Thursday, 15 July 2021

Thursday/Friday post

Hi Everybody!

We have had non-stop rain these past days, and many places are flooded. The Rhine is flooding, and even the stream next to our house, which is usually just a trickle of water, is filled with brown, muddy water flowing to the Rhine. I hope it will soon stop. I had to go out this morning, walked about 5 kilometres in all and was wet to the skin by the time I got home, in spite of raincoat and umbrella. The sirens were sounding all night, calling the fire brigade to help. And it's forecasted to rain again tomorrow!

Last weekend I joined in the 'Art is Magic' weekend Retreat, and it was great fun. There were 21 lessons all together, and I watched them all, made notes and took some progress shots. In the coming weeks I hope to get one or two lessons done each week, time and health permitting. 

Yesterday I made some character faces using Karen O'Brien's fun lesson. Today I put the faces onto some recycled journal pages. I have sorted out lots of stuff made in past years, which is earmarked for collage fodder or paper-weaving. The faces were all drawn with a watercolour pencil on scraps of paper or newspaper. the newspaper got a few holes in it from painting, but so what? Nobody's perfect! The first one was placed onto a watercolour piece made some time back, which I didn't like. The uniform body was cut from a magazine, and given a new head. Then I gave him a fancy headdress:




This face was turned into a Frida Kahlo lookalike. Part of the script on the original page was covered by the head, so I scribbled the misssing words onto the face:




This face was given a cut out body and placed on a paint-wipe page. I think it's a sort of bird lady:




The last one was placed onto a cut out body and given a big heart:




This was really a fun lesson, just letting go of perfect faces and creating something different. I am linking to Paint Party Friday

Rain's TAD theme this week is mornings, so here some morning views from my balcony:













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

81 comments:

  1. Artistically and creative post love this art and you are one amazing lady....great pics. xx

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  2. That is such a fun activity. Those faces added to the bodies make amazing pages. They are fantastic. Very clever Valerie! Happy end of the week. Hugs-Erika

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    1. This was a fun lesson. I'm going to make more of those faces to have ready for collages. Have a great day!

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  3. Wow Valerie, I really hope the rains slow down soon and you don't get too much flooding! Your art is always wonderful and your morning views are so pretty and perfect. Stay dry, hugs!

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    1. Thanks Martha. Last night was scary, we were in the highest warning zone when I went to bed, so I didn't sleep well and had strange dreams! I'll have a look at the Rhine later to see how bad the flooding is.

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  4. so sorry for all the rains-hoping not bad flooding. the heavy rains are returning here at the lake too.
    Your art is totally awesome-hugs

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    1. Thanks Kathy. Some places have been hit really badly, here it wasn't so bad, for which I'm very thankful! Hugs!

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  5. Sorry to hear of all the rain. Beautiful art and photos.

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  6. Sounds like you are getting way too much rain. Beautiful art Valerie, the faces are great. Wonderful view from your place.

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    1. Thanks Sue. Last year we got no rain, this year too much....crazy weather!

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  7. Stay Safe! Flooding is no fun at all and does so much damage. I hope you are far enough away, but do stay in too. Getting soaked is not good if you have bronchitis. Hugs, Deb

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    1. I went straight into the bath tub when I got home and warmed myself up, I'm sure that helped. Hugs!

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  8. Hi Val, good morning! I love those 'funny faces', you made some great collage pages with them. My fave today is the bird girl. Have a great day, hugs from us all, Sarah

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    1. Hi Sarah thanks a lot! Glady you like them. It's fun to do something different! Did ou get flooding where you are? Have a great day, hugs to all!

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  9. I hope the rain's leave you be soon Valerie, we've the promise of sunny days here for a few days but there's no sign of it today. I love the MCE taster, wish I had time to watch them all managed 7 and a half on Saturday afternoon. Love your take on Karen's faces she draws them so quickly, don't they look smashing sat on all those shoulders and outfits. Hugs Tracey xx

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    1. Thanks Tracey. The course was fun indeed, and I will definitely make more of these faces, even though I'm not as quick as Karen! Have a fun day, hugs!

