New Challenges - Exploring the world of ATC's

Hi Everyone,

Over the summer I have been expanding my creative horizons, trying new techniques and new formats of art with Stampin' Up! products.
It all started when I joined a yahoo group called VC Rocks for the summer and started participating in their challenges and swaps to help me get out of the slump I had fallen into.  Let me tell you, it has been a wonderful experience and I have created more cards and projects in the last two months than I had in the past 6 months.
One of the swaps I participated in was an ATC swap. Now you maybe asking, what is an ATC?
ATC stands for Artist Trading Card and it is like the art version of a baseball or sports card. Artists create these cards featuring their artwork and trade it with other artists.  There is a specific size requirement necessary to qualify as an ATC.  The card size required is 2.5" x 3.5".
Now I had first heard about ATC's during my decorative painting days, several years ago, but I found it difficult to paint small enough to do justice to my small canvas.  However, I have discovered that in my new medium of papercrafting using stamps and ink, the challenge was both enjoyable and satisfying. 
After auditioning several different ideas, this is the design I came up with featuring the stamp set, Creative Elements, one of my new favorite stamp sets.

Now the swap required me to create 11 identical ATC's (I created 12 so that I would have one to keep) to send to the Swap Organizer and in return I received back 10 different ATC's cards from the other participants. Below is a photo of 4 of the ATC cards I created for the swap.
I love the new In Color, Primrose Petal, that I used for the flower image.  The new foam ink pad provided wonderful coverage and was a dream to stamp with. Don't you just love the cute little blue butterfly created with the Beautiful Wings Embosslit and embellished with a sparkling rhinestone for a little bling.

All in all, this was a wonderful experience and it was great to stretch myself to creating on a smaller size. I am looking forward to exploring the world of ATC's further in the future. Call me crazy, but wouldn't this look fantastic as a business card. Just add your details on the back and it would definitely grab people's attention when you hand them out. They would also make a great focal point on a card front or as an element on a scrapbook page. The opportunities are endless.
I hope my journey into the world of ATC's will inspire you to create something new and challenging.

Until Next Time.
Happy Stamping,
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net


Recipe:
Stamp Sets:
Creative Elements (p126), Language of Friendship (p74)
Classic Inks: Primrose Petal (p152), Lucky Limeade (p152), Soft Suede (p156)
Cardstock: Whisper White (p156), Bashful Blue (p154)
Accessories: Sizzix Big Shot (p186), Beautiful Wings Embosslit (p188), Designer Frames Folders (p188), Extra Large Oval Punch (p184), Sponge Daubers (p179), Rhinestone Basic Jewels (p175), Snail Adhesive (p177), Stampin' Dimensionals (p177).