVE the flowers as well!! ((HUGS)) Helen

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  7. What a gorgeous hybrid piece Valerie, so happy, and lyrics from one of my favourite songs. Balconia is looking beautiful too! Take care and have a very happy week, Sue xx

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    1. Thanks Sue, it's a lovely song indeed. I'm happy I have my little Queendom of Balconia! Have a great week!

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  8. Very beautiful hybrid piece VJ...loved all the flowers :)

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  9. Good morning Tsarina Valerie: I have heard, frequently in fact, that fairies are inhabitants of woodland glades, but in all my years I have never found evidence of them, despite intensive searches conducted with an open mind. It's possible that you have to swivel your vision to a special channel in order to see them and mine is locked into the bird network - on a different wavelength so to speak. So, it is with great pleasure that I am able to see fairies depicted in your hybrid piece (sounds like a sandwich with jam on one half and salmon paste on the other!). The mere fact that they are courting and hobnobbing with birds and butterflies indicates that they have good taste, although they had better be careful if they ride on the back of a crow, they might get gobbled up, and fed to the crow's young as dessert. The flowers of Balconia are enchanting to the eye and they are likely fragrant too. And the swan family a testament to parental dedication. Your bronchitis is improving too, so the world, for the moment at least, is a rosy place. Hugs and kisses. David

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    1. Oh, I forgot to mention - not to be too pedantic but it is "Summertime and the livin' is easy" not "living". Given the context of the song and the people uttering the words the "g" at the end of the word would never have been enunciated, and Gershwin realized that. Just sayin'............

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    2. Hi David, here there are lots of fairies, Balconia is well known for them. I think you are too concentrated on your birds....Bah! Sandwiches with jam and salmon, perish the thought! The fairies like to tease the birds and butterflies and bees, and sometimes get up to tricks, they can be quite naughty. But I think they would be indigestible for crows! Today I have been fighting for hours to get the last bills from the hospital scanned and uploaded to the insurance, what a waste of good coffee drinking time. And I don't care how badly Gerschwin spelled his text, I am British and learned to spell properly! Thanks anyway for the correction, oh Master! Now I need coffee after all those dry bills and scans. Have a great day, look after yourself, hugs to you both!

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  10. This is such a fun summertime pieces Valerie. Those garden fairies must live in Balconia because wow, your flowers are amazing as wella s beautiful and certainly give your art fairies a some beautiful blooms. Must be why they are dancing. I like Balconia a lot, as well as your art today too. Glad it's cooled off and the bronchitis is improving. Hugs-Erika

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    1. Thanks Erika, Balconia is indeed a special place! My bronchitis is getting better, I'm just a bit wheezy still. Have a lovely day, hugs!

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  11. What a fabulous background that is Valerie. I love the colours you chose - they are happy colours - well, they make me smile and feel happy when I look at them. The fairies are ever so pretty with their pointed ears and happily dance amongst the flowers in the garden. I guess your flowers have been inspired by the beauties you chose to share with us today.
    Hugs, Neet xx

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    1. Thanks Neet, much appreciated. I like happy colours, too! Have a great week, hugs!

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  12. A fabulous and beautiful hybrid page Valerie. Balconia is a magical page for those fairies to inhabit. It was good to read that you are feeling a bit better.
    Stay safe.
    Yvonne xx

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    1. Thanks Yvonne. Balconia is indeed magical! Have a great week!

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  13. These flowers are beautiful!;)

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  14. Such a beautiful summer page! The colours and flowers with the fairies is perfect 😁. Your balcony of flowers is amazing too and reminds me of your page, it's so lovely I'm sure there must be a fairy or two dancing there too 😊. Happy and creative wishes! Hugs, Jo x

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    1. Thanks Jo, lots of fairies can be found herd! Have a great day!

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  15. Those flowers are glorying in the summertime weather :) Great closeups!

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    1. Thanks, the flowers really enjoyed it! Have a great day!

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  16. Love your hybrid piece of art, just sings of summer. Love all the beautiful photos, especially the last one. So glad you hear you are doing better. Enjoy your week. Hugs ANesha

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    2. Thanks Anesha, swans and cygnets are always beautiful!

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  17. i love flowers:) they are so crutial to our world;)

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  19. Look at those babies! And the flowers....simply beautiful.
    The piece is joyous, soft and perky.
    Glad the bronchitis is better. Hope tomorrow it's even more so.
    Hugs

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    1. Thanks Sandra! I'm being good and the bronchitis is on its way out!

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  20. What a happy scene Valerie! A truly brilliant hybrid page! Balconia is looking good - the hydrangeas look especially lovely! Hugs, Chrisx

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  21. What a stunning page Valerie, I love how colorful it is and the cute fairies! Gorgeous flowers too!
    Take care, Tammy

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  22. It looks a very happy summer page. Lovely flowers.

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  23. Your fun and colorful page rivals the colors of your flowers. Balconia is beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Glad you Like my tiny realm. Just forgot to show the herbs!

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  24. Beautiful flowers on Balconia, and I love your summer art it's so colourful.

    Happy midweek wishes (well Wednesday is almost here!)

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks Jan! It's Wednesday here now, so definitely midweek!

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  25. Was für eine Freude dein Sommerbild an zuschauen und all die wundervollen Blumen in so Farbenvielfalt mit der süssen Schwanfamilie.
    Ich freu mich dass es jeden Tag besser wird mit dir und so wüsnche ich dir einen schönen Tag bei der guten Luft!
    Lieben Gruss Elke

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    1. Danke, liebe Elke! Dir auch einen schönen Tag, bleib gesund!

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  26. Wow! The colors in that piece are so summery and vibrant! Love it, and my goodness the flowers make it seem as if I'm right there, and I adore purple and yellows. Thos were my high school class colors. Hope you're doing well! Hugs, RO

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    1. Thanks Ro, good to see you around again! Have a great week!

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  27. Lovely card and lovely photos. Where did you get the fairies on your card?

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    1. Thanks Margaret. The fairies are digital images from Serif, I don't know if they are still available.

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  28. Beautiful colorful flowers!!! Love them all.

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  29. Those hydrangea are sure pretty in pink. Mine are blue and purple.
    Hope you are feeling much better today.
    Hugs

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    1. Thanks Sandra. Last year I had blue ones, they were gorgeous! Thanks again for your card!

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  30. Lovely piece or art Valerie, love the background colours and the sweet fairies too

    Joan

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  31. Beautiful blooms and art, and the cygnets are adorable! xx

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    1. Thanks, I would love to be able to cuddle those cygnets!

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  32. Super art, Valerie. The fairies look like they are having so much fun and your extra flowers, balloons, and butterflies make it even more fun. Lovely flower pictures too - such great colors and so many different types. Gorgeous post! Hugz

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    1. Thanks Nancy, I'm sure fairies always have fun!

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  33. I love fairies and the magic of summer- so this piece really appeals to me. :) The pace of summer is lovely.

    Oh my- what gorgeous flowers. I could look at flowers all day. Such bright colors and fabulous designs. :)
    ~Jess

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  34. Your art piece is so much fun! So happy!
    Truly love all your flowers! And, I saw your foot! LOL! Love the photo your neighbour took! Big Hugs!

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