Craftside

Using research and inspiration photo ATCs as the elements on an altered book journal page

Today's post is inspired by a few books and authors.

The first one is:

The Creative Entrepreneur
A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real

By

Lisa Sonora Beam

She wrote a post here that you can read about how she makes a spread sheet on her birthday.

The next book that some of my inspiration comes from is:

1,000 Artist Trading Cards:
Innovative and Inspired Mixed Media ATCs

Specifically this page, I liked the idea of working on a group of ATCs that held a common theme.

 

Click on the image to enlarge and see closer this wonderful collection of ATCs by Kelli Perkins.

And the final book that helped form today's project was:

Green Guide for Artists
Nontoxic Recipes, Green Art Ideas, and Resources for the Eco-Conscious Artist
By
Karen Michel

Yup all that reading just percolates into these pages:

and

and

Click on the images to see the details of my 47 ATC canvases ready to be embellished and altered.

OK, now the story.

I have tons of research and inspiration pages that are just stacked in a pile and not used much because they are very inaccessible. That's where Lisa's spread sheet idea came into my mind, the grid, all on one page, organized that sort of thing.

Next came the size and shape - that's where the ATC working with a common theme came in. I had all these research pictures that were perfect to use to create art in and of themselves but also serve a purpose (my research).

And then the Green Guide for Artists comes into play in that I am recycling an old book as my large pallet to contain all my mini pallets (the magazine page ATC's) to make all my art.

Are you following my train of thought here? Or have I become completely derailed?

I cut out lots of my jewelry inspiration photos down to ATC size. Even at this point I got so inspired I almost dropped the project and went to make a piece of jewelry but I stuck it out.

I had this large format picture book that I had already started to alter with memorabilia and photos. I used removable glue dots to adhere the ATCs into the book so they could in fact at some point be swapped.

Here is one of the pages before I attached the ATCs.

I am really excited to have my jewelry inspiration and my ATC "canvases" so accessible now. I should point out my ATC canvases with other fun topics and backgrounds that I have cut out are currently just in a stack as well but I am thinking about adding them to this book as well.

How do you organize your inspiration for your art and creativity?

Jenn Mason's Parts & Parcels make the perfect place for 144 ATCs and Crafty Blogger Links

Jenn Mason is a very talented designer, here are just some of the books she's authored and co-authored.

Click here to see inside peeks and projects from them, then pop on over to Amazon to score yourself some, I know you will want to. I keep going back to them time and again for cool designs and inspiration. And speaking of cool designs she has this great line of stuff with Creative Imaginations called Parts and Parcels. It is absolutely perfect for my growing collection of ATCs. It will fit 144!

I just finished filling my first book. I used photo corners so that I could slide the ATC's out if I wanted to swap or rearange.

In final Jenn news pop on over to her new sight for even more of her fabulous craftiness- Everyday Artist Studio

Now onto more links for some awsome craftiness around the internet:

Alexa Westerfield a.k.a. Swelldesigner
Alexa shares the mental process behind creating a post on her swell craft blog

Crafty Princess Diaries
Have you thought about taking your craft hobby to a different level? Tammy has some thoughts to consider before crossing over the hobby/professional line.

CraftyPod
SisterDiane is thrilled to unveil her new ebook, Weaving Un-Loomed: Simple Ways to Weave Cool Things.

Cross Stitch at About.com
Have fun trying out these new free Candlewicking patterns Connie's sharing. If you use one, send in a photo to show it off!

Mixed Media Artist
Using two very different book pages, you can create a found poem for an altered book...or just because!

Naughty Secretary Club
Jen shares clever and crafty uses for suitcases that have nothing to do with holding clothing. Side tables, laptop cases and portable craft studios oh my!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Drink Mermaids take the plunge into some silver paint and get transformed into some swimmingly fun necklaces inspired by the wonderfully innovative book- A Charming Exchange. 

The Artful Crafter
Eileen shows you how to make a multi-strand fiber bracelet.

The Crochet Dude
Drew reviews the new Simplicty Rotary Cutting Maching - offers up a free crocheted project using fabric strips - and he's giving away a Rotary Cutting Machine to one lucky commenter!

The Impatient Crafter
Madge shows you how to make a quick and easy Altered Chinese Paper Lantern in her first post on Kid/Teen Crafts for I Love to Create!

Vickie Howell-Craft.Rock.Love
Check out Vickie's free pattern for a knitted lace, iPhone cozy!

About Family Crafts
I need your help! Be the first to submit a photo of this completed craft and be featured on the Family Crafts site!

Aileen's Musings
Your help is needed...Please take a moment to help make a difference We have a chance to get our ovarian cancer charity project on the cover of a northern CA magazine. Your vote is needed! The project benefits the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Deadline for voting is July 23rd so hurry and cast your vote!

"E" is for EAT ATC

In yesterday's post I covered some eating advice from What to Eat for What Ails You for Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Now these are not on the "good food" list but I live on these babies!
Hence the gallon box. I keep one in the car and one in the house.
I even have a plushie of one on my dashboard!

I decided that "Eat" was going to be my alphabet ATC for this week and since this is what I eat it was going to be the image I was going to work with.

At first I thought about photographing a bunch of goldfish, then I thought I could find some photos on line, then the light bulb hit! The box-the image and the work surface in one!
So I went to the car box and it was almost empty, go figure.

