Tuesday 12 March 2013

Craft Barn Alpha Challenge - MA to ME

The latest Alpha Challenge at the Craft Barn is to select a word between MA and ME for your dictionary journal page.

I'm still on catch up and if you missed my 'Letter E' offering, you can see it here. I have the letter h to do as well but wanted to make sure I completed the current challenge in the time allowed.

For this challenge I chose MA and the word Madonna. I have just become the very proud owner of the stamp set 'Soul Of The Rose' (Oxford Impressions) and I had to use them. (Really, I've been drooling over this set for ages but didn't want to send to the States for it and pay the extra postage. That's Crafty got it back in stock and there was no holding me back!).

Here's my offering this time:

I'm still choosing to do a double page spread for each letter.

The image was stamped using coffee archival and antique linen was then added. The edges were scuffed.

As usual, I have left the definition visible although it's a little scuffed too but it is a second hand book after all! To add interest a border was added using gold embossing powder.

Each corner was stamped with a swirl motif and finished with gold EP. White gel pen was used to highlight parts of the motif.

The facing page with the definition was completed using distress ink nearest in tone to coffee archival. Corner stamps were the same and a border was applied to both pages using a versamark pen and gold EP. The same stencil was used.

The paper in my dictionary is very 'furry' as you can see from this image! For my background I used a new Andy Skinner stencil over the pages which had been sponged with distress ink. The same shade was used through the stencil. Fresco paint was used to randomly stamp text around the background. (I love the fact that these are matt. . . . more wish list items!).

The letters were die cut from packaging and coloured with the same distress colour used previously. The  corner stamp was then randomly applied to each letter using versamark followed by gold EP. To complete the letters, a coat of glossy accents was applied - for once you can't see this in the photo. (It usually just shines and ruins every image!).

Love the Fresco paint - it's almost 3D!

I hope you like this offering. I shall complete the missing letter H as soon as possible.

Do let me know what you think - I'm not big on journalling type pieces yet but I'm enjoying this challenge so much.

47 comments:

  1. Oh WOW!!! I could just look at this forever. This is just amazing. I love all the little details you put into everything Julia, your talent just gleams from each creation you make. I am, as always, in awe...Lots of love and hugs Laura xxxxxxx

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  2. It's so beautiful. I love all the details and the contrast colors
    x

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  3. Wow, this is stunning Julia. Loving that 'whirlpool' background, that fabulous stamp and all the gold accents. Fabulous! Xx

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  4. Jaw-dropping gorgeous! Adorable ... I love it! Hugs, Suzanne xx

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  5. An absolutely beautiful page Julia!!! That stamp is just gorgeous!!! Love the colours you have used and the background is fabulous xxx

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  6. Julia I just love your work. I am especially fond of Madonnas as that is my birth name. You really crated the rigtt snd reverted ton with this. Thank you so much for sharing such a gorgeous work of art.

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  7. Absolutely exquisite stamp, and all your glorious embossed gilding creates a setting which is more than worthy of it. Wonderful use of the Andy Skinner stencil - I love how it creates those stripes of colour in close-up, and the lettering is simply gorgeous... another masterpiece, Julia!
    Alison x

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  8. This is an Amazing art journal page Julia.
    love every detail.

    Greetings Janny

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  9. Your work is so inspirational Julia! I am so glad you described how you did those gorgeous corner flourishes. A stunning piece of journalling. x

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  10. Beautiful image - no wonder it was on your wish list. Love the colours you've used, its just gorgeous! xxx Keren

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  11. So much wonderful detail, love the background and the gold embossing and the great colours on the pages.

    Sylv xx

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  12. Beautiful journal pages, love all the embossing texture! Hope you are having a great day, Shirleyx

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  13. A stunning creation Julia. Really love the beautiful image and your background and gorgeous embossed images are just perfect with it.
    Glad to see you creating again too and hoping you're fully recovered.
    Hugs, Fliss xx

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  14. Gorgeous pages and I love the stamp I'm drooling now! :)

    MaggieH

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  15. Another stunning make, lovethe backgrounds and gorgeous colours and images xx hugs trace x

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  16. Julia
    This is full of richness, the touches such as the gold embossing powder on the ornate corner stamp and of course that most beautiful photo real stamp.
    So happy you have this amazing stamp plate to play with, cannot wait to see your future creations.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  17. This is a beautiful spread. The Madonna stamp is lovely and your pages showcase it so well. The embossed stamping with the gold and the white highlighting adds to the old world feel and creates such richness. Love the Fresco paints for the added texture and interest. The letters are stunning and laid out so artistically. Great job!

