what's an atc...

i guess i should explain what an atc is since i am so addicted to them lately. atc stands for artist trading card. it's a 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch piece of artwork. people make them and then trade them (kinda like baseball cards!). anything goes with an atc as far as what type of material to use, the only real rule is that it is always the same size and you aren't supposed to sell them. the artist creates the design on the front, then signs the back with their name, title of atc, contact info and number of atc (usually 1/9, 2/9, etc. with 9 being how many were made). the atcs i make usually have a theme and are swapped out between a group of people so each person has a collection of 9 atcs. i put my atcs in baseball card sheet protectors and have them stored in binders. it's fun to look through them and get ideas for cards or other atcs, or just to browse! they are fun, make you think outside the box to get something to fit on the small size, and certainly addicting!

christmas favorites...

i can't believe that the latest circle journal swap i'm hosting is half way done. where has the time gone? it's been fun (and challenging!) doing this swap. here is my entry for ellie's cj. in it we were supposed to use our favorite christmas stamps. (and i think we were supposed to put why they were our favorite, but i forgot!)

christmas favorites
stamps: my favorite things, eat cake graphics, maryse carrier, rubber moon, stampin up, river city rubber works
cardstock: riding hood red, blue bayou, wild wasabi, my minds eye pp
ink: riding hood red, blue bayou, wild wasabi, onyx black
embellishments: stickles, liquid applique

cup o' joe...

i know, the last entry should have been labeled "cup o' joe" since it was a coffee theme. but i coudln't think of anything catchy to call this atc, so i called it "cup o' joe" since the bear is holding a cup of something! might as well be coffee, right?








cup o' joe
stamps: purple onion designs, maryse carrier
cardstock: buckaroo blue
ink: onyx black, alyways artichoke, buckaroo blue, going gray
other: prismacolor markers, bic mark it markers

a good thing...

i think i need help. i'm seriously addicted to these little creations called atcs!! is there a support group or something? this one is for a coffee themed swap.



a good thing
stamps: stampin up, global solutions, just johanna
cardstock: melon mambo, chocolate chip
ink: soft suede, melon mambo
embellishments: glossy accents, diamond stickles

sleigh surfin'...

it's funny how you think you have a ton of something. like i joined sherri's santa atc swap because i just knew i had a ton of santa stamps. truth is, i have about 3! i did recently get this cute surf santa from amuse, so i knew i wanted to use it sometime. then i remembered i had this cute sleigh (coincidentally, also amuse!). so i came up with this fun little piece!

sleigh surfin'
stamps: amuse, stampendous, river city rubber works
cardstock: pacific point, riding hood red
ink: riding hood red, pacific point, onyx black
embellishments: twine

fall...

again...joined a swap (stinky's hosting this one) thinking i had all the right stamps for what i wanted to make but reallly didn't!! of course, i sat on this one for a while because i couldn't think of anything good for a fall theme. i had a cute scarecrow, but are they really fallish? then while organizing my stamps the other day (which i'm not close to being done with!), i found this little set of trees. so i figured i could make it work! i got a new alphabet set from kim hughes and cornish heritage farms the other day (love 40% off!) which i absolutely love. so i thought it would look cute on this! i also used those in colors again. love them!










fall
stamps: stampin up, kim hughes-chf
cardstock: dusty durango, crushed curry, soft suede
ink: dusty durango, crushed curry, soft suede, onyx black
embellishment: twine

got fish?

i {heart} this stamp. i made this atc for chris's cat atc swap. i love how it turned out. i also used the new in colors from stampin up. they are growing on me more and more each time i use them!

got fish?
stamps: maryse carrier
cardstock: dusty durango, soft suede, we r memory keepers pp
ink: onyx black versafine, dusty durango, soft suede
embellishments: buttons
other: prismacolor markers

sunflower goodness...

i signed up for this sunflower swap that was hosted by sherri. i did it thinking i had a ton of sunflower stamps. come to find out, i don't. i don't really know if this stamp is truly sunflowers but i made it work. i used fun flock on the middle of the flower for some texture.







sunflower goodness
stamps: dj inkers
cardstock: old olive
ink: onyx black versafine, baja breeze
other: prismacolor markers, fun flock

dream come true...

i'm hosting a swap that has a wedding/bridal theme. i thought i had a stamp that had a cute little couple but i think i've only thought about ordering it and really didn't. so i had to figure out something different. i loved this little car so i thought i'd make a little collage.


dream come true
stamps: heidi grace, amuse, stampin up
cardstock: basic black, pink pirouette
ink: onyx black versafine, melon mambo
other: prismacolor markers

herd but not seen...

this was a simple atc for a quick swap for christie over at the shack. she had someone flake out on a swap, so i whipped this up last night. the theme is 'down on the farm' but i found this stamp (forgot i bought it!) and love it so i hope it works with the theme!!

invisible
stamps: jessica lynn original stamps
cardstock: kraft
ink: onyx black versafine, baja breeze, certainly celery
other: prismacolor markers

ETA: sorry, they are jessica lynn original stamps. thanks kim!! that's what i get for trying to post when i'm tired!

flip floppin'...

i'm sad that summer is almost over. it's already getting dark when i leave for work in the morning. this summer has gone by way to quickly. this atc was for a flip flop swap my friend sherri is hosting. i can't wait to get them back so i can think of summer when there is a foot of snow outside!!

flip floppin'
stamps: purple sky ltd
cardstock: soft sky, imaginisce pp
ink: onyx black versafine, melon mambo
embellishments: imaginisce rub ons and chipboard, hero arts bling
other: prismacolor markers

another sweet angel...

one of my cute little patients passed away today. i don't usually post much about work or specific patients that i take care of, but as a nurse there are a select few patients that you take care of that touch your life and forever have an impact on you. this was one of those patients. he was an amazing little boy who fought such a hard battle with an amazing mom who was by his side almost every minute of every day doing whatever it took to make him have a better more comfortable life.

please take a minute to keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. take time to tell those you love how important they are because life is so unexpected and can not be taken for granted.

goodbye, little man.

all things christmas...

another circle journal headed out to continue on it's journey. this is my entry for patty's cj in the holiday cj swap. her theme was 'all things christmas'. i had a hard time with this one, trying to figure out what i wanted to do. i love christmas trees, so i grabbed my favorite christmas tree stamps and then decided to add little pieces of christmas to it. and this is what it evolved into.





all things christmas
stamps:amuse, rubber stampede, stampin up, stamps happen, river city rubberworks, cats pajamas, maryse carrier, purple onion designs
cardstock: riding hood red, glorious green, american crafts pp
ink: onyx black versafine, riding hood red, always artichoke
embellishments: glossy accents, stickles: stardust, diamond, christmas red
other: prismacolor and mark it markers

a bunch of atcs...

i've been busy with a few more atc swaps!! i am absolutely addicted to these tiny creations!! the themes for this group are: the great outdoors, life's a beach, and planes, trains and automobiles.

marty moose
stamps: my favorite things, purple onion designs
cardstock: river rock, sage shadow, true thyme
ink: soft suede, always artichoke
other: prismacolor markers, paper piecing

happy place
stamps: stampendous, stampin up, maryse carrier
cardstock: buckaroo blue, sahara sand, riding hood red, imaginisce pp
ink: night of navy, yo you yellow
other: crab punch

road trip
stamps:scrappy cat, inkadinkadoo
cardstock: bordering blue, river rock, night of navy
ink: majestic blue versafine, buckaroo blue