Saturday 6 August 2022

Weekend Post

Hi Everybody!

I'm happy to say that we are are having a short break in the hot and humid weather. It has been 32° and more inside my apartment, and that is just too much for me at my age. It's so good to breathe cool air again!

Today I have another piece for Chris's 'When we were young' challenge at AJJ. This is an elephant I painted after a lesson from Tam in the kaleidoscope revival. It brought back happy memories of going with my great auntie Fanny to the Zoo in London. I loved all the animals, but the elephant was so magnificent, and I even got to ride on it! I was so proud, and it's a memory I never want to forget! My elephant is more colourful than the one in the zoo. I messed up the background with coffee - what else? - so I cut out the elephant and collaged it onto an A3 sheet with some other bits and bobs from my untidy work table:






Some sky pics:





And some funnies:




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

46 comments:

  1. I love this elephant. I love elephants period, but the colors arebeautiful, and the treatments in your presentation are lovely.

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    1. Thanks Elizabeth, much appreciated. Have a great weekend!

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  2. Beautiful elephant. Thanks for the funnies -christine cmlk79.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks Christine, have a great weekend, hugs!

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  3. Fabulous colours on that amazing elephant and brilliant design. Loving this... ♥

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  4. Your Kaleidoscope elephant is just gorgeous.
    How I dislike the heat these days, it's not funny trying to keep cool either. Glad you are getting some respite from it as we prepare for another mini heatwave Ugh!

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    1. Thanks Deb! The heat wil soon be back here, too, not looking forward to it! Hugs!

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  5. Great photos 😊 Have a nice weekend 😊

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    1. Thanks Martyna, you have a great weekend, too!

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  6. Just loved that elephant :)
    Long time since I visited ... enjoy your weekend. John S

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  7. This is a very colourful elephant indeed, Valerie, the kind that Timothy Leary might have seen quite frequently. I am glad that you have fond memories of them from your childhood when you enjoyed visits to the zoo. They are such magnificent creatures, and in our inimitable human way we are killing them in every way we can from trophy hunting, to habitat loss, to anthropogenic climate change. Every year the baseline shifts for elephant populations, the only constant being that the bar continues to get lower. I am very happy that the temperature in your apartment is somewhat more tolerable, but 32 degrees is still way too hot. Along with offing the elephants we are doing a very good job of cooking the planet and the other creatures that inhabit it. Take good care of yourself and stay as cool as you can (skinny-dipping in the Rhine is highly recommended). Hugs and kisses - David

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    1. Hi David. Yes, mankind is doing it's best to destroy itself, sad but true. And when I read that 'civilized' people pay a fortune for the privilege of killing a lion or tiger, it makes me mad. We treat animals basically like dirt. The cars get bigger and bigger and need more more gas. And the politcian tell us we shoud be making sacrifices so that they get more and more. And they do almost nothing about the destruction of the world. Skinny dipping in the Rhine is not an option, we have less than 70 cm water in it just now, and that's polluted anyway....Have a great weekend, take care! BIG Hugs

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  8. I once rode an elephant too. You are really up high on their backs, aren't you? And we have a favorite family story about visiting the London Zoo when we went to London years ago. It has to do with a camel and him releasing some body waste. Smile. I love your colorful elephant Valerie. He made me happy. And your funnies today are great. I need to figure out which cat I am. I'm glad your air temps have dropped, and I hope they stay that way because your apartment doesn't sound very comfortable. Take care, and get some rest while it's cooler. Hugs-Erika

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    1. Glad you got to ride on an elephant. I can imagine your story about the camel, you have to tell it all one day! We haven't got a zoo in Düsseldorf, but a very good aquazoo, which I love, and it's not far from here, even better. But we do have a farm down the road, with lots of chickens, pig, geese and horses, so that's great! It's cool and windy outside today, really lovely. Tomorrow it will sstart heating up again, and till the middle of the month we have temps of 35/36°. Not my fave, but I have to get through it! Have a wonderful weekend, hugs!

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  9. Hi Val, good afternoon. I'm a bit late today, we were invited to a celebration this morning, and by the time we were home, and the kids fed, I needed a sleep. P is away for the weekend, so we can all relax tomorrow! I love your bright and beautiful elephant, and little S is in love with it! Have a great day, take care, hugs, Sarah

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    1. Thanks Sarah, glad you had nice time. Have agreat weekend, take care!

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  10. Yes, it's pleasantly warm here too! I love this elephant and I too remember riding on a London Zoo elephant. I remember the chimpanzee tea party too ! I love the funnies! I must be either cat no. 3 or 5 ;-) Thanks for linking to my AJJ theme, hugs, Chrisx

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    1. Thanks Chris. The London Zoo was a wonderful place, I remember the chimpanzees' tea parties, too, such fun! I think I'm cat no. 7! Have a great week, hugs!

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  11. Love your art Valerie, the cats were too funny
    Happy weekend hugs Kathy

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    1. Thanks Kathy, the cats are funny indeed! Hugs!

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  12. Beautiful art, as always. Love the elephant, so colorful! Fun memories!

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  13. Elephants are great, a colorful portrait of an elephant is a great decoration. Good health.

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  14. ...I'm look at your psychedelic elephant while wearing my dye tie shirt.

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    1. Thanks Tom, Tie-die was a fave back in the 60s and 70s, that was a fun time!

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    2. Ooops, tie dye not die! It's late and I'm tired!!

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  15. I see what you mean about both being on an elephant trip. Yours is super cute in his bright skin.

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    1. Defeinitely. I've got another one to come, too!

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    2. Definitely! I need to go to sleep, too many mistakes!

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  16. I love your elephant piece and the memories that go with it. Fun memes.
    Hope today is a great one.
    Hugs

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  17. I do like your colourful elephant.
    Hoping you have had a good restful weekend.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks Jan, I had a very lazy Sunday and enjoyed it!

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  18. THAT is the elephant we ALL wanted to see at the zoo! So glad you are back on blog sharing your beautiful work, Valerie!

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    1. Thanksxs Jeanie, I'm glad to be back! Have a great week! Hugs!

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  19. Your elephant is magnificent Valerie, I love them too.
    Hugs,
    Alison

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  20. I just love your elephant! It looks wonderful on the background. So glad that you are having a bit of a break in the heat!

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  21. Fabulous job on the elephant!

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  22. What an absolutely fabulous elephant you have given us today Valerie. I must say it is the most vibrant one I have ever seen and by far the favourite elephant of my entire life. I have no idea where you got the inspiration from to colour it like this but can you send some over to me please. I absolutely love it!
    not sure which cat I feel like, I am so whacked out with this heat I just want to lie in a cold cold bath (but then i would never be able to get out quick enough).
    Hugs, Neet xx

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  23. Thanks Neet, I like him, too. I often have a cool shower when it's so hot, it does help for a short time

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