This is what I managed to scavenged from the box image-wise.

For the top ATC I used typewriter key stamps that I had done a ton of on a plain white piece of paper and punched using a McGill punch that is the same size. I then just glued them on. For the other two I stamped and embossed in black with two of my favorite font stamps.

I think they came out pretty fun.

If you need more ATC inspiration click on the ATC link below to read previous posts or grab yourself a copy of one of my favorite ATC books:

1,000 Artist Trading Cards:
Innovative and Inspired Mixed Media ATCs

So to end the week, here is today's question:
Have you used food packaging in your ATCs or art? Leave a note or link in the comments section letting all of us know about it and as our thanks you'll be entered to win a free book!

Oh and if you're afraid of missing any of the cool crafts here at Craftside you can subscribe to this here blog (top left) and it will arrive in your inbox every day! Just a little way to make life a tad easier and who doesn't need that?

"A" is for ATC and ART

Yesterday I made my "A" ATC for the week. And today I have another one to share with you, it is from:

1,000 Artist Trading Cards:
Innovative and Inspired Mixed Media ATCs

By Patricia Bolton

Making artist trading cards (ATCs) is a hugely popular activity for artists. Originally a paper/collage-based art form, ATCs have caught on with crafters working in a range of mediums and are now just as popular among fabric and mixed-media artists. ATCs are mini art works, the size of a playing card, often created as limited editions. The back of each card contains the artist's name and contact information. The idea behind the cards is to make them and then give, trade, or share them with others. This collection inspires with 1,000 original cards in a beautiful pageant of color, composition, and creative use of materials. The book also includes a special section devoted to explaining what ATCs are, how to get started, and includes some exciting technique information. Curated by Patricia Bolton, founder and editor-in-chief of two of the most exciting creative magazines on the newsstands, the book meets the Quarry Books mission of offering artistic and challenging new ideas to traditional paper artists, scrapbookers, mixed-media artists, and quilters by merging paper, fabric, and surface embellishment through experimentation and discovery.

Patricia Chatham Bolton is the founder and editor-in-chief of Quilting Arts Magazine and Cloth Paper Scissors. Patricia lives in Stow, MA.

So not only is "A" for ATC is is also for "ART"

 

is is just 1 of the 1000 from

1,000 Artist Trading Cards:
Innovative and Inspired Mixed Media ATCs

This ATC is by Jill N. Hamilton-Krawczyk.

Pop on over to her blog to see what "Artsiness" she's up to!

Got any other good "ART" quotes to share with the group today? Leave a comment and be entered to win a free book of the week.

"A" is for Antlers- Free Graphic from Design Parts Sourcebook: Romantic

This is such a cool image.

it is from:

Design Parts Sourcebook: Romantic
A Collection of Images for Artists and Designers
By
MdN Designs

This book is a useful and inspirational collection of romantically inspired images to use, modify, and customize for your own art and design projects. The book provides a printed catalog of all the images and the companion CD-ROM provides all the image files in both JPEG and PNG data files for Photoshop and MS Word users. A beautiful collection, this book is a fantastic resource for a wide range of visual artists including art journalers, scrapbookers, cardmakers, collage artists, graphic designers, and fine artists.

MdN Design is the designers’ section of MdN Corporation, Inc., which was established in 1989 and has published magazines and books on graphic design, web design, DTP, art and printing in Japan.

And this is such a cool technique:

(Click on image to enlarge)

It takes a photo and then adds the images from 

Design Parts Sourcebook: Romantic
A Collection of Images for Artists and Designers

 

So this is what I came up with. I used a photo my Mom took in Connecticut this past Christmas and the above graphic.

I definitely think this is my new favorite technique!!!!!!

I am going to print this out and it is going to be my "A" ATC.

My plan is that I am going to make an ATC a week based on each letter.

Wanna play too? Make something each week based on that letter and let us know by leaving a comment about it!

"Cutting Edge" ATC's and Business cards

Last week I shared this cool page with you

(click on image to enlarge)

from

The Creative Entrepreneur
A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real

By

Lisa Sonora Beam

It was a design by Carol Parks.

I said I had an idea and as promised here it is:
I went through my W magazines with my masked grid ruler to see if the face and one hand would make it into the space.
I then cut the ATC out with the scissors that I die cut using the Provo Craft scissor die cut roughed in.

To attach the scissors to the card I cut a piece of 26 gauge wire about 4 inches, bent it in half with a tiny silver bead in the fold and slid each half of the scissors on both wires.

I punched a tiny hole in the card and slid the wires through.

I then folded the wires to the side just as you would a brad and curled them into a loose flat question mark going in opposite directions.

I printed the words "Cutting Edge Crafter" out on sticky back paper in a whole bunch of different fonts and sizes.

I cut them out and stuck on ones that I felt worked in each space.

I will stick on the back all my pertinent info for trading the ATC's.

I liked how the ATC's came out so I thought I'd try business cards. What do ya'll think? I kinda like them, but am I prepared to make enough to hand out? Hmmmmmmm.

If you're looking for more ATC inspiration grab a copy of one of my favorites:

1,000 Artist Trading Cards:
Innovative and Inspired Mixed Media ATCs

By Patricia Bolton