ATC Swap - In the Park

This card is an ATC (2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches) that I just did for a swap.  Although it is very simply done, I was trying for the look of old-fashioned picture postcards...the kind they made for souvenir shops.  I have a collection of postcards that my mother started when she was young and I have continued to add to it over the years.  Without Facebook, emails, or cell phones, this was the way people used to give a short message to let everyone know they were thinking of them.  I even have a card my mother sent to her family when she went on a trip to visit relatives just to let them know she had arrived safely.  She had gone a whopping 80 miles away, a trip that would take about 2 hours now in a car if you were taking your time seeing the sights.  Back then it would take a train trip or a very long car ride (because there wasn't the Interstate with 70 mph speed limits). 

I printed a photo from City Park in reduced size to fit the ATC in black and white only onto watercolor paper.  I then used Tim Holtz Distress Re-Inkers and a water brush to add the color.  It is mounted to a manila cardstock that I sent through the printer to add the text.  This is then edged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Tattered Florals Challenge

My Tattered Florals Challenge piece also doubles as one of my Birthday Club Cards I am sending off.  I used a brad with the letter K for the first letter of the name of the recipient.  The flower is made using (of course) the Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Floral die.  I used the technique of acrylic paints scraped over manila folder paper with a palatte knife.  As well, I also used water-color paper for some parts of the flower, some Idea-ology Kraft Glassine and some regular white cardstock sent through an embossing folder after die-cutting the flower shape.

I did not have the Distress Paints, so made my own version.  Using some small plastic cups (about 2 oz size) I filled it half full (so about 1 oz) with white acrylic Gesso and one dropper full of the Distress Re-inker.  When this is wetted with water after it dries, some of the color lifts off and leaves lighter areas.  You can see this well on the pink/red flower.  This uses quite a lot of Re-Inker, so I do plan on getting the Distress Paints.  In addition, the Distress Paints when dry are supposed to stay as they are meaning they don't rewet.  This mix I made does rewet and you can continue to lift color off when you spray it with water.

The little frame around the word "celebrate" is a Grunge-board piece from the Idea-ology Elements set.  I painted it with Jacquard Lumiere fabric paint in silver.

Now to catch up on my other cards that need making.