Artist Trading Cards (ATC's)

I first came across ATC's a few years ago. Artist trading cards are little pieces of art which are swapped between artists. They are used to promote work or in some cases made just for fun. They should all be the same size, 2.5" by3.5", and can be part of a series or one of a kind. The artist will number them accordingly on the back along with contact information and title. You can actually find out more about them from this website.


This form of art had been growing in popularity in recent years. If you were to visit the craftster board you would see various themed swaps for ATCs all going at once. There is now also a board just for ATCs where there are ongoing craft alongs, challenges and swaps. One member had a thread there where she posted an ATC every day.

I decided I wanted to give it a go and so took part in a swap. We were to create 3 cards each with a different theme; new, craft and the third was up to the receiver to chose a theme. I decided on New Year for my new theme, scrapbooking for craft and since my swap partner left it up to me I did one based on her likes and her website.

Mine are a little amateurish compared to most of them on the craftster board but I did have lots of fun making them. My swap partner decided on new shoes for new and a little saying for craft. For the third one I had asked my partner to base it on one of her favourite books. She decided on "PS I Love You" by Celia Ahern.

I will probably make more at some point as I did have fun making them. Think it is the papercrafter in me.

Angelsan did a review on the new Quick and Easy magazine not that long ago. They have decided to change their magazine so that it incorporates both cross stitch and card making. I think the biggest criticism of this new magazine is that it no longer has large designs. Instead lots of little designs so that paper crafts can be used with it. Many people have decided that they will no longer buy the magazine. My opinion was that the paper craft magazines are proving to be more popular of late. Quick and Easy are just trying to cash in on that especially since the popularity of the magazine had decreased in recent months. It's all about the sales. I was never a huge fan anyway. I only ever bought it if there was something that I liked in it and hadn't bought it in months. I picked the new one up yesterday out of curiosity. I have to say that I actually like it. It is true that it is mainly small easy projects but I like the ideas they give of using paper crafts with cross stitch. I even saw a project in there that a friend of mine would like.

Timewarden, if "Countrycide" is the right one I am thinking of then it did very much remind me of League of Gentlemen. I was waiting for one of them to pop out amongst the other villagers. I am looking forward to Captain Jacks appearance in season 3 of Doctor Who though.

Gill, they have actually just agreed to make a second season of Torchwood. Will be watching it too as I did enjoy it overall.

Judy, bugs is still unfinished. I put him away tidily but he still managed to get crushed to pieces. Will have to give him an iron before doing any more work on him. Will finish him this year though.

Lili, I preferred the sequels to "Eyre Affair" too. It is one of the few book series that just seems to get better and better with each book. I'm glad you are enjoying them. I haven't read any more by Lionel Shriver. She did have another book but it didn't appeal to me.