My Halloween ATC Swap Card

I used to do ATC cards (artist trading card) and ATC swaps a LOT, but don't do them very often anymore. I recently joined an ATC swap in one of my craft groups and had to make 1 card for my partner. I ended up actually making 2 of this card and am going to send one to my auntie for halloween.

this is the ATC I came up with. Here is a preview, clickety click below to see the whole card.

So, here is the completed card.

I really DID want to add more "color" to the card, or more of a "background". and I did try it, but honestly, it was just way too busy with deco cardstock. I was also going to add a small stamped image in the top right corner of a half moon and some bats, but when i did a test of it with all these elements it was just too much! sometimes, I just HAVE to follow the keep it simple rule.

Anyhow, the orange background is Bazzill cardstock. I distressed the edges with my metal nail file (I purchased it only for distressing my cardstock, I find that I like using it (and that I get a better result) than when using a paper edge distresser). The mummy, the bat and the spider were all stamped from the new Stampin' Up! Googly Ghouls. I stamped the mummy in black and then highlighed his lines in a light tan/cream color zig brushable marker. ya know, I was going for that look of his body being dirtied around the lines. hard to see on the small pic, but click it and it will get bigger. I put a 5mm googly eye on him and that just completed it!

I stamped the bat in gray ink and then hand cut him out (that is such a pain, as I quickly remembered the last card I made with TWO of them!! LOL). I put red stickles on his eyes to give them a glittered glow.
I stamped the spiderweb in shimmer silver colorbox ink and then did the spider in black. I had to use my stamp-a-ma-jig and stamp the spider like 8 times or so, because of the texture to the bazzill the image had little missing spots from the spaces in the paper. but stamping and re-stamping a few times fixed that. :)
I stamped the halloween sentiment from the Stampin' Up! teeny tiny wishes set.


Here are 2 pictures of the ATC on it's back to show dimension of the card.
As you can see, the mummy is on a "spring". I handmade that spring by taking the metal strip out of a bread tie. I wrapped it around the thinner end of my paint brush and then fed each end through a small piece of cardstock. I covered it in duct tape (I tell ya, duct tape truly does work for EVERYTHING--even crafts LOL) and then cut out a small (and I do mean SMALL) circle. I used glossy accents to attach it to the back of the mummy and then the base of the cardstock. The spring is a little off centered with each loop, but that is ok, it won't be seen anyways.

 As you can see, the bat wings are popped off the card too. I just rolled them over my paint brush end to give them some shape. :)

Well, I hope you like my ATC card and I hope I've inspired you to make something spook-tacular for Halloween!!
check below for a list of my supplies.

Keep on Craftin'!
~Melisa Marie


Supplies used:
Cardstock/Paper: Bazzill, Georgia Pacific.   Embellishments: Stampin' Up Googly Eye (1), Christmas Red Stickles.   Stamps: Stampin' Up! Googly Ghouls, Stampin' Up Teeny Tiny Wishes, Inkadinkado Haunted House (spiderweb).  Ink Pads: Memento (tuxedo Black), Stampin' Up! Going Gray, Colorbox Shimmer Silver, Colorbox Catseye Que, brown.  Coloring/Writing Supplies: Zig Brushable Marker.  Tools:  Cricut paper trimmer, metal nail file, scissors, wire cutters, Glossy Accents, Duct Tape, metal wire, paint brush, scotch double sided tape, stamp-a-ma-jib, acrylic blocks (stamp mounts).