H is for Homme

Hello friends...


I mentioned in my last post that I was planning on joining in with the Alpha/Dictionary Challenge over at The Craft Barn (details here). The idea behind the challenge is to alter a dictionary, in whatever style you prefer, but following the fortnightly prompts from The Craft Barn DT.

I am already three letters behind and will have to play catch up at some point! The current prompt is the letter H and as the dictionary I am using is my old French - English dictionary from my A Level days my H is for Homme - which fits in very nicely with the Sunday Stampers Challenge #245 which is "Man of the World" - lucky eh?

So here is my  first finished altered dictionary page...

I began by using a  tiny frame stamp to highlight my word (as per the challenge remit) then used an ink blending tool to apply a light coat of Antique Linen DI over both pages (leaving the definition un-inked).

  

Next I built up layers of subtle colour and interest in the background using stamped images in Scattered Straw and Tea Dye DIs and Jet Black Ranger Archival. The rather dapper gentleman is stamped directly on to the page using Jet Black Archival - I love the look of stamping faces on text paper (you might remember my mixed media angel here).

Despite the background stamping the page still looked a bit flat and uninspiring but the problem with altering a book - unless you gut some of the pages, is that you can't go for  full on chunky embellies and texture as it will be impossible to close the book or work on future pages very easily. So - I had to find something with as little dimension as possible to add interest. A quick sortie round the boxes, drawers and cubbies in my craft room produced some washi tape and American Crafts embellishments that started me off in the right direction...

The details

Stamps

Background - IndigoBlu - Crackle Glaze Background; Crafty Individuals (freebies) - Crown and flourish; Tiny harlequin stamp - unknown

Tiny frame - Studio G
Dapper Chap - Inkylicious - Mr Blaketon
Pointing left finger - Pink Paislee - Phantom
Pointing right finger. clock and pen - Pink Paislee - Daily Junque

Inks

Distress Inks: Antique Linen, Scattered Straw, Tea Dye
Ranger Archival: Jet Black

Other

Washi Tape - Cavallini and Co - Numbers
Leather Fleur de Lys - American Crafts - Townhouse
Red embroidery floss - Anchor
Postage stamp

This was a fun project, challenging in both finding a french word to fit in with the prompt and in keeping the page flat, but I really enjoyed it - ready for the next one now...

Thanks for stopping by