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  18. This is brilliant - great image but I love the circlular mask effect and all the embossing details!!

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  19. Beautiful pages, love the colours and them you have chosen! Valerie

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  20. Rich and beautiful, wonderful colours and fantastic composition. Just love that plate.

    Cassidy xx

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  21. Julia this is simply stunning. I can fully understand you wanting to get your hands on the stamp, it is so touchingly beautiful, lucky lady.
    Huge hugs x x x x

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  22. Gorgeous Julia, great spread with I guess the tornado stencil of Andy Skinner on the background? Great Madonna spread....

    greetings, Alie :-)

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  23. Those are the prettiest letters I've ever seen! Love this, Julia. From the way you framed the word with your gold embossing to the details with the flourishes and those awesome page backgrounds... every detail is fabulous! Did you know Fashionable Stampers has a swirls challenge now?

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  24. Hi Julia this is a stunning make. I love the background and the texture created with the heat embossing.

    Beautiful stamp

    TFS

    Annie x

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  25. Oh my gosh -- this is really beautiful!!!! I do love everything about it especially the circles. How very talented you are!!
    Sandy

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  26. absolutely stunning, great embossing, it hilights the pages brilliantly, nice use of andy's stencil x

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  27. Truly wonderful page with so much to admire on it. A great word to chose.

    Love Chrissie xx

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  28. Gosh Julia! Another stunning piece. Love the idea of adding the white against the gold embossed elements. Hugs, Jenny x

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  29. Looking great - fits the theme of today with the new pope in Rome!

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  30. Well now that I am subscribing to your blog, I get to look at the remarkable piece of art work again. I think your pages are spectacular!! And yes, I know I posted before!!
    Sandy

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  31. What a stunning image! I love your pages.

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  32. This is just absolutely AWESOME and GORGEOUS. Great work !!! Coco x

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  33. Beautiful and wonderful theme. Love the letters and of course the image! Striking!

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  34. I love the contrast between the Renaissance image and decorations and the funky swirly stencil and modern font, Julia. Really striking.

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  35. Oh WOW..stunning pages Julia...loving the colour combo too...Gorgeous!

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  36. Your page is a stunner Julia! Recognise that stencil background! ;o) And, that lovely image is a favourite of mine, my good friend Lynne sent me a few stamped images of it, to play with. :oD
    Alison xx

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  37. I really love all your pages, week after week. This one is no exception
    Thanks for playing with us at the Craft Barn.
    Izzy

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  38. Aw Julia this is so beautiful and serene and love how you have incorparated the colours that we associate with the Madonna and the embossing is just beautiful! x

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  39. An absolutely stunning page Julia - such a great use of the stamps but also the templates and embossing as well. There are so many different techniques and mediums on the page but they all work so wonderfully together. Look forward to seeing how you use those stamps again!
    PS I am a bit delayed in visiting this week - but catching up tonight x

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  40. Fabulous page Julia, and a beautiful image shown to perfection.
    Keep looking at all the journals around, think I need to take the plunge.
    Avril xx

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  41. This is really beautiful! Love the texture you applied to every detail and the wonderful image. Very inspirational, Julia!

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  42. Hi Julia, your pages are absolutely beautiful. I just love the swirling motion of the stencil - such a contrast to the serenity of the Madonna and child.I like, too, what you did with the corner flourishes. Look forward to seeing what you do with letter H. Elizabeth xx

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  43. Ohhhh my goodness- just beyond gorgeous- the colors, the embossing, the whole thing is just beautiful. I could look at this for hours!

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  44. I love your M pages lots Julia, the design and textures are fabulous and the image is beautiful.
    xxx Hazel.

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  45. I'm laughing with your saying "I'm not big on journalling' pieces!! This is amazing Julia! Absolutely stunning inking, stamping, stencilling etc and it all comes together fabulously. You are seriously talented at journalling - I've signed up to see more. Have a lovely weekend. Nicola x

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  46. I have shared your beautiful work on our FB page today ;)

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Juliax