Wednesday 5 November 2014

Dragons' Dream - Letter 'U' and a Quotation.

Hello and welcome to Magpieheaven, where it's time to dream with the Dragons again! It was a privilege to see the beautiful tags you created for the last challenge - so much imagination with the colour 'red'. This time it's the turn of the very original and creative Gabrielle to come up with the recipe and she's chosen the letter 'U' and a quotation! Take a look here at the Dragon DT inspiration. There are some really inspirational quotations out there and I'm sure you'll find some that will be uplifting or thought-provoking. I apologize for a rather early Christmas themed tag this time, but I just had to start sometime - and this Christmas quote is definitely one of my favourites!
Robert Frost is one of my favourite poets and his words go well with this lovely Santa from the Artistic Outpost plate, 'Snowy Woods'. He seems both magical and human too as he trudges through the snow with his pack. This tag is in more muted colours after quite a brightly coloured canvas in my last post, but let's start at the beginning!
I began by sticking text torn from an old book about Christmas traditions. Now this always happens with me: I became very interested in what I was reading and spent a while taking in the text, then I ended up pretty much covering it completely with paint so that not a word was visible! Ah well, I know that it's there and I think that some of the facts about Santa influenced my creation!
I got completely carried away with brayering and stencilling in PaperArtsy blues and greens. I used a Clearsnap stencil of birch woods and then topped and tailed my tag with some scraps of die-cut master-board from my previous wintry project. I loved the effect, although I was sad that so little of the text was now UNSEEN!
And how often after falling asleep on a perfectly ordinary winter's night would I awaken to the magic of quiet, snowy streets. While I dreamed in bed, unseen by me, the snowflakes had clothed the dull houses and shops in glittery splendour and for a while all was enchantment! Similarly, however hard I tried to stay awake, Santa's visits were always mysterious. How did he manage to deliver all those presents unseen by eager children? To add dimension to my tag, I stamped snowflakes from card and used what was left behind to make a stencil for plain, white Grunge Paste. The shimmery effect of the Frantage is quite effective, but difficult to capture in a photo. I used a white Posca pen to create the effect of my letter tiles strung across the winter sky.
I stamped my AO Santa and quote onto white tissue with Jet Black Archival Ink, heat-set and tore and frayed the edges before adhering it to the tag with Satin Glaze so that it would blend into the background. I didn't paint the tissue at all, as I wanted the delicate colours of the tag to show through. I just used my Posca pen to highlight Santa; to create a little, rising crescent moon; bare, white trees and snowy roof-tops. This tag will eventually be for my old friend, Alison who loves the subtle colours of winter skies. Thank you so much for dropping by Magpieheaven today as we drift into November. I do hope you will be able to join in the challenge. Remember to include at least one real stamp on your tag and a letter 'U' along with a favourite quotation. You can use this as an opportunity to start your Christmas crafting if you like, but feel free to interpret the recipe any way you would like.

17 comments:

  1. Wow,this has such a perfect wintery feel to it, would make a beautiful Christmas card too Julie Ann,one of my favourite makes of yours :)

    Big hugs

    Donna xxx

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  2. A perfect winter scene with the perfect quote for Santa, loving all the textures and pastel colours Julie Ann. Lucky Alison :-) xxx

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  3. very clever interpretation of your chosen U - and beautifully created as always. Walking to the silence of a heavy snowfall is quite magical (till you have to try and get somewhere!)

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  4. Whoot, whoot, it's amazing how you weave your stories into a visual fantasy, I don't even likw winter but you make it sound and look so enchanting and magical, the detail in the tag is spectacular, as you do, you get me so excited with every challenge, I just have to dream along, I will have to put my thinking cap on to sleep with :), a U and a Quote, I think I will make a tag for a Christmas too. It will make it easier to personalize, add some love in the mix and it will be easy peasy hahahahah..Thanks for the inspiration, I will have a great day now, ((( HUG HUGS ))) Cuz....

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  5. Gorgeous tag Julie Ann ...Beautiful work love the winter scene...Hugs May x x

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  6. You may have covered the book text with paint however there is no doubt it influenced your art because this tag speaks so beautifully of frosty nights when all is quiet and there is a sense of the magical in the air when the young (and maybe not quite so young!) await Father Christmas to arrive, pretending they are asleep while their little hearts pitter patter with the excitement of it all.
    You perfectly captured silence and anticipation in your tag art.
    Wishes
    Lynne
    P.S. Julie Ann, thank you so much for not only your visit to my Blog but your words which always mean so much to me. It brings me such comfort when I know that any time I do share my inner thoughts and uncertainties that there are so many who relate. You most certainly are an artist.

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  7. Love how you have created this lovely tag. The interpretation of the theme is excellent really live it xx

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  8. How mysterious things is the tag to bring us! Beautiful work Julie Ann! I love this xxx

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  9. Julie Ann- do not apologize, your tag is snow beautiful and very welcoming!! I love the quote and as usual, you have paired it perfectly with your creation! xoxo

    ps, did you Mum love her canvases?

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  10. This is so beautiful when I first came to comment I was looking at it for so long I forgot to type anything!! It was only when I saw it again that I remembered! Julie Ann, this is just the thing to get me thinking about Christmas! I don't usually consider Christmas much as my son and I both have birthdays to come before Christmas but this gorgeous tag has worked some magic!! Chris

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  11. Such a beautiful tag, it's absolutely lovely--what a perfect pairing!

    :(

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  12. Right. Well that was supposed to be a HAPPY face, not a sad face, but you know me well enough to know that, Julie Ann!!

    :)

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  13. Your tag is lovely Julie Ann, there is always something about the soft winter blues and snowflakes that I love for Christmas.

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  14. Oh wow such a gorgeous wintery tag, I love the way you have layered everything but still kept it subtle which I always feel like snow gives, a type of peaceful presence to everywhere. Kezzy :-) xxx

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