I got involved with the World Watercolour Challenge in July, but I, being me, took it a step further and challenged myself to paint only in ATC (Artist Trading Cards) size, which is just 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. Now although I failed on some of the paintings, I absolutely thoroughly enjoyed myself. It’s ages since I painted so picking up the brushes again was such a joy to me.
However … in the comments, I got into various chats about ATC’s and tried to explain that if you fancied making an ATC, you didn’t have to paint in order to make them. You could glue, stick, adhere, ~ paper, magazine cut-outs, tissue, die cuts, anything basically. And attach all sorts of things. You can make a picture, a statement, a quote, or even a whole story on your ATC.
To try to show you what I mean, I made a quick to make ATC … it could be kept exactly as it is, and stored in a collectors folder. Or you can give ATC’s away to friends, family etc. Or you can swap them with other ATC makers. Or … you could use them on a handmade card or in a scrapbook.

First I made the fairy dress, out of bluey green feathers, a sticker and black card, and using a plain white card, pre-cut to ATC size (2.5″x3.5″).
I firstly coloured the ATC card using two different blues – one was called Freshly Washed Jeans – the other … I’m going to have to call Teal – it was ink left on a bit of sponge, which I’d saved in a sealed plastic bag (I’m such a thrifter!). Then using an embossing ink and gold Tonic embossing powder, I embossed all around the edge of the card.

I stamped the ‘message’ ~ “Don’t let life RUFFLE your feathers”, and stamped a feather over it. Then added the three pearl gems in contrasting colours.
Aw…. nearly forgot … before I began this ATC … I back-stamped it using my favourite ATC stamp:

I tend to stamp my ATC cards on the back before I begin my art work … but I’ve been known to forget and if you do it’s easily solved. You stamp your ATC stamp onto some plain white paper, fill in the details and cut it out to the exact size and simply glue it to the back of your ATC.
And that’s all there was to it!
Well, it’s Monday again. A brand new week, fresh out of the box and gifted to us to do with as we will. Do something good today. Make your day a memorable one. See if you can do something which will make another person smile. It could be a work colleague, a friend, a relative or a complete stranger. Whoever it is … make them smile. Do whatever you can, with what you have available to you. Just make someone smile today and make it a memorable day for you, and for them.
Sending a whole ton of squidges, all sent out in various directions around the globe, in the hope of one of them getting to you and making you smile too. If you’re smiling right now … then one has already reached you.
Have a groovy day … a memorable, groovy day.
What a beautiful little card! I love textured details like the feathers and 3D dress, it’s just perfect 🙂
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Aw, thank you QuietWaterCraft.
I’m thrilled that you like it. ~ Cobs. x
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Absolutely fabulous! Dainty and elegant, worthy of any fairy supermodel! 😺💕xxx
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LOL…. laughing … with my shoulders all crunched up and feeling total GLEE!
Thank you Samantha, for a truly fabulous comment. I’ll let you know if a Fairy comes shopping and snaps it up! [wink] ~ Cobs. xxx
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Wow1 You must have sexy fairies around your place. Really nice work Mrs. Cob. and the back stamp? I have seen that before but can’t remember where. Would be smart to have and not have to write the whole thing out. ( I can be pretty lazy sometimes). We have sunshine so most of us are smiling just for that, but more…more rain on the way …for the next week or so. Some of the plants are drowning and the late figs are blown up and rotten before ripe. Oh well. …some things we just aren’t in charge of. xoxo
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Hello Beverly 🙂
Aw I’m sorry to hear about the plants drowning in all of the rain there. I’ve had a similar problem here. My one hanging basket by the front porch got a thorough continual drenching, and then the winds came and battered the life out of most of the plants left in it. My Lavender, all along the pathway in the front garden now looks dreadful too. It’s going to have to have an early hair cut I think. It still smells divine though, so I may capture the heads and put the buds into some little bags for drawers and wardrobes. I’d love to send you one but I’m unsure if customs would allow one to go through. I’ll have a look on the customs website and see if I can find the information.
