2011 Birthday ATC Swap

Over the past two years, I have hosted a (mostly) successful swap of ATCs (Artist Trading Cards)* - any medium, not just fabric or even mixed media. I had a lot of fun with this (as did, I hope, many of the participants) and I intend to run another round next year. Here's how it works:



I'll take somewhere around 30 participants so that we average around 3 ATCs per month, which shouldn't be too much of a burden for anyone.



Each month, you will be expected to send one ATC (in any media, on any theme, must be your own creation, can be something you made earlier) to each of the participants whose birthday is that month (any time during the month is fine). I will send a reminder each month to help you out. Also, there is a yahoo group for the swap, which you will be expected to join in order to take part (very low volume of messages, mostly used for acknowledgements, lateness apologies and posting reminders). In turn, in your birthday month, you will receive ATCs from everyone else. Easy as that.





If you are interested, send me an email to katelnorth at yahoo dot com (or leave a comment here, but if you do that, be sure I can contact you - comments set to no-reply are hard to respond to, unless I have your email address already for some other reason). I'll need to have your full name and postal address (but don't leave that in a comment) and also, your birthday (I don't need the year!).

*ATCs are 2.5x3.5" creations; they can be made from virtually anything, the main rule is that you are not allowed to buy and sell them, but must swap with other artists to increase your collection...

ATCs in...

Being the slacker that I am (ok, it's just been busy!) I have had a number of ATCs accumulating that I have neglected to show. In some ways this has worked out to my advantage as there are now 6 of them I can show together! The bottom three are from the ATC birthday swap from last year - the lefthand one with words from Shasta, the centre one (with Angelina, which is why it doesn't photograph well) from Silvia and the far right from Marina. These were all slightly late arrivals where the people had been held up in making their cards.

The top three were a real surprise - a while back - I won't work out how far, as I don't want to embarrass anyone and anyway, I'm too lazy - I did an ATC challenge on my blog where I sent some ATC backs and a few bits and pieces to 10 (I think) interested people on the condition that they used one of the backs to make an ATC to send back to me - the rest of the stuff they could use as they liked. Not being obsessive, I didn't keep a checklist of who had returned their ATCs, but apparently, Jen hadn't done so, so these are her late efforts - one (the centre top row) was also made by her daughter, who got interested in the process (I hope that is an interest that sticks!). So, bonus for me - I got three ATCs from that challenge. How cool is that?

Actually, that was a fun challenge - perhaps I should do it again...

Recycled Xmas bits

I know, these ATCs don't much look like stuff recycled from Christmas, but the background paper is from a present (bath stuff from Lush - nice) and the ribbon is from our Christmas crackers. All the rest of the bits and pieces are from stash, admittedly, but it's a good start on using some of the bits I put away from the holidays...

Of these 6 ATCs, one is off for a trade with a friend in France, one will go to the January birthday girl in my Birthday ATC swap, and the other four will probably be up for offer as individual trades in the new year. I suppose I might keep one back as an emergency supply (for all those times you need an ATC right now!) but this year, I am hoping to make one batch of 6 (or so) ATCs each month for my swap - that shouldn't be too much to keep up with, right? Well, a girl can dream...

Quilting content..

Yes, it's been a while since there was any. One of the disadvantages to working more in school is having less time to sew and quilt, but then, that's how it goes... Today, though, I took myself off upstairs so that some secret Christmas activity involving sellotape and scissors could take place, and while that was happening, quilted up this baby quilt for a colleague of Geoff's who will be going on maternity leave in January. For once, I have known about this for months, just not had time to do anything about it! I also attached the binding (scrappy) but have not yet sewn it down, as you can tell. The quilting pattern is also scrappy - I did a number of different things on it, as the mood took them - they are in bands across the quilt (diagonally) - swirls, meandering, pebbles, a rectangular meander, clamshells, etc. It's been so long since I quilted anything that it felt really strange!



