Hi friends!! School starts here this week and I got Anton some book covers and name stickers for his new books, as well as some other stationary items. It reminded me of how much I used to love to sit and cover my books with paper or plastic and pick which stickers I was going to use for each book. It doesn't surprise me that I loved this, both the fun decorating part and all the possibilities that were in between the pages of a new book. I still feel the same every time I get a new book.
This week our theme at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge book is Artist Trading Cards. ATC's are such a fun format and if you have never tried one, I hope you will. If you don't want to make an ordinary ATC, you can also fold a piece of cardstock and turn it into a card, or use as embellishment on another project. ATC's are 2.5 x 3.5 in. As always, don't miss the wonderful project of our August guest designer, Simo with her blog Ginny and the Sheep.
And a reminder not to miss the Simon Says Stamp Summer Vacation Kid's Challenge. Anton will post something he made later this week.
When I was thinking of what to do, I happened to see the plastic packaging of Tim Holtz's Star Fasteners on my desk. I measured and saw that it was almost the exact right size and decided to use it for my ATC. About a year ago, I did a Recycled Time Tag using Sprocket Gears packaging, which is a little similar to this.
I die cut an ATC card using Tim's ATC & Corners die (you can also cut your own), and then covered it with phrases from the Clippings Stickers. I picked some phrases out as main sentiments, and picked others that fit with them. After adhering them to the card, I coated them with Clear Gesso.
The Clear Gesso gives great tooth for Dina Wakley's Scribble Sticks. Scribble different colors over the phrases, leaving some uncolored. Turn the pigment into watercolor with a paint brush and some water.
When dry, draw with a Black Soot Marker in between the phrases, and again, dissolve some of that with water and a paint brush.
Randomly stamp dots on the background with Versamark ink and white emboss. I also white embossed a very thin border around the card.
Apply gesso to some metal embellishments with your finger, making sure to get an uneven coat.
When dry, paint with Distress Paints for a textured look.
I stamped the circles with three different stamps. Under this bird circle, there is a gadget gear. I also flattened and stapled a Tag Press Ring around it.
The top circle was stamped with a compass and I added a small gear and a game spinner in the center.
The third circle was stamped with a clock, and underneath it you will find another sprocket gear, as well as a Mirrored Heart.
The painted metal pieces have a pretty cool texture.
It is hard to capture the dimension of this ATC, created by the packaging overlay. The packaging was stapled to the background, after having glued the elements underneath the circles.
I use my ATCs in about the same way as I do tags, both for quick inspiration and displayed as a home decor item. Most of them hang at the top level of my Tim Holtz Clip Carousel. I've added lots more ATCs and tags since this photo was taken and my Carousel is pretty full.
If you want more ATC inspiration, check out these projects of mine: Quick Gift Card Set, Mixed Media Envelopes and ATC cards, Distressed Travel ATCs, Stamp without Ink, Dotty Gel Print ATC book, Love ATC Box.
I hope you will join us this week in our Artist Trading Card challenge. As always, you have a chance to win a $50 gift voucher to do some fun shopping at Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in.
Fabulous ATC Anna-Karin :-) I love how you recycled the packaging! what a brilliant idea, and the added details are perfect! Love how you display your tags and ATC's too, I need to buy me a carousel now! ;-)
ReplyDeleteluv
Lols x x x
Amazing, Anna-Karin! The background is so clever and I love all the elements you put on your card. So pretty!
ReplyDeleteCathie ♥
This is one of the most brilliant recycling ever Anna-Karin!!!! I love everything about it...the use of the package is pure genius! Huge hugs dear xxx Simona
ReplyDeleteAwesome ATC, Anna-Karin!! I love your idea with all the word clippings and then how you used the scribble sticks to add color to some! Love how you put some very cool images under bubbles too. So cool!! hugs, Maura
ReplyDeleteSo cute! I love the packaging, too.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fabulous atc!!! I love what you've done!!!
ReplyDeleteWow.... this is such a brilliant design, Anna-Karin. Love the beautiful word background. The embellishments and details on it are gorgeous. n:)
ReplyDeletewhat a super ATC and design-you sure do have a way with words!! :):) Love the carousel display too.
ReplyDeleteGreat piece! Love the idea of building the background with stripes of sentiments and color them with so many colors! The plastic over your ATC looks great! I love how you used the circles. I alway throw away this kind of packaging if it's not flat. I won't anymore :-) Hugs, Marzena
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way of using up papers, too! Thanks for the idea... x
ReplyDeleteLove this, Anna-Karin - I have lots of those packaging pieces hanging around too - some get used as palettes, but I'm always toying with using them in a creation and then giving up part way. This is fabulous inspiration, and I just love all those words in the background.
ReplyDeleteAlison x
I see you've got the roth phallyka nonsense going on too (comment above mine) - they're definitely Spam, copying and pasting comments from elsewhere in the post but leading to very dodgy sites if you click on anything. Best to mark as Spam and delete if you spot them...
Alison x
Your background is amazing. I love that you used the Tim Holtz Clippings! I love them so much!! I never thought of making my backrgounds with stickers, this is definitely a technique I'd love to try! Thank you for inspiring me!!
ReplyDeleteI just LOVE this ATC, Anna-Karin...it's wonderful and so totally unique and original in it's concept ~ what an amazing way to use the clippings stickers -LOVE it! :)
ReplyDeleteingenious use of the clippings stickers and I love your clip carousel...hugs kath xxx
ReplyDeleteYou always have such totally inspiring ways of using materials! What a great technique to try with the clippings stickers. Genius! Fun, too, to see such a gorgeous spinner rack full of beautiful creations!
ReplyDeleteThis ATC is so pretty, love that you've collaged the stickers and colored them! The dimension with the bubbled gears are amazing! Hugs, Sandra
ReplyDeleteAnna-Karin, your ATC's are fantastic and they DO look great on the rack as a home decor item. Very well done!
ReplyDeleteHow clever is this Atc???? Love your way to recycle words , colors are fabulous and the altered gears fantastic! love this! barbara
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