ATC Coins with Lindys Magicals and Embossing Powders

Hi friends! Preeti Datta (Dutt Preety) on the Lindy’s blog today to show you step by step how to create ATC Coins using Lindy’s Magicals and Embossing Powders.

ATC Coins are a fun variant to Artist Trading Cards in that they are circular in shape with a diameter of 2.5 inches. These little pieces of art are a great way to create something tiny and beautiful which can be gifted away or traded with friends. I have used magical powders from Lindy’s gorgeous Alexandra’s Artists Magicals Set. The colors in this set are shimmery and perfect for a classy, vintage vibe. I’ve also used Lindy’s beautiful new U So Fine Detail Embossing Powders Set to heat emboss the butterflies. The colors in this set are perfect for that clean, metallic look which I absolutely adore. We will use only 6 products here, 3 Magicals and 3 Embossing Powders to create a set of 9 Grungy Vintage ATC Coins. The same simple techniques can be used to create cards, tags, canvases, altered projects etc.

Basic Process

To start with, die-cut or punch out 2.5 inch circles using thick watercolor paper. (if you don’t have punches or dies, you could even hand-cut these coins using scissors.)

Now, create a little collage on each ATC coin using washi tapes and old book pages. Then apply one coat of Clear Gesso to each coin to prepare the surface for coloring.

Next, choose colors from Alexandra’s Artists Magicals Set. I chose Karin’s Coral, Jana’s Jade and Andrea’s Azalea. Sprinkle a little pigment powder from each of the magical pots into a paint palette and dissolve these in a little water. This is my favorite method for using Magicals and magical shakers because it gives a uniform color and you have control over where the color goes.

Now, it is time to add color to the ATC Coins. Spray the coins with a little water and then using a fan brush flick on the diluted colors. This is a messy yet fun way of adding colors and it gives a great grungy, splattery look which I love in my vintage projects.

Now, stamp the ATC Coins with your favorite background stamps using brown archival inks and also distress the edges of the coins using the same brown archival inks.

Next, die-cut or punch out some butterflies using thick cardstock. Then, heat emboss the butterflies using Lindy’s new U So Fine Detail Embossing Powders Set. I chose Gimme Five Gold Detail EP, Cool Man Copper Detail EP and Slam Dunk Silver Detail EP. Heat emboss the butterflies twice to get a nice thick metallic look.

To make the butterflies stand out a little more, we will add a solid colored layer behind each heat embossed butterfly to create a nice 3-D butterfly embellishment. For this, create colored papers by painting watercolor papers with Lindy’s Magicals- Jana’s Jade and Andrea’s Azalea using a water brush. Then cut out the butterfly shape using the die-cut butterflies as a template. Finally, adhere these solid butterflies underneath the heat embossed ones and add a diamond gem to the butterflies, to make them pop.

Finally, create black and white splatter on the coins using watered down acrylic paint. Adhere the butterfly embellishments to the coins, add some black thread underneath each butterfly and add sentiments using stickers. In the end, adhere each ATC Coin to a scallop-edged black circular base to create a finished look.

Here are some photos of the finished ATC Coins…

Lindy’s Products

• Magicals- Alexandra’s Artists Magicals Set
• Embossing Powders- U So Fine Detail EP Set
• Gripper

Other Products 

• Tim Holtz Word Stickers, Design tapes & Archival Inkpads; Prima Marketing & Finnabair’s Clear Gesso & Heavy Black Gesso; 13 Arts Stamps; Tacky Glue; Fantasy Dies; Versamark Watermark Inkpad and Ranger’s Heat Tool.

Thanks a lot for your precious time
Stay Blessed!
Preeti