1, 2, 3 ATC

WELL..!!  I can hear you all say "What's all this Mess?" 

Grab yourself a cuppa and i'll tell you all about it..

Well this project all started with the words *Found* a Theme given for an ATC Swap I contribute to each month. I have so much stored away in pretty jars but the majority of it has little or no importance, just odds and ends hidden away with the hope of discovering that hidden gem each time I rummaged through it...

The Blog Challenge Theme for the next fortnight over at That's Crafty is *Anything Goes* and these little ATC's seemed to fit the bill nicely, showing that you really can create something from nothing.. 

I hope you can pop along and check out all those inspirational makes from the DT and maybe join in as there's a chance to win a £20 voucher to spend in the That's Crafty Store.. 

Here in words and pictures is my 1,2,3 ATC

Covering an MDF ATC in a layer of lace I Gesso'd over the top and added some of those 

bits and bobs, sticking them down with lots and lots of heavy body gel. 

I added micro beads into the exposed gel and then left them for 7 whole days.. yes 7!! 

As the amount of gel used was so thick and I knew these would be travelling to a new destination I needed to make sure that the gel had cured properly and also that those items would stay where I had put them..!

..One week later.

All dry and stuck down firmly.. so time to play.

I coloured each ATC differently using neocolor pastels and covered with mat medium to protect any further movement of colour. These colours were my base coat on which I could build up with more colour.

Now this is my favourite bit, bringing out all the detail by using raw umber paint and coordinating coloured alcohol markers around each element. Creating depth, shade and highlighting those prominent areas with bronze, antique gold and antique silver shimmer paints to give the appearance of reflection of light with a dot and dab of white Posca Pen.

Each ATC is finally edged with a little gilding wax.. and my ATC's are complete..

You really do need something substantial to adhere so much onto as you do not want them to buckle or bend whilst on their travels. The MDF ATC's are fabulous surfaces to work on and I believe they have now found new homes.. hopefully well received.?

Thank you for sharing your time, I hope you have been inspired.

What ever you are up to this week I hope it's a crafty one.

Stay Safe.. Creative Hugs.. Tracey xx

That's Crafty *Anything Goes* Blog Challenge

Crafty Supplies:

Bits and Bobs from my own crafty stash!
 Alcohol markers (Browns/Greens/Blues) Not my best ones.

That's Crafty MDF ATC's 
That's Crafty White Gesso
Heavy body Gel
DecoArt Matte Medium
Carn D'ache neocolor II water soluble pastels
DecoArt Raw Umber
That's Crafty Shimmer Paints
Prima Finnabair Art Alchemy Metallique Wax
White Posca Marker Pen