Hi Everybody!
Hope your week is going well!
My hybrid journal page today is showing an advent calendar I was sent from England a few years back. I kept the box after removing the contents as it was so pretty. It shows a hotel, where various people are working together - seeing to the Christmas decorations, singing Christmas carols, and having fun. The doors are open, people can go in and out. People who don't know each other get together to sing, to celebrate, to have a good time. Today many people are treated badly because of their race, colour, religion or sexual orientation. We need to overcome prejudices and open our minds and hearts. Open minds lead to open doors!
I am linking to AJJ
This was the lesson blessings and gratitude from Tamara Laporte:
I enjoyed painting this one!
I am linking to Paint Party Friday
A cold, misty and wintry evening at the Rhine:
Two thinkies:
Have a great day, take care,
and thanks a lot for coming by!
and thanks a lot for coming by!
Beautiful art and photos. I enjoyed the memes too. Welcome to December!
ReplyDeleteThanks Christine! Have a great day!
DeleteI can see why you saved that Advent Hotel/House. It s great the way you added the people, too. It's a wonderful addition and a great inspiration to your theme at AJJ.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely painting, too, Valerie. You are SO good with faces. What a beauty.
Your sunrise/sunset shots along the Rhine really GLOW. They have a mystery feeling about them, too. It's like the mist has shrouded the sun. They are beautiful shots.
Thanks Elizabeth. Colours really glow when it's misty and it makes for wonderful photos! Have a great day!
DeleteHow true about masks in that meme. So many people are so self involved they don't care about anyone else. I am loving that advent calendar and the page you made from it Valerie. People do need to work together and think about one another. Your face is also beautiful today. You've had so many wonderful faces lately. Those classes do look like fun. I hope the new month is going well for you. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteThanks Erika, so true that so many people are only concerned with themselves. We need to look out for one another. Have a great day, hugs!
DeleteGorgeous photos of the Rhine Valerie I love the colors.
ReplyDeleteYour advent calendar is really special made into a great page for your theme.
I could go on a good rant about the no science behind these masks especially the handmade ones that are not the professional masks that health care workers wear-but I won't. haha
Happy Thursday and Friday and hoping you are feeing better-hugs
Thanks Kathy. In Germany only medical masks are allowed, and they are mandatory! Have a great day, take care!
Deletethat's excellent then, here in the states most are using handmade ones which are useless, and we can't get the medical masks
DeleteYou can't enter any stores or public transport without them here. I buy mine from Amazon.
DeleteI like first photo. I like to know history behind them. I haven't seen any thing like that in United States.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
The Advent calendars are a tradition over here! Stay safe!
DeleteHi, Valerie! I'm sorry that I've been away. I love your art, your photos, and your thinkies! Our world really needs open hearts and open minds! You repurposed the advent calendar beautifully and shared an important message. Your blue, blessings and gratitude lady is striking. Her face is calm and peaceful which must come from feeling blessed and grateful. The misty, wintery Rhine at sunset is compelling. Your photos make me want to walk along it. And I love the little ferry going back and forth. I can't wait until I can hop a ferry again! Thanks for standing up for masks. I can't believe how politicized mask-wearing has become. If I was hospitalized with Covid, I would be in a very precarious situation because of my allergies to most antibiotics. I get so angry sometimes, but I try not to because I can only control my own actions. Have a healthy and happy week!
ReplyDeleteThanks Louise. Our hospitals and intensive care units are full of people who didn't believe in masks or Covid, and doctors and nurses are working round the clock trying to save them! Yes, we need open minds and open hearts instead of weapons and threats. The light gets filtered quite differently when it's misty, and creates these beautiful scenes. Have a great week, stay safe, hugs!
DeleteAmazing Vj.
ReplyDeleteI love your dusk shots!
Thanks Ashok, stay safe!
DeleteBeautiful art pieces. Lovely misty and wintry evening photos at the Rhine. So true about having a grateful heart and wearing the mask.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nancy. We all have so much to be thankful for! Have a great day, stay safe!
