Wednesday 22 May 2013

Craft Barn Alpha Challenge. . . . . .Letter K

It's time for me to show you another page spread in the dictionary I'm altering as part of the Craft Barn's Alpha Challenge. This fortnight the challenge is to use the letter K. As usual, I looked through the 'k' section to see if anything jumped off the page at me but after the third time, I realised that there wasn't much going for the letter K as far I was concerned!

After discounting one or two obvious choices, I settled on the word KIND. Not in the sense of a helpful, sympathetic nature but in terms of something being related to others by having similar looks, characteristics or even genus origins.

Not joined in yet at the Craft Barn? There's still time so why not have a play too?

Here's my pages using the lovely Tim pear stamp:

The word definition was masked and the pages were coated lightly with gesso. Black archival was added last to the page edges to give definition.
(As usual, please excuse the clips - my book is becoming more and more unmanageable! Oh and the poor photography - grey day as usual and there seemed to be little in the way of light).

Masking off the definition keeps it free from the background layers applied. I used a black pen just to highlight the area.

The image was stamped four times onto the page spread and the same number of times onto vintage book pages. The pears on the vintage pages were coloured with distress markers and a waterbrush. The three little pears and the large one were then cut out and applied in the correct place on the dictionary pages.

After the gesso, script was stamped using archival ink colours related to pears. Followed by more archival through some sequin waste (I love using this stuff!).


Letters were die cut from scrap packaging and painted with DecoArt Traditions paint to achieve a wonderful matte black. (you get fab results with these paints due to the high levels of pigment they have).


I didn't enjoy cutting the little pears - 'fussy cutting' just isn't me!


Thanks for stopping by and having a look. I think these pages are about as 'clean and simple' as I ever get! I keep looking at them and wondering whether to add something more but my brain tells me to leave well alone!

A big thank you to my latest followers - I'm honoured to think you want to visit me from time to time.

35 comments:

  1. Lovely page, and good choice of words. I got mine blogged today, too. Valerie

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  2. this is just fabulous - love this stamp - really wonderful xx

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  3. Gorgeous pages sweetie, I love the stamp!! Your background is as delightful as always my lovely, fab job.
    Huge huggles x

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  4. Very clever idea (again), love what you did with this spread!

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  5. Wow Julia! You have done a beautiful job with a difficult word my lovely!!! Brilliant idea!!! Hugs x

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  6. I'm sitting here applauding your inventiveness on your choice of word & I love the pear stamp. It was worth the fussy cutting out of the little pears as they make great little embellishments to your page.

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  7. A beautiful couple of pages as usual. The weeks are flying past. Love have colours and the choice of definition is very clever x

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  8. Now this is what I call VERY clever - creative and fun - you would have thunk - 4 of a KIND.
    Marvelous!!
    Sandy

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  9. Pearfect choice of word, love the pear stamp not come accross it yet must look out for it. Great background and words.

    Sylv xx

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  10. This looks like a great challenge Julia but I would never be as creative as you are. I love how you've done the background effect with the sequin waste - so clever. Love, Margie x

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  11. So beautiful, Julia! I love the delicate tinting of the pears over the book text, and that gorgeous background - brilliant pages!
    Alison x

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  12. Super pages Julia and what a choice of word ! clever that :)
    Von ♥

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  13. Fabulous page and what a great way of using the letter K! Your background is wonderful and I love the way the text shows through. Gorgeous colours too!
    Jennie x

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  14. Love the way you used the definition and your pages look wonderful, not too much, not too little, a perfect balance I think. I really love that set of stamps, don't really do much with the pear so you have got me thinking now....... A brilliant job Julia, as ever! Hugs, Anne x

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  15. Great pages Julia.
    Beautiful background and details.

    Greetings Janny

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  16. Great page - love how you used your definition and the detail is fab.Glad I am not the only one using bull dog clips to keep the pages under control.Well done.

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  17. Fabulous Julia, a great way to depict the word and great minds think alike with the choice of stamp.
    hugs {brenda} x0x

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  18. Your clean and simple is just fabulous! I love this pear image. I have it ready to stamp with some paper that would look great with it, but it just stares at me, and has for months...lol! Love how you stamped it a few times, and the polka dots are perfect!!! Great pages!!!

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  19. Not exactly the 4 of a kind I expected. LOL Better! I like that pear stamp. Beautifully crafted page!

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  20. Great use of the pear stamp Julia...the pages look great with your combinations...

    Hugs Alie :-)

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  21. I love that pear...another fab page Julia! xx

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  22. Hi Julie, popped over to have a look at your brilliant pages; love what you've achieved here, and I browsed your blog and love your 'stuff' LOL!! So I just had to become your follower! I just started my own mixed media blog so I am always happy to find inspiration and I sure do here! I would love it if you would pop over on my blog to have a look around, you're more than welcome. Hugs Frea
    http://messymixedmediabyfrea.blogspot.nl

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  23. Wow - I LOVE this. Gorgeous images and so beautifully put together. MMx

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  24. Great take on the "K", gorgeous pages.

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  25. Hello Julia! It's been far too long since I visited, and wanted to come by and say hello.

    Love your pears by Tim! The pages have such an artistic feel. Together they would make a great wall hanging print. :)

    Take care, my friend, and I'm thinking of you!

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  26. Love your pair of pears!! Lovely layout and subtley green colour scheme!

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  27. I agree fussy cutting not for me either,lol, you have created 2 gorgeous pages, I love you picked the word KIND and interpreted it beautifully.I love to see this challenge. Thanks for sharing, ans have a wonderful weekend..

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  28. Sooo pretty! Love that stencil as background and the colors are wonderful.

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  29. Beautiful, beautiful!!! LOVE the stamps and that gorgeous, dotty background!

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  30. Hi Julia, I am here again looking at your fantastic created page…I love those colours and pears…everything together is just perfect!
    I also love previous posted tag …great image, fab background and of course love your flowers :)
    Hugs from Slovenia

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  31. I know you didn't enjoy cutting these pears but it has made all the difference! Love the colour combinations here and yet another imaginative approach to the challenge from you. Hugs, Jenny x

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  32. I LOVE this pear stamp and you page is FABULOUS !!! Coco x

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  33. What a very attractive page, and a very clever word to choose and use. It's really lovely.

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  34. Another page I absolutely love. I could put your work on the Wall of Fame every week!
    Thanks for playing with us at the Craft Barn
    Izzy

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