Contrast Programme

Hi everybody!

I am still busy wondering where the day goes, it is already 4 pm here, and I have almost nothing to show for it. Either the hours now have less minutes in them or I am getting slower!

Today I have a contrast programme to my piece from yesterday with the delicate lavender, grey and plum shades. I had some very strange dreams this week, spraying walls with graffiti in the London Underground, yikes, I have no idea how that idea got into my head. Anyway, I have made a mixed media journal page, very much reminiscent of revolution, with a picture on a brick-wall. This was a digital combination of various elements, and coloured with  oil pastels, water colours and gel pens. Sometimes it's fun just to do something different!

I still remember one quote from him, "We cannot be sure of having something to live for unless we are willing to die for it"

The quote I have written on the page is from Simon and Garfunkel's 'sounds of silence'

I am linking to Paint Party Friday
and to Manon's Paper Saturdays

 A view of the basilica taken from the Rhine tow-path:

The flower shop:

(the Rhine flows at the bottom of the road)

The path through the park:

My fave horses:

Is he eating leaves?

Still clearing up after the big storm:

Have a great day you all, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Lavender, grey and plum

Hi everybody!
Time is flying by again, and as always, I am sitting here wondering where the day went!
At SOC this week the colours are lavender, grey and plum - hmmm- Difficult!
I decided to recreate a pastel drawing made back in 1995. I used the same technique as last week -  traced the original, scanned the trace into the computer, and printed it on paper  from an old text book. First I did a colour wash with water colours, then  used oil pastels to draw the outline and do the shading. The diamonds on the left have been added using a stencil and Vivacolor  paint.
I am also linking to Paint Party Friday, hosted, as always, by Eva and Kristin.

I made this collage from photos using the SOC colours:

The statue of Mary is in the Basilica here:

The door belongs to one of the ancient houses in Church Close, directly opposite the basilica:

The park was full of these yellow flowers,  some of which were nearly as big as I am:

I had to look twice at this sign on the lane leading down to the ferry - I think the sprayer might have been at work again! I just LOVE it!

And as always, the horses keep calm and carry on grazing....

Wishing you all a great day!
Take care, and thanks a lot for coming by!

Flowers, fruit and film

Hi everybody!

We were blessed with good weather again today, so hope you were too!

I have another tag to share today, made with some of the UFOs (untidy flying-around objects) from my work table. I started as usual with cardboard, which was peeled and gessoed. The gesso was probably a waste of time, as the linen covers most of it, but I wanted to use the pretty printed linen. Next mistake - the image and matting nicely covers up the printed part of the linen. Oh well, perhaps it was not to be! The image is mounted onto some very distressed coredinations paper, and has a scrap of DP as matting. I used a piece of my beautiful lace and a button as embellishments. I am linking to Simon Monday Challenge, 'Use it'

And now I have some edible art to share - the jam I made at the weekend. I went to the fruit shop an hour before closing time, and waited on a bench till they put out the sign, 'strawberries half price' before filling my basket.

I mixed the strawberries with   figs and vodka (to disinfect the fruit!), and of course spices and ginger. The first 2 jars disappeared before they could have their photo taken, and the jar with handle is reserved for a neighbour. The rest is for me, and it is really delicious!

At Moo Mania the theme this fortnight is 'cinema and movies'. This is my attempt:

And last but not least, some pictures from my walk along the Rhine today:

This is the first time I have seen a swan in the river:

And of course, the horses were waiting to have their photos taken:

That was it for today!

Have a great day, take care, 

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Wings, water, hay and a horse

Hi everybody!

The weekend is almost over, so wish you all a good start in the new week tomorrow.

Thanks to all who sent good wishes for my thumb, it is still painful, and the joints are very inflamed. On July 7th I have an appointment at a hand surgeon to see what he suggests.

I used an 8" tag here, which was painted with a mix of blue and green acrylics, background stamped with a script stamp, and then embossed using a CWS stencil and structure paste. Then I added my old letter fragments to the background, and had a fun time sticking on some gilding flakes - my thumb-splint looks pretty now, too. The dress form is a TH die cut, as are the dragonfly wings. The top parts were cut from black card, which I gilded, and the underparts of the wings from the covers of an old passport from Uruguay. I added a cameo for her head, and her hair/headdress has been made with half a tattered florals flower, painted and Stickled. This was fun to make!

I am linking to Simons Monday Challenge, anything goes, and to a Vintage Journey, wings and things, where the crafting needs to be Tim Holtz inspired.

I walked to visit 'my' ducks today, and then along the Rhine, where they were busy baling hay.

A lot of people were taking a trip on the little boat:

And the horses were happy on their meadow as always.

I love this one!

Have a great day, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

This and That again

Hi everybody!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Today I am showing a tag I made as one of my DT pieces for Gecko Galz, and which I don't really like - but the month is nearly over so I have to show it!

The tag has been painted with green and gold acrylics, and I added the diamonds using a stencil and gold structure paste. The image is from the musical jewel it sheet, and has been fussy cut. I use a rub-on rose and a bow as embellishments, and put some green stickles round the edges.

(Material List: 6" tag, acrylic paints, rub-on, Stickles, bow)

 One of my dear readers recently asked me why I never show photos of myself. Well, firstly, I have often shown photos, although admittedly some of them are 40, 50 or 60 years old, and secondly, I think the landscapes and flowers I take pictures of are prettier. So here I am  treating you to a digitally altered Selfie taken a week or so back - enjoy!

 The horses are sensible and like to keep in the shade:

And hollyhocks and hydrangeas are springing up on every street corner just now - lovely!

Sorry, still can't write much, my thumb is still very sore!

Have a great day, take care, 

and thanks a lot for coming by!