Framed Escapes ATCs

 

Sometimes the simplest projects are exactly what we need. With the British heatwave making even the thought of crafting feel like hard work, I wanted to create something beautiful without reaching for lots of inks, stamps and embellishments. This trio of Artist Trading Cards came together using carefully chosen papers, die-cut frames and delicate sentiment tabs, proving that a few well-coordinated elements can be just as striking as a more technique-heavy project.

Creating the ATCs

For this set, I decided to let the papers do most of the storytelling. The backgrounds and focal images all came from pre-printed paper and sticker sheets that I purchased from Temu and AliExpress. Rather than adding lots of extra embellishments, I wanted the elegant illustrations to remain the stars of the show.

The beautiful decorative frames were cut from a die set I also bought from AliExpress and mounted over the scenic images to create the feeling of looking through a window into another world. I love how the warm metallic finish adds depth and draws your eye straight to each little scene.

Each ATC was mounted onto sturdy 300gsm white cardstock, giving the finished cards a lovely solid feel. To soften the bright white edges and tie everything together, I inked all the edges using Distress Ink in Tea Dye, giving them a gentle vintage finish.

For the sentiments, I wanted something that wouldn't distract from the delicate artwork. I chose the single words Peace, Love and Relax, printing them onto heavyweight vellum using my Canon TS8751. Before printing, I lightly blended the vellum with Tea Dye Distress Ink, then allowed it to dry completely before feeding it through the printer using the photo paper setting. Once printed, I trimmed the vellum into small tabs and adhered them to the bottom left corner of each ATC. The soft, tinted vellum blends beautifully into the background while still allowing the words to stand out.

Although the heatwave certainly slowed me down this week, I'm really pleased I pushed through and spent some time at my craft desk. These little ATCs have such a calm, peaceful feel about them, and they were a lovely reminder that sometimes less really is more.

Supplies Used

• 300gsm white card stock
• Decorative frame die set (AliExpress)
• Vintage background papers (AliExpress)
• Seasonal Sticker Book  (Temu)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink – Tea Dye
• Heavyweight vellum
• Canon TS8751 printer
• Wet glue
• Die cutting machine

Final Thoughts

These little ATCs were a joy to make and were exactly the kind of gentle, relaxing project I needed this week. I love how the copper frames, soft vintage colours and simple vellum sentiments work together to create three cards that feel connected while each telling its own story. Sometimes creativity doesn't have to be complicated to be rewarding.

As always, I'd love to hear which of the three is your favourite. Are you drawn to Peace, Love, or Relax?

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Disclaimer

All products featured on this blog were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. I am not sponsored by any company, brand, or artist mentioned in this post, and all opinions shared are entirely my own.

Vintage Clipboard Floral ATCs | Notes, Memos & Thoughts

 

There's something incredibly satisfying about turning a simple idea into a finished project. These Artist Trading Cards began with a colour palette I couldn't stop thinking about after discovering a beautiful vintage-inspired paper pack on AliExpress. The soft turquoise, aged cream and warm copper immediately reminded me of old clipboards filled with handwritten notes, sketches and little reminders. That single thought became the inspiration for this trio of floral ATCs.

How They Came Together

The starting point for these cards was one of my favourite craft purchases this year, a 100-piece vintage paper pack from AliExpress. Rather than choosing inks first, I let the papers guide the entire colour palette, which isn't something I do very often. Once I'd settled on the papers, everything else naturally fell into place.

To create the layered background, I cut two coordinating papers for each ATC, trimming the top layer slightly smaller than the base layer. Before adhering them together, I distressed the edges using a simple pair of scissors, gently scraping along the paper edge to expose the fibres and give each panel a well-loved vintage appearance.

I inked all the edges with Distress Ink in Frayed Burlap, adding warmth and definition without overpowering the delicate papers.

The floral focal point was inspired by the idea of notes clipped to an old-fashioned clipboard. That concept had been sitting in the back of my mind for quite some time, and these little ATCs finally gave me the perfect opportunity to bring it to life.

The large flower and stem were cut from separate die sets, while the clipboard tops came from another die set, all sourced from AliExpress. I loved combining them into something that looked as though a pressed flower had been clipped onto a collection of vintage memos.

For the leaves I used Distress Ink in Peeled Paint, which complements the turquoise flowers beautifully without stealing the spotlight.

To add a little softness behind the flowers, I tucked in delicate white die-cut foliage before raising the flowers on foam strips to create subtle dimension.

The finishing touch was the splatter. Instead of reaching for my usual white watercolour ink, I experimented with diluted white gesso. I'm so pleased I did because it created a much cleaner, crisper splatter that really stands out against the vintage backgrounds. I'll definitely be using this technique again.

Finally, I stamped the labels using an old typewriter-style alphabet stamp set with VersaFine Clair Nocturne, choosing the words "Memos," "Notes," and "Thoughts" to complete the clipboard theme. I deliberately distressed the labels slightly so they felt like well-used stationery rather than perfectly printed labels.

