Garden Babies ATCs

Mixed Media Artist Trading Cards using retired Woodware stamps by Jaqueline Ross

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about revisiting retired stamp sets. They carry a certain kind of magic, like favourite books with softened corners or a song you forgot you loved until the first note starts playing again.

For this set, I pulled out the adorable Garden Babies stamps by Jacqueline Ross for Woodware and built a dreamy mixed media background around them using gel printing, acrylic paint, embossing paste, and layered stamping.

The finished cards feel soft and whimsical, almost like tiny snapshots from a hidden fairy garden.

 

Creating the Backgrounds

The backgrounds started with gel printing and acrylic paints, layered in soft pastel shades of aqua, lavender, blush pink, and hints of white. I wanted the colours to feel airy and playful while still having enough contrast for the focal images to stand out.

Once the paint layers were dry, I added extra texture using:

• Embossing paste
• A stencil for raised dimensional detail
• Script stamping for added definition and movement

For the script detail, I used Versafine Clair Onyx Black, stamping lightly in random areas to create visual texture without overwhelming the softer colour palette.

The combination of printed layers, embossed circles, script fragments, and splattered detail created that perfectly imperfect mixed media look that I love so much.

 

Embossed Circle Details

The textured circles behind the focal images were created separately to help frame the little Garden Babies and add extra dimension.

I stamped the circles using:

• Versafine embossing ink
• WOW Detailed White Embossing Powder

After heat embossing, each circle was carefully cut out by hand using 7.6mm detail scissors from Amazon. 

The crisp white embossing against the soft backgrounds adds a beautiful contrast and almost gives the impression of bubbles, moonlight, or floating garden spores drifting through the scene.

Colouring the Images

The Garden Babies images were stamped using:

• Memento Dye Ink – Tuxedo Black

I specifically chose Memento because it works beautifully with alcohol markers and does not smudge during colouring.

The images were coloured using:

• Crafter’s Companion Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers

I kept the colouring bright and cheerful with fresh greens, buttery yellows, and soft skin tones to preserve the playful personality of the stamps.

The black outlines from the Memento ink stay wonderfully crisp, even with layered blending.

Assembly & Adhesive

For assembly, I used:

• B6000 Super Glue from AliExpress

This glue has honestly become one of my favourite crafting discoveries.

It has:

• A fine precision tip
• Strong holding power
• Minimal visibility behind vellum
• Excellent versatility for mixed media projects

I especially love it for adhering:

• Vellum
• Gems
• Paper embellishments
• Glass
• Wood
• Plastic elements

And because a little goes a long way, it’s also incredibly budget friendly and come in various sizes.  

Buy the 15ml for just £1.48 and try it for yourself.

Final Thoughts

I think this set perfectly captures why I still adore mixed media ATCs so much.

They are small enough to experiment freely, but detailed enough to tell tiny visual stories.

Each card in this collection feels like a different little garden moment:

• sitting quietly in a flower,
• peeking through leaves,
• or drifting peacefully on the breeze.

Soft layers, raised textures, embossed details, and cheerful little characters all working together to create something playful and comforting.

Exactly the kind of crafting that makes me forget the world for a while. 🌸🫧

 

Held Together by Small Things

There is something quietly powerful about working with the same materials and letting them speak in different ways.

This set of ATCs began exactly like the previous ones — 300gsm white cardstock, cut down to size, no pressure, no expectations… just a willingness to see what would happen.

The backgrounds were built in soft layers using Distress Inks in Prize Ribbon, Wilted Violet and Picked Raspberry, blending and moving colour until it felt right rather than perfect. I used stencils to introduce pattern and movement, allowing some areas to stay light and others to build intensity. The aim was not control, but balance — something expressive, a little chaotic, but still gentle.

To add dimension, I worked with texture paste through a stencil, creating small clusters rather than covering the surface. These raised areas catch the light in a way that shifts as you move the card, adding another quiet layer of interest.

 

The Focal Point

The butterflies were stamped onto white cardstock using VersaFine Clair in Nocturne, then die cut and layered for depth. I chose to keep them monochrome, allowing the detail of the stamping to do the work rather than introducing more colour.

At first, I tried them in plain white… but something felt disconnected. The stamped detail changed everything. Suddenly, they belonged to the background instead of sitting on top of it.

Each butterfly was paired with a small metal key — simple, slightly imperfect, and completely unplanned when I started. But once placed, they stayed.

There is something about that combination that feels… right.

The Details That Hold It Together

The sentiments were created using simple black label strips:

• BEST FRIEND
• SMILE
• INSPIRE

Short. Direct. Almost understated.

They don’t overpower the design — they anchor it.

The Finished Set

 Each card shares the same foundation, but none of them feel identical. That is something I am learning to appreciate — letting variation happen instead of forcing uniformity.

A Quiet Thought

This set ended up feeling like more than just a technique exercise.

Soft backgrounds. Structured keys. Delicate wings.

Messy. Controlled. Fragile. Strong.

Held together by small things.

So far, I created a card and three different ATC sets, each with its own mood and voice. And for the first time in a while, it didn’t feel rushed or overwhelming.

Just… steady.

And that is enough.

— Bon