a couple ATCs

This is really a great little art form. Just as I loved miniature quilts and small crazy quilt projects like needlebooks,  I love the size of an ATC. 2.5" x 3.5". Enough room for an image or two, some writing, a doo-dad, a button, some lace.

The other day I cut up a bunch of cardboard into ATC size and tucked them into a spot up by the mugs that hold my pencils and markers. When I get the urge, I grab one and go. I'm so anal about planning things out that I'm really working on just going with the process, letting a picture set the tone, or a line of a poem.

A STIFF DRINK

The first one started with a floor plan of the Louvre. I love museums, but after a while I get tired of all that walking around. While looking for something else, I came across the image of the woman who looked like she needed to sit down. Or maybe something a bit more bracing, like a drink.

The real challenge was finding all the words. I ended up paging thru 3 different books cause I wanted a mismatched look. The tan paper under the woman is yet more of that Starbucks scone bag...

SWIFT WINGS

This one started with the image of the red-winged blackbird that I tore out of the Sunday paper. At the time, I had no idea what I'd do with it but I liked it enough to save. Today, after cranking out 4 more tags for the Christmas tag swap, I was tidying up and saw the bird. 

I grabbed a blank ATC and glued some torn paper to it. Then I got out my new Distress Ink pad and dabbed here and there. One of my weak areas is creating interesting backgrounds. I tend to like the 'old paper with brown edges' look, so I'm trying to branch out a bit. I liked the result. 

The bird was holding a ticket, so I cut around his head to get rid of that, then darkened his edges and glued him down. I'd been lusting after the postmark stamps and finally got them the other day at half price with a coupon from Michaels. I put a couple faint Paris postmarks on, then started thinking about words. I have a whole drawer of pages torn from various books, so I dug around and found this line from a poem. Perfect. 

I'm very happy with this one. The whole thing went together in about 20 minutes and it's the first one I've done that looks more 'artsy' to me than my usual stuff.

(Don't know what the hell's the matter with getting the text to fit around the second image... worked fine on the first one. <scratches head in confusion>)