Blue and yellow

Hi everybody!

Today I have my appointment at the hand specialist; it has been brought forward a few days, which is good, as I hope he will be able to do something to stop the pain in my thumb joints. I am longing to do some really messy, painty  and sticky work again!

This week I have had to be contented with making part digital stuff. The drawing here is another one of the series I made back in 1995. The originals are in red chalk. I traced the outline and scanned it, changing the line colour to blue. I printed it onto dictionary paper again, and used water colours and oil pastels to colour it. The oil pastels are easy to hold and use just now.

I am linking to Paint Party Friday, hosted, as always, by Kristin and Eva.

And this was a piece of digital fun, printed onto dictionary paper, and brightened with some neon yellow.

The weather was nice, so I was able to enjoy two long walks.

I visited the horses, as always - they are on my way to the Rhine.

We have a new sculpture in the castle ruins, and I think I like it. It has been made by Peter Schwickerath, an artist from Düsseldorf.

Some more quiet corners in the Church Close:

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

Of clouds, cows and horses

Hi everybody!

The weather here couldn't quite make up its mind today - sunny and warm, but with huge piles of clouds scudding by all day. We should be getting a couple of nice days, with up to 30°, but then it will get chilly again....We just have to take it as it comes and make the best of it!

This tag is one of my DT pieces for Gecko Galz this month. The background is an image from the background jewel it sheet. One of the good things about digital images is that they can be printed out to almost any size. The digi-stamp is one of the 'wild spirit' series from 'With wild abandon', with whom GG has a cross promotion this month to show how well the products work together. The 8" tag has been mounted onto a slightly larger one made of recycled black card. I printed the tag onto transparent foil. I kept the embellishments simple - some beaded ribbon, stickles on the dress, and a narrow ribbon tie. The flowers are paper ones which I dipped into clear Utee, which makes them look like porcelain.

(Material list: Tags, BG paper, image printed onto foil, Stickles, ribbon, flowers)

I took lots of cloud pictures today, and was then happy to see that Manu has clouds as her theme this week at MiFoc.

And I have made a collage of cloud photos, old and new:

Yesterday I visited the herd of white cows again. There are new calves now, and they seem to be very contented on their meadow. Some  came up to the fence,

and I ripped off bunches of long juicy grass and fed them - they didn't say no!

And on my way home this guy came up to say hello. I think he was waiting for some carrots!

Here's wishing you all a great day. Take care, 

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Pink and apple-green

Hi everybody!

The new week has brought us a new colour challenge at SOC - pink, apple green, and a touch of dark green. I used one of of my ladies again - she was printed out onto scrap paper, and then coloured with water colours and oil pastels.  I need to do things just now which don't make my thumb hurt any more than it's hurting now! I don't know what made me give her a pink eye, but I did. The quote is from Ray Kroc. I think I am definitely getting towards the ripe stage!

At Tag Tuesday the theme this week is garden party. My first thought was ladies in big hats, and then I found this image from Gecko Galz in my bit box - just right.

I distressed the edges with DI in forest moss, and mounted it onto a tag cut from corrugated card, peeled, gessoed and distressed. I added some die-cut edging sent to me by our lovely Twinkle Toes, a butterfly and some paper roses.

 Yesterday was cool, damp and misty. I must admit, that as much as I love blue skies and sunshine, the river looks somehow good with the contours fading into the distance.

The hydrangeas in the hospital garden also looked beautiful bejeweled with raindrops.

There was a little flea-market in the thrift shop and in the grounds of the hospital, and I found some bargains.

The town is decorated with bunting just now, as it's 'Schützen Fest' - Marksmen's festival' , a yearly event with traditional parades, music, social gatherings and of course, lots of beer and sausages etc.

And my friends the horses just carry on as ever....

Have a great day, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

A Sunday walk round town

Hi everybody,

here's wishing you all a good Sunday.

Yesterday I talked to the lady who owns the beautiful horses that I like to photograph. She says they live outside on their meadows from March till November, and really flourish there. They get checked on daily, have shelter under the trees, and live a half-wild life there, which they all seem to love. It really is a  paradise for horses.

I don't know what the crows were picking at, but they were very irritated when I came nearer, and flew off screeching.

I see the farmer in his green tractor nearly every day, it's a busy time cutting and bailing the hay.

The wild flowers are always a joy to see, they have so much energy.

 I have no idea what these little red insects are, but the white flowers were covered with them.

This ladybird was also busy....

As was the bee:

The swan seems to have taken up residence on the shore by the castle ruins:

I need to be out and about early just now to find the lanes so peaceful, as busloads of tourists are coming for day-trips just now.

Saint Swidbert, the patron and founder of our town is represented with many little statues, here shown on 2 houses in the Church Close.

Here's wishing you all a peaceful and happy Sunday, take care, 

and thanks a lot for visiting!