THE POSTMAN CAME!!! Thank you so much for the incredible Birthday Card. I have it stood in the living room, in pride of place… where everyone can see it … just so I can brag about it. LOL.
Aw, well perhaps not brag … but just talk about the magnificent woman who made it and how lucky I am to have her in my life.
I’ll email you. 😀
As for Sexy Fairies… nooo not at all! But Fairies do like dressing up for the Fairyland Ball y’know! Can’t have a dowdy Fairy attending the Summer Ball. She’d look ridiculous in a Pumpkin coach, dressed in her cleaning outift! tsk tks. lol
Sending lots of love and plenty of squidges ~ Cobs. xxx
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The post certainly takes time doesn’t it.? Glad you enjoy it.
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Ohhh Beverly, enjoyed is the understatement. I even loved the box it arrived in!
I was SO excited, you’d have thought I was a child on Christmas Day when Santa had been! SO so excited.
~ C. xxx
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I’m sure you notice I put your address label trying to get it there. lol
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LOLOL…. ABSOLUTELY! Even Mr.C noticed that.
Aw you fabulous woman. I love you to pieces. xxx
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I’m smiling broadly. However, I wouldn’t be smiling at all if I were trying to make something like you did. Believe me, I’m not cut out for crafts. I’m totally content to appreciate your talent. Smiles back to you!
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Aw dearest Anne…
Hello lovely friend. Anne, if you saw how easy it was to make that little ATC you’d be making them within fifteen minutes and be an expert at them after making your first one. Seriously … they really aren’t difficult at all.
And … your young grandchildren might like playing with this size of art work.
Thank you so much for coming and visiting Anne. I love to see you.
Happy Monday …. sending great big smiles and a bundle of love, ~ Cobs. x
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Happy Monday, though you don’t have much of it left.
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Me neither, but I shall treasure whatever is left knowing that it is indeed a blessing. xxx
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Very cute Cobs, very cute indeed. The feathers, the wee stamping and the colour. The colour is yummy. Now you just need a fairy house to hang this piece of art inside. 🙂 Ideas?
Be the day you want to have 🙂
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Hello Soozy
Hmmm… a fairy house. I wonder. 😉
Thanks for coming and leaving a comment dearest Soozy. It’s so lovely to see you.
Have a blessed rest of your day my friend.
Sending love ~ Cobs. x
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adorable! You spread cheer and light light a good fairy ought to!
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I doubt there are Fairy wings big enough to get me off the ground … but my soul … ah, now my soul is something else indeed, and that soars higher than I ever dreamed possible. It’s a beautiful way to exist.
Sending you love Rabbit. Heaps of it. ~ C. xxx
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yes and oddly-keeps us sane!
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or on the edge of sanity. lol. xxx
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Oh! I was using the term loosely! haha!
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The stamp finishes the ATC off nicely, Cobs (I just plonked my name on the back of the baby animal ones I did – but you don’t know what you don’t know!) I shall look into getting one of these (or similar) stamps for mine. Yes. I am going to be doing more. I’ve decided. And I’m going to be adventurous. And far out. And maybe, just maybe, a tad over the top. Thanks for the info on the stamps as well… very much appreciated! 😀
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You’re very welcome Tom.
I’m thrilled to hear that you’re going to do some more. They’re such an enjoyable way to make a little something.
That teeny tiny easel which the ATC is display on, I bought for something like 99p. It came with a little square canvas, but all I wanted was the easel. I think I got it from The Works.
They have developed their craft supplies, and they are now very much worth a visit. I’ve bought things there for a fraction of the price I’d normally have paid for them.
Sending squidges ~ Cobs. x
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They are indeed,,, and they can be quick to do as well, all things considered! I own a couple of those mini easels, and a few of those little canvases. I’m building up to doing something on them in oils. Not yet though. I think I have a The Works somewhere nearby… I shall have to explore (I think I got my easels from there, together with a few of those little poseable artist mannequins)
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Oh… I forgot to say: If/when you buy your backstamp (or any stamp for using with your artwork), purchase a Stazon stamp pad – in a colour you’d like to use. (I use black, but it’s personal choice).
