"Think Spring!" ATCs

Another swap at the OWSE Yahoo group I participated in was Spring-themed ATCs. It was a 5 for 5 swap - I'd like to share with you the ones I made. Warning: this is a rather long post because I'm including details about each piece. But it's perfectly fine it you just want to look at the pictures!

The first one is built on a background image from Dawn at The Feathered Nest . (If you love FREE vintage images, and amazing assemblages, then you really need to check out her blog!) The colors were a bit faint, so I handpainted over the flowers at the top to give them a stronger presence. The small piece, "It's Spring", is mounted on foam to give it dimension. The pansy image is from a scrapbook paper I've had for many years.

And the little pewter dragonfly in the bottom right corner is actually from a bobby pin! At the dollar store I found a set of 8 bobby pins with little pewter-looking butterflies, dragonflies and ladybugs attached. So I just took my handy-dandy pliers and un-attached one! Love me some dollar store!

I am a huge fan of the foam tape! This image was found online; I printed out two copies, then cut out certain blossoms and mounted them on - you guessed it - foam tape! Again, added a little handpainting to strengthen some colors. And for a little bling, glittery glue in the flower centers.

This one may be my favorite, although I nearly died in delivery. Another image from Dawn at The Feathered Nest; this time I made three copies, so there are two layers of foam-tape goodness, with one having two thicknesses to raise it even more. A little velvet ribbon and bow trim across the bottom and finis! BTW, those are actual postage stamps I used on these ATCs.

I just fell in love with this image - what a precious little girl, communing with nature, talking with the birds. Only the bird received the foam-tape treatment this time. Oh yeah, and the little "It's Spring" piece. Added some fabric roses at the bottom, and a bit of velvet ribbon and a corner filigree at the top.

No, there's nothing wrong with your eyes. Apparently my scanner was demon-possessed when I scanned this one, and I was supernaturally blinded so that I did not notice. And now they've all been mailed away and I have no way to rescan. Such is life. Another internet-found image, more hand-painting on the blossoms, more foam-tape, pewter butterfly from the afore-mentioned dollar store bobby pins. This time I painted the butterfly yellow, which hardly shows here, and added a coating of Judikins "Diamond Glaze". Almost looks like enamel.

I love how the trim on the left side turned out: Over a painted strip, I glued tiny white rick-rack - so cute! - and added a piece of narrow ribbon, green with white stitching down the middle. Then I glued itty-bitty blue seed beads in some of the rick-rack valleys.

I really enjoy participating in these swaps and now I'm looking forward the receiving back the ATCs created by the other OWSE artists!

PS: I have tried to find the sources for the other images I used, with no luck. If you have any information, please let me know so I can give proper credit. Thanks!