My ATC: Family: A Balancing Act

Title: Family: A Balancing Act

This ATC was made as part of a themed swap called "Found Photos". The photo was sent to me by the swap hostess.

Here is how I made it.

First I looked at the photo and really looked at the faces of the people. I looked at the body language and it seemed to me that some people were not happy. I didn't know if they were not happy to have their picture taken or if they truly were not a happy family.

I created this in mid-December when things were getting complicated with family, plans for Christmas, etc.

I wanted the focus to be on the people not on the boring background images, so I cut the family out of the photo.

I chose a handmade paper in a complimentary color and applied the photo. However it looked too plain. I decided to use a rubber stamp pad to add color to the surface of the background paper. As I rubbed the stamp pad across the surface, I was surprised to see how it picked up the raised texture of the paper. I liked the effect.

I didn't quite know what to do next. I thought I should do something to embellish this so started looking through my rubber stamps. I found two, one said "Pros" and had numbers, and the other said "cons" and had numbers. I then thought about how to keep family harmony is a balancing act and how sometimes there are pro's and con's to living near family, such as at holiday times. I used black ink to apply the "pro" and "con" rubber stamp images. (Note: I bought these stamps used on eBay and don't know who the manufacturer is.)

I used another rubber stamp with a fancy line-design in the lower corner (three times) to add a little something to that dead space.

I then wished I had some image of a scale and remembered that a button assortment I had bought about four years ago had a scale button. I cut the back off so it would not protrude as much. I used Golden Acrylic Gel Medium (regular) to apply the button.

I hand wrote "Family" onto tissue paper and applied it. The 'balancing act' is implied by the set of scales.

Lastly, to give a finishing touch I dragged the edges of the ATC across a black ink stamp pad.

I love this ATC and wished I was not swapping it out.

I wonder if the person who received this likes it?