Spring Artist Trading Block

Today I wanted to share a fun SPRING (yeah!!!) project with you...

Spring

Artist Trading Block

What is an ATB?  It's basically the same thing as an ATC but only made out of a block of wood!  The best thing - they are far more durable and you have all that extra space to alter.  

Yesterday I started off by applying a coat of gesso to the entire block other wise you're going to spend lots of time and medium if you're going to use paints or stains.  The wood really soaks it in.

On one side I applied a few different Distress Stain colors

Then spritzed on some water and blended them.

I used the heat tool to help spread the ink around in an interesting pattern and dry it at the same time.   I used quite a bit of water so it took quite a while for the block to dry.

Here's how it looked at this point.

Next I added some paint to a bit of bubble wrap and stamped it onto the block...

Don't waist that paint...You can stamp it on some pre-colored tags (these are tags I made using up inks from other projects.).  They are almost ready for images don't you think?

Back to the block...here's how it looks now.  I painted the rest of the block Lemon yellow.

So I printed off some Spring-y images ava. at Altered Pages.  Since I was going to add them to the block with gel medium I wanted to seal the inks before I went any further so I applied a layer of MicroGlaze to them.  You need to let this dry completely for it to do it's job.  (This is why I started it yesterday).

This a.m. I picked it back up...I started by gluing the chicks to the side of the block that I hadn't Stained up.  Once dry I sanded and inked up the edges.

On the Stained side of the block I added the little spring girl.  Once both sides were dry I went ahead and embellished away!

And here is how it turned out!!

I stamped then Stickled the sides using a border stamp from Just For Fun rubber stamps.

Here is the back of the ATB....

So there you go....

a fun new bit of Spring art!

Have you made an ATB? 

Give it a try...you might find you enjoy it.