Thursday, March 31, 2011

Thursday Dream Scheme

Welcome to another Dreamweaver Stencils Thursdays Dream Scheme! This week was a designers choice so I am sharing these ATC's I created for an ATC club that I belong to at The Cottage Stamper in St. Charles, Illinois.  Don't know what an ATC is?  Well you are in for lots of fun and challenges!
ATC stands for Artist Trading Card and can be a way for artists to exchange ideas and information with each other.  Everyone loves to get new ideas right!  ATC's have just one rule, the finished size of the ATC must be 2 1/2" x 3 1/2".  Usually a group chooses a monthly theme, and you meet once a month to exchange the cards with the group. Our group chooses a whole year of themes at a time so you can be creating ahead of schedule (like that ever happens!)  Everyone is free to interpret the theme using whatever products and techniques they choose.  It is a lot of fun to see what you can create in such a small space!  Better yet, they are easy to store using sports card page protectors and a 3-ring binder.
Stencils are great to use on ATCs.  Here are three examples of ATCs I have done using Dreamweaver Stencils:

The Chameleon, LM186, was done for a "Green & Gold" theme.  He was so easy, Metallic Gold Embossing Paste on dark green cardstock, then layered onto a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece of brushed metallic gold cardstock.  I thought the little red brad for the eye was a nice finishing touch.
The glittered trees were for a "Winter Wonderland" theme.  I didn't have a stencil small enough, so I used a small part of the Bare Trees, LJ849, stencil.  Pearlescent Paste on white linen cardstock, sprinkled with Crystal glitter while the paste was still wet.  After it dried, I wrapped a 1/4" white sheer ribbon around it and tied a knot, then mounted it on silver mirror paper.
The clover ATC was for a "Clover/Shamrock" theme and is similar to my St. Patrick's Day card but scaled down to sizes appropriate for an ATC.  For the Clover stencil, LS58,  I used Glossy Green Embossing Paste on white cardstock, sprinkled with Rock Moss Microfine Glitter while the paste was still wet.  After it dried, I cut out around the clover leaving about 1/16" of white paper around the image. Color the edge with a green COPIC marker to make the image stand out more. The shamrock vine was a stamp I had and the green gingham is from A Muse Artstamps (sadly, no longer available except through home shows).
We tend to always use a certain stamp or stencil the same way over and over again until we get tired of it and stop using it.  What a waste of all our great products!  Think outside of the box to make other creations besides cards and scrapbook layouts.  It is amazing what you can create in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. We're hindered only in finding enough time to try it all!
Be sure to check out all the other great ideas this week starting with the DREAM it UP! blog and all the other Dream Team members too.
Happy Creating,
Louise

9 comments:

Wendy said...

Perty, Perty Louise!!!

sommrstamping said...

Very nice Louise, I love your ATC cards. Beautiful things do come in small packages.

Kristi said...

Very nice samples! Great Job!

Laura Drahozal said...

Great idea--I was thinking about using stencils in ATCs, and now I know it would work beautifully. I especially like the white tree card. Wonderful work.

Lee Kellogg said...

Louise, looks like we both got the "small" memo!

Liz Martin said...

I've learned so much from reading your post! I'd heard about ATCs, but never knew anyone that made them or belonged to a club, etc. etc. What a clever idea. Which makes me think they could also be used as gift tags. Hmmm . . . so many ideas, so little time!

Pam Hornschu said...

Both you and Lee were into miniature art this week. I think my fave is the winter trees. Love how you just used a portion of those trees, with the crystal glitter. Gorgeous.

Marijane said...

Love all those ATC's! I bet your ATC club buddies just love to see what you have created each month! The shamrock ATC is so cute and the shamrock stamp you paired it with is perfect. I used your glittered tree idea (both the ATC and Christmas card) for my Christmas cards this past year and they were beautiful. Thanks for all the great ideas!

Lynell Harlow / Dreamweaver Stencils said...

Those ATC's are great! And I have to say the one with the trees is particularly meaningful...because you gave that one to me as a business card and I have it close by at all times and reference it when I want to call you.