Sequel Stamp ATCs - Vintage Religious Postage Stamp

The postage stamp I had for this was a religious vintage drawing - so I used vintage paper on the left which I distressed with Tim Holtz inks. Ditto the vintage dictionary page and the stamped image which was collaged on. I then stamped the black swirl. I think I may need to distress the stamp too as it is a bit white - but wonder if that is 'allowed'!

This set of four Artist Trading Cards are for a swap on ATCards Site.

Sequel Stamp ATCs - Zambian Postage Stamp

Randomly dabbed paint on the backing paper.

For the Zambian stamp I have tried to link with the ethnic stamped image which I coloured in.

Sequel Stamp ATCs Tudor Manor Postage Stamp

For this old Tudor Mansion postage stamp I used a similar age rubber stamp.

I started by using a piece of vintage wallpaper on the left, and an torn sheet of vintage dictionary all of which I aged with Tim Holtz distressed inks.

I stamped the vintage like swirls on and added the stamped face on a torn sheet of paper which I had aged too.

It looks darker and 'older in day light.

Sequel Stamp ATCs - Guernsey Postage Stamp

I painted a sea and sky background on white paper for the Guernsey stamp I chose to use.

Then just two stamped images - the seal looks dripping wet in 'real life' as he has been embossed too so is very shin.

Oriental Tag

This is the first tag I have made and it fits in nicely with with the Tuesday Challenge on Created by Hand

I cut out a tag shape on textured red card almost A4 size in length - then stamped using a Kodomo stamp and embossed the left hand side with gold, and used a fine textured Japanese paper bag for the right hand side.

I scanned into my computer a Geisha, enlarged her and then enhanced her with water colours.

On her back I painted the ‘material’ gold, then masked it and stamped it with cherry blossoms masking the stamp to just get three little parts I needed and masking the lady too. I edged it with dark blue ribbon to give it ‘depth’ so that it does look layered.

The patterns on the Kimono I enhanced then clear embossed them, ditto the hair and the shoes which now look realistically shiny!

The calligraphy symbol is made of paper which I enamelled so it looks like an ivory tile,

I edged one side in dark blue ribbon and edged that with gold, using a gold krylon pen to edge the rest.



I punched a hole in the top and added colour co-ordinating fibres.

It took quite a few hours to make - but was fun to do.

Art Deco 4cm x 4cm

Nice and bright and cheerful on a cold and miserable winter's day



Hand drawn and painted with water colours.




I think I might do some more - just for me - I seem to swap everything and have only one or two things for myself!

4cm x 4cm Caz's art deco swap

I have made a start on some Art Deco 4cm x 4cm swaps. I have to make 9 in all. So I thought I would be a bit different and paint them - 'in the style of' Clarice Cliff's art deco table ware.

Shabby Chic using the peeled paper method

I had a 'play' this morning - experimenting with the Shabby Chic method of ATC's using the peeled off paper method.

You use a sheet of dictionary paper and glue it to the ATC. Once dry you stick on masking tape randomly - then peel it off and it takes of layers of paper.

Then you apply ink using ink pads or any other method and leave to dry.

You stamp images onto the ATC or in the above I stamped and added an image.



Once dry you can add other embellishments and sandpaper

Both these ATC's are darker in real life - the flash of the camera has lightened them.

They look far more textured too.

I rather liked experimenting just for the sake of it!

Think Monday Think ATC

This week's challenge is 'Birds'

I used a scrap of white paper from a Japanese shopping bag - they have pretty ones as opposed to the brown paper bags we use over here.

It had very random little gold cranes imprinted on it.




I stamped the large Japanese crane and embossed it.

With acrylic paint, I painted layers of blue to give it a textured look and feel - symbolic of the sea.

As I painted further up I reduced it to a colour wash and the took out areas to form clouds.

I then edged it with the dark brown which I used for the stamping.

This is my first time doing the TMTA - I hope you like it - I had fund making it

Themed Thursday

'You hold a special place in my heart'

Either of this or the one below could be entered for the 'Script Theme' this week - but I will enter this 4 x 4.

Stamped and embossed wording for the background paper. A Vintage card picture torn to fit the page. (I aged it with Tim Holtz distress inks and highlighted parts with water colours.

Another First - a 4x4 inch

Sorry about the photo - the artwork is square and there is no white showing - as in the scan!

I have never attempted a 4in x 4in altered artwork - this is my first attempt.

The image is from a vintage card which I have torn into a 'heart' shape - and painted the edges with distressed inks.

The quote was very kindly sent to my by Caz which I have torn and coloured with distressed inks too.

I have edged it with UTEE to which I have added embossing powder

My very first altered arch

Another all time first - an Arch - bigger than the ATC’s that I have been making so a different challenge. ‘All things pink’ is the theme for the swap.

I stamped pink swirls on mottled pink card then embossed them so to give a raised finish - and painted around them with several layers of gold paint to make them show up. Photos and scans of gold do not really show up well!

There is crinkled gold paper along the left hand side edge. The roses, dotted paper, gypsy image, and labels were all collaged on - and have been highlighted with sublte gold paint, then embossed. Again the embossing doesn’t look ‘right’ in the photo but does look nice and smooth with the naked eye.

I rather enjoyed making the arch so I think I will have another go at one in the week