Cards made with ATCs

 I have an overflowing binder of ATCs which I have collected in the last 20 years!  Wow!  I cannot believe it has been that long!!

I have decided to create cards with some of them which I will be donating to a local event as a fundraiser.  It has been fun to go through the binder and remember the exchanges and the people!! Some of the people are still around and we have several Yahoo groups in common.  Others, I have not ``seen around`` for quite some time though they used to be very active.
For this first card, I simply added an alcohol ink background to a green card front and adhered the ATC over it.  I added a little oval (SU) laser printed greeting as well that overlaps the ATC and the background.  I was amazed to find a background that coordinated so well.

 For this card, I trimmed the two side edges of the ATC to the main image leaving an even margin all the way around.  I die cut a filigree circle (SX) out of gray cardstock, cut it apart and used the pieces to frame the ATC.  I really like how that worked out. The background is one I had prepared for another project and in the end decided to do something else.  It has the laser printed brick pattern (CLKER) on the left hand side and an embossed pattern on the right hand side which I created using a TH embossing folder and a small hammer to just emboss the area that I wanted. I sponged the embossed area and the edges with blue and black ink and added some black watercolour to the mortar lines.  I added a black ribbon through the arched openings on the sides and glued the ends to the inside front of the card.  I used my slot punch (SU) to make a very slight opening on the spine for the ribbon.

For this card, I used the ATC as it was created and added a copper key using a tiny copper brad.  I used two scraps of double embossed cardstock to create a background and layered a piece of coordinating vintage seam binding over where they joined.  Layered all the pieces onto a dark brown card front and added an oval (SU) sponged laser printed greeting.

 For this card, I also used the ATC as it was created, added a white on black stamped background (SU) and layered them to a pink card front.  I added a pink strip of cardstock over the join and added some faux stitching to it using a black fine tip Sharpie.  Found a laser printed greeting in my stash, added a black layer and adhered it to my card front using 3D foam tape.

 For this card, I used the ATC as it was created (scraped acrylic background), added some blue decorative paper strips to the side and flagged their ends.  I added a black ribbon and a laser printed greeting in the same manner as I did for these cards.

This card features a shaving cream background ATC.  I layered it onto pink, added green vintage seam binding and a laser printed greeting with sponged edges to create my main element.  I found some paper in my stash (left over from my clock project) that coordinated so cut some strips and used them as a background over a dark pink card front.

For this card I used the ATC as it was created, layered it over a white embossed background layered onto a red card front.  Added a long border punched greeting to finish it off.

I really enjoyed the process of using ATCs to create cards!!  I have quite a few more to go!!  Will get as many as I can done for this event and will do more for donation to another event when the need arises!!  I have quite a few cards to refurbish as well which will also be donated.  Being new to this community I will have to find an organisation who would be open to my donations.

Leave me a comment if donate refurbished cards to a local group!!  Look forward to hearing from you!

Therese

Paper cast card for a swap

Joined a swap on AFTCM which involved creating a card that featured a paper cast made out of toilet paper.  I have made paper casts from bond paper in the past but have never tried this method so I did a bit of online research and found this tutorial.  I used an unmounted Magenta rubber stamp which I placed design side up on a plate.  I placed one sheet of toilet paper over it and used a wet sponge to mould it to the surface of the stamp.  I repeated this process six more times.  To get fine details in the final piece it is necessary to really get the paper into the recesses of the stamp so I used a little brush to tamp down the paper and left it overnight to dry.
Once dry, I applied a little bit of watercolour to highlight the flowers, leaves and ribbon. I was careful not to add too much water as it would dissolve the details in the paper cast.  I dried it with my heat gun and sprayed it with hair spray to protect it.  I trimmed the outside edge into a large oval shape.
I used a dark pink card front, added a black label and mounted a blue embossed frame over it which had been cut with the same label die (SX).  I added a dark pink ribbon across the middle and glued my paper cast over it framing it nicely in the opening.  Paper casts created with this method would be prone to delaminating so I added a few stitches through the paper cast to attach it more securely to the card front.  To finish it off I added a layered greeting using a word window punchie (SU) over a modern label punchie (SU).  I did find some tutorials which recommended adding glue to the water you used which would help prevent the delamination and would add some strength to the paper cast which may be a good idea for next time.  On hindsight, I expect that chalk would have been a very effective way of adding colour as well.
It is always fun to try new things!!  

Therese