Catching up! Lots of ATCs

This first ATC is for a swap called, "Use Your Crap" It has all sorts of goodies on it, the minimum requirement was ten items. I have that and then some. :)

This next one is possibly not finished, but since I haven't really figured out what else to do to it, I am posting it here for now.  If I was to pick a scripture to describe my thoughts while making this it would be James 1:2-4.  The idea is that adversity often reveals beauty.

Next up is a swap called, "Put a Bike On It".  I started with Braille paper, then I spritzed two colors of Tattered Angels Glimmer mist over a stencil, then used a smaller circle stencil and my stippling brush with some Mustard Seed Distress Ink.  I used Peeled Paint distress ink around the perimeter.  The bike is stamped onto a piece of transparency film, then I used clear embossing powder to heat emboss it.  I cut it out and mounted it over the mesh on the bottom.  In the bottom corner is a tiny piece of map.  The title is Uphill Ride.

The next one is for a swap called Book page with a Flower.  The book page is from a Russian/English dictionary.  I used twinks on it, then while it was still fairly wet, I put a piece of bubble wrap on it to give it the little circles.  The colors don't seem to be very vivid on my computer, but perhaps they will show up better for you.

This ATC is another group swap called Sheet Music with a Heart on it.  The music is Russian (I think) and came in a packet of foreign ephemera in a swap I did with a missionary in the Ukraine.

And finally we have the next Washi Critter:  Meet Blue Lips the Washi Fish.  :)  He has 15 patterns of Washi Tape and 12 different colors of stickles.  I am going to see if I can figure out a way to attach a hook for the hanger to look like a fish hook. :)

So, that's what I have been up to.  The last four of these I made today, actually.  I have been hard at it since 6:30 this morning. Next up, I need to make a head piece for Elizabeth's Steampunk Halloween costume. Just a couple more days till the Christmas gift projects start taking all my creative time.

Private Swap ATCs

I was invited to do a private swap with someone who said she had missed out on some of the swaps I hosted and would like to try some.  So, we set it up and I made the following two ATCs for her.

I used some metallic cardstock and strips from a scrap of some watercolor paper I had painted with pale blues and white twinks.  I had hoped to use them for punching snowflakes for Christmas cards, but the paper was too tough and thick to go in the punch.  I was disappointed, but not thwarted...

This second one was on corrugated, which was the other "theme" she was interested in.  It has washi tape on it, too. :)

Junk Yard Dog ATC

Every once in a while--a lot more frequently than I like!--I get caught off-guard and discover late in the game that I have two partners instead of one for a swap.  That happened today, and I made another dog ATC with washi tape for the second partner.

He is the junk yard dog. :)  There is a lot of junk in the yard, too!  bikes, camera, bricks, a hammer, guitar, scissors and a couple of bugs--a lady bug and a butterfly.  The dog has a pretty cool looking brick house, and a bird to keep him in line. :)

Busy Girl!

I have been a busy girl today!  The new theme was announced yesterday for my Facebook Mixed Media ATC Artists group, and as is my usual, I wanted to jump in and see if I could come up with anything I liked before I committed.  I was also admitted into a small group of advanced ATC artists on SwapBot, and I signed up for a swap or two there as well.  Then, when partners were assigned this morning for a swap I had already made an ATC for, I read my partner's profile and she didn't like rainbow colors, so I made a different one for her. I should learn to wait until partners are assigned, but I am just so impatient!!

This is the first one I did for the FB group.  It's called, Left Brain Meets Right Brain.  It is slightly biographical in nature, as my husband is most assuredly a left brain dominated man and I tend toward the right. The book page features a very complex geometric proof.  I added the graph and measuring tape washi tapes to represent that left side-analytical part of the group.  The colors are not really covering the text, but it is hard to tell in the photo.  To the left brain, the willy-nilly placement of the colors would be unsettling.  I say it's good for 'em. :)

The second one is from a reading primer dated 1968:

If not for the glare you could tell it says, "Good Junk needed."  This is called, "Good Junk makes the Best Art."  'struth.

Next up is one I sent out today but made awhile ago and forgot to photograph. It is another Christmas on sheet music swap, this one features snowflakes.

I used Twinkling H2O watercolors on the background, gradating from blue at the top to more green as it went down.  The blue at the top has more of a silver sheen to it, the green more gold.  The photo really doesn't do it justice.  I used Liquid Pearl white to make the snow bank at the bottom, then added a bit of white stickles glitter-glue to it for more depth.  I also added white stickles to the tree, but a different color around the edges.  Finally, I affixed the little silver charms I have had in my stash for ... let's just say a number of years.  :)

Next up is another book page; I actually thought about using it for the FB swap, but changed my mind and am using it for the advanced ATC group instead.

