Tim Holtz ATCs

Over the weekend I finally did something I have been wanting to do for awhile... buy some Tim Holtz stamps! I already had a few Distress inks, Mini Misters, alcohol inks and some stickers, but I have been eying his stamp sets for some time so I got out a my 40% coupons and shopped at Michael's a few times to pick up three sets! I also bought about a dozen more Distress ink pads and embellies that were on sale, so I had a rather "Holtz weekend" ;)

The first thing I wanted to try was his dye ink "watercolour" effect using his Distress inks. So I created this ATC with two of his stamps (the bird and saying). The birdcage is from another set (can't remember which one!). I made two of these, again one to trade. I just LOVE the way the ink creates such interesting designs.

I wanted to complete these next three ATCs before the deadline for Metallics is over at Fun With ATCs this week:

I played around with the idea of using wire underneath a foil layer, so I made three one-of-a-kind ATCs (I'm keeping these ;) - no doubles this time since I was really just playing around). I  just bent some craft wire into interesting shapes, laid it on the ATC, brushed on some watered-down glue and laid crumpled foil over top. I then used my finger and a pencil eraser to emboss the foil, careful not to tear it.

I coloured them with Tim's alcohol inks and added a few of his charms (the heart, bird and star) too. They had the charms on for a ridiculously low price at Michael's, so I bought all four sets that were hanging there!  I attached them with either ribbons or by using his Glossy Accents glue... I tell you, that stuff works great and fast! I am so glad I saw him use it on one of his teaching videos. It even attached that butterfly charm that I bent so the wings would stick up on either side; I simply glued the body part to the ATC.

Worked "like a charm"! Ha!!!