My First ATC's

Ok, new challenge on FB group this month...ATC's (Artist Trading Cards). I have always considered these to be a little out of my zone, but....I loved it. Once I set the theme, "Somewhere in Time" - after my favorite movie, my creativity just kicked in & all kinds of ideas were bouncing around in my head. I signed up for both groups so I only needed two ideas...The first one I kept with my original inspiration, the movie. It is one of my favorite movies starring Christopher Reeves & Jane Seymour. Reeves has a mysterious visitor at the opening of his play that prompts him to look into time travel...and he succeeds. He travels back to a beautiful hotel where he meets his visitor...but much younger & I, just in case you haven't seen it & I peaked your interest, I will not say anymore...but that is how I came up with my first card....

I still have to make two more...and then tweek them a little, but overall I am happy with them. I used Graphic 45 paper for the background. I then inked the card with Distress Ink in Walnut and Black. I also used Smooch in Pumpkin and Sunflower on the women's hair to give it a little attention...Smooch has a nice metallic finish when it dries. The resin heads are from early endevours in jewelery making...they are completely plain. I added the hair (fibers), ruffle, and headband. I kept the palette in the peaches & teal. I then added pearl accents to the corners with Liquid Pearls...these are a little brighter than I would like, so once the are dry I am going to go over them with some ink.

Now on to my next set...I have it sketched out & it is a much more literal interpretation of the them.

Cardiology with Val

Today I attended "Cardiology with Val" at one of our local scrapbook stores, Simply Scrapbooks (http://www.simplyscrapbooksoh.typepad.com/my-blog/). Val, one of their many talented designers does a weekly card that you can drop in and make. She always highlights either a technique, product, paper, etc. This week card was a father's day card...and it's a cute one! I think Jarek will like it for giving to his dad. The technique she introduced to the group was the inking with your emboss folder (see below for instructions). Simple technique with a lot of punch. We used the technique on the card face. The great thing is that Val preps just about everything for you, so you can make a nice card in just a matter of minutes....and all for $1.00!

Emboss folder inking: simply use your brayer to apply ink to one side of your emboss folder. Place paper inside & run through Cuttlebug as usual. Depending on what side you ink will determine your print...negative or positive space inked...Play with it a little...great for backround, etc.

Stamped Image Swap

One of our latest swaps on my FB group was 'Stamped Image & Embossed Paper". Each person was to send a stamped image and a piece of cardstock embossed with folder of your choice...So, here is what I got....

And here is what I did with them...

I used waterbrush markers or colored pencils for all the coloring. I think I used every fun thing I had....Crystal Effects (on the large conch shell), stickles, inking, edge punches, Perfect Pearls, Smooch, rhinestones, etc. For fun, I sent the cards to the swap participants with their stamped images...I always think it is interesting to see how other people use your images. Now on to my next swap project...ATC's!

Cards, Cards, Cards!

I had several cards I needed to make today...2 graduation, becoming a citizen & a pet sympathy....

The graduation cards are easel cards with appropriate school colors and a special quote, very personalized. The becoming a citizen card...I used a piece of vintage clip art and just went from there. Finally, the sympathy card...the hardest to make...was very simple and has a beautiful quote on the inside. It is hard to see in the picture, but after I embossed the white cardstock I used Perfect Pearls on the image. It gave it a very elegant shimmer. Tomorrow...swaps! I have two ATC's to do...

Swap Transformations

I made the above cards with Cricut cuts from a recent swap on FB. The wheelbarrow was mine...The only thing I had to add was background papers, card base and I did add the red ribbon to the flower vase...just for a little dimension. The "groovy" had me a little stumped...nothing seemed to do it justice. I finally decided that patterned paper was just too much, it took away for the colors and glitter of the cut, so black seemed the logical choice. To make it a little funky I offset the fold of the card allowing you to the writing area inside. I like it:)

TP Mini Album....

For the latest swap on FB we did a Toilet Paper Tube Mini Album...I was a little skeptical at first, but what fun! this was a really fun project allowing for a lot of creativity. Here is mine:


cover...I did not use a chipboard cover...just one of the tubes.









Mini envelope opens for more space.










Tags for inside the tubes.

Another retirement card....

This is a retirement card I made for our pastor. It is an easel type card. I used the Spellbinders Nestabilities for the book...finally. I bought this set over a year a go and this is the first time i used it! Now, I can think of a lot of book cards to make! The papers are from my scrap bin. I did use a brown coordinations embossed with the Cuttlebug Fleur d'Lis folder I used some odds and ends to add a little personality...pocket watch for retirement, dove and cross to represent our church, printed ribbon, finally the butterflies...Pastor Tom had a beautiful carved butterfly cross in his office & he often referred to in in his sermons, so....I also thought the butterfly was symbolic of his "flying away" to start this new chapter in his life. Anyhow...I really like how it turned out.