Last Chance!

Hello everyone. Happy Sunday afternoon (morning to me, slept in WAY later than I would have liked to. Today is the last day for registration for the ATC swap! Registration closes at midnight tonight so I hope I can grab a few of you to join our lovely groups of swappers! Just because there were a couple of different post about the swap and in case of any confusion here is a run down of the swap and the guidelines!

Leave a comment here on this post today indicating you would like to join the swap and give me a valid email address or add me as friend on Facebook and inbox me your email address. This is for the purpose of being able to send you all updates and my mailing address so that you know where to send the cards.
Each person makes three cards one of which I've asked to include in the card design a quote about "ART" that you love. This is optional not a rule! Deadline for mailing your cards to me is October 22nd that is almost one month from now..I must receive your cards no later than Halloween, October 31st. If you are an international swapper your postage will be covered by yours truly to send back your swapped cards. US friends please help me out with some postage by included 2-3 US postage stamps in your envelope it is greatly appreciate and I would love to cover everyone's postage but this hobby can get expensive as you all know if you have ever done a swap! Everyone participating will receive one EXTRA aftful goody from ME..for joining the swap sound like fun? Hurry up and register! If you have never created ATC's and do not know much about them here is a run down.

ATC stands for Artists Trading Cards..I wont get into the history of them but they date back many centuries regardless of what you read on the internet about some Swiss guy who founded ATC's in 1966 that is funny to me..he may have started a movement of many swappers and traders however these cards can go back as early as the 14th century...onward>
These cards are the size of a deck of playing cards and can be made from an actual playing card or cut out of illustration board ( my favorite) Bristol board, watercolor paper or any other thicker type paper. You want to make sure the paper you use for them is thick so that it can withstand paint, Gesso, glues, watercolor paint, embellishments or anything else you might want to include in them.

The standard size for ATC's is about 2.5 x 3.5. If you want to get really creative you can make small pockets from envelopes or paper and decorate them...more to come on that in a moment. Here is a link will 11 basic steps about making an ATC but just know this...their a way for artist to get their names and work out into the art community and think of your craft whether you paint or collage...mixed media, typography anything...its like having a blank canvas in front of you...just on a very small scale. Think of them as well as a business card of sort...their just all different.
NOTE: ALL PARTICIPANTS
Please make sure that on the back of your ATC cards you include the following
your first and last name
date the card was created
some way of contacting you be it your facebook address or website / blog address
title of the card

Here is that link now: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Artist-Trading-Cards

Local craft stores are now selling precut and packaged ATC size cards on different types of stocks check this link out!
http://www.michaels.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Michaels-Site/default/Link-Category?cgid=products-artsupplies-paper%26boards-artisttradingcards

And another:
http://www.skybluepink.com/atc.html

A few newbies to ATC cards have asked what supplies they will need to create ATC's. That is really a loaded question and I will tell you why. It is very simple.

The possibilities are very literally endless.

Here are a few starting points.

Whatever you will use for the card itself be it you cut them or you bought pre-cut cards

Scrapbooking paper, old news papers, magazines, anything paper 

Markers, paints, fine pint pens, watercolor, acrylic paint, ink pads for rubber stamping, embellishments, glitter ( though not my favorite) seriously..ANYTHING. Their what you make them. 

I will tell you this. My favortie cards are ones that have some meaning behind them, be that meaning hidden and no one could ever figure it out or very obvious the meaning..a quote...a line in a song...the deeper meaning cards are just always the ones I personally gravitate too. You can collage, draw, paint, do abstract...anything anything anything! That sort of artistic freedom is wonderful isn't it? So..I've been working on some cards these past couple of days...I have way more than enough for the trade but remember each person will get an extra in their return swapped out package from me so I am making extras and as well I had forgotten how much I really enjoy creating ATC's so I just been getting myself back on the swing of them. So many new products and techniques out since I was last making them in 2009. Here are a couple of my favorite past ATC cards. Some have been already traded and some have just been way to hard to part with. 

And so..looking at these brings back all sorts of memories...i'd like to believe that my talent has improved since then. Here are a few I've done this weekend!

I'm really loving with with this shadow figure..obviously.

 

love the word "capered" lol

caperedpast participle, past tense of ca·per

Verb:

Skip or dance about in a lively or playful way: "children capering about the room".

This one is a peak to the backs of a couple..i dont go overboard with decorating the backs but like to add some color and uniqueness..? Get the idea?

And so there you have. I surely hope by midnight tonight we get a few more participants and we will be well on our way! If you have any questions, suggestions, tips or techniques you would like to share or ask please feel free to contact me here or on Facebook and I would more than happy to help!

I am hoping that sometime later this week to be able to post a stp by step how to video of me making an ATC..and through the weeks leading up to the swap I will be sharing links and ideas with you all to keep you motivated and inspired!

Thank you to all who have joined the swap thus far and to any who join today! 

Happy creating! Now off to housework, the grocery store / veggie and fruit market and back to my small studio space for more creative outlet! :)