DeleteHi Val, good morning. Just got back from the Dentist, I had to go in again this morning. Now I will living off tea and soup for a few days, ouch! Have a great day, take care! Hugs, Sarah
ReplyDeleteHope your mouth will soon be less sore, look after yourself! Hugs to all!
DeleteGood morning Valerie: You would think that by now, given the carnage wrought by man against his fellow man throughout history, that we would have learned that what appear to be differences are merely variations on a common theme, and we are all the same. But no! That's far too logical to accept. Let's keep the poor migrants fleeing terror and oppression out. Their children are suffering sleeping outdoors in winter, but we can't have them pollute our countries, defile our women, eat our children (some of them do you know), take our jobs, so they had better go elsewhere. Except that there is no elsewhere. It makes me incredibly sad when we continue to display this hostility and resentment to others. As for masks, it has gone beyond reason and common sense that a little covering over your mouth has become such a polarizing issue. The other day anti-vaccination idiots were screaming at parents taking their kids to school, complying with rules that say the child must wear a mask. Is this really the 21st Century? Perhaps the next Inquisition is about to get fired up. There will be no shortage of zealots and torturers, I can assure you. After all we (the universal "we") have knowledge and right, and someone called god, whoever she is, on our side, and THEY are evil and wrong and must be punished until they think like us, killed even if that's what it takes. The world has not gone crazy, Valerie, it has simply remained crazy. Creating lovely women in your pages must be therapeutic! Hugs and kisses. David
ReplyDeleteHi David, I sometimes think that the capacity for being difficult down to being downright crazy is always present, and it just needs a little spark to ignite it. Corona has brought out the best in some, who do their best to make the world a bit better and a bit safer, and it brings out the hate, evil and destructivity in others, who see an opportunity to vent their senseless antics- The same things happen here, and probably all over the world. Here people attached doctors, because they were 'torturing' patients with breathing apparatus. It reminds me of
Deletethe song 'The universal soldier'. The list could go on and on and on, but I prefer to hide in my books and paintings. These are sad and mad times. Look after yourself, hugs!
'attacked' not attached!
DeleteWell, far too many are attached to their attacks!
DeleteThat's very true!
DeleteLove your hybrid piece, very festive. Your painting is beautiful and love the rich colours you used. Have a safe and warm weekend. Hugs Anesha
ReplyDeleteThanks Anesha, stay safe!
DeleteThese are especially beautiful photos of the Rhine, Valerie. I don't think I remember seeing any like this -- with this color, the water in that way. And yes on the masks! Especially now.
ReplyDeleteThose beautiful colours occur when there's a bit of mist about, and it turns the world into a magic place!
DeleteGorgeous photos, as always, Valerie! I love the mist off the Rhine!!! And wow! What beautiful works of art you created. The painting you made is beautiful! And I especially like the hybrid page you made for AJJ - it's absolutely magical! Merry Christmas season!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharon, the Rhein is always a joy to see, but especially with mist and sunset! Have a great week!
DeleteLove your festive page, and I can see why you kept the box. The face painting is stunning and very exotic. Misty evening photos are beautiful, we've had more snow today and very cold. UK has just introduced compulsory mask wearing on public transport and shopping, personally I think it should be for large crowd gatherings too. Stay safe,
ReplyDeleteAvril xx
Thanks Avril, my problem is that I keep everything! Have a great week, hugs!
DeleteOpen minds, yes, that's definitely what we need more of. Those misty river scenes are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! Have a great day!
DeleteFabulous painting Valerie and I simply love your hybrid journal page, so busy and fun, so much to see and wonder about..beautiful photographs too, so peaceful and serene..
ReplyDeleteLuv CHRISSYxx
Thanks Chrissy, have a great day! Hugs!
DeleteBeautiful art and wonderful photos Valerie!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely evening.
Alison
Thanks Alison, have a great evening! Hugs!
Deletewow dear this blue woman art is so perfect
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy have a great day!