It’s a permanent ink pad – which means that if you then want to colour over the top of it, or around it, the ink won’t blend into any of the colours you use. It stays exactly where you put it.
Y’know there are times when I wish crafters lived next door or near to me, so that I can show them or share stuff with them. This is one of those times.
If ever you want to ask something but don’t want to put it in a comment, please feel free to email me.
Happy Art Making! ~ Cobs. x
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This is so pretty, so fun
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Hello Isn’t She Crafty!
Thank you so much. Really glad you like it.
Thanks for coming and for the comment.
Squidges ~ Cobs. x
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This is absolutely Wonderful! I love it! I didnt know they had a stamp for the ATC Creator! XXX
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Hello Ruthie! 🙂
They do indeedly have a stamp for the ATC Creator. That’s how popular ATC art is.
Google ‘ Artist Trading Cards ‘ and take a look at the Images. You’ll be really surprised about how much they’re loved as an art form. (…. and how much some of them can sell for! They can be proper little earners for some folks!)
Hope you and all at Ruthies Crafting Corner are fine and groovy!
Sending squidges ~ Cobs. x
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Such a beautiful little ATC. Love those feathers and the gold edging looked like you had a background instead of embossing powder. Truly a miniature work of art 🙂 x
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Aww, thank you Kim.
Bless you for leaving such a beautiful comment.
Sending love ~ Cobs. x
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That is the cutest, fluffiest little thing I hae seen in a long time! Those colors are wonderful and the whole thing is just adorable!
You now have me wanting to go out and collect the fluffy chicken feathers my girls leave laying around! I would have to fight the swallows for them though……I think I could win.
I am having a tough time expressing just how much I love that ATC. Big sigh…..adorable and sassy.
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Aw Chicken… you could make one easy peasy. And … if you used your Chicken feathers – I’m guessing they’d probably be the wonderful mixture of Marmalade and Warm Wonderful Orangey Brown …. you could make the most incredible Autumnal Fairy Dress with them!!
The bodice is easy – even if you didn’t have the sticker to guide you …. you could draw it out (trick tip: Drawn just one half of the bodice – from top to bottom, and once you have the outline that you like, cut it out … then drawn around it for the one half, and then flip the cut out over and draw the other half, and you’ll have a complete bodice then!)
Oooo I’m getting so excited about it that I want to make one too! lol.
Have a go Chicken!
Thrilled you like the Fairy Dress.
Thank you for the lovely comment.
Squidges ~ Cobs. x
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Cute ATC! I’m familiar with these because my mom makes them with rug hooking (the original, pioneer-type, not latch hooking), and I’m the proud owner of one!
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Hello Gillyflower
I’d never seen a rug hooked ATC and my brain couldn’t get around how someone would come to make one successfully … so I Googled it … and there they were in all their beauty. How lovely!!
I can totally understand why your are the proud owner of one – for I would be too. How incredible they are. What a clever mom she is!
Will you tell her I think she’s amazing, and her beautiful art work is fabulous.
Sending squidges ~Cobs. x
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Thank you … I will!
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Good evening to you – hope you’re having a wonderful evening…I wonder…Gillyflower and I were getting quite concerned about Paperpuff. Have you heard anything from her, or do you have any means of communicating with her? Just a bit worried – thanks for listening 💕
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Ohh Samantha … I too am worried to pieces about her.
I’ve left messages on her blog page, and have even sent her an email, but have received no reply. I’m so concerned about her.
I do still have her snail mail address and wondered if perhaps I should send a wee card through the post, saying hello and saying that WE in blogland hoped she was OK. But I don’t know if that would be the wrong thing to do.
What do you think? Do you think it would be ok to do that?
