Playtime ATCs

Tiny Adventures in Mixed Media 

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about this little set.
The kind of nostalgia that smells faintly of grass stains, scraped knees, warm afternoons, and “home before the streetlights come on.”

For these ATCs I pulled out the very last of my retired Woodware stamp sets designed by the incredibly whimsical Francoise Read called Playtime. I had almost forgotten I still owned it until my recent shed clear-out, and finding it again felt a bit like opening an old toybox from another version of myself.

This set became a celebration of playful chaos, layered texture, and childhood freedom.

 

The Backgrounds

The backgrounds were created using my usual mixed media stash and layering process, building colour slowly until the cards felt textured and lived-in rather than overly polished.

I worked mainly with:

• mustard yellows
• teal greens
• touches of turquoise
• distressed earthy browns

The combination gives the cards a slightly grungy playground feel while still keeping them bright and cheerful.

For texture I used:

• gold embossing powder
• black texture stamping
• layered paint and ink splatters

The gold embossing catches the light beautifully in real life and adds that slightly messy, magical sparkle I always seem to gravitate towards lately.

The Images

The little characters were coloured using my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers again. I kept the colouring intentionally simple and graphic because the backgrounds already contain a lot of movement and texture.

Sometimes detailed colouring competes with busy mixed media backgrounds.
This time I wanted the images to stay bold, clean, and playful.

The black outlines help anchor everything against the layered backgrounds, while the pops of orange and blue keep the eye moving across the set.

I also added:

• minimal white splatter
• tiny shadowing around some elements
• soft dimensional layering

Just enough to create interest without overwhelming the cards.

My Favourite Details

A few things I especially love in this set:

✨ The tiny scooter and backpack
✨ The oversized bicycle wheels
✨ The little dog chasing the football
✨ The gold texture peeking through the layers
✨ The feeling that each ATC captures a tiny frozen moment

Together they feel like pages from a child’s summer diary.

Creative Reflections

Looking back at older work while starting to create again has been emotional in ways I did not expect.

I stopped crafting for quite a while because my mental health simply was not in a good place. Creativity becomes very difficult when your mind feels heavy all the time. But lately, sitting quietly with ink, stamps, texture paste, and messy backgrounds has started to feel calming again instead of exhausting.

Not perfect.
Not pressured.
Just… enjoyable.

And honestly? That matters more to me right now than making “perfect” art.

This little set feels like a reminder that creativity does not always need to be deep or dramatic. Sometimes it can simply be playful.

Supplies Used

Stamp Set:
Woodware “Playtime” by Francoise Read (retired)

Colouring Medium:
Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers

Texture & Background Elements:

• Gold embossing powder
• Tiny texture stamps
• White splatter
• Mixed media layered backgrounds

Three tiny cards.

One playful little story.

And perhaps a small step back toward myself again. 🎨✨