ATC Fun

So, I just completed my first ATC Swap on SplitCoast Stampers. This was an advanced technique swap that I was asked to join because someone had dropped out at the last minute. I decided to do the Dahlia flower. This was easier said than done, as I soon found out that folding these flowers was no small feat when you had to scale it down to standard ATC size! (Normally, you fold the flowers out of circles made with the SU 1 and 3/8 punch, but this swap required me to use my tiny 7/8 inch punch!) My fingers ached but I was pleased with the results! LOL

This swap ends 3/31. I can't wait to see what I get in the mail in a few weeks being that this was called an advanced technique swap. I am looking forward to some cool goodies!

After I carefully packaged and mailed my ATC's to their rightful hostess, I began to wonder what I'd do with the few extra's that I had. That is the beauty of ATCs! They can sit quietly and neatly in a baseball card collector's binder, as I intend to start one soon, but since this was my own design, I decided to play around with it and was pleased with my initial results.

So, just a tip/hint for you creator's out there...sometimes ATC's make for a striking focal point and surely guarantee a fast, easy card, too! Here is what I did with mine for starters:

I used Kraft paper from SU and then Heidi Grace DP from their Harvest line, the same paper I used for the folded flower. I distressed the green DP w/ brown Chalk ink and layered it onto my card, tying a brown satin-edged ribbon on the left-hand side for accent.

Using three vintage copper brads from Making Memories, I punched 3 holes aligned along the bottom right for contrast and more accenting, using my 1/16" Fiskars punch.

Then it was time to add my ATC and paste it right in the middle. Ta-Dah! Done and done FAST, well...at least compared to the time it took to make the ATC (lol!) Thanks for looking and I look forward to swapping with more of you sometime soon. My Papertrey Ink swap is closed and due 3/15, so I'm super excited about this. I will post details soon on the Cupcake swap I still plan to do soon on the blogspot here and also on SCS. Cheers!