Artist Trading Cards....That I Don't Want to Trade!

As my regular readers, friends and family know, I'm kind of addicted to altered art.  I've wanted to make some more Artist Trading Cards, even though that fad kind of faded about 5 years ago, and I don't know anyone with whom to trade.  Still, I'd purchased a bunch of blank card packages back when I still lived in Washington (which was 5 years ago, now).  I was kind of afraid to try them because I didn't want to screw it up.  However, the only criteria is the card size.  What you put on it is pretty much 'anything goes'.  

In my neverending attempt to use up so much of the craft supplies I've been hoarding, I decided I would knock out a few and see how they came out.  These things are like potato chips...you can't make just one.  I did seven in one sitting.  The next day I did 11.  And I like how they came out so much that I don't want to part with them at all.  Not even a little bit.  

Some of the cards I had on hand were already made from coloured chip board or matte-type paper.

And some of the cards were textured white card stock so I painted those with sparkly and regular water colour paints.  

A few years ago I tried that shaving cream and paint marbled paper.  I used my circle punches to save the best parts of the pictures.  They kind of look like planets and moons.

Another painted card.  I need to grab a real rhinestone and cover the one in the pic.  It looks so real but it's not so I will use a real one.

This poor paper redwood tree was getting very destroyed in my paper supplies.  I was hanging onto it for something special.  It was very fragile and I had to glue all the branches back on.  Then I mounted it on a piece of real wood paper.

Using metal flowers on this BINGO card was a no-brainer.

I really love these shiny/sparkly watercolour paints.  I have to use them more often.  I didn't paint the wings; I bought them that way.  This reminded me of the flying keys in 'Sorcerer's Stone'.

Another card painted with the shiny watercolour paint.  I'm just nuts about celestial stuff.

I covered a blank card with that shell paper and added the glitter to the picture.  Hard to tell but the mermaid is mounted with foam tape so it sticks out a bit from the card.  I did that 3D effect on a few of them.

Another no-brainer.  When I saw I had a bronze coloured card in one of the packs I bought, I used the blue shiny stars and a silver eagle to make a Ravenclaw card.  There is no way in hell I'm parting with this one.  I don't care if someone offers me money for it...this is my fave of all of them.

This idea is what kicked off this whole ATC project.  I'd already put the peace sign patch inside a watch face I had that still has it's glass.  'Time for Peace' came to my mind and then I thought how cool it'd be if I painted one of the cards rainbow and added it.  Since I had all the ATC stuff out to make this one card, I decided to do the others.  

Added the bow and the 'Queen for a Day' charm.

This vintage picture just screamed out for a bright flower.  This sticker was perfect.  It looked good on the silver card.  And then added the rhinestone ribbon.

This is actually a transparency that looked really great on top of the tan card.  It made the design really pop.  I used vellum adhesive tape which doesn't show up against transparencies like double stick tape and glue does.  Edged it with the pearls ribbon.

I like these folded cards too, although they don't stay closed very well.  I covered it in light blue paper and then added all the other stuff.  I thought the mermaid pic was perfect for it.  

I have a few playing cards that are backed with these fantastic pictures of tall ships,  It was hard to choose which one to use.  I couldn't get the flash to stop reflecting  no matter what I did, but the card is beautiful.  On either side are Cuban cigar labels.  Since the text on the Mermaid said, 'La Sirena', I thought the Latin labels worked well.  

I'm not sure what I will do with these.  The other 4 I made a few years ago are hanging in my craft room but I don't have any room for 17 more of them.  But I do know one thing, I'm not trading them!