Awesome ATCs

Last month the Little Blue House Art Group learned about ATCs (Artist Trading Cards). Many of the ladies had never heard of them nor had they made any.  We decided to have an ATC Swap with the theme being "Springtime." That was the only "rule."  Everyone made 6, kept one and swapped five at our meeting last week.  It was exciting to see the variety of ideas and techniques used.  

This was my ATC.  I used a Distress Ink technique on a watercolor paper base.  I swiped Stormy Sky, Broken China and Peeled Paint inks directly on an acrylic block, misted it lightly with water and then "stamped" the block on the paper.  The bird and twig is a beautiful napkin which I adhered over the watercolor background. Because the napkin is so thin and translucent, some of the background shows through.  Then I stamped the nest and word, used colored pencils and Stickles on the eggs and added a dot of Stickles to the eye.  The music notes is a bit of Tim Holtz tissue tape.

In addition to the swap, we altered Maya Road divided "memory boxes."  This was the sample I made for the class.  The exterior of the box was stained with Broken China Distress Stain and the interior was painted with a metallic bronze acrylic paint.  I added the butterfly design tissue tape around the sides.  The hanger is a piece of black wire threaded through some buttons with a handcut banner added.  

I used a "Tim technique" on the bird diecut. I covered a small piece of chipboard with random strips of different-patterned tissue tapes then die cut it with the Caged Bird die.  Wild Honey Distress Stain was used to color the body and brown chalk ink for the branch. I love how the "eye and head" of the bird was serendipitously revealed! No manner of planning could have accomplished that!

Here are some of the other boxes that were made.  You will see the great variety of ATCs in these pictures since we all received a mix.

made by Carolyn

made by DeeDee

made by Hilary

made by Sandy

made by Kathleen

made by Jill

Didn't they do a great job, both on the boxes and the ATCs?  I'm so proud of them. (I hope I managed to attribute the boxes to the right people - if not, I hope they will correct me.)