Koi ATCs

These things can get addicting.  How to create a calling card in a 2.5 x 3.5" piece of card stock?  The possibilities are endless.  For example, this is one of the Koi series I created using photo paper.  First I did smoosh and swirl alcohol inks for the background and spritz it with light blue Perfect Pearls with a mister.  Then, found a darker area that could be used as the bottom and hand painted reeds -kinda floating with the waves- and added a raised frame around (1/4" only) that I colored with pastel chalks.  Separately, on transparency material I stamped the koi with black solvent ink and completed -very roughly- the rest of the body on the fish with Lumiere inks.  Added a sprinkle of mini beads and using Glossy Accents I adhered the transparency -turned backwards- to the raised frame so the beads can move around.  Stamped the letters on photo paper with a few stray reeds, added a page pebble over the letters and trimmed.  Adhered with Glossy Accents.

On this ATC I used photo paper.  I think it has a nice ripple effect when it is smooshed on alcohol inks.  Alcohol inks (meadow) for the background -smoosh and swirl- and then a combination of lettuce, caramel (?) and slate -1 drop of each- painted the plants.  Stamped the koi with black Stazon and again, Lumiere inks to complete the bodies of the fish.  Trimmed the scene down and adhered with a Xyron runner to an orange piece of textured card stock allowing two sides to overhang and show 1/16" and then glued that to a dark teal piece of cardstock (2.5 by 3.5").  Stamped the letters on the same orange textured card stock, added page pebbles over the letters, trimmed and adhered.  I love the ripple effect of the inks on the photo paper, it looks like water.