‘Wishes’ – altered art sculpture

This altered art sculpture is about my past and present. The little girl in the photo is me around four years old. I was wearing a big hat, facing a big world, and had big wishes and big opportunities in front of me.

Here at midlife, it feels a little bittersweet. Things many of us take for granted, did not go exactly as planned. Yet, I also have enjoyed many blessings. I think the glittery silver against the aged look of the paper aptly reflects both the dreams of youth and the realities of a life well lived.

Materials used

Canvas Corp Chocolate & Ivory French Script paper
Canvas Corp Black & Ivory Chicken Wire paper
Canvas Corp Seed Packets on Ivory paper
Sizzix Box Die by Eileen Hull
Silver Stickles
Clear glitter
Hot glue gun
Assorted white, sheer and silver ribbons
Two small clear beads
Two large pearl beads.
Silver tinsel pipe cleaner
Silver button
Four wooden feet
White acrylic paint
Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Family photo

How to make the Wishes Artist Trading Block

Begin by cutting a cube from cardboard with the Sizzix Box Die, assemble and glue together.

Cover the box with Chocolate & Ivory French Script paper and distress all the edges of the cube with brown ink.  When putting the script on the box, you will have to cut the paper this way and that so that some of the script is not upside down.

Cut two 1″ x 12″ strips from the Black & Ivory Chicken Wire paper. Make vertical score lines every 1/2″ and fan fold along the score lines. Glue the two strips together to form a circle and flatten downward to form a rosette. While holding the rosette flat, use a hot glue gun to fill the center and hold until it is dry. Wind a small piece of tinsel pipe cleaner into a coil and affix to the center of the rosette. Next, apply silver glitter glue to the edges of the rosette and let dry.

Cut two 1/5″ x 5″ strips from the Black & Ivory Chicken Wire paper. Spritz a strip with water to make it more pliable. Wrap the paper around a straw and glue the long edge down to create a narrow column. After the glue dries, remove the straw. Repeat with the second strip of paper.

Print a 3″ tall black and white photo of yourself and a second one in reverse. Cut out the photo, glue back to back and outline the edges with a black pen. Add silver glitter glue to any area you want to highlight. While you have your glitter glue out, fill a 2″ x 3/4″ scrap of white cardstock with silver glitter glue and let dry. Once the photo dries, adhere it to a piece of transparent plastic packaging that you have bent 90 degrees to make an invisible stand.

Paint four wooden feet with white paint. After they dry, add glue and cover in clear glitter. When dry, add the feet to the base of your cube.

Cut eight small triangles from the Seed Packets on Ivory paper. Cut a thin cord that is two inches longer than the width of your cube. Adhere four triangles to the cord, leaving an inch of cord free on each side. (You will use this remaining cord to hang your banner from the columns). Adhere the other four triangles on the back sides of the first four. Line the edges of your banner with silver glitter glue and let dry.

Glue one end of the banner inside one of the columns. Hold the two columns up where you will place them to determine the length of your banner. Affix the other end inside the second column. Cut several lengths of white, silver and sheer ribbon. Adhere these inside what will be the top of the columns. Use a flathead nail to pierce your box where you will place your columns. Then slide one nail into the bottom of each column, add a dab of glue and insert into the holes you made in the box.

After the columns have dried, add a clear bead to the top of each column.

Punch four stars (two in reverse from the Seed Packets on Ivory paper. Adhere two of the stars to pieces of silver tinsel and then add the back side of the stars. Outline the stars with silver glitter glue. After they have dried, insert the other ends of the pipe cleaner into two large pearl beads and adhere the beads to the top of the box.

Next cut the word “Wishes” from the Seed Packets on Ivory paper. Cut a scroll shape from an ivory-colored scrap and ink the edges with brown ink. Adhere the Wishes to the scrool and adhere the scroll to the silver rectangle you made earlier. After you adhere it to the box, add a silver button.

Glue the photo stand to the top of the box, voila! that is all you have to do to make the Wishes Artist Trading Block. I hope the tutorial inspired you to go out and make something.

Thank you for stopping by the Canvas Corp Blog. –Betsy

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