Wednesday 11 December 2013

Craft Barn - Alpha Challenge - the final chapter!

This week saw the launch of the final two letters in the Craft Barn Alpha Dictionary challenge... and they are X and I...  I have kept up with this challenge throughout the year, and it has been a lot of fun - some of the letters really have tested us! X was going to be no different... so I started with the I.
I settled for Identical

identical twins!! The stamp is from a Paperbag studios set, and I just stamped it 4 times and coloured it identically.

so, "I" done. Now, X... two problems here - firstly, my dictionary didn't have many X letters - even before I painted over them completely for either my W or my Y pages!! So I had to go to my substitute dictionary and tore out the X page ... most of them were strange Greek based words or Chinese rivers... I really didn't want to do "Xmas" as I hate the abbreviation,  but was very taken with

 "xylography" - wood engraving, or the printing from wood blocks.  I knew I must have a rubber stamp in my vast collection that looked like a wood engraving... mustn't I?!


 well, this one by Magenta, comes pretty close I think.  I stamped it in sepia archival ink on Kraft cardstock several times, and cut them to fit round the definition.

Not perfect, but not Xmas either!

Izzy has asked that we show our finished dictionary, too.






Well, I haven't done a great deal to the cover, but I had previously painted the cover and stencilled and stamped the name of the challenge on the front!

and here is the finished book.  I think my favourite page is still M for meadow, but I was delighted to win a Wall of Fame mention for my D for Drip page.

So, thanks to everyone at the Craft Barn, and I look forward to seeing what delights you have for us in 2014... see you soon!




25 comments:

Julie Lee said...

I love this Helen. Great stamp. I hate the abbreviation Xmas too, can hardly bear to write it! Grumpy old woman me! Julie Ann xx

sam21ski said...

Oh so this is where you've been all evening then - lol

Glad you finally settled on something for your letter 'i'.

Great pages and I bet your book is stunning.

Sam xxx

craftimamma said...

If this is anything like your journal (which I've seen) it will be fabulous! Love your last two letters. Hmmm, 'xylography' very clever and I've learnt a new word ;D! Your identical twins are smashing too! Well done on completing the challenge.

Hugs
Lesley Xx

BJ said...

Super duper and you managed to avoid Xmas too, well done you. BJ

massofhair said...

Xenophobe is always a gd word... Thanks for new word, not heard of that one.

Glad you have completed your journal:-)

Inkypinkycraft said...

Great pages and what a wonderful book to keep x hugs x

Deborah Wainwright said...

Oh clever you what a wonderful project to keep. sound as if it was great fun to complete xxx

craftytrog said...

Great pages Helen, you did well with the 'X'! x

Anonymous said...

Your final two pages look great, as does the finished book.

TwinkleToes2day said...

Visiting from The Craft Barn - I like how you have completed this challenge; your two words are good choices. I still need to decide what to for mine, but I am determined not to fall at the last hurdle :o)

Words and Pictures said...

Totally with you on "Xmas" - yuck! - and thank you for giving me a brand new word to play with - xylography, lovely!! - and great pages too. Absolutely love that Paperbag stamp - adorable twin sets of twins!

Congratulations on playing the full year - your dictionary looks fabulous!
Alison xx

Virginia said...

Oh that looks fabulous Helen!

Elaine said...

Well done on finishing the challenge and a great word to choose for X. Hope you have a Merry Christmas!

JansArtyJunk said...

Oh Helen, what a Fabulous Full Alpha Challenge book, I struggled with X...I love your page and the word that you chose!...It's also been Fun seeing what everyone else did with the Alpha challenge...Jan x

Craftyfield said...

Well done Helen! First for your choice of X word and second for finishing the book...Love the Magenta stamp by the way, great way to illustrate xylography (a new word for me!)

Maggie said...

Great pages and word choice for you last pages it has been a great challenge

Merry Christmas

MaggieH

LindaS said...

Wonderful idea useing the twins. Love the look of your finished book.

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Fabulous take on the last two letters. I've finished, too.

Jools Robertson said...

Brilliant word choices and the finished book is fab

You must be so pleased with completing the challenge x

Claire said...

Your finished dictionary looks amazing - I loved this challenge. I really like the wood carving example you used for X - my dictionary hardly had any X words in it so I had to go with Xmas...Looking forward to what they've got planned for the 2014 challenge :) Claire x

Scrapmate said...

Well done on completing your pages.I love your X word.

Scrapmate said...

Well done on completing your pages.I love your X word.

Sylvia said...

Fabulous words and pages to finish the Alpha Challenge.

Sylv xx

Anonymous said...

Well done on the last two pages and on completing the challenge.
Thank you for playing with us at the Craft Barn and Happy New Year.
Izzy

carolfromkiwiland said...

Well done for keeping up with the challenge. Your last two pages are fab and x brings in a new word to my vocab. See you at the next challenge.