This one is called "Don't Cry, Polly!"  I don't know if you can see the dog's tongue licking away her tears or not.  It was a black and white illustration, and I colored it with markers, then added highlights with some stickles and liquid pearls, and highlighted the dog's nose and eyes, and Polly's shoes with some glossy accents. Of course I had to add a bit of washi tape to it--the little bird on the fence is from a very carefully cut piece of tape!

This last one is the new Postage Stamp ATC for a group swap.  The partner loves quilting and one of her favorite things is seeing quilts on a clothesline.  This one is on watercolor paper, and I painted the background, blues and the foreground greens.  I also painted the little sunflowers to the far right.  The fence and other little flowers, as well as the bird and clothes pins are all washi tape. :)  The stamps fit perfectly on the line.

That's what I have been working on today!  Elizabeth photocopied some of my art journal pages, and I am going to use them to make some little postalettes to send to a couple of pen-pals.  I am kind of glad I didn't get any mail today or I would be further behind!

Catching Up ATCs

For a swap I hosted called Glimmering ATC I had made a different one then the partner said on her profile she didn't like orange so I had to make another.  She liked this one. :)

For an upcoming swap in a group for an ATC with a postage stamp. Background is fabric I gleaned from an incoming bit of mail.  I love mail art! :)

I haven't decided what swap this will go for.  If I can figure out a way to add some fibers, I may use it for a group swap I am hosting called, "String me along"  I like it as it is, though, so I may use it for a free theme swap sometime.

This is all washi tape except the dog, little screw brads and the for sale sign. It is for a Group Swap called ATC challenge, or something like that.  Needed to use a dog, a brad, washi tape and a bird. Nailed it. :)

New Directions

Today I did two ATCs and both were styles I have never done before.  The first one is for a swap with someone who had a brand new in the box Barbie for trade, and when I asked what she wanted to swap for it she read my profile and said she would like an embroidered ATC.  I haven't done much embroidery lately, and my first attempt was a colossal failure.  The second round I "cheated" a little and used some crocheted flowers.  There is embroidery on there, and the flowers were hand made, just not by me.  I am not a good hooker. :)

Embroidery on an ATC

How does your garden grow?

The second one is my first attempt at free hand drawing then painting it.  The theme for this ATC swap is gardening.  I figured since this plant has been in every garden I have ever had, it was appropriate.  It is next to the little bag I will send it in. I just love putting them in those cute little washi-taped bags!! :)

A Few Little Projects

Ornery has kindly loaned me his tablet so I can post pictures to Instagram again, and email them to myself--until my data plan renews, this is my only way to do so unless I drag out the big camera and download them that way.  Anyway, here are a few projects I have finished in the last couple of days.

Washi Tape Cat--a little on the order of Picaso style, or gradeschool, one or the other. :P

Collage Post card with certain elements required. The back is actually cuter.

Mixed Media Shimmery ATC

Along for the Ride

I don't think the colors came out right in any of the photos, but you can get the gist of it anyway.

Seasonal ATCs

I have been working on this first ATC for three days.  I think it is finally finished.  It is another of the series Christmas ATCs with sheet music backgrounds.  I had actually forgotten that I had to have sheet music for this until after I had already painted the corrugated paper and punched out the tree.  I loved the background paper I selected, so was loathe to cover it all up with sheet music!  A compromise was to cover 1/2 of it and add some sheet music trees also in the background.

The beading took longer than I thought to apply.  I had to wait for each bit of glue to dry before I could move on to another section, otherwise it just kept popping off the paper.

This next one is Sticker Free ATC: Pumpkin.  I just couldn't help myself.  I had to weave that variety of orange paper for the background!  Then I framed it in Washi tape and added the pumpkin which reminds me of those huge red-orange pumpkins we find at the farmers market around this time of year. 

I keep looking at it thinking I might need to add more, but for now, it is done enough.

Catching up

I have been busy.  Yesterday I crafted from early until late.  I decorated the little glassine envelopes above for some ATCs to go in for swaps...and all these ATCs.