DeleteA lovely post all through. LOVE your painting and the Advent calendar too. I wish the sentiment about wearing a mask was one that everyone believed. Hardly anyone wears a mask here. My husband and I always have, even after all our shots. Your beautiful photos of the river are just grand.
ReplyDeleteThanks Debra. Masks here are mandatory in all shops and public transport. You are wise to use your masks! Stay safe!
DeleteTwo fabulous pieces Valerie, I love the colours on your beautiful lady! Take care and have a great week, Sue xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue, stay safe!
DeleteOh WOW!
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy your art today, both look so wonderful.
Lovely photographs across the Rhine, and I liked your two thinkies.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan, have a great day!
DeleteLove the advent hotel and the blue lady:)
ReplyDeleteSo agree with the meme mask.
Hugs,
Thanks Sandra, enjoy your weekend!
DeleteLove your Advent picture and people and the lady. Great photos of the Rhine, is it getting colder now? I like your door theme, so many beautiful doors around in the world.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue, it's getting cold and wintry now! Stay safe!
DeleteGreat save with the advent calendar brings back memories of song time get together in the city and happiness of everyone excited for the festive season. I agree whole heartedly we all need to live together in harmony, we are all the same within.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shared art and pics, your Tam lady is a beaut.
Having issues commenting today, fingers crossed this posts before I head out today.
Hugs Tracey xx
Fabulous two pieces today, love them, the hybrid one is so Christmas and the face is very Tam like. Love the Wintery photos. I wrote a list of all the LB lessons and then ticked off the ones I had done. Wish I hadn’t, there are more done than not, but still a long way to go. In previous years I didn’t get further than week 13 so really have done well this year. Keep it going before next year if you have joined again.
ReplyDeleteHugs Wendy
Hi Wendy, I still have so many LB lessons to do, and lots of journal jams from Effi Wild, so I am not joining the next sessions, I think I have enough to keep me occupied already! Have a fun weekend, hugs!
DeleteGreat house/door scene - so much going on - Wow! Love Santa on the top. Your painting is fabulous and moody too - love it as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures - always love them!
I agree on the mask comment!
Hugz
Thanks Nancy! We really need to be careful these days. Stay safe, hugs!
DeleteSo true about the masks. I love that box, which reminds me of Christmas. Your scenery is so bleak at this time of year, unlike green Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteI love the bleak winter landscapes.
DeleteFantastic sunset photos ~ creative artwork ` especially like the advent calendar ` Xo
ReplyDeleteHappy Days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Thanks Carol, have a great Weekend!
DeleteLove how you artistically worked that advent calendar box- delightful!!
ReplyDeleteThe misty photos are lovely- so romantic to me. Happy PPF!
Thanks Linda. I Love the Misty Sunset Pictures, too.
DeleteI love the colors in your painting, especially the blues and purples. It's so pretty.💙
ReplyDelete-Quinley
Thanks Quinley! Have a great weekend!
DeleteSome things we do keep come in use as we can see from your hybrid page.
ReplyDeleteThose skies on your photos are an amazing colour.
I think we are all hoarders! Have a great weekend!
DeleteGorgeous art today Valerie, I love that cute advent calendar and your lady is beautiful love the colors you used! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Tammy
Thanks Tammy, have a great weekend!
DeleteSuch a fabulous hybrid page! Loving the Christmasy feel and wow, the Rhine looks so pretty in your photos 😁. I enjoyed your two thinkies too - perfect! Have a wonderful weekend! Happy December! Hugs Jo x
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo, have a great weekend!
DeleteBeautiful painting! The colours in your photos are gorgeous. What a lovely walk. The art journal page is so wonderful, Valerie! I love it!
ReplyDelete-Soma
Thanks Soma, much appreciated!
DeleteWhat a cool advent house! Loving your girl! How fun to see the Rhine! I lived in Berlin in 1970 -1971 as an exchange student! Happy PPF!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jean. Berlin a great place to visit! hugs!
DeleteVery nice post and I love the face.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nicole! stay safe!
Delete