Happy Monday! We have three great projects to kick start your week and provide a healthy dose of Monday motivation. Renee and Jennifer both show wonderful modifications on existing crafting standards. Renee expands an ATC to a double sided display and Jennifer adapts quilting to papercrafting. While Mischelle brings a bright and vibrant art journal to make a normal day not so normal.

ATC Conversion The Bigger the Better by Renee Zarate

ATCs, Artist Trading Cards, have been around for a few years now. They traditionally measure 2 ½” by 3 ½”, they can be collaged, stamped, matted, left plain, attached to greeting cards or put into albums. They’re quick and fun to make but you might wonder what other uses are there for this tiny work of art or are they only to trade with fellow artists? There are times when you love an ATC so much you can’t bear to trade it, you just want to look at it yourself and not share it with others. We don’t have to hide them away in an album, we can keep them on display by making them bigger and better! I turned this one into a free standing chunky ATC.

Buy or cut a wooden block that measures 2 ½” x 3 ½” x 1 ½”. Decide the placement of the handle on top and the clock key on the side, make a hole to insert these items. Paint the wooden block any color desired. Next, apply a thin coat of white gesso. Make two ATCs using stamps, ink, washi tape, whatever scraps are on hand. Make the ATCs on the gessoed watercolor paper cut to measure 2 ½” by 3 ½”. Adhere to the wooden block. The faces on these ATCs are made from Washi Tape. Ink the edges of the ATCs using a Jumbo Dauber. Glue feet onto the bottom of the block, these feet can be beads or small wooden embellishments. Apply On Point Glue to the feet and then dip each one in glitter or micro beads. Attach the knob on the top of the block, keys to the sides; decorate the ATC images with sequins and glitter. Tie twine and baker’s twine to the top.  It’s very satisfying to create an ATC with whatever subject matter you choose. Now you can look at your favorite design on a shelf or turn it around to change the view with a second ATC.

Supplies

Imagine

• StazOn – St. Valentine, Jet Black, Midnight Blue
• Memento Luxe – Bahama Blue, Nautical Blue
• On Point Glue
• Jumbo Dauber
• Craft Mat

Other

• Graphic 45 Stamps – Diamond Pattern, Clam Shell design, Phrase and Mermaid tail
• Gold Foil
• Glitter
• Microbeads
• Glue Stick
• Metal Ephemera
• Baker’s twine
• Brown twine
• Sequins
• White gesso
• Watercolor paper
• Paper Trimmer
• Adhesive
• Jane Davenport – Mermaid Washi Tape
• Graphic 45 – Voyage beneath the Sea Collection paper
• Wooden block measuring 3 ½” x 2 ½” x 1 ½”
• Americana acrylic paint – Dark blue
• Paint brush

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Patchwork Llama Paper Quilting by Jennifer Vanderbeek

Sometimes you just need to make something to make it, no matter what it could be used for (or not). When I saw the DCWV No Prob Llama papers, I remembered I’d picked up the Lloyd & Lola quilt pattern, purely on a whim, and though for sure I could do something to combine the two. Using the instructions for the pillow cover, I used a 1 inch = 1 cm rule and made a smaller version of the patchwork pillow from the different patterned papers with a background of the Brights Textured pack.

Cutting out all the pieces takes the most time. Make sure to label them for later! Because sewing using seam allowances and paper piecing doesn’t, not everything will line up perfectly as is. I had to play around with the sections to make them fit, but the seam allowance extras gave me a handy way to attach the pieces to each other, at least in sections. Tweezers definitely come in handy! Once the main pieces are assembled, using the pattern as a guide, lay everything out on a large sheet of paper to figure out what will ultimately fit before gluing anything down. The irRESISTible Pico Embellisher is perfect for adding some textural stitching along each paper-pieced edge. This adaption was so fun! I hope you try it yourself.

Supplies

Imagine

• On Point Glue
• 
irRESISTible Pico Embellisher – Lilac Posies

Other

• DCWV – No Prob Llama, Brights Textured paper
• Elizabeth Hartman – Lloyd & Lola Quilt and Pillow Pattern
• Centimeter-marked ruler
• Pencil
• 
Fiskars – Paper trimmer, Scissors
, Tweezers

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Bright Fireworks Journal Pages by Mischelle Smith

I love Fireworks Shimmery Craft spray! I find that I use them mostly like watercolor paints. I pour them onto my palette and use my paintbrush to bring color to my paper or canvas. These inks are incredibly vibrant and colorful. They breathe life into my work. I also love the shimmer the mica powders leave – it adds another layer of interest. These inks blend beautifully together just like watercolors would.

In this project, I applied Iridescent Purple Creative Medium to pages using stencil and palette knife. Let dry. Then, I pour Fireworks into palette saucers. Paint pages with Fireworks using a paintbrush. Let dry. Then continued to layer art with stencils and stamps using Memento Luxe Inks Danube Blue, Tuxedo Black and Pear Tart with a jumbo dauber. I cut out the stamped images and attach to pages with Tear It Tape. Once I layered enough, I added more detail with charcoal, a white gel pen, and Tuxedo Black Memento Marker. Then I used the spray stick to spatter page with irRESISTible Texture Spray Wedding Dress and Liquid Glass. Let dry. Finish with several sprays of Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spritz which is the perfect final touch.

Supplies

Imagine

• Creative Medium – Iridescent Purple
• Palette Knife
• Fireworks! – Bahama Blue, Danube Blue, Rose Bud, Grape Jelly, New Sprout, Pear Tart
• Memento Luxe – Danube Blue, Tuxedo Black, Pear Tart
• Memento Ink Pads – Dandelion, Cantaloupe, Tangelo
• Memento Markers – Summer Sky, Pear Tart, Tuxedo Black, Bahama Blue
• irRESISTible Texture Spray – Wedding Dress
• Sheer Shimmer Spritz – Sparkle

Other

• Stencil Girl – stencil
• Vera Lane Studio – Straight Street and Woodland Accessories
• Paint Brush
• Paint Palette
• White cardstock
• Charcoal
• Stump
• Washi Tape
• White Gel Pen
• CTMH – Liquid Glass

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