Artist Trading Blocks

I have something special to share with you today. I've got the "Block" buzz! 

I'm so excited that I have had a chance to create something with the new "Artist Trading Blocks" or ATBs for Sizzix by Eileen Hull.  These will get an official release at CHA in January and I'm honored that I got to play with them a little early thanks to the wonderful Amy Bowerman.

I knew I wanted to make a bold statement with these so I started by painting my pieces with Tim Holtz distress paint

(I'm showing all my steps with the green block but I used the same steps for the red one)

I also painted some letters of chipboard and grungeboard shapes that I will be using

I will be using Tim Holtz tissue paper but I wanted a crumpled effect so I just crunched it up into a big wad, I will be cutting this up to match the sides of the block

Next I added some shapes and letters to each side of the block

(forgot to take a photo of this step but I used glossy accents to adhere the shapes and letters)

Next I took some Claudine Hellmuth matte medium and used it to apply my tissue paper to each section of my block. I simply pushed the tissue around each shape to create crumples and giving each shape a 3D effect

Once that was dry, I used the paints again, I dabbed the paint here and there and used a paper towel to smooth it out. This gives the paint a bit of a transparent look so that you can still see the tissue paper underneath it but also makes the color more vibrant

Once that was all dry, I then took black paint and did the same thing but this time I only used it on the raised shapes under the tissue, this really made them pop

 I then used various stencils here and there on each block and also added a few more shapes, that I had previously painted,  over top the tissue

Lastly, I edged each section with black paint and added some white touches here and there. I went around numbers, shapes and letters with white paint for enhancement 

That's it, my ATB's are complete, take a look

On side 3 I added my name and blog and one of my favorite sayings, "Spread your wings and create", I have put it on several of my projects over the years and I just love it!

This is the view from the top of the boxes 

I hope you like the tutorial and I hope that you will grab up the die for these great ATBs once they are available. They are so fun to work with!! I am very excited about this adventure!

You can visit the Artist Trading Block website here:

Artisits On The Block

Make sure to follow them on social media
Twitter: @ArtTheBlock 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheArtistsOnTheBlock

Make It Work

Sorry it's been a few days since my last post. I've been working on getting things ready for the move. I'm excited about it but it is a ton of work and I am sad that I won't get to craft and post on my blog for a bit while I'm "In Process". It shouldn't be long though, maybe a couple of weeks.

For now, I'm working on a project for my husband's boss as a going away gift. She is such an awesome person and she is so kind. My husband wanted to give her something nice as a gift. She loves Project Runway and since the motto of Tim Gunn is "Make it Work" we wanted to make sure to use that phrase in this project and we wanted to add a little Steampunk twist.

I am entering this project in the following challenge:

Simon Says Stamp and Show - This week it's all about the letter "S", I'm using it for "Steampunk" this week.

Frilly and Funky - Sunday Share - My item from Frilly is the Wanted Tim Holtz Strip Alphabet Die, I just got this die and I love it!! It's just the right size for this project.

For starters I took the glass and backing out of the frame and sanded down the entire frame. The was just a basic wood frame 

I used Tim Holtz tissue tape and Claudine Hellmuth's Matt Medium. I applied the tissue tape to the inside window of the frame.

I used a piece of Paper House Productions paper, I love this paper for this because my husband and his boss both work at the Pentagon and how fitting this paper is. I just tore it into pieces and adhered that to the rest of the frame. Layering it along the way.

I went around the paper with Adirondak Espresso ink. I wanted to use permanent ink here so that when I seal the paper it won't smudge.

I made some flowers from a Stampin Up paper punch. I used Tim Holtz glassine and dark blue paper. I stamped onto the paper with a Wedny Vecchi stamp and silver ink. I wanted to use dark blue paper because my husband is in the Air Force.

I added a mini Tim Holtz gears to the center of each flower.

I then just added lots of gears and other embellishments around the frame to decorate.

I also added The Words to the top and the letter "A" and the number "9".. my husband works in A9 at the Pentagon, so there is a meaning behind everything here. 

Here are a few more photos and the finished product

I just need another two Findings Corners (I ran out) and then  put the glass and backing on and it's done! I hope that she likes it, I just love how it turned out. Loads of Tim Holtz goodness here. 

Have a super day!! Thanks for stopping by.