Supplies Used

Papers

• 400-piece Vintage Background Paper Pack (AliExpress)
• Turquoise cardstock
• Cream cardstock
• Book paper for flower centres

Inks & Mediums

• Distress Ink - Frayed Burlap
• Distress Ink - Peeled Paint
• VersaFine Clair - Nocturne
• Diluted White Gesso (for splatter)

Dies & Stamps

• Clipboard Top Die (AliExpress)
• Large Flower Die (AliExpress)
• Stem & Leaf Die (AliExpress)
• White foliage die
• Marianne Design ATC Die & Coordinating Stamp Set (available from Buddly Crafts)
• Old Typewriter Alphabet Stamp Set (various available on Amazon)

Adhesives & Tools

• Foam strips
• Thin Easy Tear Double-Sided Tape
• Wet glue for detailed die cuts
• Scissors (for distressing paper edges)
• Baby Blue Die-cutting machine (available on EBay)

Working with a paper collection as the starting point rather than choosing colours afterwards was a refreshing change, and I think it helped create a more cohesive collection. The soft vintage palette, layered textures and little clipboard details came together just as I'd imagined, and these have become some of my favourite Artist Trading Cards to date. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the ones that quietly wait until the right project comes along.

Disclaimer

All products featured on this blog were purchased by me unless otherwise stated. I am not sponsored by any company, brand, or artist mentioned in this post, and all opinions shared are entirely my own.

Feathered Thoughts ATCs

Today's ATC set began with a background that had been sitting in my stash waiting for the right project. Sometimes the best creative sessions start by rediscovering pieces you've already made and seeing them with fresh eyes.

For the backgrounds I blended Ranger Distress Inks in Rustic Wilderness, Cracked Pistachio, and Mowed Lawn, creating a rich mix of greens ranging from deep woodland tones to brighter spring shades. Over this I adhered some previously created tissue paper using Ranger Matte Medium, sealing it with an additional coat over the top. This not only protects the surface but also creates a lovely layered mixed-media foundation ready for further embellishment. 

The focal points are elegant feather die cuts created using a feather die purchased from Temu for just £1.99. To contrast against the green backgrounds, I coloured the feather inserts with Tumbled Glass and Peacock Feathers Distress Ink and producing a soft turquoise shimmer that immediately draws the eye.

To add a little sparkle using Ranger Stickles in Star Dust, I finished the feather inserts with glitter accents and a few white highlights. The feathers were then mounted over the textured backgrounds to create depth and dimension.

The sentiment strips came from a set purchased through AliExpress and cost only a few pence per sheet. I selected phrases that encourage reflection and personal growth:

• You can't change the past
• You have to believe in yourself
• I lose myself

Although simple, these short phrases add meaning and help transform the cards from decorative pieces into miniature reminders and reflections.

To finish the set I mounted each ATC onto black cardstock. This small change made a surprisingly big difference, framing the artwork beautifully while helping the white feather outlines stand out against the background. A few white splatters and subtle circular details complete the mixed-media look without overwhelming the focal images.

I love how this set evolved during the creative process. What started as a simple feather design gradually became a collection of uplifting little reminders layered with texture, colour, sparkle, and thought.

 

Supplies Used

Background

• Ranger Distress Ink – Rustic Wilderness
• Ranger Distress Ink – Cracked Pistachio
• Ranger Distress Ink – Mowed Lawn
• Previously created tissue paper
• Ranger Matte Medium

Feathers

• Feather die (Temu)
• Ranger Distress Ink – Tumbled Glass
• Ranger Distress Ink – Peacock Feathers
• Glitter accents - Ranger Stickle in Star Dust
• White highlights - Posca pen

Finishing

• Sentiment strips (AliExpress)
• Black cardstock matting
• White paint splatter

A trio of uplifting reminders layered with texture, shimmer, and heart.

CREAlies

I really love the CREAlies dies and had a hard time finding these dies in the UK.  I already have 2 of their dies:  Set of 3 Butterflies no. 3 dies and  Creative Tags die no. 2 and have rececntly ordered Doily Elements die no. 2 and Doily Elements die no. 5 from Ebay but wanted to expand my collection.  

I gave up on finding in the UK and did a online search to find their webshop but was sceptical to order from the Netherlands due to the high International Shipping costs all other shops charge. Yesterday I however decided that their Crealies Create A Card will be worth what ever shipping I would have to pay so I ordered Crealies Create A Card die no. 5  and Crealies Create A Card die no. 4 and to my surprise  I only paid €3.53 P&P for the two dies.  I am so excited to get these and can not wait for the postman to knock.  One thing I have to say about CREAlies is that I am impressed with the Downloads section as  there are links to several PDFs with placement options of the Crealies Create A Card dies on cardstock so no guessing.  

I loved the Harmonica Template years ago and even have a Craft Special Book called Harmonica Folding by Annelies Karduks from CREAlies and must say I do hope that one day they will turn these into Cutting dies.  Here is just one of the first cards I made. 

 

Looking back now I can improve this in so many ways and hope that my creations will show you the real potentail of these new dies.  I think it is funny how after all these years of cardmaking it is still the same things that impress me and that I really love doing.

If you are into paperflower making you have to invest in CREAlies flower dies but do not trust me when I say this go look for youself at their Blog, Facebook page and website.  Or search Pinterest to see just a few CREAlies creations.

To be honest with you I think if you are new to cardmaking the CREAlies webshop is the only shop you will need for Dies, Stamps and Masks as you can make your own background papers using the stamps and masks, not to mention the embellishment and toppers you can make using combinations of dies and stamps together.  So whether you are looking for that special Flourish, Alphabet, Leaves, Flower, Tag, Label or Border die and lots more you can find it all at CREAlies.

You can expect a full review with photo's and a video as soon as I receive these as I am sure a lot of you are wondering just like me what the actual Create a Card die looks like.

I will also be making some Card Candy to share with you using these dies, more on this later.