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Thursday 21 August 2014

The Artists on the Block - Seahorse ATB

The Artists on the Block have teamed up with the wonderfully talented designers at Frilly and Funkie for a blog hop called Hip to be Square.  If you have not been over yet to see the amazing and fabulous blocks created by the Design Team, then please do have a look, they are a set of incredibly talented ladies!

If you would like to create an Artist Trading Block (ATB) or cube (not necessarily with the ATB die) and you follow the challenge rules you will be able to enter the Hip to be Square Challenge (there are still a few days left) at Frilly and Funkie and also the Artists on the Block companion challenge, Eileen Hull's Art with Heart Challenge where the theme is Anything Goes (you have until the end of the month).  Eileen is the talented designer of the ATB die.

There are great prizes on offer - at Frilly and Funkie, the lovely Linda Coughlin is offering a £25 voucher to spend in her amazing and very reasonably priced Boutique and over at Art with Heart, Eileen Hull is offering one of her brand new Vintage Kitchen dies (which are to be released later this year).  I am linking my block to the F&F challenge, which is to create something Vintage or Shabby Chic.

For my Design Team piece for the Artists on the Block, I have made what I call a shabby chic seaside Artist Trading Block.  This is a different style for me but I loved every moment of creating this one!


And a view from the top:


I started by gathering all the items I wanted to use including my die cut Artist Trading Block. I lined the inside of the block some wonderful papers by Craftwork Cards.  The edges of the block have been coloured with Broken China Distress Paint.


I cut some mats from the Craftwork paper, some Core-dinations card and the top layer is Ranger Watercolour card.  I distressed each layer to within an inch of it's life (!) to try to give it a shabby chic look and feel.  You should have seen my desk when I had finished.....!



Each of these images was stamped with embossing ink and then white embossing powder added and heated. I took inspiration for this technique from a fabulous creation made by the amazing Anna-Karin, which you can see HERE.  I watercoloured the backgrounds in the same way Anna-Karin did, just lightly washing the colour on (using Distress Ink and a water brush) and not being too worried about uniformity.

I very lightly edged each layer with Broken China Distress Ink before layering them onto the block.


Here is a view of the top again.  I added some sea shells, a stamped and coloured star fish, a stamped and coloured seahorse some die cut and hand cut grasses and lots of sand 'a la Tim Holtz', I love the way it looks.

Thanks so much for looking, hope to see you all again bright and early tomorrow when there is a new challenge starting over at A Vintage Journey.  Hugs, Anne xx

44 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh Anne, I am blown away!! This is the most beautiful box I've ever seen! The colours are just dreamy and you know how I much I love me some shabby layers!! Your sand looks so real and so does your grass! WOW!!! Amazing! Love your gorgeous seahorse, great texture! Love it love it love it! Super big crafty hugs to you! :)

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  2. LOVE it!!!!!! Those shabby edges to your beautiful stamped sea images and the way you've created a 3D scene with the seahorse and sand on the top of your magical box make this one NOT to be missed! You are one clever lady Anne. Jenny x

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  3. Oh this is gorgeous Anne,I never stop being amazed by what crafters are doing with these blocks. Your version is really beautiful.

    Forgive me for being a bit confused,but what exact die is it that most people use for these blocks? I know it's Eileen Hull but is there more then one size? I have tried to google it but can't find the right one?

    Hugs
    Donna xx

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    1. Donna, I have emailed you the info. A xx

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  4. Goodness me! Anne! Your ATB is a real work of art! The layers are fabulous and the sand with the sea creatures are amazing! They look so real! Beautiful colours too! Gorgeous, gorgeous...
    Hugs,
    Ingrid xx

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  5. oh so pretty Anne - what a wonderful ATB - the colours are just amazing - and the shabby chic approach really paid off - I see you got some of the fabulous tim sand on their too - wonderful work you clever lady!!! Hugs rachel x

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  6. I love ocean-y projects and this is perfection! It carries me right away to a warm, sunny beach. Grabbing my towel...

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  7. So beautiful! I REALly love the distressed edges you gave the mats, 'within an inch' of their lives, hahaha. Good one. Fabulous colours and embossing too. As usual, of course :D ((hugs)) xx

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  8. Amazing Anne! Love the design and your sand totally rocks!!! Now I might have to CASE you because my DIL would love this. :) Thx for the inspiration! xx

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  9. absolutely stunning Anne...love your beautiful seaside scene on the top hugs kath xxx

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  10. Looks like you had so much fun making this one. Love the seahorse and beachy scene on the top.....stunning is the word!!

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  11. Brilliant, absolutely stunning, I love the scene.
    Your Seahorse is wonderful, a fantastic project .

    Patricia x

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  12. This is so awesome! The colours and shabbiness are wonderful and the Seahorse on the top is stunning! The whole thing is a triumph! xxx

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  13. I love the 3D topper! Great colours and I particularly like the very distressed paper edges.

