Hello! You've probably seen a lot of projects made with these little boxes, more fondly known as an ATB or artist trading block, since they've been popping up all over social media lately! They are very versatile and also addictive! I created my first ATB when I joined
Frilly and Funkie as a guest designer back in May when I created this
Mermaid ATB for their Vintage Seaside challenge.
The theme for the current challenge at
Frilly and Funkie is
Hip to be Square and we are tasked with creating a 3D vintage or shabby chic project based on a cube shape. The challenge is being sponsored by
The Funkie Junkie Boutique. Sizzix designer,
Eileen Hull, has a monthly
Art From the Heart challenge on her blog and this month it's Anything Goes. Eileen is offering the winner of her challenge their choice of a die from her new release,
Vintage Kitchen, when it comes out in December!
So I'm here to weigh in at both of those challenges with my ATB Summer Topiary! The graduated sizes of the boxes on
Eileen's Sizzix Scoreboards XL die-Blocks/Cubes, 3D just scream topiary to me! But I added a little twist by turning the boxes corner to corner! It took me all weekend to put it together but it was so worth it! I had a blast and really felt my creative mojo creeping back! As always I have trouble with the picture-taking part! I tried both inside and outside and these were the best of the bunch.
The boxes are covered with Tim's Wallflower paper. I used three of the sheets that have large floral images on them. The boxes were inked and I added peeled paint distress embossing powder to give them a mossy look. They are mounted on a thin wooden dowel that was stained with Walnut distress stain. After I ran the dowel through the boxes I embossed the exposed sections of the dowel with brushed corduroy distress embossing powder.
The topiary is decorated with flowers, butterflies and greenery created with Tim's Sizzix Alterations Tattered Flower Garland, Butterfly Frenzy and Spring Greenery decorative strip dies. Of course, Tim's new Layered Dragonfly die needed to make an appearance! I cut one dragonfly from grungeboard and then another from watercolor cardstock. I painted the bottom side and edges of the grungeboard die cut with distress paint. I embossed the watercolor cardstock die cut with the accompanying embossing folder and then added color using distress markers and a water brush. Then I sprayed Sunflower Sparkle perfect pearls onto my craft mat and painted that over the watercolors to add some shimmer! I glued the cardstock dragonfly onto the grungeboard dragonfly for stability and then mounted it on a floral wire that I shaped by curling it around a pencil.
The base started as a 3" terra cotta pot which I painted with various colors distress paint and then embossed with peeled paint distress embossing powder to give it a mossy look.
For this challenge the team at Frilly and Funkie has joined forces with
The Artists on the Block who are also showcasing 3D cube projects. Make sure you check out their projects for more inspiration! The ATB team comes up with some out-of-this-world art!!
The
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog is also running an
Anything Goes challenge so I'm entering this piece there. A randomly chosen winner can receive $50 to spend at
Simon Says Stamp!
Over at
Inspiration Journal the
August Monthly Challenge is Everything Goes so I might as well join in that one, too! The August Monthly Challenge is sponsored by
Inspiration Emporium and they are offering the winner a $50 to spend in the emporium!
I hope you like my project and maybe you'll be inspired to create a 3D cube project of your own and join in the fun! I've included links below for the many products I used in my project. These products are available at
The Funkie Junkie Boutique. If you haven't visited Linda's store you're missing out!!
Thanks so much for stopping by my little corner of the world!
