ATB and a give away

Hello dear visitors and lovely to have you drop by here, - a warm welcome to you all.

A few days ago I showed a sneak peek of a project, created for the Artistic Stamper's February Challenge with the promise to show more here soon. Well, today is the day I want to share my new addiction with you, - ATBs!! (As many of you will know already, this is short for Artist Trading Blocks). If you want to know more about them, there is a special blog, Artists on the Block. There you can find out all about them and see loads of wonderful examples in many different styles.

Here is my version. Now Sizzix has made a special die designed by Eileen Hull to make these blocks in different sizes, It is supposed to become available in the UK in February. However, as I have not yet managed to get one, I decided I would just cut my own. Being a teacher I have often made these with kids in the past, and it's not too hard. HERE is a link to where you can download a template. Mine is 3 x 3" and I made it out of one piece of 12 by 12 card, it will have to be one though, that has an extra little bit that names the brand (I used Black Core'dinations). This is so you can cut the glue strip. After I had scored and cut my template, I cut 6 squares of 2 3/4", and then decorated to my heart's content with Distress Inks, stencils, various stamps, word stickers etc.
Here are some close ups:

I used some Artistic Stamper stamps and embossed one of the sides with a folder. I used the same 6 colours or so for most of my sides: Wild Honey, Scattered Straw, Aged Mahogany, Broken China, Iced Spruce and Walnut Stain. Stamping was mostly Black Archival.

This is the top. I'll tell you more about the little art doll in a moment. Here again, more embossing, inking and embellishing with various bits and pieces.

As you can see, this whole project was very much inspired by Tim Holtz, another embossing folder, some tissue tape, a heart (this is after all Valentine's month), and a little cut out from one of Tim's papers.

An ornate plate, treated with various paints and Antiquities Rust embossing powder

And finally, some remnant rubs and a home made embellishment made from black shrink plastic and stamped in Brilliance gold ink.

Ok, now the the doll: This was a Paper Whimsy collage sheet, called Gothic Fairy (it's quite an old one). It has various dolls parts that I put together digitally and then printed twice on card stock, glued together (so she would look nice from both sides, - you will need to turn her horizontally on the second one), and then adhered to the top of my block.

Right, finally we come to the bit you have all been waiting for, - the give away!!

As you can see from my side bar, I have nearly reached 2000 followers (quite a humbling thought). Not in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever have that many followers. Anyway, here is the give away:

Two Paper Artsy JOFY stamps

5 colours of Distress Paints: Wild Honey, Ripe Persimmon, Aged Mahogany, Salty Ocean, Iced Spruce

1 Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink Potting Soil

A Tim Holtz On the Edge die

Plus the Artist Trading Block above for those of you that would like to get a little art piece.

And here is what you need to do to be in with a chance to win this candy:

1. Leave a comment on this post with a way for me to contact you

2. Become a follower if you are not following already

Finally and this is just if you want to:

3. Link this give away on your own blog in the side bar with a picture.

I will pick a random winner on the day I reach 2000 followers and will announce it here.

I want to end by thanking all of you for your wonderful support over the years, your lovely comments and emails always make my day and make blogging so worthwhile. THANK YOU!!!

**PLEASE NOTE THIS GIVE-AWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!**