A Trio of ATCs

Hello and happy new year crafty friends!  It's Susan today, here on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog to share a trio of ATCs with you.  This is the first chance I'd had to use Graphic 45's Flutter paper set.  I love it!

ATCs are great for a quick project.  I'll be donating these and many more to a county arts council fundraiser later in the month.

Here I have cut the fronts and backs of each card, and started to play around with the decorations.

I used Mod Podge to attach to the cards, then sanded the excess off with 320-ish grit and smoothed with 600.  The last step was to ink the edges black.  Then, decorate!

Thanks for your visit today!

Cheers,
Susan

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Chunky ATC Blanks
ATC stand

Other Supplies Used
Graphic 45 Flutter 8x8
Bazzill Basics Ivory
Mod Podge
White Craft Glue
Sandpaper
Memento Ink "Tuxedo Black"
Cheese cloth
Glossy Accents
Stickles Diamond and Frost
Gelly Roll Pen - Silver Star

Brick Wall ATC

Hi crafty friends!  Today on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog I'm sharing words of wisdom and a really cool brick wall ATC.  It's my kind of graffiti!

The small Brick Wall is a great stencil for molding paste (after a layer or three of Krylon tarnish, that is -- see this post for the technique) BUT that's not how this wall was constructed.   Instead, I used the bricks themselves and mortared around them.

First I used a thin blade to release them from the stencil, then lined them up row by row on the chunky ATC/ACEO.  I used a reposition-able glue that sets after a bit.  This allowed me to slide the bricks if needed.  Laying bricks with tweezers is fiddly.

While the Zig glue dried, I put the ATC Stand together with a little white glue.  When the bricks were set, I used sharp scissors to cut off the excess.

The mortar is molding paste laid on with a spatula.  Allow this to dry completely, then paint a layer of gesso.

You can't quite see it in this next photo, but I used a thin wash of brownish-yellowish-blackish water to color the mortar.  Since the bricks haven't been painted red yet, I needed to protect the mortar color, so I added a thin layer of matte varnish.  This allowed me to use a tool (fingernail, skewer, paper towel, etc) to wipe excess brick paint because I'm messy.  I'm not convinced this is a necessary step, but I did it just in case.

Once dried, I lightly sanded it off the bricks.

The brick coloring is a mix of red, black, brown, and dark orange.  Just keep adding color layers until your happy, just let them dry in between layers.

I sanded the edges to smooth out the dried molding paste/varnish/paint and cut brick edges before painting with black gesso.

I printed my graffiti on card stock but it wasn't thick enough.  I used Mod Podge on saved cardboard packaging.  Once dried I cut  them out, inked the edges, and glued onto the brick wall with white glue.

The last step is to seal with matte varnish.

Thanks for your visit today.

Cheers,
Susan


GSLCuts Used
Brick Wall Small #D174W
ATC #C33O
ATC Stand #C43M

Other Supplies Used
Zig 2-Way Glue Pen
White gesso
Acrylic Paint
Mod Podge

A Boy & His Dog

Hello crafty friends!  It's Susan here with a quickie to share.  This week wasn't supposed to be a quickie, but my birthday crown project went awry.  *sigh*  I'm just going to believe it doesn't signal anything weird as I'm about to hit my half-century mark... you with me?  It's all going to be fine....

Anyway, who doesn't love a puppy?! Let's just focus on the puppy ATC, 'k?

I love making ATC/ACEOs.  These chunky ATCs come in a 3-pack, as do the ATC stands.

There aren't a lot of steps with an ATC and stand.  Cut the stand pieces from the surrounding board and add a bead of glue to the ends of the supporting strips and set it aside.

I outlined the ATC on paper for the back and front, then used a collage medium/glue to attach them.

Once dry, I sanded the edges and added a little brown ink.  I painted the stand brown and set it aside again.  It's done!

I built my story onto the ATC and finished with a final coat of collage medium.  Easy peasy!

Thanks for your visit today!

Cheers,
Susan

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Chunky ATC 3-Pack #C33O
ATC Stand 3-Pack #C43M

Other Supplies Used
My Mind's Eye paper
Ranger/Tim Holtz Collage Medium Matte
TH ancestors
Dresden trim
Brown embossing powder
Brown ink
Brown acrylic paint
Dictionary words

Hop Back in Time with this Vintage Bunny ATC by Betsy Skagen

With Easter approaching, it is the perfect time for springtime tales and bunny tails. I combined these themes with my take on a time-honored altered art form--the Artist Trading Card (ATC).

