BASEL and Back Again !

We have been in Basel for a LONG weekend with Great Railway Journys. This meant some free time to do what we want and a few group outtings. So here are a few pictures to share with you. Spent time exploring, taking photos and drawing too =)

Day One : was a long day traveling on trains to reach Basel. The fire in the EuroStar tunnel did not help and saw the group starting off 2 hours earilier than planned !


Day Two: Started off with the group enjoying a ride on a vintage tram round Basel. The local tram network covers the whole town and its so easy to get around. We had two tour guides who pointed out the sights and explained the stories behind =)

We spent the rest of the day exploring the town, doing a little shopping, following two of the walking tours, having a ride on the ferry and enjoying the SUN ....Yes we ended up getting sun burnt !! Below is the Swiz train station which stood opposite to our hotel.Above is a street in Basel. Below is the best fountain in Basel. Its moves. The sculpture is made from junk and represents the old thearte which stood on the site. In the fact the pond is on the location of the stage. The photo below captures some of the movement on part of the fountain. It was great to watch it moving =)

Day Three: Group outting on Saturday was up to
Black Forest. First stop was a ride on a stream train over a great scenic area =)

After lunch by a lake, we stopped off for a rest. Most of the group went to look at the church while we looked at the public art. This fountain with trout was great.

Which I have been drawing.

Day Four: We got on a train at 8am to visit Interlaken. We had lunch on a boat and floated over to Thun. Below are a few pictures taken of the villages round the lake.

This was just one of many grand houses on the edge of the lake =)

Finally we had time for a walk round Thun Schloss before heading back to Basel.

Day Five: Home again. This was going so well moving 40 people from Basel to Paris. At the EuroStar terminal we had to have our tickets changed. BUT as I and one of the other guys in the group had been given the WRONG ticket and the nice french ladies were not going to let us on the train. Manic phone calls to DH to tell the group leader what was going on. This was all sorted out and we were on the last leg of the way home !!!

HELLO WORLD !

Its September and I seem to have lost all of Aug. So what has been happening ?? Well lots of things. Below are a few pictures from the last month.

Well after making the Journey canvas I created this Artist canvas, which aong with the first one now hang in my studio. There is room on the wall for number 3 but I have not come up with the concept for that one yet.

I have also been spending time on my art journal. Trying out a few more techniques from Tim Holtz. Treated myself in Aug to a step of art stampers. These come on a sheet with 3,4 or 5 which you peel off and use with a clear block. Below are the ones I bought plus one picture of what they really look like to give you the idea. These are GREAT !! Been having a lot of fun with them.



The saying on this one really attracted me as it is from Lord of the Rings.
You can see here how the sheet has four stampers on it.

Last weekend DH and I went to Brands Hatch to watch the UK round of the DTM. This is a German series, hence in the picture below the car has the German post office symbol on it ! Good day out. A few showers but nothing much once we got there, but the drive there was in sheet rain.

During the day Lewis Hamleton gave a demo of his car and here it is parked up.

SO what have we been upto ?
Cleaning and spucing up the house to sell. We have found a house we like but are not making any move until we have a buyer interested in our house.

Mean while, the house is now very tidy all the time, I have flowers out and its been decluttered into the loft !

Now I am back on track, hope to have time to get back to weekly reports and updates. Although keeping the house tidy does go with working in a studio too!!