Valentine’s Artist Trading Cards

Hello there =)

I told you it was coming and here it is!  Welcome to my first attempt at creating artist trading cards!  If you recall from Coming to Sarah Celebrates in 2016, artist trading cards (ATCs) are baseball card sized pieces of art.  The compact size makes them very trade-able and easy to make hundreds of.

These are very basic ATCs… there are hopes and aspirations of creating more elaborate ones in the future.  I have a pin saved that is very mixed media heavy that I’m drooling over and need to create myself.  With fancier ATCs my journey in craft videos will begin.  Oh so fancy!

I do apologize.  The first few times I show these there probably won’t be in progress photos, just the finished product.  I will break down the items used in each card and link to supplies or have a supply list at the bottom.  I’m sprinkling links throughout for this post =)

This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

You need a base card to begin your ATCs.  Any card or paper 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches will do: card-stock, a playing card, you can even buy pre-made ATC base cards.

If you have a hoard of 12×12 card stock and decorative paper, this pin shows you how to cut it for the best bang for your buck when creating base cards.

Wire Heart

I love all five of these ATCs but this one is my favorite.  It was super simple.  Floral paper, heart stamp and a copper colored wire heart.

To make the heart I cut a length of wire, pinched the bottom to a point, curved the top of the heart around my fingers and twisted the excess down the center.  I affixed to the card with my newest favorite craft supply Dimensional Magic by Pod Modge.

This adhesive not only sticks things down but gives your projects glass-like sheen and dimension.  I’m finding out now this may be better used with my smaller inchie projects I have coming up… But I still love the way it looks!

Quirky Cork

I am so in love with cork?  How about you?  I found Valentine’s themed cork stickers in the dollar bins at either Michael’s or Target.  Sorry, I don’t remember which one.  They’re right next to each other and I do some wallet damage buying craft supplies in both.  Back to back, usually.

The lacy-like paper was a part of a wedding themed cardstock stack.  It’s hard to see but I swiped some purple distress ink along the edges (dusty concord, I think?), followed by a kiss in the corner.

Love You

I like this card, I do, but it needs some more love.  I just don’t know what.

Same lacy paper, just positioned differently, and same purple ink but with a heart stamp.  I found wood accent stickers in the Target Dollar Spot (that I remember correctly) and stuck one over the heart stamp.  Hence, you can’t see a heart stamp.  I bet you thought I was crazy for a minute.

And that was how that card sat for days.

Scouring through all my embellishments, I found an acrylic, dimensional sticker.  It was purple, said ‘love you’ and so it was stuck on.

Sweet Pink

This ATC is full of shades of pink and texture.

I used the same floral paper from the Wire Heart card, couldn’t help it; love that paper.  Texture paste mixed with pink gelato shavings and some playing around with a pallet knife created the ruffled edge.

I scrounged up some embellishments: a metal word, paper flower and rhinestone.  A heart stamp with Worn Lipstick distress ink completed the look.

Cherished Heart

This ATC began with the lacy-like paper for a base like my cork and love you ones.  The texturing paste came back with a melon shade to create the heart focal point.  The words are from my Chit Chat word stickers by Jim Holtz.

I am absolutely smitten with the Worn Lipstick distress ink, so another kiss stamp and some edging happened.  I quickly outlined the words with a distress marker in Picked Raspberry.

I have to say, not bad for my first attempt!  Now to tuck one in my love’s briefcase with some sweet nothings written on the back =)

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The Valentine’s fun doesn’t end there!  I’ve joined up with 7 other lovely ladies today to share and inspire some Valentine’s creativity.  Stop by each one of their blogs today to check out their Valentine’s inspiration.

• Mary from The Boondocks Blog
• T’ Onna of USS Crafty
• Stella of Purfylle
• Pili with Sweet Things
• Keri with One Mama’s Daily Drama
• Darlene from My Little Shop of Treasures