Tim Holtz Challenges: OCTOBER ATC CHALLENGE

This is the OCTOBER ATC Challenge of the Month and requires you to make an ATC card (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") with an OCTOBER theme such as full-fledged fall foliage; mums and homecoming football games; raking leaves, rolling and falling in piles of leaves; harvesting of pumpkins and gourds, apples, squash, and greens such as kale, lettuce, spinach, cauliflower, and broccoli.

PLEASE NOTE THAT HALLOWEEN IS NOT MENTIONED HERE. Check your partner's profile to see whether they like Halloween before making a Halloween ATC. Some people love the holiday while others don't like it at all. If profile doesn't help you with this, consider a Halloween ATC that is cute jack-o-lanterns, black cats playing among those pumpkins; use cute Halloween only unless partner's profile includes this as a favorite holiday, etc. Many love to celebrate Halloween and decorate their homes more than those who go ALL OUT for Christmas, so if you and your partner are in sync about Halloween, go all out with a ghoulish ATC.

BE SURE TO PUT THE NAME OF THE MONTH OR ABBREVIATION:on the card. October may certainly be abbreviated if necessary.

Be certain your ATC is the exact size described above and that it has a sturdy cardboard backing and a neatly finished back of the card where you will put the group name, swap name, date, and your Swap-Bot name so that your partner can easily rate your ATC,

Additionally, you need to USE at LEAST 3 OFFICIAL Tim Holtz products--paper, stamps, stencils, die cuts, Distress inks, Distress Crayons, Distress Oxide inks, metal ephemera, paper ephemera, etc. Challenge yourself here if you have some products that are new to you. Check out "how-to" videos for ways of using them on YouTube and on Tim's blog. Avoid stickers almost completely or use only Tim Holtz ones (won’t find many!). His style doesn’t really lend itself to much use of stickers.

To receive a 5 rating, you must have:(1) the correct size ATC, (2) a theme that fits OCTOBER, (3) the name of the month on the ATC, (4) the 3 required Tim Holtz products or techniques with those products. If you receive an ATC that meets these requirements, you need to rate a 5. Adding a heart is up to you!

You may want to point out the 3 (or more) Tim Holtz items or techniques you used in your note to your partner. I like to have a short note from my sending-to-me partner--just a few lines about the swap and something that helps your partner get to know you better.

Deadline for joining swap is October 22. Sending deadline is NOVEMBER 10

Most importantly, have fun making these ATCs! Experiment with new products if that's a possibility for you! Check for Tim Holtz ATC Ideas on Pinterest to jump-start your creativity and get started with what you want to do for this month. Or find some of his how-to videos on You Tube.