I also got this lovely parcel in the post today from a member of my ATC birthday swap - I got an ATC of course, but also a couple of feedsacks and a big selection of country plaids & similar fabrics. Will have to plan something to do with those as they go together so well it would be a shame to separate them!

More ATCs in...

In the last few days, I've had a few more ATCs in the post - this one above is from Joy in Australia. Below, one from Cindy and one from Carol. 2010 swap is still open if you are interested!

Deja vu?

I promise this is not a recycled photo of the quilt I made for the Four Seasons Christmas swap - this is actually the second top (the blocks for which were made at the same time as those for the first), finally put together. I was beginning to think it wouldn't happen before Christmas this year - there's no guarantee it will be quilted by Christmas, of course, but at least it's getting closer.

Just as well I have this to show, though, as the other thing that I worked on, I can't show - my round for the Bloggers' Round Robin. The quilt top I worked on was Julie's, and it has an oriental theme, and I added some applique - and that's all I can say! Wish I could show all these pieces, as they are great to work on...

A couple more show and tell items tomorrow - two more recently received ATCs from my swap - I won't post them now, though, as it's unlikely I will get anything worked on tomorrow (though it's likely to be a much less busy week than this one was, so you never know) - and that way, there will be at least something to share!

Birthday ATC Swap - 2010

Over the past year, I hosted a (mostly) successful swap of ATCs (Artist Trading Cards)* - mostly in mixed media or fabric, but also some in paper. I had a lot of fun with this (as did, I hope, many of the participants) and I intend to run another round next year. Here's how it works:



I'll take somewhere around 30 participants (and if there's a huge swell of interest, I am happy to run two groups) - so that we average around 3 ATCs per month, which shouldn't be too much of a burden for anyone.


Each month, you will be expected to send one ATC (in any media, on any theme, must be your own creation, can be something you made earlier) to each of the participants whose birthday is that month (any time during the month is fine). I will send a reminder each month to help you out. Also, there is a yahoo group for the swap, which you will be expected to join in order to take part (very low volume of messages, mostly used for acknowledgements, lateness apologies and posting reminders). In turn, in your birthday month, you will receive ATCs from everyone else. Easy as that.



If you are interested, send me an email to katelnorth at yahoo dot com (or leave a comment here, but if you do that, be sure I can contact you - comments set to no-reply are hard to respond to, unless I have your email address already for some other reason). I'll need to have your full name and postal address (but don't leave that in a comment) and also, your birthday (I don't need the year!).

*ATCs are 2.5x3.5" creations; they can be made from virtually anything, the main rule is that you are not allowed to buy and sell them, but must swap with other artists to increase your collection... If you missed seeing the ones I received for this swap, here's a post with a big chunk of them...

ATC days

Even small amounts of time can be useful, if you plan and have things ready. I have a box of ATC backs already prepared (i.e. cut up from test pieces, abandoned projects, etc) so even with only an hour or so to work, I can get something done, if I'm in the mood to work/have the energy.

These ATCs simply had some ribbon, a metallic shape and some beads strung on wire added to the background. And that's all there was to it!



I've had a couple more ATCs in the last day or so... The one on the left is from Leah, and the photo doesn't really show the ATCs very well - especially the stamp used in it. The one on the right is from Aine and is felted, with beads - this one I really love - it might well stay up afer the rest of the birthday onhes get put away...

Birthday ATC Swap

As some of you will know, this past year I have organised a birthday ATC swap, the idea being that over the course of the year you will send a card to each member in the month of her birthday, and in your birthday month, you will receive one in turn from each member. It has been good fun seeing some of the cards others have received and now, it's my turn. Amazingly, I waited until nearly my birthday to open them, but decided to do it today - why not! - as there will be other openings tomorrow, I'm sure. Perhaps it's technically my birthday anyway, as I was born in Germany and it's already tomorrow there!

So, here, in no particular order other than how blogger uploaded them, are the cards I've received to date. Several people have sent other bits and pieces, but frankly, this will be a picture heavy post anyway, so I'm not going to show all the extras, though I am pleased to have them!