My ATC features a miniature calendar page I tore from a 1957 church flyer, text from a mid-century Little Golden Book and a teeny carrot. I constructed the ATC and easel using Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts' Chunky ATC Blank and ATC Stand.

Tutorial How to Make the Easter ATC

Begin by assembling and gluing together the ATC Stand. This step is easy and you will complete it in two twitches of a bunny's tail.

Paint the stand with light green acrylic paint. Dry with a heat gun and ink the edges with brown distress ink.

Next adhere springtime-themed cardstock to the Chunky ATC Blank.

Tear text from a mid-century Peter Rabbit Little Golden Book. You can often find these at garage sales for a dollar. Ink the edges with brown distress ink.

Next tear a page from a miniature vintage calendar and ink the edges. Cut a slightly larger rectangle from coordinating cardstock and adhere the calendar page to the cardstock.

Adhere the text and calendar elements to the ATC. Then add decorative studs.

Next fussy cut a rabbit from a cardstock printable and adhere to the ATC. Add a miniature carrot and greenery.

Complete your ATC by cutting an Easter advertisement from the same coordinating cardstock set and adhere it to the back of the ATC.

I hope you have a terrific spring and this post inspires you to hop right to making your own crafts! -Betsy

Great Stuff

Chunky ATC Blank
ATC Stand
Assorted Cardstocks from Authentique Jubilee 6 x 6Pad
Rabbit printable
Little Golden Book text
Vintage calendar
7gypsies Brass Studs
Miniature carrot
Artificial leaves
Green ribbon
Brown Distress ink
Acrylic paint
Adhesive

Night Angel Triptych

This month I've created a set of three mixed media angels. A dreamy mystical triptych.

With New Year looming I thought it was a perfect time to think of dreaming and making wishes. That's what this set is all about. Looking up and forward and making bedtime wishes listened to by Night Angels.

Each of the three elements is made using a Cross Top Triptych piece. One of the thing I really appreciate about these elements is that the front piece is made up of straight edges, making it easy to embellish with scrapbook paper.

Each of the three seperate pieces is a slightly different size, but all fit nicely on Gypsy Soul ATC Stands. This makes displaying your pieces soooo simple. AND those little stands come in a set of three  so they're perfectly matched. (AND they're pretty dang reasonable too!)

While putting these pieces together is so simple, I have a little walkthrough of the process of making them. Hop over HERE for the video.

Below are all the bits I used to create my pieces, but you should absolutely feel free to add your own special touch to create your own dreamy night angels.

Cross Top Triptych
ATC Stands
decorative scrapbook papers
acrylic paint

glitter
Brass Starburst Charm
Fancy Brass Star Charm
Star Tinsel
Tiny Mixed Size Flat-Back Pearls
Angel Wings Collage Sheet
Little People Collage Sheet

Winter ATC & New ATC Stand with Susan

Hello crafty friends!  I'm pleased to share with you a winter ATC/ACEO (Artist Trading Card/Art Cart, Editions & Originals) as well as the NEW Gyspy Soul Laser Cuts Chunky ATC and ATC Stand!  Our fair leader Gina was kind to work with me to design this stand so I can display my current obsession all over my house.  My husband is just shaking his head at me...

Both the ATCs and ATC Stands are 3-packs, which works perfect for those of us who like to do things in 3s.  Gina really is good to me!

First, use a blade to release the stand parts.  Next, use a fine sand paper to flatten out those cuts.

I used white glue to put the pieces together - inside and on the outer side.

My thumb nail was handy to clean up the glue that squished out.  Pun intended.  Allow to dry completely.

While the stand glue dried, I pulled together the components for my ATC.

I wanted the stand to be brown, so I gesso'd with black, allowed to dry, then applied a coat of brown.  Yes, that's way too much black gesso.  It squished out!

Matte Mod Podge to add the papers front and back, then sand the edges and ink!

I'm so happy to have the ATC stands!  The height is perfect for vertical or horizontal cards -- it doesn't stick up past a horizontal card.

Thanks for your visit today!

Cheers,
Susan

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used
Chunky ATC Blanks 3-Pack  #C33O
ATC Stands 3-Pack  #C43M