Sunday this and that

Hi Everybody!

For Art Journal Journey, architecture, I made an A3 mixed media page which reminds us of the problems in many large cities today - tenants are evicted,  and houses are left to decay, so they can be pulled down and replaced with luxury buildings of flats or offices, and the local people, who can't afford to buy or rent, are driven out of areas which have been their homes for generations. The picture shows typical houses, probably in London, which are waiting for 're-development'. 

I overlaid the photo with a  stencil (Stencilry.org) called 'fallen angel'

Today was once again wet and cold. I risked a walk along the Rhine, well wrapped up. Some of the trees, like here on the avenue behind the castle, still have a lot of green leaves, others look more colourful.

The new railing along the Rhine is still being worked on, but one part is finished:

The benches are not yet back in place, and the railings are so high

that nobody can fall in the river - not that anybody ever did.

And a few yards further the railings come to an end, so anyone who wants to fall in just has  a short way to walk:

Have a great day you all, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

A hand-made Journal

Hi Everybody!

Today I am sharing a journal (8"x 6") I made for a change instead of a journal page.  I made several of these journals a couple of years back, mostly with Halloween decorations. The covers have been made from cardboard from the back of a pad of painting paper, which has been covered with crumpled tissue paper using mod podge, and pushing the paper with the fingers to produce the folds and patterns. This is a rather sticky job. When it is dry, it needs a second coat of mod podge and then gesso. When it was finished I glued on the other parts - scraps of cardboard, textile flowers and leaves, a small head made in a mould, metal chain, scraps of paper doilies, lace and  cloth etc. Then it was coloured with Viva Inka gold in gold, copper and gunmetal grey.  I tried to give it a worn and aged look. It sounds more complicated than it is. I usually make one large piece and cut it into the necessary sizes, but you need to cut it before gluing on things like the head and chain. The finished journal was bound with my BIA and decorated.
I am linking to Stamps and Stencils,  make it 3D

and to Country view crafts, add some texture

The front cover:

The back cover:

The Inside front cover was painted with Viva rust, and then given extra colour with Inka gold in various colours. The leaf is a real one, embossed with Utee gold, and the whole side has been varnished to protect the leaf.

Inside back cover

I stamped a small image onto the bottom right hand corner of each page using Stazon in green  and/or brown:

I don't want to show all the pages, so here are the images I used:

This is the mould for the heads, and I use a mix of alabaster and plaster of paris, mixed with water to fill the forms. It dries quickly and is light.

A few photos taken in our little town at a time when the weather was better:

Have a great day you all, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Halloween is coming nearer....

Hi Everybody!

Another week has flown by and it's Friday again.
It is already the middle of October, and Halloween is coming nearer. Last night I dreamed that a bony hand was gripping my shoulder, but it was just a clothes-hanger that I had evidently left on my bed. Okay, annoying, but better than a bony hand!
For Art Journal Journey, Architecture, I have a haunted roof-top scene today.
The witch's cat is standing on a roof-top, watching what's going on in the sky above her. The mixed media A3 page has a painted background, onto which I collaged the red  roofs and chimneys, which I cut from old book paper and painted red. I drew the houses in the background and painted them a shadowy grey. The moon is dark, and a spider is climbing up - or down?
I am also linking to Paint Party Friday, hosted as always by Eva and Kristin - thanks Ladies!

Here I am re-showing my version of a portrait of Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo's husband, painted in 1914 by Amadeo Modigliani. I drew and painted the face, using water colours and pastels, and fixed it to a background made with brushos and a large swirl stamp. The quote is from Frida.

I an linking to Kim Dellow's Show Your Face

And now some photos to remind us that Autumn has wonderful days, not just the cold wet days we had here this week!

Have a great day you all, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!