Friday 12 April 2013

The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge - Letter R

Hello everyone. I've been a little quiet recently mainly due to my daughter's 21st Birthday and various other events which stood between my desk and I! I'm back now though and I do hope to catch up with you all very soon. May I also welcome my lovely new followers to my blog too? It's wonderful to have you here.

I have managed to complete the latest challenge at the Craft Barn this fortnight. The challenge this fortnight was to use the letter 'R' and come up with an idea to depict the given letter. I've used a Tim image which I never thought I'd find a use for until this letter came up so at least my purchase of the stamp plate is now fully justified!

With a husband who serves in the armed forces, this word just sprang out from the page! I have chosen the word 'Regiment' and here's what happened in my dictionary this week:

Finally, I found a use for the Tim soldier! This is my little regiment on parade. I'm having trouble with my book already and the clip had to be put in place to prevent the pages springing closed.
The word definition left clear as the rules state.
The soldiers were stamped onto old book pages. Each was coloured using water colour pencils and a little distress stain. Rosy cheeks were added to each soldier for fun. The soldiers were then cut out and attached with matte medium.
The letters were die cut, stamped with versamark and embossed with white EP. Distress ink was used for the red letters and gold acrylic paint for the others - this ensured the stamped resist image remained visible. Shading was added around the letters with a black pencil.
The speech bubble was stamped and cut out leaving only the section required. The centre panel was painted with fresco for a matte look before the labels were printed and added to the space. Shading was again added for effect.
The background was created with distress inks using both sponging to blend and stamping (using the soldier image / text) to create depth.
Sequin waste and background stamping can be spotted in this image - just!
Soldiers can be seen stamped in the background to shadow the cut out soldiers in the foreground.

My husband was horrified that the uniforms were historically incorrect - in the case of the Blue Gent  - but I don't worry about such details when having fun! My apologies if you prefer your historical details to be accurate too. . . . . .

The challenge  can be joined anytime so if you haven't yet linked up, why not create something and link it up to the Craft Barn blog here. I think it's great fun because I find myself producing work that perhaps, I wouldn't normally do - so much fun!!


32 comments:

  1. I love this lots Julia, it's brilliant and a great use of the stamp.
    xxx Hazel.

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  2. I love this page, inaccurate or not it's such a great way to depict an unusual word. The BG is equally fab.

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  3. This is amazing. xxx

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  4. what a marvelous page, love the regiment of soldiers and the stunning background.

    Sylv xx

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  5. Amazing Art Journal pages Julia, love your art. Have a great day, Shirleyx

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  6. Another fabulous page, truly great!! Love how you pack all those details and techniques in! Hope all is well hugs trace x

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  7. This is brilliant. Really good word to choose and I love your Regiment of soldiers! Guess your husband didn't notice they have no faces either.....who cares, it's art!!

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  8. oo your soldiers look amazing my lovely!!!!! I am loving your pages!!! xxx

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  9. This is so clever Julia! Love the layered soldiers and all the detail you have put into completing the lettering. Hugs, Jenny x

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  10. What a great layout. Love those soldiers - brilliant interpretation of your chosen word. MMx

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  11. I'm sorry if been MIA for a while but I'm finally back and see you have been very busy those soldiers had me singing the Grand old Duke of York ...shows I work in nursery doesn't it hee he.But a really bright and eye catching page Julia - love it! x

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  12. Such a great take on this letter. Your pages are fabulous, wonderful bright colors.

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  13. Hope your daughter had a fab birthday Julia and what a wonderful page so full of colour :)
    Von ♥

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  14. What a great AJ pages, such a nice idea, that regiment!
    And of course your details are amazing, as usual.

    Hope you're doing well, hugs, Alie :-)

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  15. What an awesome entry. Great use of the soldier stamps and great fun to look at. really cool.x

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  16. Fabulous pages loving the soldiers great word choice and use of Tim stamps

    MaggieH

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  17. Julia....wow! Your art journal pages are nothing short of stunning! I am in love with these two pages!! The letter "R" has never looked so good! Your soldiers are amazing! Love their colors and how they are standing in formation. "Regiment"...what a perfect "R" work for your illustration! I also wanted to thank you for your very very sweet compliment you left on my blog. You really made my day!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! <3 Candy

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  18. Such a great word to choose Julia, that TH stamp is perfect! Fabulous pages. Belated wishes to your daughter, hope you had some fabulous family time together. Xx

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  19. Hi
    I like that this is so personal to you and honestly this is such fabulous use of that stamp. You have somehow managed to stamp the toy soldier as though each one has its own personality.
    Fabulous.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  20. Brilliant page sweetie, love your soldiers. Good to have you back my lovely.
    Huge hugs x

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  21. Oh, Julia, what awesome pages! I love your use of the soldier stamp and your beautiful lettering.

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  22. Julia you always amaze me! As a retired military member myself I was duly impressed with your regiment! I bought the Die cut the Tim Holtz has of this trooper and I have yet to use it -- but hoping to this Christmas for cards. Have a great day!

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  23. Fantastic use of the stamped images and a wonderful word to chose

    Love Chrissie xx

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  24. Wonderful colors and design. I really like the how you groupero the soldiers. Cool,work.

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  25. Very very beautiful Julia.
    Love every detail.
    Greetings Janny

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  26. Oh, brilliant, brilliant, Julia! I LOVE your regiment of soldiers with their texty faces, and the stencilled background and those remarkable letters - it's all just fabulous - what a joy of a dictionary page!
    Alison xx

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  27. "76 Trombones let the big parade!" Can you hear me singing. I love your pages and I love your colors and your wonderful regiment of soldiers. Beautifully done Sugar - I am quite envious!!
    Sandy

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  28. What a fab word to choose, & great use of those toy soldiers! A brilliant page Julia!
    Alison xx

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  29. Wow, Wow , wow amazing. You've had some stamping fun there!!
    Thanks for playing with us
    Izzy

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  30. Your page is featured on FB today ;)

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