A final thought on what we 're all going to need to do!

Hello everyone, I have one final page for Art Journal Journey and my 'We're all going' theme! 

You may remember I started back on the 1st July by going to the zoo, where much conservation work is done in preventing animals from becoming extinct.

My page today is about the plants,insects and animals we see every day.

I made a background using paint then used a variety of stamps and stencils from some of my favourite stamp companies

I tried to find some appropriate words but nothing I found seemed to say what I wanted it to!

Having been through a few days of downpours and local floods - there have been two roads closed nearby - and hearing on the news that the highest temperature records set have all been since 2002 and that we are likely to have wetter Summers in the future - my page is saying that we're all going to look after our Earth if we want to see these creatures survive.

I would like to thank every one of you who took part this month, despite the high temperatures! Your entries and your supportive comments mean the World to me!

Looking forward to seeing August's host with the next theme in the morning!

Thanks for looking, Chris

T Stands for the day trip..plus!

Hi everyone, my month of hosting at AJJ is racing on and I still have lots of ideas, unfortunately I haven't had the time I had hoped I would have! I am so enjoying seeing your take on the theme and I thank you all for your support!

I was influenced by the lavender fields in my previous post when I made this page!

I used Faber Castell water colour pencils and a water brush to colour the page and then added a card from a little pack I bought in France, part of a teabag wrapper from hubby's cup of tea in a hotel room, a clock sticker and lots of little scraps.The image is from a vintage Birthday card and the words found in my King Arthur book. I finished it off with some mark making! 'We're all going' to have birthdays for my theme at Art Journal Journey!
Having only had an afternoon and evening in Avignon we spent our first full day on a day trip to Arles - a 20 minutes train ride away!

This was the impressive sight in the main street - we walked past it following signs to the Tourist Information Centre. To answer a few questions about how we plan our trips - we read up and make a few plans before we go if there is something specific we would like to see, then we go to the TIC to find out if there is anything else we shouldn't miss and for a map if we don't already have one. This is what we needed in Arles, especially as the signs just disappeared, we asked a local for directions but still got hopelessly lost!
We stopped for a drink by the Roman Amphitheatre...and got further directions, which led us past... 

...and into the Basilique of St Trophine 

Once we found the TIC we got our map and some information and crossed the road for a delicious lunch!

I was delighted to find this as it is one of my favourites of Van Gogh's paintings...and I loved the print that was positioned to see the view....it's the Hospital Garden where Vincent was treated when he cut off his ear.

I would have loved to see the irises!

A yellow house...but not THE yellow house which is no longer to be seen.
We went back to visit the Cloisters at the Basilique.

Then headed here..

I am taking a break here to join Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T Stands for Tuesday

The cafe that was painted by Van Gogh called 'The Cafe Terrace at Night' was in the cool square 'Place du Forum'..

...and just the place to stop!

Vincent and his friends met here and the name of the cafe has now now been changed!

We had Lemon Presses which we topped up with water.
I am often asked about my patient hubby(he is really)and how he always smiles...I can tell you it sometimes takes quite a lot of funny comments from me to make him smile....

...exhausting!!!!

Refreshed, we went in search of our final place to visit! 

This is the interesting fountain at the Van Gogh Institute. We will come back here sometime in the future!

As we walked back to the railway station I wanted to look for the site of the yellow house(disappointing), as well as the view over the river.

 Sadly, we couldn't wait until dark!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Using imagination in Avignon!

Hi everyone, as promised I have photos of Avignon, but first a page for Art Journal Journey.
On our first afternoon in Avignon we went to the Information centre and picked up some leaflets. 

Oh how we would have loved to visit this...so I have used the leaflet to make this page to encourage us all to use our imaginations!

I used Amsterdam paints smudged on with fingers and then used some dotty stencils and postmark stamps to make the background. I added the wild horse by Visible Images randomly around the page.

As you can see it took place last Saturday - there are a few links on Google but here is a link to the Mejanes site.

My most exciting moment on the journey to Avignon was passing fields of lavender....and I took some fuzzy looking photos! It is something I have always wanted to see.

The very first one....told you it was fuzzy and the train windows were filthy outside too!!

I think these layers, with the lavender running through the middle, will end up as part of a journal page!

 There were other things growing in fields of course! 

We didn't do a lot on our first afternoon, a coffee shop opposite the Tourist information Centre...

 ...and little walk...

 ...to see the bridge..

 ...something to eat in front of the Hotel de Ville(Town Hall)...

 ....and then back to our hotel via the outside of the city walls. We passed some river cruises moored up for the night.

 The welcome sight of our hotel!

I'll be back soon, thanks for looking, Chris

Having fun by the sea! (and in Lyon)

Please can we all go to the seaside! It's still hot here, and from what I have seen on the news, a lot hotter in some other places in the UK and around the World.
Won't it be lovely to paddle in the sea with a lovely sea breeze blowing!
Of course I am at home making another journal page for my 'We're all /going' theme at Art Journal Journey and preparing samples for Crafty Individuals!

My page brings back memories for me of family holidays at Burnham on Sea when my boys were little.

When I found this picture in a calendar I just had to use it..as well as the little stamp I found at a brocante stall in Lyon.
Here is the start of my page...paint and random seaweed stamps using Distress Oxide inks that show up quite well over the paint.

Here are the calendar pic and the little stamp.

I added the sandals from a magazine article.

We are going back to Lyon today to the Terraux area, we would have liked to venture further to Croix Rousse but it was getting late.

We saw the Fountaine Bartholdi, but sadly not working as there was construction work going on around it. 

However, a short walk away the St Nazire church did not disappoint!

 The stained glass windows were amazing!

We headed for lunch after our visit and took our time - it was beginning to warm up!
We walked to Place Marechal Lyautey

Several games of Boules taking place but we had one last place to see.
We started at  Place Louis Pradel!
There were plenty of skaters and skateboarders by this statue...

...The Skater by Cesar Baldaccini.I think I may know someone who would love to see this!!!

We spotted some street art in the making.....

and then walked on around the corner to see this

 Further along were the steps in the direction of the metro - yes we had to climb them!

 Finally, the view from our bedroom window on our last night...

 ...and last morning in lovely Lyon!

Next it will be Amazing Avignon!

Thanks for looking, Chris