Wednesday this, that and the other

Hi Everybody!

We have had wonderful, golden October weather here for the past 2 days,

so I was able to enjoy lots of walks outside.

For Art Journal Journey, architecture - which runs until Saturday at Midnight, when the witching hour starts! - I have 2 pieces to share today. The first one is a hybrid piece, made using my own photos with some additions. The background is a photo of seedpods, and the gull has been digitally cut out of the photo to fit in here. The statue, and the top hat she is wearing, are both from Dezinaworld.The overlay and lantern are both freebies from Foxey Squirrel via Algeradesigns

This journal page was stamped and stenciled onto a sheet of music paper and painted into an A3 sheet. Quick, easy and I think effective.

And as some people asked, here is a photo of my scratchy brush, called Jack:

For Wen's Neutrals I have made another collage of photos, all taken along the shore of the Rhine:

Yesterday and today started off with a wonderful sunrise:

I enjoyed being out in the colourful landscape:

Even the dead flowers have a beauty of their own:

The sunset at the Rhine was also beautiful:

This little gull looked hungry:

And something was fluttering across the moon last night - I don't know what it was, but very fitting for Halloween!

Have a great day you all, take care, 

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Layers, spooks and waffles

Hi Everybody!

There 's a lot going on today, so I'll get started without further ado!

Today we are starting a new challenge at TIOT - Lots of  layers.
You can use various layers of paper, or embellishments, or paint etc. Projects of all formats are accepted, as long as they fit the theme.
I made an art Journal page, in which I incorporated several layers.
The base layer was gesso, and I painted thinly over that using turquoise, titan buff and Ocker  using my scratchy brush. The next layer was the napkin transfer with the Michelangelo Picture. The next layer on top of that was matte medium. When it was dry, I did the next layer, stenciling. And he last layer was the addition of David, the lettering and the quote.
I am also linking to Art Journal Journey, Architecture.

At Tag Tuesday our theme is 'SPOOKY' (yessss!) and my tag also has many layers to it. The background of the 8" tag was distressed with dried marigold, rusty hinge, wild honey and forest moss DIs. Then I stamped it with a swirl stamp. Mrs Skellie-Witch has been kitted out with some grey scraps of cheese cloth to cover her bare bones - at least, what's left of them. She borrowed some wings as she is not so steady on a broom these days, but she still keeps a good hold on it. Her silver hair is still her crowning glory. The bottle of poison is for a little drink in the evening, purely for medicinal purposes. The fence is a die-cut from TH, painted and distressed to look old and decayed. (A bit like I feel today!) And the fly agaric toadstool will make a nice snack if visitors come along.

Today is also Elisabeth's T stands for Tuesday,

So I would like to give a big welcome to all of the T Gang.

You have a nice treat in store today - I baked waffles for you!

Here I had just started to mix the ingredients:

Then I heated the waffle iron.

(Can you see my new electric kettle placed discretely in the background. (Don't tell, but it was a special offer and I got it for 15€))

I got out a jar of my home made  winter apple and almond preserves:

And then got busy baking:

Don't push, ladies, there's plenty for all of you, and I can bake some more if necessary - help yourselves!

And I drank my coffee down at the Rhine in the beer-garden next to the castle ruins. The young man who serves there is very nice, and always gives me 4 almond cookies with it:

And the Heron was down at the shore looking for fish!

Have a great day you all, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Ancient architecture

Hi Everybody!

Here's wishing you all a good start in the new week!

For Art Journal Journey, architecture I have another journal page - what else?

I used a photo taken in Achziv, an ancient site on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, a few kilometres from the border to Lebanon. Excavations there have shown that it was a fortified Canaanite city in the 2nd century BC, and the bay where one can swim today is the ancient harbour, which will surely have seen  historic fleets of boats as described in John Masefield's poem, 'Cargoes':

"Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,

Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine."

In the old testament it is described as the Phoenician city of Achzib.

Today it is a national park, with  beautiful gardens and beach, a wonderful place for families to spend a day at the seaside. I made an A3 mixed media page, by painting round the photo and blending it into the background with my scratchy brush.

The quality if the photos is not good - they have been stored on a CD, and the quality has deteriorated.

The cliff in the background shows Rosch Hanikra, the border to Lebanon.

Have a great day you all, take care

and thanks a lot for coming by!