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    2. back to wish you a Happy PPF, I really hope you are keeping safe there, saw coverage on TV of the floods and lives sadly lost... as if the world has not all suffered enough over the past 18 months. Take care xx

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    3. Thanks Tracey, it's so awful, I feel so bad for those people who have lost everything, and so many have died. Happy PPF, stay safe!

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  10. Oh how i luv the newsprint faces. Happy Thursday Valerie.

    We had some heavy rains with flooding last week. This week its drained away and it has been sunny

    Happy Thursday

    Much💜love

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    1. Thanks Gillena. It's fun to try out new things! Glad your weather has been better this week! Hugs!

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  11. Do hope your rain stops soon. We have had very changable weather. Love your creaitons, those faces are wonderful and look like fun. Have a great day and thank you so much for your lovely visits. Hugs Anesha x

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    1. Thanks Anesha! At the moment the sun is trying to peek out from the clouds! Have a great day, hugs!

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  12. We also have rain almost every day and the streets turn into rivers. I am delighted with your works. Have a nice day:)

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    1. Thanks Lucyna. Take care, the floods are dangerous.

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  13. I think that this new phase in your creative life is quite wonderful. All of the faces are so expressive; I am in love with them all. It continues to impress me that you can see odds and ends of this and that, cut out a picture from a magazine, daub a little paint, add a message, and voilà, art! How do you ever throw anything out? Everything you see must incite some notion of future potential - better save that for later.....just in case! Had you advised me ahead of time about Karen O'Brien's fun lessons, I might have set aside time for those! The ongoing deluge you are having to put up with sounds quite awful, and if the rivers and streams continue to rise, downright dangerous. Probably divine retribution for the wickedness we have shown in believing in the science of vaccines and silly things like that. Keep an eye peeled for an ark! The photographs of the sky are very dramatic. But I hope that soon the darkness, and the threat of more precipitation, will give way to blue skies, good cheer, pleasant walks and ice cream beneath a parasol. Hugs and kisses, Valerie, from you ever ardent admirer, David.

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    1. Hi David! Yesterday evening it rained more than I've ever seen. Some people have drowned in the floods, a fire man lost his life trying to rescue others. a lot of people have water 6 feet high in their basements. Yesterday evening we had the highest catastrophe warning for our area, and one place in Düsseldorf, a bit to the east from here, had to be evacuated. I'm staying home today, more rain could come down, and I don't want to be out in it again! Instead of going out I painted another 6 funny faces and had great fun. I'm sure you would have enjoyed the lesson, too. Now I need to look for some nice backgrounds and cut outs to complete them! It is very difficult to throw anything away, as everything might be useful.... Yes, so many people have wilfully damaged the earth and altered the basis of nature, now we have to live with the consequences. I was looking out for Noah yesterday, it was probably too wet for him to go out! Thanks so much for cheering me up again, I always appreciate your comments! Hugs to you both!

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  14. Hi Val, Bill here. Love your fun art!

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  15. Valerie I love these faces. Well done. Hope the rain lets up soon. Your morning photos are wonderful. Have a very nice day.

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  16. sky in the night... so magic...

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  17. Fantastic art faces and beautiful skies!

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  18. Cute faces. I hope you don't get flooded out.

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    1. Here it's not too bad, other places have been destroyed, many people have died and others are missing. It really is a tragody.

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  19. WOW, awesome art faces Valerie, I love the newsprint bases and fun designs! Gorgeous morning views from your balcony. Take care and I hope the rain lets up soon.
    Hugs, Tammy

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  20. Lovely art and fabulous photographs on your post.

    We've been seeing a lot of the floods and rain on our news bulletins.
    I do hope the rain stops soon for you all - take care.
    My good wishes.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks Jan. It's rather scary with the floods, some places have been very badly hit!

