ATCs: In The Meadow

From a series of Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) that I call "In The Meadow" come these two ATCs. I used a rubber stamp alphabet (Legacy by Hero Arts) and stamped the word "snow." The little snowmen are formed using the letter O and adding details like a stocking cap, facial features, and buttons or nine patch quilt blocks.The white snowman was stamped, detailed, cut out of watercolor paper and glued in place.

I used a 1" x 3" strip of bubble wrap to stamp the backgrounds with muted polkdot pattern using both red and brown ink. I added bows to some of the cards. Music notes and the line from "Winter Wonderland" complete the ATCs. 

So far, I've made 13 of these little cards. I sign the backs and include them with Christmas cards for friends.

Links to last December's ATCs:

Winter Pines #1

Winter Pines #2

Winter Pines #3

Winter Pines #4

Copyright 2011

Wanda Hayes Eichler



ATC: Clear Moon, Frost Soon

From the 2010 ATC (Artist Trading Card) series called "Clear Moon, Frost Soon." Since the Full Hunter's Moon rises tonight, this card seems appropriate.

Artist trading cards are 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches and can be made of many different materials. I use stiff paper, rubber stamps, markers, watercolor pencils, glimmer mist and other artist supplies to make an ATC. The stamp on this card is accented with markers and gold stamping.

I used a wine cork to stamp the gold moon. The phrase "clear moon, frost soon" is taken from a cross stitch sampler that I have been stitching for way too many years.

Copyright 2011

Wanda Hayes Eichler



ATC: The House and The Sun

The hot sun is central to the day in the desert. Today's image is of a house (la casa) and the sun (el sol).

The image began as a simple black outline rubber stamp ("Scenic Villa" by Stampendous). I added a resident saguaro cactus and then used Tombow markers to bring green grays, red, orange, and some turquoise to the desert image. Using Photoshop, I altered the color and added a spatter effect.

Think eighty degrees in the shade as you look at this image.

ATC Copyright 2011

Wanda Hayes Eichler

Spring Week: Sunshine ATC

It's Tuesday of the First Week of Spring and the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning of sleet, ice and snow from 8 pm tonight through 8 pm tomorrow night. Yipes, sounds like this could be a genuine nor'easter sweeping down on Michigan's Thumb. Ed made the comment this weekend that the farmers won't be moving on the land until the sun warms the ground. So far, so cold -- that's the theme that Mother Nature is playing this week.

So, today's image is about sunshine. Here's an ATC that features a rubber stamp image that has color added via Tombow markers and watercolor pencils. The words -- "you are my sunshine, my only sunshine" should run through your mind as you comtemplate this ATC.

ATC Copyright 2011

Wanda Hayes Eichler





ATC: Trust The Cow

From the 2010 ATC (Artist Trading Card) series called "Trust The Cow." This series is a humorous reminder to eat real food.

Artist trading cards are 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches and can be made of many different materials. I use stiff paper, rubber stamps, markers, watercolor pencils, glimmer mist and other artist supplies to make an ATC. The little hedgehog stamp on this card was purchsed in Fukuoka, Japan in September 2008. "

Some of us following Wisconsin politics in these early days of 2011 might change the ATC so that it reads "Trust the People, not the Governor." Then the little hedgehog would be saying, "I trust the People." Hmm, an activist hedgehog.

Copyright 2011

Wanda Hayes Eichler

Winter Pines ATC#4

#4 in Winter Pines series of ATCs (artist trading cards) by Wanda Hayes Eichler, Pigeon, Michigan.

The base is a Strathmore ATC, 100 lb. vellum surface. The background is Glimmer Mist with an overcoat of gel medium. The black stamp is applied on top of the gel medium and left to dry.

Marker accents are red, deep brown, medium tan, medium green and gold green. Although unrealistic, the red berries add a holiday flavor to the ATC.

Winter Pines ATC#3

#3 in Winter Pines series of ATCs (artist trading cards) by Wanda Hayes Eichler, Pigeon, Michigan.

Background lines are drawn with Tombow ABT marker. The evergreen is stamped using a VersaFine onyx black stamp pad. Tombow markers are used to accent the lines of the black image.

Winter Pines ATC#2

#2 in Winter Pines series of ATCs (artist trading cards) by Wanda Hayes Eichler, Pigeon, Michigan.

The snowflake is made using a wine cork that is cut into an asterisk shape. I used an Encore Ultimate Metallic Gold stamp pad to stamp the snowflakes.

The background is 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" scrapbook paper with flecks.

Winter Pines ATC#1

#1 in Winter Pines series of ATCs (artist trading cards) by Wanda Hayes Eichler, Pigeon, Michigan.

A light cream paper shows off the black graphic that is accented with color and design.

Read more about how these ATCs are created in my later posts.