From Di.



From Kathy.



From Wendy.



From Norma C.



From Lynne.



From Wil.



All from Pauline - the one on the card is ATC-sized, but is actually mounted on the card rather than backed, unlike the one below...



...from Ann, who has finished the back and only loosed taped the ATC on, so I cna use it as a card now and then take the ATC for my album after (this is a clever idea - wish I'd presented mine that way - maybe next year!).





From Jovita.



From Sheila.



From Pippa.



From Joyce.



From Marga.



From Julie.

And the really fun thing is, there are still some more to come!

ATC Birthday Swap Update

Hello all - I have now emailed out the list of birthdays and addresses for this swap - if you haven't received it and you are on my list, let me know! There were also a few corrections, which I will remind you of later in the swap year. The plan, as it stands, is to email at the start of each month (or shortly before) to remind you all of which birthdays are in which month - we'll see how far through the year I get before forgetting to do it!

2009 Birthday ATC Swap

Ok, there seems to be some interest in this idea, so I'm going to open it officially - here's how it will work:

• I will take approximately 25-30 people for this swap, regardless of when their actual birthdays are.
• You will be expected to send ATCs each month to the people who have a birthday in that month - a list will be generated at the start of the year, so you can plan ahead as I think it highly unlikely that we will end up with an even spread of birthdays
• You can send the ATCs for a given month out in one go or spread through the month according to actual birthdays, it's up to you
• A reminder will be sent early each month as to which birthdays are happening that month
• In your birthday month, you will receive a variety of lovely ATCs - woo hoo!
• Most definitely an international swap - ATCs are light to mail, so the cost won't be prohibitive
• ATCs do not have to be birthday themed (but may be, if you like)
• ATCs can be made in any media - paper based, fabric based, mixed media, anything else you can think of...

If you are interested, please email me off the blog (don't leave a comment with your personal details in it!) at katelnorth at yahoo dot com with your full name and postal address and when your birthday is (you don't have to tell what year!). If you have a blog, let me know that address, too. For some of you, of course I know these things, but it will help if you email me anyway.

Here's who I have who have expressed interest already - if you change your mind, that's fine, too:

1. Anna (UK)
2. Joyce (UK)
3. Pippa (UK)
4. Wil (Netherlands)
5. Margarita (US)
6. Kate (me!) (UK)
7. Pauline (Australia)
8. Aine (Ireland)
9. Jovita (Lithuania)
10. Shasta (US)
11. Monique (Netherlands)
12. Elisabetta (Italy)
13. Wendy (US)
14. Julie (US)
15. Sandy (US)
16. Di (UK)
17. Cindy (US)
18. Carol (UK)
19. Joanie (US)
20. Leslie (US)
21. Lynne (Sweden)
22. Morning Dove (US)
23. Norma
    
24. Charmion (US)
25. Ann (UK)
26. Silvia (Italy)
27. Marina (Italy)
28. Kathy (UK)
29. Ange (US)
30. Joy (Australia)
31. Sharon (US)
32. Norma (UK)
33. Sheila (UK)
34. Mary (Netherlands)
35. Leah (US)

...and that's it ladies - officially closed.

ATC idea for 2009

So, I've been playing with ideas for 2009 in terms of swaps, etc, and although I'll probably organise at least one round of the ALQS, I thought I might offer something a little different and a little smaller in terms of committments, as well. Here's what I have in mind - a birthday ATC swap. Here's how it would work. If you were interested in playing, you would sign up by sending me your birthday (year not necessary!) and your address. Then each month in 2009, you'd be committed to sending an ATC (any ATC, not a birthday theme necessarily) to the people who have a birthday in that month. And in your month, you'd get one from each player. I'd probably limit it to 25-30 people max, to keep postage down (or divide into groups, if there's a lot of interest). What do you all think - any interest in that sort of swap? It does mean committing to an entire year, but it's a small committment and I would plan to email a reminder each month so you wouldn't forget it was time to send them out...