Black and White with a Heart on it.  Still weaving. :)

Washi Tape ATC for a Pen friend

ATC with a Quote on it

For this one I used some old mulberry paper leaves I unearthed while looking for something else. :)

This set is made from all the little bits and pieces I had on my table.  Washi tape, handmade papers, negative punched images, pieces of doily and various fun textured papers including some Braille punched paper that a fellow artist sent me.  I painted it with twinks because you can never have too much shimmer, and then put a flower on it for a swap called, ATC with a flower.  :)

Cranking Out the Art

Today I signed up for a few more swaps and got out my twinks.  These are not in the order in which they were made, but they were all made today...

First we have Remembrance Day.  I love using the fan brush to make the poppies.

Next we have Nesting Blackbird.  This one is for a swap I am hosting called, Woven ATC.

This was actually the first one I did, using a hymnal page with Silent Night on it for a swap using sheet music.  It is a Christmas ATC with a religious theme.

While I was painting, Elizabeth was waiting for her dad to get done at the chiropractor's office, and she decided to paint too.  She took the other half page of hymnal and went to town.  That is the background of the next two ATCs which were designed for the swap Fall Glitter ATC.  The first one is the one I am keeping, the second will be sent to my swap partner.

Washi Tape ATC

This was for a swap to make an ATC out of Washi tape.  There are 15 different patterns of tape on this ATC.  I didn't make a duplicate for myself. :)

From the Long Weekend

I really should have more to show for a long weekend, but this is it for now...

Private Swap

Punch Art with a Touch of Orange

A to Z Fun

Front of a decorated envie

Back of the same envie

No special notes... Just that. :)

Fish I and II

This was for a private swap.  It feels like there is not much to it, because it was mostly cut and paste, but it took me almost all morning to cut those little fish out and glitz them up!

The Security Guard

This swap required the patterned paper from inside a security envelope be featured somewhere on the ATC.  I opted to use ONLY security envelopes for it.  This is called the Security Guard.

Other than the six styles of security paper, (there is another on the back) I added very few elements.  Some washi tape on top and bottom, the googly eyes, a brad I altered to say "Guard Dog" and the little metal tag and eyelet. I added some Glossy Accents to the nose and paw print.  both the dog and the paw print are cut with QuicKutz dies.

Metal Altered Rolodex Card

This little Rolo is for a swap called "Metal Things."  It is left up to the artist to interpret what that means, and I took it literally. I recently purchased a metals kit from Walnut Hollow, and decided to try it out on this swap.  I am not as fond of Rolos as I am of ATCs because of those little notches at the bottom.  I survived, but not without much grumbling. :)

Cruises and Trees

Summertime Cruise

 This first ATC is for a swap called Ticket to Ride, and the element required was a ticket of any kind. I used one from a little cruise Ornery took with his sister last summer when they were in Seattle taking care of some business. All the cutting is free hand, and some of it is rather obvious. Ahem. I even put some "smoke" coming out of the exhaust pipe--little fuzz from a cotton patch. :)

Tree-o

This second one is for a swap for a shaped ATC.  I started with some punched trees, but let me tell you, there were five layers of stuff there, and all of it had to be cut.  I wised up on the second one and layered it all before I cut! I was still designing on the first one, so I didn't know how many layers it would take.  I was very happy with this one--actually I added a bit of shading around the two front trees as well before it was all said and done.

ATC with Watercolors

I had made this background for another project, although I would have to hunt around to remember which one.  Anyway, a week or so ago, I put it in a little envie for this swap, and set it aside.  Today it was the next on the list, and I pulled it out.  I don't know just what I had in mind when I decided to use it, but it was already painted, and so I went with it.

Finding the right combination of embellishments is always tricky for me. I have a LOT of stuff, and a good bit of it is pretty cool--well, okay, MOST of it is pretty cool, but it doesn't all work on every project.  So, I knew I wanted to use the last paper oak leaf (in the bottom corner) as it adds texture without distracting by adding an additional color.  Since I made two of this (one for me and one for the swap) I had to make sure all my supplies were available in duplicate.  Check.  The leaf had to be sacrificed and cut in half, but I made it work.

I cut some gold paper the shape of the flower, which is clear plastic, and I used alcohol inks on the flower. The clear plastic looked blah without the background, and I liked the way the gold looked behind it.  I would have used some silvery vellum, but I couldn't lay my hands on it since I cleaned things up. :(  Anyway, the design at the top is stamped with embossing ink, and I used a shimmery gold powder to heat emboss it. The other elements are all glued on with Glossy Accents.

Diptych ATC: Party

Party!

This took me hours to make. HOURS!  All that cutting, stamping, cutting, gluing... It is for a mixed media group swap.  A diptych is two sides hinged together.  For this swap the design was to carry from one side to the other.  It's busy.  It sorta looks like a party, no?