~ Cobs. xxx
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I’ve been wondering about Paper Puff too, I do hope she is ok x
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Me too, Mrs.C. I’m so worried about her. It’s been three months. Such a long time to be MIA.
~ C. x
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I do think that would be a good idea. I know she’s mentioned the internet connection can be erratic where she is, so if you have her address, I would definitely send a card. Obviously, she might not answer, but equally it might help her to know we are all thinking of her. I don’t think it would be wrong to express our concern for her – I think it would be ok, surely. I will let Gillyflower know xx
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Ok … we are in agreement. I’ll send a little card. If I hear anything from her I’ll let you know. ~ C. x
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Thank you very much 💕
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I love that feathery dress! It’s perfectly girly and elegant at the same time, I love seeing your work x
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Aww thank you Mrs. Craft. Bless your beautiful heart.
Squidges ~ Cobs. x
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Oh Cobs, this is so so pretty. I too hope a fairy comes and snaps it up soon and flies by to visit me. Just totally gorgeous.
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Aww, thank you Barbara. I’m thrilled to pieces that you like it.
Squidges ~ Cobs. x
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Beautiful card, Cobs! I love the dress so much, the feathers and the colors you chose. Excellent!
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Aw thank you Mary. Bless you.
C. xxx
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You’re welcome. It’s about time I come by to see the pretty things and say hello.
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Awwwww…. I’m all wriggly now!
Thank you 😀
~ C. x
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Oh what a beautiful “little” card! I love those feathers! And, what a great sentiment! It’s Thursday, and I’m a little late in my reading of your post…2 wedding and 1 birthday card so far this week..but I still enjoy it. Monday was a busy day for me as I had Jury duty. Boring! You sit in a room and wait for the court to call some of us to be interviewed to sit and hear the case. Once they have 12 picked, they send the rest of us back to the waiting room to sit, and yes, wait! I was there from 9:00 until 4:15…just waiting. I did get 1/2 of a book read! Yeah! Well, here’s to Friday! LOL! (My this week went by fast didn’t it????) 🙂
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Hello Nancee!
Re Jury Duty … I’ve never been called to do it, and will admit to wondering if I’d ever be called because I reckoned I’d love to be involved.
However … after reading of your experience, I don’t think I’d find it as enjoyable as I thought I would. It sounds numbingly boring and a total waste of time without any moments along the way for something to lift the boredom.
So I think I can safely say that it’s one thing I’m crossing off my list of ‘Would like to do’.
Thrilled to pieces that you like the ATC and the Fairy Dress.
Thank you so much for coming and for the GREAT comment.
Sending love and squidges to your door ~ Cobs. x
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Dearest Cobs,
I would like to place my order for a lovely fairy dress in my size. I would also like it to have a bit of magic in it so that it makes my size be about 5 sizes smaller. And if I’m going to ask for some magic I should also like the feathers to be completely functional so that I can lift my skirt and fly away whenever the mood strikes me!
Sending you the fluffiest of fluffy feathered blessings!
~ Tami
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And it shall be done.
*Swish and Flick!*
…………………………… the magic begins.
Watch this space. 😉
C. xxx
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You request it, and I said it shall be so. It is now in existence. You can find it, HERE—> https://thecobweboriumemporium.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/believe-in-the-magic/
~ Cobs. x
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Wow….. Dear.
What a lovely make. This is so cute and I love the feathery dress so much. Thanks for sharing such a cute inspiration. I really enjoyed your sweet post…. 💚💚💚💚💚💚
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Thank you, Uroo. 🙂
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What a cool idea for an ATC! I love making these little art cards too 🙂
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Hello Maranda. Lovely to ‘meet’ you! 😊
You make ATC’s? Ooooh, I shall have to pop over to your blog and take a peep. I love other people’s ATC’s.
Thank you so much for coming, and for the lovely message.
Have a blessed rest of your day. ~ Cobs. x 😊
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Wow!!! I like it.. 🙂 this art looks lovely and elegant ❤
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Thank you, liferspective.
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Your Welcome, I really liked it 🙂
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