Sunday with no sun

Hi everybody!

Today was a no-sun Sunday, but I still enjoyed my walks along the Rhine and through the fields. It is quieter when there's no sun, a lot of people stay home, and I always have the feeling that I have he world just for me.

I made a new page for Art Journal Journey yesterday. I had used the paper for trying out leaf printing and some home made sprays, and I think the leafy prints in the background look like trees. I drew the large tree on the right, and the small one on the left, and glued on a TH die-cut branch tree. The magpie on the pumpkin is a stamp from Gecko Galz. I glued on an image of Hänsel and Gretel, who are frightened of being alone in the forest, as it's getting dark. The witch is flying over and has seen them, but the big tree has seen what's going on, and has told the butterfly to fly off and get help, so let's hope the kids get saved on time. I used water colours, prismalo pencils and oil pastels. The leaves are die-cuts, and the toadstool has been painted.

I am linking to Art Journal Journey, deep in the forest.

The trees here are not deep in the forest but in the park of Schloss Kalkum

This little beauty fluttered onto the path for a rest this afternoon

I saw the heron again this morning, and crept up very slowly so as not to frighten him off. He looked rather cold and hugry

Have a good start in the new week, take care, 

and thanks a lot for coming by!

More autumn colours

Hi everybody!

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

We had great weather again today, but have been promised clouds and rain tomorrow. But we have to take the weather as it comes, and I still enjoy my walks in bad weather!

This 10" tag is one of my DT projects for Gecko Galz this month. The image is from the Fall Colours jewel it collage sheet. I matted it with a scrap of card painted with Viva color rust paint, and then with a piece of my antique linen, and sewed it all with 2 rows of zick-zack stitching to a corrugated card background. The leaves and seed pods were embossed with Frantage aged gold EP, and  I added a small textile flower. I like the effect of the stitching to give texture, and am happy that I can now see well enough to sew without all too many problems (except for threading the needle!)

I am linking to Moo Mania, autumnal colouring; and to Artist Trading post, anything mixed media goes, and Craftroom Challenge, seasonal colours

Here some impressions from my walks this week:

Beautiful reflections

Light and shadow

Always keeping watch

ancient and modern roof add-ons

Beautiful angles and textures

The lion holding his nose in the sun

The spires of Kaiserswerth

The town walls

A beautiful building from the middle ages

Autumn mushrooms/toadstools, growing high on the bark of a tree.

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

A beady eyed owl and more

Hi everybody!

We had another wonderful, golden October day here, so I spent a lot of time outside - walking through the shingle on the shore, sitting watching the river and the ships, just enjoying doing nothing. I am allowing myself a few days crafty break and making the best of the good weather - I crafted so much last week that I have enough for the week to come.

This owl is a cover for a new journal I am making, 21 x 32 cm. The owl is one of a package I won last year, and just needed to be ironed on to the linen, which I had already fringed. I sewed it onto some brown cardstock, and sewed on  a strip of fancy burlap, some lace, and a few bits and bobs as autumn embellishments. I glued it to the gold corrugated card, which I in turn glued to a piece of thick, scrap card to make it durable in use. I am linking to AJJ, 'deep in the forest', then every forest has its owls, which glide silently among the trees, and observe all that is going on. I hear an owl outside here every night, but have not seen it up till now.

Here are some pictures taken on my walks today:

Have a great weekend you all, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

An autumn green man, ducks and fun.

Hi everybody!

Hope you have had a good day. Here we had great weather, so I was able to have a long walk after getting my dressing changed, and in our little town a new bank celebrated their opening with an 'Open Day', and fun and games - more later!

I made a second piece for the 'deep in the forest' challenge at Art Journal Journey. ! painted my paper (12 x 12") with diagonal stripes using yellow, ochre, and some red. I have turned the green man into an autumn man this time, and have called my painting 'Down in the forest, dark and deep, the green man prepares for his winter sleep'. I sewed it onto some corrugated cardboard in a deep, plum colour, and then added some of my embossed, natural leaves. I love working with them. I added in more colour with gel-pens and oil pastels.

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

This morning was misty, but we had a wonderful sunrise, which is always a great start to the day.

Then I went to have my dressing changed, and when it was finished, set out for the dilapidated castle, Schloss Kalkum. On my way I saw lots of beautiful cobwebs from the funnel weaver spider, which were glistening like diamonds in the dew.

The wild ducks were flying:

Schloss Kalkum seems to get shabbier all the time, I don't know why the powers that be are letting such a beautiful place fall into disrepair.

I loved the reflections, which were wavy because of the slight breeze blowing.

On my way back, I met a group of three painters from Taiwan, who were very friendly, and told me that they are touring 'beautiful Germany' to paint. They were happy to have their photos taken, too. I found their paintings really good.

Back in our little town, I met some strange characters, like this funny fox. He is standing next to the wheel of fortune, where I won a small, cylindrical box filled with pencils and oil pastels, great for taking with me when I go out!

They had a replica of a medieval tent built under the trees in the middle of the road, where they were serving coffee and  waffles - free. Well, it would not have been polite to say no....This gentleman was drawing caricatures, also for free, and you can see him holding the one he drew of me. It's not exactly a good likeness, but at least he left off the wrinkles - nice man!

And these gentlemen were showing replicas of various artifacts from the middle ages.

It was fun to see it all, and nice to have something going on here!

That's all for today! (Did someone say, 'thank goodness for that!'?)

Have a great day, take care, 

and thanks a lot for coming by!