HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!! I hope everyone is enjoying the last of the warmth or already bundling up where ever you are right now! Even though my project is not Fall themed nor Halloween themed, I was too excited to make these Coin Artist Trading Cards or as some of you know them as ATCs. This is a new trend that I just caught wind of so I decided to share them with you and how simple they were to make. Also while researching on YouTube, I came across a wonderful tutorial for a mini book to store them in from a very talented artists named Teresa Morgan. I hope you will take a look at her channel , here is that LINK . I used her tutorial and tweaked it a little to make things easier for me. As well as incorporating the amazing adhesive from Helmar, Helmar Tiger Grip. I used this for the majority of my project. I hope that you enjoy my step by step tutorial.
I began by choosing my papers. I was in the process of moving and didn’t have any design paper that was fall or even Halloween themed. I had this left over Maggie Holmes 12X12 collection Chasing Dreams from a mini album I made. I decided I could of made this using white card stock but was very low so I settled on the pink card stock that I purchased a while back at Michaels.
I then found a piece of white card board that I had saved a while back from a packaged dress shirt I had bought for my son. I want it to be thin enough for me to be able to cut it round since I don't have a circle punch or die. I used a ceramic candle holder that was 2.5 in. in diameter. So I traced it using a yellow thin tipped marker. I hope you are able to see it on the 1st picture. I'm not too great at cutting circles but did as best as I could, so if you don't have a die nor circle punch you can use anything you can find with the 2.5 in, in diameter measurement.
As I just mentioned I traced out the thin cardboard , I picked out the pieces of scrap design paper from Maggie Holmes that I wanted to use on only (1) side of the circle. Leaving the back blank as I will get to that part in a bit. I then adhered the paper to the cardboard applying the Helmar Tiger Grip Glue in small dots around the cut cardboard. Then adhered the cut out design paper to the cardboard. Making sure I aligned it just perfect, any imperfections I was able to cut them once my glue dried. I also went over it with my brayer making sure to spread out the glue evenly. I found with these types of glues its best to use less when adhering paper to paper to paper to card stock , etc. Only so your paper won't wrinkle or tear if you add too much . A little goes a long way with this glue. For other bigger projects for example if gluing a wooden embellishment to it or resin piece , you can add more for a greater hold.
After they dried completely, which didn't take long I embellished them. I knew I wouldn't be able to use any dimensional embellishments so I thought I would just use the stickers, chipboard stickers and ephemera from the Maggie Holmes collection matching the paper. It was fast and simple, didn't want to over embellish either. On the back of the coins I added some blank frame stickers where your name or blog site can be written for when you trade.
(VIEW ENTIRE ALBUM HERE)
Once I was finished with my Trading Coins, I set them aside and started on the mini book. As mentioned above, I followed a tutorial from Teresa Morgan. I only did a few things different somewhat but hope you find mine as easy. Here we go!!
I started with the Michaels 110lb. cardstock in pink. This is a great weight of paper to use for this projects especially since the entire base of this book is using this card stock.
I cut the base @ 3.25 X 7.5 then score @ 3.25, flip and score again @ 3.25, leaving 1in. for the center. This will be your spine.. Make sure you score and fold at crease a few times so you have a good sharp edge. Set that aside while you make the spine. For this you will need another piece of card stock , cut it @ 2 3/4 x 11 , then you score @ 1in. on each side then @ 1/2 in. intervals.
Once you have scored it you are now able to put the double sided tape on every other scored line. Before adhered this piece to the base I made sure to go over the score tape with my bone foler ensuring better adhesive. I then added some of this glue to the center of the base of the spine that will go onto the base, here I applied some of the tape once again with some drops of Helmar Tiger Grip to ensure added adhesion. Then just centered to to the base and applied it to that center.
I then moved onto to covering the base with the Maggie Holmes paper, I cut the chosen paper for the inside and outside, set it aside just while I put on my ribbon that will be my closure. I picked out some white silk ribbon from a spool , I added double sided tape to each area of my front cover where my paper will be. Added the ribbon onto it. Then using the same glue from Helmar I've been using, just added some dots to the paper and once put onto my card stock, I used my brayer to make sure it spread throughout. Lastly on my base I went ahead and added some beautiful ivory cotton trim, using again Helmar Tiger glue to glue it to the edges of the front and back covers. Then I added a sticker sentiment and a gold puffy heart from the collection as well.
I now set aside to make the pockets for the inside. These were fast to make. I cut my card stock @ 3.5 x 6.5 then score @ 3, 6 which will leave you with 1/2 in on the end, then flip around vertically and score that @ 1/2. Fold and use your bone folder to crease it a few times for a sharper edge making it fold better. I then cut off the sections as seen below on the 4th picture. I used again the Tiger Grip Glue but just a few on each corner so it wont spread into the inner part of your pocket. Then again you can use a brayer on it. Once I was finished with those I had already cut the design paper to use on the pocket pages, I used my Tim Holtz distress tool to distress the edges on them. Used the Tiger Grip Glue just like before. Last I added my pocket pages to the spine again using my bone folder to go over them once I had added them to each section of the spine.
I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and look out for my 2nd project on the 30th of Oct. Till then please enjoy the rest of the talented designers on the Helmar Design Team!! ~Hugs~ Jeanne