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  21. Good luck staying out of the rain! I like your little ladies.

    best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  22. Very nice artworks, so vibrant! And I love your nature photography! :)

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  23. Such amazing artwork! Your photos of the clouds are stunning, I love them all - it's almost like the clouds are on fire 😁. Hope it's stopped raining where you are. Take care and happy weekend! Hugs, Jo x

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    1. Thanks Jo, I had fun with it! We're all hoping here that the rain will not start up again.The clouds really did look like they were on fire. Have a great weekended, hugs!

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  24. Great pictures as usual VJ

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  25. Interesting to see so many different types of faces painted by you. Love your pictures.

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  26. It sounds like it's feast or famine with the rain this year, but you caught those white fluffy clouds in that bright blue sky at the perfect moment, and the sunrise colors are lovely.

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    1. Thanks a lot. The rain has caused terrible damage here.

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  27. wonderful, quirky, and fun characters Valerie!!! I so wanted to do some of the lessons but time was not on my side at all:( I have seen the news videos and such regarding all the flooding in Germany. I do hope if you do get any more rain as predicted that it is just a little shower. Gorgeous colors in the skies. Happy PPF!

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    1. Thanks Linda. The flooding and destruction is really terrible, I feel so sad.

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  28. I like the bird lady the most. It sounds dreadful with all the flooding, hope the rain stops soon. It's funny old weather, it has been so hot here today [North England]

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    1. Thanks Lin, it is dreadful, so many people have died, and many are still missing. Stay safe!

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  29. I do like your clouds photos.

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  30. Hi Valerie!! :) I LOVE your "Bird Lady"!!! That one is just beautiful! The view from your balcony is stunning, you have such lovely skies, hard to imagine icky muddy water flowing below those pretty skies. I love the flowers too! :)

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    1. Yes, it's hard to imagine. we are okay here, other places have really been wiped out!

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  31. I've heard about the tragic flooding in Germany and other places. I hope that you are doing okay. Your face paintings are unique and pull you in. And your morning skies are gorgeous!

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    1. Thanks so much! Here in our little town we are safe, there's flooding along the Rhine, but no danger. Other places are just totally destroyed, so sad. Have a good weekend!

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  32. Very unique faces and designs. Wonderful morning views.

    Hugs,
    Jim

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  33. What a great idea to recycle some of your old art, and do it by creating new art ... you are a genius :) Your faces are adorable and the whole project is a smashing success. As for the beautiful mornings you see from your balcony, how lucky you are to be in such a place. And, speaking of luck ... I am wishing you luck in being safe in the horrible rain and floods your country is experiencing. The pictures on the news are heartbreaking. Man has no one to blame but himself, but the innocent are reaping the consequences. Stay home, stay dry and be safe, Valerie ... I will be thinking of you until I know the storms have passed.

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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    1. Thanks Andrea. Our little town has floods along the Rhine, but No danger Here. Other places are completely destroyed, many have died, it's heartbreaking. Have a good weekend!

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  34. Wonderful header photo and awesome face creations ` favorite is the 'heart' one and divine sky shots ~ Xo ~ Happy Weekend to you ~

    Living in the moment,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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    1. Thanks Carol, have a good weekend, stay safe!

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  35. What a great collection of faces and. Great idea. The floods are really bad where you are and very sad, hope you will remain safe and well.
    Hugs Wendy.

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  36. Gosh Valerie I didn't realise I was so far behind in my visits. More lovely photos to see and fantastic art. The faces looked amazing, it must have been a fun and good lesson to joinj in.
    Yvonne xx

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    1. Thanks Yvonne, I really enjoyed the lesson. Now I can't stop making faces!

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  37. What fabulous faces! This looks like a fun lesson! Absolutely love those morning photos! Chrisx

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    1. Thanks Chris. The sky here is the best thing in my apartment!

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  38. I love all your faces! So much fun! So much creativity!!
    Your sky photos are breath taking! WOW!!!
    Big Hugs!

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