April 2011 Free Artist Trading Card Kit of the Month

Here it is! The free ATC Kit for the month for April 2011 - "Easter Beauties".

You will receive one of these kits with every order placed during the month of April.

This month's theme is for Easter, but isn't filled with bunny rabbits. Instead I have chosen to use vintage Easter Postcards featuring "Easter Beauties". (Only 3 are shown in the above photo). I decided to use paper from the New K & Company 12 x 12 Brenda Walton Flora & Fauna Collection. I have chosen the Die Cut Peonies, and the Aqua Eggs from the same collection. The colors are so soft, yet beautiful. The 12 in. x 12 in. paper has been cut into 3 in. x 4 in. pieces. You will receive one piece from the Die Cut Peonies and one from the Aqua Eggs. Also included is one Easter beauty image cut from our collage sheet. There are 5 different coordinating ribbons, of which 2 will be chosen to go with your kit. I have purchased 2 different Silver Bunny Charms to go with this kit. One of the silver rabbit charms will also be included in your kit. I also decided to go with some clear buttons (there are 3 different sizes; one will be in your kit). I love gluing patterned paper to the back of them (Using epoxy - either Judikins or Ranger's Glossy Accents), and then threading some Irish Waxed Linen through the hole. Sooo, you will also be receiving a 1 in. x 1 in. coordinating burgandy paper piece to glue to your clear button, and also included will be 2 different small pieces of Irish Waxed Linen that you can tie through your button. (one cream and one sage green). There is also a flat-backed 3/4 in. antique brass flower, and 4 cream die-cut pieces (one Easter basket and 4 eggs - these were punched from the Martha Stewart Double Large Easter Basket Punch. And of course, a blank Artist Trading Card and an ATC sleeve to place your completed Easter Artist Trading Card.

Here is a close up of the die-cut Easter basket and eggs, the 2 different silver rabbit charms and the brass flower.

Below is an Artist Trading Card that I made from the April Kit. I decided not to use the flat-backed brass flower on this ATC. I inked the Die-Cut Peonies with a soft burgandy ink and a foam blender to bring out the outlines of the die-cuts. I also colored the basket with markers to create the look of a real basket. I then inked and glittered all 4 eggs before gluing them to the back of the Easter basket die-cut. I then tied one of my ribbons to the top of the basket and cut out the vintage Easter image which I placed and glued behind the basket before gluing it to the card. I made my button, as described below, and added the Easter Rabbit Charm to the waxed linen before knoting it.