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  14. Gorgeous Anne, love the distressed edges and the sea washed colours.beautiful array of images and fantastic design too my friend. Love this. Tracy x

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  15. You should be pleased with the top of your box - it is really wonderful!!! You can tell you enjoyed making this. I know how much you like "building" things with paper and we
    all know your love for all things Tim Holtz! This is really beautifully made Anne - bravo!
    Sandy xx

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  16. Hi Anne. Your ATB looks fantastic. The colours alone are perfect. Love the wonderful topper too. Hugs Rita xxx

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  17. WOW... I adore your ATB...It's fantastic Love the images & colours... amazing top design... Love it all... Hugs May x x

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  18. Absolutely delicious Anne - really it is gorgeous. I am tempted now to invest in one of the dies! Any chance you could forward me what you sent Donna (email on AVJ DT site). Also they look so sturdy - what do you make the die cut out of? Sorry, so many questions - but you do inspire me! Nikki xx ps no tush though xx

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  19. So beautifully shabby chic, gorgeous soft beachcomber colours, dreamy! Love the distressing, just everything is perfect, perfect, perfect Anne! Ruth x

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  20. Oh I love those beautiful blue hues, the stamping and backgrounds are totally gorgeous Anne. As for that top display, what an amazing piece de resistance - it looks brilliant, especially with TH 'sand' - everytime I look at my little pot I think of demerara sugar, but now I'll think of your sand! The inner papers are perfect too. You're the Queen of the block imho! Nicola x

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  21. Love this Anne!! love the distressing and the sand and the colours..totally gorgeous huggles Sue xx

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  22. This is gorgeous Anne!! Love the feet you added to the box and the seahorse and shells. The watercolouring looks wonderful, thank you for the link!!

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  23. WOW! This is stunning Anne. The design is so beautiful. I love the white embossed images and delicate way you have coloured them. The detailing on the top looks amazing too.
    hugs Sue xx

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  24. What a lovely little ATB, Anne! I would use this to store all of my favorite seashells and pieces of beach glass in! It's the perfect keepsake box for found seaside treasures :) I think I can get into the ATB rage :) XOXO-Shari T.

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  25. Oh Anne, what you do with paper and that die is simple amazing! I just keep looking at this and all the details. What a work of art and I just love the little seahorse and seascape topping! You so rock this blocks! Hugs!

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  26. This is just gorgeous Anne and it's got me thinking Lol! which is not good for my little brain! Happy crafting, Angela x

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  27. Oooh, this is simply sensational, Anne! LOVE the watercolored white embossed panels. And what a beautiful job you have done creating the sea side scene. Your beach colors are absolutely delightful. You have totally inspired to try another one of these projects :)

    Hugs,
    Linda

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  28. I love it Anne!!! I am into sea themed stuff at the moment. =)

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  29. An absolutely beautiful work of art, Anne!! I adore your under the sea theme. The embossing and watercolor work that you have done with those gorgeous stamps is totally amazing!! Now I want to buy them immediately, so I guess that makes you an enabler-lol! I had to laugh when you mentioned how your desk looked after distressing the papers. I'm always distressing paper but must hold it on my lap because of a shoulder injury. My clothes end up covered in tiny bits of paper that are impossible to brush off. I have to change clothes every time I distress something:-))
    Hugs,
    Nancy

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  30. Oh Anne, this is breath takingly Elegant. I love the colors you have used on here ... and distressing is so very precise on each layer... love it... you can certainly tell you have made a few of these ATB's... Expert on DUTY here... love it all... Love, Light and Peace...Bonnie

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  31. Another outstanding ATB with an amazing sea scene, Annie! The distressing is fantastic as is the embossing! The top is so incredible!! Hugs, Darnell

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  32. Back again to say thank you for joining us at Frilly and Funkie! Jenny x

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  33. WOW !!!! Anne your work is always fabulous but this is just jaw droopingly beautiful.The colours, the shabbiness, the collage on the top - I just want to dive into the box! You have really created an amazing project. Love it x

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  34. Stunning!! I love your box, the white lined images look great. I love the soft colors and distressed edges. This is a beauty for sure!!!!
    Hugs Kelly

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  35. I just love the way you make every ATB look so individual. Your inspiration on each and everyone is always filled with so much elegance and detail. I love the sea washed effect on this and your sand and sea scene. Beautiful.
    Julie x

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  36. How many favorites can one have ? because this is my new favorite ATB design of yours so far Anne. A perfect artistically decorated little box beautifully depicting undersea life.
    (Try saying that with a mouthful of smarties) Just LOVE it !!
    Hugs Lottie x

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  37. Wow, this is stunning. I love everything about it. Jackie x

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  38. Another big wow! How you can switch gears from this seaside theme to your 2 later posts, and handle each one with so much dexterity just blows my mind. The Phrenology and Halloween boo-boo were terrific, but I will confess this one is so lovely. Love the ocean colors with the shells, seahorses and 'beach feel' of this pretty box. You always pay so much attention to the tiny details, and the finished piece reflects that. Really loved this one so very much. TFS & Hugs

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  39. This is wonderful, I love the soft colours and the decorated top looks absolutely brilliant - the sand texture looks beautiful!
    Rebecca.

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  40. This is stunning Anne! I love the white embossed images. The whole thing makes me think of summers on Cape Cod!

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  41. Gosh Anne! You and ATBs are a perfect combination! This is one of my favourites - the colours, the images, the shabby edges - fabulous! Chrisxx

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  42. You know I love all things seaside and this atb is just gorgeous Anne. The textures of all of those edges really give it some depth, I can see your desk now like a winter snowfall! Your amazing 3d seascape on the top is stunning, in fact the whole project is stunning yet another fabulous make my dear friend. Mo x

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