ATC

   I’ve seen the letters ATC around and about crafting blogs for a long time, but I wasn’t sure what it stood for so I googled it. According to Wikipedia, “ATC or Artist Trading Cards are miniature works of art about the same size as modern trading cards, 2¹⁄₂ by 3¹⁄₂ inches.”  A size that, in my mind, is not intimidating. You can trade them and collect them just like baseball cards. Fun! I was geared up to do something for Easter so I thought I could try making an Easter/spring themed ATC. In my Craft Ideas folder I had a template for an ATC size Swing card that I downloaded from Penny Wessenauer a long time ago.
   I used the little rabbit holding the balloon that's in the Give a Hoot cartridge. I free hand cut the balloons in various sizes, used an unraveled piece of Sugar and Spice yarn for the balloon strings, placed Washi tape on either side  where the center square folds back and forth and made grass by snipping a strip of green cardstock here and there and then fluffing it a little. I added a couple of flower brads for another touch of spring time color.

 

When it’s opened flat out it measures 3.5 x 3.5

When the card is folded, it measures 2.5 x 3.5

When it's folded open the center can swing

showing both sides.

I'm going to enter this in the following challenges this week. (I'm slipping in under the wire of a couple, but I had got to babysit the GBs this weekend and just got back into town)

Fantabulous Cricut

My Paper Crafting

My Craft Spot 

Little Scrap Pieces

Die Cutttin Divas

When Irish Eyes are Smiling

Happy St Patrick’s Day!

 

When I was little I thought we were Irish because my Dad was born on St. Patrick’s Day. We aren’t, but that doesn’t mean I don’t wear green on March 17^th and I made this trio of cards to spread the luck of the Irish.

The little leprechaun on the left, was cut using Paper Doll Dress Up Cricut cartridge. I used some of the scrumptious, so-o-o easy to cut Paper Layerz by Megan Elizabeth. If you’ve not had a chance to try out Megan’s paper you don’t know what you are missing. This paper cuts like butter and I love that one side is a solid color and the other side is 3 x 3 inch squares of coordinating color blocks. I only had to load the paper once to make my little leprechaun and all his layers. I used Star Dust Stickles to give a little bling to my pot of gold.

The center card is a simple 4 leaf clover, but I put this pot of gold (flowers, that is) inside the card. I was planning to write Happy Saint Patrick’s Day on the pot in white, but my pen dried out. I may go back cut out the sentiment with my Cricut.

This card is my personal favorite. I cut shamrocks in different sizes and used pop dots on some of them and layered others to give it a more 3 dimensional effect. The umbrella is from A Child’s Year cartridge and I used a fine tip marker to write Erin Go Bragh on the edge. The clovers are from Paper Doll Dress Up. On the inside is the sentiment, ‘MAY YOU BE SHOWERED WITH THE LUCK OF THE IRISH’ which I printed up on my computer before decorating the front.  
If you don’t want to get pinched, don’t forget to wear green on Sunday, March 17<sup>th

I'm going to enter my cards in these fun challenges:
Bitten by the Bug 2: So Lucky Shamrock 
Go Fish Challenge Blog #36 GOLD
StuckOnUSketches: Shamrock Die Cut Reveal 
My Paper Crafting:CWC #124 Irish Eyes are Smiling 
Exploring Cricut "The Luck of the Irish" Challenge 
Fantabulous Cricut Challenge "Luck of the Irish" 
Scrappy Moms Stamps Terrific Tuesday Challenge</sup>