January ATC’s

 Created another small set of ATC’s. Inspired by a few monochromatic technique videos, both of the sets I made, while very different, embraced this color story!

The first set was created with a couple different stamp sets. I pulled out inexpensive watercolor paper and sprayed and used pigment inks to create a lush deep pink, red and violet sheet. I cut down the sheet to create 4 ATCs. I then used black ink to stamp and emboss (with a grainy black Seth Apter powder) the lace background stamp from a Stampendous stamp set, called Ornate and Lace. I die cut some larger hearts from the same paper and used the ornate part of the stamp to emboss another image onto those hearts. I decided to add a little sparkle with white glitter by adding small circles with a glue pen on one side of the heart.

I then found another heart stamp set, Love Rocks by Dina Wakely. I knew I was going to use some cool pink glitter hearts on the ATCs, so I wanted to pull more purple in. I pulled another sheet and used Wisteria Colorburst and red inks to create a smaller set of hearts to add to the ATC’s. I fussy cut those out. And then finally, I found a magazine scrap and a patterned paper scrap and cut out more hearts. To add more sparkle I embossed script from, I think, a vintage typewriter stamp set, using silver powder on the larger heart. I  used an old Stampin Up sentiment on plain pink paper, cut it down and inked the edges. Finally used glue and foam tape to create a layered effect and called them done!

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

For the second set, I reused the typewriter set, pictured below, a lot. First, I started with Bristol paper and 2 stencils. I pulled out a variety of tan/brown inks, including archival, oxides and Memento inks and went to town. I used ink blending, stamping, and multiple inks on one stencil to add a variety of shades and texture looks to the background. 

I embossed the typewriter image and fussy cut it out.  I remembered I had picked up some little envelopes at Tuesday Morning. I ink blended the browns onto the white envelopes and stamped an image on it. I had decided to simulate a typewriter created message. So I took a grainy tan paper and stamped the little sentiments closely together. I cut out the pieces into rectangles, inked the sides and with a brown pen, added lines. I then embossed the lady image and used watercolor and a little clear sparkle ink to color her in. 

To pull the ATC’s together I tore an old vintage book page up to use as a backdrop for the individual pieces. I then added a string and a tiny Tim Holtz clip to finish them off. 

I love these for a variety of reasons…first, my mother, for one, she was an administrator, she typed up all my last minute high school projects till 3 in the morning, and she, herself was very creative and artistic. After retirement, she was very handicapped with severe rheumatoid arthritis, but still took up oil painting… she made some fabulous paintings despite crippled hands. Second, it’s so petite and reminds me of miniature stuff… which I love. Third, it’s just a great message for all of us! 

Hope you enjoyed these! Thanks for stopping by!