Have you seen the silhouette image of three children marching in what looks like an improvised parade? If so, you may understand why a red plastic tambourine reminds me of a July 4th celebration. I've seen the image on July 4th T-shirts, and it's always reminded me of childhood days when I marched in the kindergarten "rhythm band." In an era of electronic gadgetry, it may be difficult to imagine the pleasure that children derived in playing simple instruments such as a triangle or wooden blocks and the coveted noisemaker that led our "parades," the tambourine.
The tambourine will always signify celebration in my mind, a perfect backdrop for this ATC featured on pages 82 - 83 in the August 2011 issue of Crafts 'n things. It celebrates the "Strength of America" that is found "in the hearts and souls of its people." (Strength of America stamp from Art Impressions; flag stamp from Rubber Monger)
This artist trading card provides further reminder of the roots of our nation. It brought a little smile to my face to use the Top Hat image from the English PaperArtsy™ company to represent our forefathers.
Ink up to create a red, white, and blue party to honor the birth of a nation! You'll find all the color you need with Ranger® Adirondack® pigment and dye inks.
I didn’t notice when I purchased the trim that one set of beads in the middle of the section was not firmly attached. When I took the beads out of the plastic bag, the droplet fell apart. Sometimes the unexpected enables the imagination to take a giant step, and the broken beads provided that inspiration. Until then, I hadn’t realized that one of the small turquoise beads was actually a heart. The largest bead, why that could be a lantern for a little boy in search of fairies. One bead left, and I knew I would find the perfect spot for it atop a vintage ornament featuring stamps from the Oxford Impressions Fairy Sweets plate.
The ornament box and the ATC below feature Archival™ Ink, Adirondack® Dye and Pigment inks, and lots of Tim Holtz™ products: Distress Ink Pads, Alcohol Inks, Alcohol Ink Metallic Mixatives, and Alcohol Blending Solution. The instructions may be found on pages 84 and 85 of the April 2011 issue of Crafts 'n things®.
Rising temperatures and high humidity mean summer has arrived, and summers are synonymous with vacations. While budget may limit destination, there are no restrictions on stamping adventures. You can find mine on page 89 of the August 2010 issue of Crafts 'n Things.
The automobile on my ATC luggage tag is appropriate though my travel will not include a flight to Paris. The stamps for this tag and the complimentary card are all from the Casablanca plate from Oxford Impressions. You'll need Ranger®'s Archival™ Ink and Tim Holtz™ Distress Ink Pads for this sophisticated palette.
Looking for romance? What could be more romantic than Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman? Add an ATC to a card front, and you'll be transported to Casablanca. "Just Believe." In addition to the supplies for the luggage tag, this card uses Inkssentials™ Sepia Accents™.
Check out Crafts 'n Things for detailed instructions to recreate these projects.
Looking for additional ideas that place your Artist Trading Card collection in the limelight? While the flowers in our garden were destroyed by recent rains, these projects from pages 62-63 of the June 2010 issue of Crafts 'n Things bring blooms to the forefront.
The three featured stamp sets are by Oxford Impressions: Country Girl, The Fairest Flower, and LeJardin. You will also need the following Ranger® products to recreate the ATCs : Inkssentials™ Gloss Paper, Archival™ Ink, Tim Holtz™ Distress Ink, Adirondack® Acrylic Paint Dabbers, and Posh Impressions Accent Pen™ The patterned paper is from the Wild Asparagus Collection by My Mind's Eye.
First, the elegant card. The window in the flower-shaped card provides a view of the underlying ATC, perfectly framed in gold.I know that the recipient of this card will treasure the beautiful flowers.
Next, the flower garland. I wish that I had the photography skills (and the proper lighting in our home) so that you could view this on the door frame in my studio. While I created five blossoms to embellish the door frame, this would easily be adaptable for a fireplace or larger area.
Below, the detail blossoms. I liked the look of the tulip flanking the children.
Welcome to my new column on pages 90-91 in the February 2010 issue of Crafts 'n Things: ATCs - Beyond Trading. If you've been looking for ways to showcase these miniature pieces of art, I hope that you will find inspiration here. When I first saw the Lucy stamps from the Stampsmith, I knew that they would fit my dollar store frame. With glitz, glitter, swirls, and curls supplied by the Filigree Heart from the Artful Stamper, this will be the perfect gift for the one in my family who "Loves Lucy." See what you think. 
Now, all that I needed was a matching card. The stamped image below will bring back memories of happy hours spent together watching I Love Lucy. The Glitter Mat Stack(DCVW) provides the perfect sparkle. 
You probably won't be surprised to find that the keys to success for these projects are Ranger® products: Tim Holtz™ Distress Ink Pads, my favorite Archival™ Ink, Inkssentials™ Gloss Paper, and Ancient Golds™ embossing powder. Of course, as a Ranger Educator, I'm a little prejudiced!
The ideas are swirling around in my head for additional ways to display ATCs. The new year has yet to arrive and I can't wait to show you the April 2010 issue. Be sure to check back with me. I think you will find it "Eggs-actly" perfect.
