Alpha/Dictionary Challenge: Urban Magpie!

Once again I've had lots of fun playing along with the Craft Barn's Alpha Dictionary Challenge, which this week focuses on the letter U. If you click here you can discover all about this wonderful opportunity to explore words and create at the same time.  I started off a new art journal this week and my first page is my Alpha Dictionary Challenge - U for Urban. I wanted to express how urban can be beautiful, exciting, lonely and troubling all at the same time! I used Paper Artsy Fresco paints in Mermaid, Beach Hut, Blood Orange and Pumpkin for my background and a letter stencil to write my word. If you would like to see in more detail, simply click on the images.

The image of a girl looking up at the sky is a gel transfer from a photo of a friend taken by my daughter. I tried to create the impression of peeling layers like the peeling posters one sees in all cities and which I find intriguing - like a palimpsest of city life: ah, there's a word for letter P!!!

My dictionary definition is in a book-plate from a Tim Holtz die, decorated with Grunge Paste through a 'chicken wire' Crafters' Workshop stencil and painted with Treasure Gold - White Fire. I stuck  little embossed butterflies, embellished with gems on my page to create the idea of either flight or that nature is always trying to break out in the city. I stamped on a Vaporetto ticket from Venice from Stampington's 'Butterfly Girl' and Lynne Perrella images of cities.

I added Paper Artsy images and a distressed tag attached to the corner of the page with an eyelet and a gem. My secret journal message 'At the heart of the city something stirs' is on the back of this!

Here is another of my embellished butterflies, stamped from a Paper Artsy image once on the page and then again on painted card, embossed with mixtures of Verdi Gris; black and gold and sparkle, embellished and added to give a 3D effect/

The images of faces are from a Tim Holtz 'Stampers Anonymous' plate and I added these to give the impression of the glimpses of faces in the city crowd. Just above the building is a punched out stamp with the words, 'Wings to Fly' embossed in silver, from a Paper Artsy 'Ink and the Dog' set. Thank you for stopping by Magpieheaven for my third Dictionary Challenge. Have a lovely, creative day. I'm off to enjoy the other creative gems of the Alpha Dictioneers - if that's a word!