Block Therapy by Amanda Southern

Hi Everyone

 Unfortunately I haven't been around for the last few weeks as life has just got in the way but I am pleased to say that normal service has resumed and it's good to be back. Last week saw the start of some major building works on my home so chaos and people are everywhere so what better than to seek sanctuary in my craft room which is far away from it all at the top of the house. Peace!!

This weeks make sees me playing with one of my favourite of the That's Crafty! substrates, and I have many favourites, the MDF ATB (artist Trading Block) this make used the 3" block. 

Here's What I Did:

First step was to build the ATB which very simply slots together and glued using That's Crafty! Craft glue (best glue there is). I then painted all the edges with Black Multi Surface Paint, no need to do the entire block as I knew I was covering a lot of it. Next was to prepare my background and for this I created a masterboard that I was to cut up for the sides. I used a selection of Distress Oxide Sprays which I sprayed onto a piece of clingfilm placing the colours where I wanted them. 

I lay my card into the ink and wrapped the clingfilm around and left it for about 10 mins.

Then I removed the clingfilm, let it dry and then cut it up into 6 2 3/4" squares to cover each of the sides.

Then to decorate each piece and for this I used a combination of That's Crafty! stencils and stamps along with the numbers stamp from 13 @rts. Once the backgrounds were finished I then added to each side one of the greyboard Funky Flowers (small) which I had coloured black and white using black ink and a white Posca pen. These were then added to my background pieces which were then glued into place onto the ATB. 

Here is each side finished.

Hmmm now what to do to the top as I wanted to add a little height so I raided my bead box and found some black wooden beads, which I also used as feet (I used a hot glue gun to stick those on), and covered an ATCoin with some of the background paper that was left along with a little grey board flower that I gave the same black and white treatment as the flowers on the side.

I found a couple of phrases in Tim Holtz Snarky Stickers that suited me and the chaos around me at the moment, "I wish more people were fluent in silence" & "It's a beautiful day to leave me alone" 

I measured the circumference of the ATCoin, which if anyone is interested in 8" and cut a thin strip of black card that I added the snarky sayings to and them glued around the edge of the ATCoin. The fact that you have to turn the cube to read them makes it quite a tactile piece.

Here's What I Used:

That's Crafty! Surfaces MDF 3" ATB (comes as a pack of 6, 3 x 3" & 3 x 4")

Distress Oxide Sprays - Lemonade, Mermaid Lagoon, Picked Raspberry & Twisted Citron

Distress Oxide Ink Pads - Peacock Feathers and Black Soot

That's Crafty! Surfaces MDF ATC Coins 

That's Crafty! Multi Surface Paint - Black

That's Crafty! Surfaces Greyboard Bits & Pieces - Small Funky Flowers 1, Small Funky Flowers 2, & Flowers

That's Crafty! Word Stencil Time (I used the addition stencil part that comes with the Word stencil)

That's Crafty! Dinky Stencil - Grid TC015 & Circle TC003 this I inked with DO and used as a stamp.

That's Crafty! ATC Coins Stamp Set 5

13 @rts Stamp Set - Numbers

Tim Holtz Snarky Stickers Small

Mixed Media or Watercolour card

Versafine Clair Ink Pad - Noctourne

That's Crafty! Multi Purpose Craft Adhesive

Wooden beads

Hot Glue Gun

Have a fabulous week and I'll see you all next Tuesday

Love

Amanda X