A little bit of this and a little bit of that

Hi Everybody!

At Tag Tuesday this week our theme is '3 Bs', and we could choose from buttons, burlap, blues, browns, butterflies, birds, bees and beads.

I have 5 'Bs' altogether - blues, browns, buttons, butterflies and beads. I used a scrap of DP to make a card-tag, painted the inside metallic blue, and added the napkin-transfer butterflies. I used a punch to stamp out the lace at the bottom, and added the sentiment, beads and buttons - done!

For Art Journal Journey, journeys, I made a quick page today. I collaged the images onto a world map background and added the text 'Quo vadis' - Latin for 'where are you going'. This quote can  be found in the New Testament, in John's Gospel, when Peter asks Jesus this question, and gets the answer that he is going to a place where Peter cannot follow. In one of the non-canonical (not considered to be part of the Bible) books, the Apostle Peter meets Jesus near Rome, and asks the same question again. This time he gets the answer, 'I'm going to Rome, to be crucified again instead of you'. Then Peter goes back to Rome, is taken prisoner and crucified. Henryk Sienkiewicz wrote a book called 'Quo Vadis', telling this story, and it was made into a film back in 1951. There is also a Church 'Quo Vadis' on the Via Appia in Rome.  Oops, that was a bit of a digression today, then my journal page doesn't have more than the quote in common with the story! I am also linking to Moo Mania and More, quotes.

Today we had lots of sun although it wasn't really warm. Here the morning sun was chasing away the last of the mist and frost from the night.

I wonder who left this lonely chair by the Rhine?

Have a good day, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Quotes - New Challenge at Moo Mania and More

Hi Everybody!

Today we are starting a new challenge at

Moo Mania and More

- Quotes -

I made a mixed media spread in my journal, using stamps, stencils and more. The background was gessoed and then coloured with Gelatos.

As always you have 2 weeks to join us, and projects of all formats are

allowed. I am looking forward to seeing what YOU create!

I am also linking to Art Journal Journey, journeys.

And some photos from my walk today - we had sunshine, rain and wind chasing each other all day.

The horses were warmly dressed again:

I love the lane lined with chestnut trees leading down to the Rhine Ferry:

Happy Ducks:

Forget-me-nots:

And the Rhine still has too much water:

Have a great day you all, take care, 

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Royal Journeys and tea

Hi Everybody!

Today I am sharing a journal page meant for Art Journal Journey, Journeys,

and for Elizabeth's T stands for Tuesday.

My page is a 'painting' of  Queen Elizabeth, made last year.

I digitally cut her out and gave her a new background.

Queen Elizabeth II, who recently turned 90,  is probably the most traveled monarch in the world.

During her long reign, she has traveled more than a million miles, which would be equal to about 14 times round the globe. That's just counting the as-the-crow-flies flights. And that's not including all the travel she does on her visits in the United Kingdom and in other countries during her visits. So I am sure she must sometimes be longing for a nice cup of tea or something stronger when

she is smiling, waving and making small-talk with people.

And it's a bonus  that our hostess at TSFT  is also called Elizabeth, and it was her birthday 2 weeks back, too! But not her 90th birthday!

Today we had sunshine and it was a bit warmer. Here it looks like the

sun has burnt a hole in the tree!

My walk was beautiful:

I would love to go on one of the Rhine Cruise ships:

And last but not least, a short reminder about the challenge 

'Vintage Photo'at TIOT. You still have a week to join in, 

and projects of all formats are allowed as long as they fit the theme.

Have a great day you all, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Journeys for 2nd on the 2nd

Hi Everybody!

Hope you enjoyed your weekend!

Today is 'Second on the Second' at Elizabeth's, so I am showing a 

piece I made 4 years back, to which I have made some additions to make it fit the theme at Art Journal Journey, Journeys, too. One journey I would like to make is one that would take me back through time to visit France and watch Vincent van Gogh painting his wonderful art. His life- journey was relatively short, definitely not easy, and very intensive. I copied his painting here using acrylics, and added a poem about our journey through life from birth to the grave which I wrote some time back. Mr Umbrella Man has made the journey to see where Vincent painted.

Here  the text is easier to read:

We all get born when we are small,

It would be hard if we were tall!

Then we start out on our way

Through life which takes us many a day.

At first we cry and bawl and scream

Get fed and washed and rubbed with cream,

With powder and I know not what,

All babies seem to get the lot.

Then come the teeth and baby ills,

And weight-control and potty spills,

We start to laugh and talk and run

A toddler's life is lots of fun.

The years at school go by real’ fast

We learn that nothing in life can last.

Then comes the time to learn a job

Now we are part of the working mob,

Doing lots of work for little money,

On the whole not always funny.

And then we fall in love and wed

Kids are born and must be fed;

The days go by like a flash of laughter

Running after son and daughter.

And they grow up and then leave home

Start on families of their own.

And we get older then and older,

But have no fear, old age makes bolder,

For we don’t care what others say

And spoil our grandkids every day.

And then, perhaps, an old age home

With senior games and never alone.

And sooner or later, the game is over

And we get buried under the clover.

What comes after that, is yet to be seen,

Perhaps an eternal Halloween?

But as we don’t know, enjoy it now,

The journey through life till you take your last bow,

When the curtain falls for the very last call,

Till then, enjoy life, and have a real ball!

My lovely tulips are now opening and still look

wonderful:

Have a great day you all, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

New Challenge at Art Journal Journey.

Hi Everybody!

Hope your weekend is going well.

Today is May 1st, so wish you all a great month, 

and hope that the weather here will soon be worthy of May!

Our hostess for this month at Art Journal Journey is Erika, aka

BioArtGal. Her choice of theme is

JOURNEYS.

Erika writes:

' Your journeys might be creative, spiritual or historical. They might be an actual trip you took or plan on taking. Or maybe your journey is one of love, over coming some obstacle  or  personal growth.  Whatever journeys you are on, I can't wait to see where you are going and where you have been.'

This is a wonderful theme which gives us lots of scope, and I am also looking forward to seeing where your imagination and flights of fancy take you.

I decided that every journey begins in the head. I made a hybrid piece using 2 of my paintings, a seascape and an abstract, cut the head to shape, and added the ship and compass digitally. The anchor is one of my photos. I glued it onto the first page in a new A4 Journal which will be just for challenges, and painted round the edges with metallic blue before adding some stenciling.

Today was cold, wet and windy, and the skies stayed grey all day.

In winter coat, cap and boots I went for my last April walk.

I love the tender green of the new leaves:

The Basilica was reflected in the puddles:

The Basilica and town are celebrating 1300 years:

I love this wall and little lane between the Basilica and Market Street:

The red beech makes a wonderful background for the 

cherry blossom:

And the fresh leaves of the ginkgo tree look almost luminous: 

Have a great day, and a good, new month. 

Take care, and thanks a lot for coming by!