Saturday 25 February 2012

Monogram Challenge

I was rushed for time this week - however, I have attempted Patrice's Monogram Challenge. To see more interpretations please visit her.
On the first I have not played according to the rules - i.e. a monogram is strictly speaking a design composed of one or more letters.
I have extended the monogram horizons and used symbols as opposed to letters.
As this is the Diamond Jubilee of the Queen, I have done a celebratory monogram for her 60 years on the British throne.
I have resurrected some embroidery I did many, many  years ago and added 60 to the centre of the crown. The emblems shown are the rose for England, the thistle for Scotland, the shamrock for Ireland, and the leek for Wales.

In this second one, I have tried to do a monogram for myself and H. We have a great love of our garden and that is reflected in the interpretation. I thought that using Spring flowers it would work - but in practise it doesn't.
I fiddled on the computer to try and soften it - but still not satisfied. It is too stiff and has no flow. 
One more try, time permitting........
These are my last attempts. Thanks to H for kindly cutting out the letters for me.

30 comments:

  1. dear Rosemary,

    wauw....
    you worked hard
    and made some lovely monograms
    lovely the one with the flowers
    and the last one is really strong

    yhanks for joining!
    x

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    1. Thank you Patrice - I was not very pleased with my efforts, but personally I think perhaps the last one is the best of the bunch!

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  2. Don't do yourself down! I think you persevered very well and I like the next to last one too! I started that same embroidery in 1977, but being only a young teenager, I soon gave up! I think my Mum completed it a couple of years ago!
    x

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    1. Dear Alix - well spotted. Yes, that was a Silver Jubilee embroidery, and now here we are in what seems like the blink of an eye, celebrating the Diamond one.
      Thanks for your great words of encouragement, they meant a great deal to me. My feelings and thoughts must have come across more than I realised.

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  3. Hello Rosemary,
    It's a beautiful post about monograms. You are lucky to have somebody next to you who can help.
    Have a lovely weekend
    Marijke

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    1. Dear Marijke - Thanks for your words of encouragement, I was not too happy with them. Hope you have a lovely weekend too and enjoy some sunshine.

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  4. Dear Rosemary, such colorful and creative monograms, love them all:)

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    1. Dear Leena - thank you for your kindness. Some of the monograms were a disappointment to me, they did not turn out as well as I was hoping they would. I appreciate you comments.

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  5. Rosemary, I'm in awe. Such creativity to order! I love them all - but those last two, they're amazing. If I ever, ever need a monogram I shall come straight to you :-D

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    1. Happy to accept a commission Kate - I love art, but my creativity is not so hot. Having a son who is makes me feel inadequate.

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  6. I like all you R and H Rosemary! You really gave some effort here... my favorite would be the last one simlpy because it makes me thing of you as you are. People loving gardening. And it's realy sweet you added his monogram on the challenge too : ) It seams you cooperate just fine!

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    1. You are so kind Demie - thank you very much.
      Demie I have been trying to get into your blog to see your monogram. It appears on my side bar but when I click it to go to your blog, I can only see the one you did with the Mona Lisa picture!!! Has anyone else experienced a problem getting to your blog, do you know?

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    2. I think I have fixed it now... try again if you wish : )

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  7. Rosemary, I think you're far too self-critical because my favorite of the group is your first R&H, which I think has the perfect amount of punch and contrast. I really like the idea of the flowers positioned over the reversed initials, and if you aren't satisfied, maybe it's just a matter of the scale of the flowers to the initials. (In my perception, those yellow petels become Gothic-revival serifs!)

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    1. Hello Mark - I think you are right, the scale is all wrong. Bigger, better shaped letters, less crowded with flowers - perhaps! When I gathered the flower heads I thought it would look OK, may be I should have angled the letters more in a group too. Thank you for the encouragement.

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  8. dear rosemary, i'm impressed by the power of your colors, great monograms, like them all!

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    1. Dear Julia - I agree they are rather bright, I tried to give them a bit of panache!

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  9. i never knew that about the 'vegetable' importance to the emblem! how delightfully quirky...
    how time gets away with us, sometimes.
    you have attempted well, that was fun, though, wasn't it? ;)))
    n♥

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    1. Dear Nadine - Wales has two symbols - it could have been a daffodil instead of a leek.
      You are right it was fun, although a little frustrating, as some things didn't work as I had hoped.
      Thanks for your lovely comments.

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  10. Wow, lots to see, we all seem to have worked hard on this one, but i keep smiling looking at all the surprising results, i like your flowers, original thinking, x

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    1. Thanks Renilde - I was actually disappointed with the flower one. I may have another go at it sometime. I was hoping for a Pre-Raphaelite appearance but for me it did not work. I appreciate your kind comments.

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  11. Hi Rosemary,
    even I like that flowery monogram very much!

    Best,
    Ariane

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    1. Hello Ariane - that is very kind of you to say - thank you.

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  12. Same with me, we all had our difficulties! But you did it very well, my favourite is the second-to-last, so colour- and powerful!

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    1. Dear TanĆÆa - thank you very much for your visit and your kind comment. It was certainly a learning curve, and if I did it again, I would hope that I had learnt something from this process.

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  13. Hi, I love youre flower monograms and fact I love them all, I think you are to harsh on your self! :-)

    greetings

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    1. Dear Marit - that is very kind of you and I appreciate your comments. You have given me encouragement so thank you.

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  14. lovely antique stitches and fun with flowers! clever girl :)

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    1. Dear Stephanie - thank you for visiting and also thanks for your very kind comments which I much appreciate.

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