It's Christmas Eve and also my day off, so I thought I would try my hand at Artist's Trading Cards.  Artist Trading Cards, or ATC are little postcards the size of baseball cards (regulation size 2 1/2 by 3 1/2.)  People actually do trade these things, but I am not sure I am ready for ONE MORE GROUP to keep up with.  For now I will make them until I am bored with them and then hoard them like all of the other stuff I have made. Guys, these are so much fun to make.  I made two sets today.

Both sets are mixed media.  I started off with this first set by cutting chipboard into 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 rectangles.  I then glued plain white card stock of the same size to both sides.  Next I put them in my splat box and sprayed them with Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain in the colors of Vintage Photo and Antique Linen.  I then blended Tim Holtz Distress Oxide in the color Ground Espresso.

I proceeded to dig through my scraps and found some scrap paper with the butterflies on it. I cut them out and then embossed them with Tim Holtz Distress Glaze in Antique Linen.

Next, I ripped some pieces of embossed scrap paper and some scrapbook paper and started planning out my designs.  

I collaged the papers and the butterflies with some Distress Collage Matte Medium and added some little burlap scraps.  

I popped the Tim Holtz metal sentiments up on some Scrapbook.com foam squares, tied in the little string, and glued them to to the cards.  

Next, I added some Distress Crackle Medium and waited for it to dry and crack.  Once it dried, I brushed on some Distress Oxide in the color Peacock Feather to add some pops of color.  I glued on the little flatback pearls and added some Distress Collage Medium to the edges where I sprinkled some Nuvo Shining Bright gold glitter.

This next set was more simplified. I did the same procedure as about, but instead decided to go with a bee theme. The background is done with the Distress Oxides in the colors, Black Soot, Fossilized Amber, and Scattered Straw.  I also mashed some bubble wrap coated in Waverly Chalk paint in the color Ink for some texture. The bee images and the sentiments came from MyPorchPrints over on Etsy. I love all of her vintage digital papers.  I added the flowers from my stash that I bought at Michael's last year.  I used some flatback pearls for the centers of the flowers.  I added white Nuvo drops from Tonic Studios, but they took on the yellow dinge. I am okay with that.