I'm Back

I took a break last year from blogging. I don't know where 2015 went. In a recap I can say I got engaged, moved, started planning a wedding, took a new job, took some amazing trips and so much more!

Back in July I joined an Artist Trading Card Group through my Close to My Heart Group. I keep putting my block on as my address, but its about time I actually started posting again.

I wanted to show some of the cards I made over the past few months and how I store them:

July: Sunflowers:

 I started this card on a kraft base, granted you can't see it anymore. I tore up old books and glued those as my base. I used Tim Holtz Distress ink for the background. The top left corner is from a stencil with Ferro Paste by Viva Decor. The stamp was purchased many years ago from the Michael's dollar bin. I used a black embossing powder and colored in the edges. I finished off the design with a piece of lace, sprayed with Heidi Swapp Color Shine.

August: Flowers in the Field

 August was really hard for me, and I didn't want to keep going with these projects. After many failed cards I finally settled for this. I used a screen and some Tim Holtz Distress Ink for the background. I painted on the grass and embossed the flowers. I used my Silks Acrylic Paint to carefully paint the color detail onto the flowers. I finished the design with the wood veneer "sun" in the corner.

September: Butterflies 

 My groove officially kicked in come September. I had tried the butterflies in August and set them aside. The background was made with Alcohol Inks on glossy paper. I did the inks and then stamped the swirl on top of them. I glue down the wood veneer butterflies, which were colored with Faber Castell Gelatos, coated with Crackle Accents and finished with a Stickle glitter. Using a Heidi Swapp Stencil I designed the stars with Pearl Pens by Viva. I finished with some Art Glitter and bling.

October: Pumpkins at Midnight 

 I got this stamp at a crop last year, and never saw any purpose for it. I started with my background, which was painted from Silks Acrylic Paint. I embossed the tree/cats/fence all from the one stamp. I used a silver Stickle to color the moon and give it definition. The pumpkin was a stencil and I first colored it with ink and then sealed in with a dimensional string gel, to give it a cool finish. I officially am loving ATC's by this point.

 November: Hoot

November has to be one of my favorite ATC's so far. I am a lover of all things owl's, they are all over.  I cut the owls on my Silhouette, just using kraft paper for everything but the eyes. I immediately put all the small pieces into storage containers so I wouldn't loose anything. The body of the owl was painted with gesso and then I used a Studio Calico stencil and navy Viva Decor Modeling Paste, to add the chevron design. The burnt orange for the wings and belly were colored with a Tim Holtz Distress Pad. The brown paint was from Viva Decors Paint Pens. The background was a Heidi Swapp Stencil, using one of her spray inks and some green Tim Holtz Paint Daubers. The stamps were a finishing touch from a prize I won at a Close to My Heart Crop.

December: Merry and Bright

 

 Finally I have my December cards to share. These were actually I made with scraps, I don't think I have ever went out and bought anything for my cards, I always work with what I have. I painted the blue background on the edges (I don't know why I never start with colored paper). I trimmed up all the scraps from an old My Mind's Eye Christmas Pack, to make the background. I fussy cut the snowman and the trees from the paper stack, and I used the extras for Christmas Cards. The stamp was a set from Close to My Heart, that I absolutely had to have.

Next weekend I will debut my January Cards! 

How I store all my ATC's:  

My initial plan for storing my ATC's was to just get them all off my desk. I had an extra cork board laying around. We started with nine gals in our group and now are up to ten. The board quickly got full and I needed a new plan.

I came across an old playing card binder, but it was ugly. I grabbed some burlap at Hobby Lobby and voila....A new ATC book. I have lots of storage for all my cards. We trade on a monthly basis, so I'm planning on posting my new cards each month after the group receives them.

I am also planning on doing a little review of our cruise from March. I was on an online forum for cruisers and never took the time to share our experiences. Plus I have that scrapbook ready to share, I'm just finishing photographing it. Of course the sun went down a lot faster than I anticipated today.

2016 is going to be a great year and I can't wait to share a little of it!