My FIRST step by step TUTORIAL...Enjoy!

It's already August!!! I have been such a busy crafter, and can't wait to show you what I've been up to...for now though here is my first step by step tutorial for a ATC I created.

ATC Theme: Seasons

Title: Autumn

Quote: “Autumn ~ the year’s last loveliest smile.” – William Cullen Bryant

Products Used:

o Black Card Stock x2

o White Card Stock x1

o KaiserCraft 6x6 Black and White Timeless Paper Pad (the leaf patterned paper)

o Distress Ink Pads - Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge Aged Mahogany, Dried Marigold and Spiced Marmalade

o Maple Leaf Stamp

o Washi Tape

o Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad

o Brilliance Pigment Ink – Galaxy Gold

o Glue and Double Sided Tape

o Distressing Tool

o Scissors

o Silhouette Cameo (though it’s easy enough to cut these with your paper trimmer)

First cut your card stock to an Artist Trading Card size (3.5x2.5”). I used my Silhouette Cameo which I created a template, for both the ATC and a card slightly smaller than the ATC.

I like my ATC nice and strong so I will generally glue patterned paper to card stock to make it stronger.

Using some washi tape I created a mask on my patterned paper. I ripped the washi tape rather than cutting it to give a nice frayed look (almost like the veins of a leaf). 

Next I used my Distress Inks and blended the colours together. Initially I used Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge and Aged Mahogany. But as this is for a 9/9 ATC swap I decided to also use Dried Marigold, Spiced Marmalade and Wild Honey for 4 of the 9 ATC. 

I then stamped the Maple Leaf Stamp around the edges of my ATC. I then added another layer by adding the same stamped image this time in gold ink. 

Using my distress tool I distressed the edges of the paper and cut some slits on the side.

Before taping this to the ATC I felt it needed a little more – so I went around the edges of the ATC with The Maple Leaf Stamp in gold. I taped them together and glued the quote on.

The quote was printed on white card stock from my computer and distressed inked using the same colour scheme.

Here is the finished ATC:

That's it for todays post, thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed my first tutorial. Perhaps next time I'll be brave enough to use the video camera :)

More awesome craft projects coming soon...

Happy Crafting! 

 Samantha