First snow

Hi everybody!

After the storm came an icy wind, and that brought us snow. I woke up this morning and saw the first flakes falling, and shot out onto my balcony with pyjamas and bare feet to get a picture.

(Yes, I know that I should have put something on first, but I didn't!)

 After I was dressed in my warm woolies, coat, hat, boots, scarves and gloves, I ventured out for a walk along the Rhine, where the wind was so cold I thought it was biting my ears, and then as I got to the Christmas Market, it started to snow again, and I proudly present my pictures of the market with real snow!

By the time I had done my shopping at the Friday market the snow had turned into rain, which made a slippery mess which was unpleasant to walk on, so I was glad to get back home into the warmth and enjoy a cup of cappuccino.

This beautiful card arrived here this week from Lynne.

She always makes the most gorgeous cards in her own and very particilar style, and I am happy to have this one here on my desk.

And this wonderful piece of lace with St paul's cathedral came with it. She knows how much I miss my beloved London, and I have ideas for turning this into a wall hanging for my bedroom, perhaps with corrugated card and some old printed paper and...and....

It was even tied up with lace:

 I am showing again some journal pages painted 2 years ago, as they seem to be appropriate to the season:

I am linking to Paper Saturdays.

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

Dark and light again

Hi everybody!

We had some nice days this week, very cold, but with sunshine, and I made the most of it and went out as much as possible. Today we have been promised storm and gale force winds, and in northern Germany they are expecting a hurricane and storm floods, so I hope everyone stays safe.

I have made another journal spread for Paint Party Friday and for Art Journal Journey. I seem to be using a lot of bright colours just now, perhaps inspired by the wonderful Autumn colours round about us.

The quote I have used is from J.K.Rowling, 'Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix', and is spoken in the book by Sirius Black, Harry's Godfather. I am enjoying using silhouettes without colouring them in, it's a different effect, and fits well to the theme of light and dark. The background has been painted with all the acrylic paints I had on the counter, and then sprayed with some home made inks. I stamped into it while it was still wet, just transferring colour from one place to another, and on the dark colours it gives a negative effect. I enhanced the colours with pastels to make them glow. This was a fun piece to make.

I walked along the Rhine a lot this week, it always does me good to be near the water, watch the gulls and ducks, and see and hear the ships and barges chugging by. Some trees still have a lot of leaves, others are almost stripped, and I think a lot of the remaining leaves will be gone with the wind after the storm.

I like this view of the castle ruins through the trees:

The Church of Saint Swidbert:

And this tree fascinates me with its abundance of colour:

Last but not least, a photo taken of the window of the cafe and bakery, situated by the Christmas market. I love the display of gingerbread men and houses,some of which are good one metre high, and all are edible....sigh! I like the reflections of the tree and street lantern, too.

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

Light, dark and ducks

Hi everybody.

I have made another journal spread for the theme of light and dark at AJJ. I have once again used figures - this time masculine ones - on a mixed media background, painted with acrylics and using some sequin waste to add texture. The figures have been sketched with charcoal, and more colour added with pastels.
The quote I have used is from Martin Luther King.

I went walking again at Schloss Kalkum, my fave, rather dilapidated castle, and had fun watching the ducks, and the reflections and light on the water. I am sure Suze Bain will tell me again that I am quackers, and all I can say in my own defence is - yes, I am - and proud of it! We have had a wonderful and very colourful autumn this year, and I am filling myself up with all the loveliness before it disappears.

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

Angels, Gingerbread Men and a Christmas Market

Hi everybody!
It's my 'Double Tuesday' again, time for a new challenge at Try it on Tuesdays and Tag Tuesday. At TIOT the theme is to make a gift card or a  handmade gift. I made a Christmas album using some wooden Gingerbread Men who have been pining away in my stash for years - they couldn't stop smiling when I brought them out. I covered them with some pretty paper, and 'iced' the edges, eyes and buttons - and the big smile - using puff paint, which puffs up when you put it in the oven use your heat gun. I cut the pages from some DP with stars and white card, and distressed the edges with gold ink before fixing it all together with a book ring. I dressed him up with some fancy ribbons, and gave him a Santa charm, which has also been in my stash for years, and hid away every Christmas  - but this time I got him!

You have 2 weeks to enter the challenge, so pop on over and link up some of your lovely creations!

At Tag Tuesday our new theme is 'angels' . I made another 3D angel tag using an old box which jumped out of the recycling bin at me. I painted the back and sides, inside and out with gold acrylic paint and added lots of glimmer. You can't see the sides here, but they will be visible when I hang it up - there is a loop on the back. I made a window from gold card. The inside back has been lined with blue miri-card and gold netting. Then I added lots of vintage angel scraps, who all seem to be musical, and the violin. And I had to use some gold and glitter using liquid pearls and Stickles.

Christine wanted to see pictures of the Christmas market, so here they are, unfortunately still no snow, which makes it look nicer.

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

Light and Shadow

Hi everybody!

Hope you all had a good weekend!

The new theme at AJJ is shadow and light, and here is my first offering, a mixed media piece.The background has been stamped, pasted with book strips and scrumpled up tissue paper, gessoed, and then I painted in the shadows in terracotta and grey. The figures have been added with stencils. I added in more colour with pastels in yellow, white and grey before adding the lettering. It did not turn out quite as I wanted it to, but it's okay- that's the difference between dream and reality!

These are  photos I took on the way home from my walk yesterday, and  illustrate the same theme. I love these dramatic shots with the looming black clouds and the sun lighting up the stage.

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

Another day gone with the wind

Hi everybody!

I don't know where today has gone - I was up early, and all of a sudden it's time to go to bed, and I didn't get half as much done as I wanted to.

I went for a walk, as always, and although it was grey and cold, it stayed dry, so I was able to stay out for 2 hours. The little Christmas market here has already been open for a week, and is a constant source of temptation when I walk by, with dreadful aromas of burnt almonds, mulled wine, grilled sausages, potato cakes and more assailing my nostrils every time, but up till now I have managed to resist.

These lovely chappies appear in one of the shop windows every Christmas, too, and I must say, I like them!

The horses at the stables were nearly all wearing coats, and all looking in the same direction - I just could not see what they were looking at.

I made these three cards, once again  using pretty papers from Graphics 45.

And these 2 birds have once again taken up residence on my table - same procedure as every year.

This afternoon and evening I have been working on various projects, and hope to get them finished for some challenges this week. Time went by too quickly today!

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