Artist Trading Cards are fun, and not too time consuming. They are also really great for introducing one new method or tool in a class or during a demo – instead of using tags or bookmarks all the time. I created an ATC template for a stamping group I belong to, but it could be adapted for any art/craft ATC swap. I also created the envelope file, and just love how they turned out!

I admit, sometimes I stand next to my Maxx Air, mesmerized as I watch ‘writing perfection’ take form. It kinda makes my brain fuzzy though – since it writes from right to left.

Materials:

• Standard material (red cap) blade
• Embossing tool
• Gel Pen (I didn’t want to take my pen apart, so I lazily wrapped card stock and then painter’s tape around the barrel). If this wasn’t my everyday pen, I would have disassembled it and used the wonderful pen tool. I wasn’t going for 100% precision, so I was okay with it being imperfectly centered.
• Stamping card stock 8.5 x 11 for ATCs (you could use any material you want for the ATCs, I’ve used canvas and handmade papers for example)
• WorldWin CutMates card stock 12 x 12 (for envelope)
• Scrapbooking Adhesive

Settings (Maxx Air):

• Writing with a Gel Pen
  • f = 32
  • v = 300
  • p = 1
• Cutting WorldWin CutMates
  • f = 65
  • v = 300
  • p = 1

Steps:

1. Place the ATC paper on the mat between the rollers, or raise the pinch wheel so it does not make contact with the paper and smudge your writing.
2. Insert your pen tool, hide the cut layer and become mesmerized as your KNK writes the text perfectly.
3. Replace the pen tool with the standard blade, hide the writing layer and show the cut layer.
4. Cut the ATCs. Remove and set aside.
5. Place the 12 x 12 WorldWin CutMates paper on the mat.
6. Insert your embossing tool, hide the cut layer and show the emboss layer to emboss the fold lines.
7. Replace the embossing tool with the standard blade, hide the emboss layer and show the cut layer and cut the perimeter of the envelope.
8. Remove the envelope from the mat and press the fold lines.
9. Use scrapbooking adhesive to adhere the flaps.
10. Embellish ATC and envelope as desired.

Download the free file here for a limited time. Have some fun with it!