Jam packed with Christmas Spirit and more

Hi Everybody!

Today we have a new challenge again at Try it on Tuesday, 'Christmas is coming'. I made a batch of Christmas jam, and have dressed the jars up to look festive. In the meantime I have 15 jars ready, so I will have lots of little presents for neighbours and/or friends. The jam is made with apples, coconut, almonds, raisins, mixed spice, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla, and the 'Christmas Spirit' was rum - of course, just to make sure it is all germ-free....

You have 2 weeks to get your creative juices flowing and link up your Christmas projects! Hope to see lots of you there!

At Tag Tuesday our theme is America. I made a tag, layering the images over and under a cut out 'window'. The statue of Liberty is a stamp from Scrollswork, all other images are from Gecko Galz.

For Art Journal Journey, 'Inspired by the Masters', I was once again inspired by Klee's cat. This time I painted it in acrylics, using the paints rather thickly to achieve some texture, and controlling my instincts to paint everything smoothly and tidily. The black lines were drawn with a thick/thin felt pen. This is the last of the Klees for the time being!

This is a photo of my shadow leaving the archway in front of me:

The visitors were busy all day, eating all they could:

Have a great day you all, 

take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Sunrise, sunset and everything in between.

Hi everybody!

We had a real sun day Sunday here, just wonderful. Such days are really gifts!

I spent a lot of time outside and made the most of it - the H*******K can wait!

Today I was inspired for Art Journal Journey by this picture from Paul Klee - the strong dream.

My version is a little different. I painted my background with black gesso in my giant journal, and used pastel chalks to draw the rest. I drew the moon the other way round, and instead of the dreamer at the bottom, I drew a sleep walker. He was drawn onto white paper, coloured and fussy cut. Sometimes we just need to have a bit of fun!

I was up very early this morning, and watched the day dawning.

I visited Schloss Kalkum, and enjoyed walking around the gardens, watching the ducks, and seeing the reflections of the trees and the castle in the water of the moat.

And this evening I walked along the Rhine and watched the sunset and the night creeping up. All in all, a wonderful day.

Have a great day you all, take care, 

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Inspired by Paul Klee

Hi Everybody!

I am happy to say we had another day of cold and sunny weather, with blue skies. Such days are really a gift! I spent a lot of time walking around, which means once again that the dreaded H****w**k didn't get done, but I think wet and gloomy days are better for staying home and cleaning.

For Art Journal Journal I have made another page in my Giant Journal, my version of Paul Klee's cat. The paper has a very strong texture, it is a remnant of wallpaper that I found in the recycling bin. There was good 8 yards on the roll, so enough for a lot of paintings! I used acrylics over gesso, and drew the lines with a thick, black felt-pen.

The ducks, gulls and geese were enjoying their  bathing time:

The blue skies reflected in the blue water:

The weather-vane on the basilica was sparkling in the sun:

And the sunset was really magical:

Have a great day you all, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Frost, blue skies and more....

Hi Everybody!

Today (Friday) was a great day weather wise - it was very cold, with a thick layer of ground frost in the early morning, but the sun shone all day, and I was able to walk around a lot and really enjoyed myself! The birds are evidently feeling the cold and are extra hungry, so I had lots of visitors, large and small at the feeder and at the fat-balls.

For Art Journal Journey, inspired by the masters, I am showing a painting I made when I was at school in London, back in 1962, when I was 15. Our theme was also being inspired by famous painters, and I chose Henri Rousseau. It was painted in A2 size on paper using water colours.  My art teacher thought it was 'interesting'. My class teacher was disgusted, and wrote on the back that I was wasting my time, resources and talents, and was on the best way to becoming depraved! Well, I think she would probably say the same about some of the things I make today....

Today  started off with a beautiful sky before sunrise:

The frost was thick white on the stubble of the corn field:

Sunrise was wonderful:

The frost was still visible  when I went out for my first walk:

The skies were blue:

And the sunset at the Rhine in the evening was splendid:

Have a great day you all, take care, 

and thanks a lot for coming by.