Artist Trading Block - Tutorial

Hi my dear Viva Las Vegastamps! Friends!

It's Susanne here and I have a tutorial for this Artist Trading Block (ATB) for you. I cut the base of the ATB with the Silhouette Cameo. Of course you don't need an e-cutter. You'll find free templates for a cube online or you can use a cutting die.

Here are my instructions:

1. Step: Stamp the Dictionary Page background randomly onto the cube blank.

2. Step: Add a thin layer of gesso on top.

3. Step: Use the Gelato (Cotton Candy) to add some color. Instead of the Gelatos you can also use other watercolor crayons. A plus of the Gelatos is, that you can blend them easily with your fingers.

4. Step: Add a second layer of texture with the Worn Clockface stamp.

5: Step: Take the white Gelato in this step to give the background some more contrast.

6. Step: Now it's time for some structure. I used modeling paste together with a crackle stencil.

7. Step: When the texture paste is dry you can build up the ATB base.

8. Step: Stamp the The Fish in Mini Skirt and the Fat Fish in Heels and cut them out. Add some Twinklings H2O for a shimmery effect (alternatively you can use other shimmery colors). Adhere a wooden spear to the fishes with hot glue. I colored the spears  with Viva Decor Inka Gold. Before you add the fishes to the block, cover the whole top with Gel Medium and glitter.

9. Step: Add glitter to the edges as well. I used chipboard die cutted numbers and letters for the embellishing. The chipboard is painted with different colors of Viva Decor Inka Gold and stamped with the Be adorable stamp to add some texture. Some more embellishments are the Pylon and the One Way Small . Use some silver tinsel to finish it up.

See you soon and happy crafting, Susanne.

Stamps from Viva Las VegaStamps!:

Plate 918:

Worn Clockface

Be adorable

Plate 890:

Dictionary Page

Plate 1338:

The Fish in Mini Skirt

Fat Fish in Heels

Plate 927:

Pylon

One Way Small 

Other supplies:

Gesso

Gel Medium

Modeling Paste

Gelatos: Cotton Candy, Coconut

Viva Decor Inka Gold: Orange, Violett, Silver, Pink, Blue

StazOn Jet Black

Prima Marketing Crackle Stencil

Memento Luxe: Sweet Plum, Love Letter

Twinklings H2Os: Summer Breze

Glitter

Silver Tinsel

Wooden Spears

Sentimental Adventure Tag

It's Amy today, to share a tag I made with a Victorian Steampunk theme. I came across this fun technique for creating a "faded" look, and gave it a whirl, and with some of my favorite Viva Las VegaStamps! I ended up with something pretty, unique, and (for me) thought provoking.

To make this tag, I started with a library card (card catalog style), and using my worn clockface stamp, I stamped vertically and horizontally, using black archival ink by Ranger.

When the stamping was complete, I added a vintage Victorian image of a woman, using Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft gel medium on both sides. 

 Next, before the gel dried, I gently rubbed my finger (dipped in water) over the edges of the paper, leaving the stamped image behind, and a worn look to the photo. 

The result allows the shadow of the man behind the worn clockface, to appear over the woman's shoulder. 

To add even more drama to the tag, I colored on the vintage tricycle   stamp using Faber-Castell big brush pens in black and cold gray, in a gradient,for a very transparent look and fussy cut the image after watercoloring; and finally applying it to the right top corner of the tag, using foam adhesive. I build around this using chipboard gears from UmWowStudio, a prima flower, various metal embellishments, and lace trim from Gauche Alchemy. 

Finally,to complete the tag, for the bottom left corner, I punched using a Fiskars notebook paper punch, for a bit of different texture and interest. I stamped the man from Plate 945  onto a separate card, using Archival Ink by Ranger, in Coffee. I fussy cut him out, and added him flush with the bottom of the tag, embellishing with trims, more chipboard gears, and a Prima flower. I think it is fun to guess what is going on between all of the people on this tag. Who is the Victorian woman musing about, each of the men in her past lives (or current?) that enjoy top hats and steampunk wear? Are the men thinking of her? Ah, it's a sentimental adventure. Hehe.
~Amy