ATC Cards Swap!

Pink Pineapple hosted an ATC (Artist Trading Card) swap and I was involved! This is only my second time making ATCs and boy, trying something new can be intimidating!

At first, I did not understand them. And now I still am not sure I understand them but while we did our swap, we watched a web show on ATCs put on by Scrapbook Heaven on Facebook, and that shed alot more light for me on the subject of ATCs! It was pretty cool!

Here are some pics of the ATCs from the swap:

The theme was “Girls' Night Out” and everyone did a different interpretation! Two ladies used feathers from boas, there was alot of pink and black, some paint, glitter, bling, stamping…SOOOOOO many techniques! The best part was everyone sharing how they made their cards and what they used to make them!

From the things I heard from our Pink Pineapple group and from the web show I'm thinking these might be ways I can use ATCs for myself:

• Create a technique or inspiration book. Put ATCs in page protectors (Badge holders or baseball card holders) and bind them. Use the ATCs you've collected from other “artists” as inspiration. Or make your own ATCs to try different technique and color combos and keep the book as your own special technique guide.
• Create a display. Elena from Scrapbook Royalty has a tiered earring holder that has holes on it–she punches a hole in the corner of each ATC she receives and ties them to the holes in the holder–it creates a really fun display piece with art from her friends from all over the world.
• Use them as accents–attach ATCs you collect or extras you've made to the front of a greeting card or as an accent on a layout. A great way to share art with everyone!

I know there are alot of other ways to use ATCs but for me, these are the ones I would consider doing myself. I've also bound them into books with the Bind It All, for example, the ATCs I received at a Fiskateer event were bound into a book I made about the event. If you have not tried ATCs, give them a try! And for me, the best motivation was to join a swap with a deadline and a theme to give me a starting point and to help me get them finished up.

Author: Jennifer Priest

It started with jewelry, beading, sewing, home decor, painting, basket weaving, pottery, and cross-stitch. Marry that to an entrepreneurial spirit & at 9 years old a girl is selling her wares at craft fairs as far as her parents and grandparents would drive her. These days, Jennifer enjoys crafts of all genres from sewing to scrapbooking to jewelry with a little dabbling in the mixed media world. Her style is approachable and she wants everyone who sees her work to feel that they too can embrace creativity and make their home and life beautiful.