Motivational Artist Trading Cube

11/1/20 Top 3 at Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge Blog!

Hi everyone! Happy Hump Day! I’m stoked to be back on the CutCardStock blog today with an awesome DT inspiration project featuring more of the Royal Sundance cardstock that was included in our Designer’s Pack – which happens to be on sale this month so be sure to get some! Affiliate links are used in this post at no cost to you. I really appreciate your support! I created a motivational ATC (artist trading CUBE) with a different word on each of the six sides! This will be an awesome addition to my desk showing a different ‘motivational’ side each day! ;)

This is the second artist trading cube I’ve made and they are so much fun! I’m sharing my template with you today so you can make your own! A 2-1/2″ cube fits perfectly on an 8-1/2″ x 11″ sheet of cardstock: On long side score at 1/2″, 3″, 5-1/2″, 8″, and 10-1/2″. Rotate cardstock to short side and score at 1/2″, 2-1/2″ (down to fourth horizontal score line), 3″, 5-1/2″, 6″ (down to fourth horizontal score line) and 8″. Using the photo below as a reference, remove the outer-most sections from cube base. Miter the corners of all tabs. The pencil lines in the photo represent the score lines and the thick black lines represent the cut lines.

I cut my cube base from Royal Sundance Felt Natural cardstock which is nice and sturdy, and an excellent choice of cardstock for an artist trading cube. Each side has three layers, so I die cut six stitched squares from Pop-Tone Razzleberry cardstock, six squares from Curious Metallic Chestnut cardstock, and six stitched floral squares (extra wide Washi Tape on Classic Crest Baronial Ivory cardstock used here) and layered them together so I had one for each side. I typed the motivational words on the computer on Baronial Ivory, trimmed them, and applied one to each layered square.

Let me share a tip – you want to decorate the sides BEFORE assembling the cube with glue. When adhering the layered squares to the six sides of the cube base, be sure to place them in proper orientation (up, down or sideways) so viewing is seamless. It’s easiest to ‘dry assemble’ the cube (without adhering) and mark the orientation prior to adhering each square. I put a small pencil number in the center which was covered up later when adhering the layered squares. When you have everything the way you want it, assemble the cube, tucking in the tabs and adhering one tab at a time. Here are shots of each of the sides:

And one more peek… so loving how this turned out! As with the rest of my ATCs (cards, coins and cube), I won’t trade, lol!

Sharing in the following challenges:
1. A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: #10-2020 – Anything Goes
2. Classic Design Challenge: #10 – Anything Goes
3. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: #144 – Anything Goes
4. Pammie’s Inky Pinkies Challenge: #2042 – Anything Goes
5. The Creative Crafters: #33 – Anything Goes
6. The Paper Funday Challenges: #22 – Anything Goes w/ optional Halloween

CutCardStock products used:
Classic Crest Baronial Ivory 80# cardstock
Curious Metallic Chestnut 111# cardstock
Pop-Tone Razzleberry 65# cardstock
Royal Sundance Felt Natural 110# cardstock

Other products used:
Dies/Punches: My Favorite Things Die-namics Stitched Square STAX dies, Spellbinders Classic Squares Large die
Accessories: Eyelet Outlet Extra Wide Butterfly & Flowers Washi Tape, Bearly Art precision craft glue

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s project and you’re inspired to get crafty! Be sure to check out all the awesome cardstock and other goodies at CutCardStock (adhesives, labels, stickers, pens, watercolors and ribbon to name a few). And head on over to the CutCardStock Facebook Page for more inspiration! Thanks so much for stopping by today – we’ll see you next time!

Scrappy hugs,