Do you know what ATCs are?

Nope neither did I. ATC stands for Artist Trading Cards. It is kind of like artist business cards. Well at least that is how it started. Now it is just a new hobby/art form. People are making and trading these like crazy.

ATC are to be traded or given away, never sold.

I recently joined Swap-Bot, an online swap forum for swapping stuff. I have done a few sewing type swaps at Down To Earth and really enjoyed them.

For those who haven't done swaps before, you are assigned a project (make a tea towel, a pin cushion etc...), and then assigned at least one partner (sometimes more depending on what you are making) and then you make that item, mail to your partner and they do the same for you.

Swap Bot even has email swaps and Christmas card swaps - what a great way to get more Christmas cards! :)

At Swap Bot, I noticed a lot of the swaps were for ATCs, which I had not heard of before. They have swaps for ATC with themes such as Christmas trees, Rainbows or pretty much anything else you can think of.

As I researched ATCs more, I decided to make some of my own. Wow these really are addictive!

The must be 2.5/3.5 inches in size, the traditional trading card size, but other than that the sky is the limit - do what you want with them. If you are a photogragher, you can simply use your photos as ATC.

As the are so small, they are relatively fast to whip up.

I completed 5 last night and have another 3 started.

As of yet I do not have anyone to trade these with, so if any of you would like any of these shown, send me an email and I will send it to you. If you feel like creating ATCs of your own, send me one back, but that isn't necessary.

These were created with watercolour and scrapbook supplies.

(Sorry for the crappy photos, a photographer, I am not.)

ATC Time

ATC Live Laugh Love

ATC Summer
ATC Spring
ATC Fall

These are the unfinished ones

The back of the ATC - it says original, because
you can also make multiples (silk screened, photography)
and have them numbered.
Also if you were a real artist with stuff to sell,
you could also add your website or Etsy shop URL.