PaperTraders Art: November 2013

Come play with us... Join today!

Paper Traders is a friendly online community of artists from around the world. We nurture and value creativity, embrace new ideas, products, and techniques yet also value tried and true methods of artistic expression. Our projects consist primarily of paper arts, mixed media collage, artist trading cards, altered art, assemblages, collaborative journals, mail art, and more.

We are interested in creative individuals of varied skill levels who wish to challenge themselves artistically and help build a supportive community. We are at our best when we can share our creative efforts as well as techniques, resources, feedback, and insights. We encourage conversation about art, the art process, and what it means to be an artist.

Paper Traders is hosted on Yahoo Groups at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Paper_Traders/.
We hope you will consider joining us on an artistic journey!

In order to prevent spammers and to insure that all applicants are actual persons interested in creating art, a questionnaire will be sent to all potential members. When applying, please submit digital examples of your work or direct us to a website where we can view your art. The intent of the questionnaire is not to judge the merits of your art but to safeguard the integrity of our community.

Free Images for Download

Below you will find images that are owned by our group members and offered for your personal use as well as images found in the public domain. Images may be freely used in your personal artwork but may not be used for commercial purposes of any kind without written permission of the owner. No images may be used to create collage sheets or image collections for resale.

To download, follow the link provided. In some cases, you may be able to just click on the image to enlarge it, then right-click and select "save image as". Content changes frequently and many images are available for a limited time. Please check back often for newly posted images to use in your art journey.

Open Art Challenges !

We're changing things up here at Paper Traders. Instead of the monthly challenges of the past, we'll now be hosting special challenges that might feature a specific technique or product and will be rewarded with actual prizes sponsored by our group members.

Our new challenge for 2013 is a year long word prompt journaling project/challenge. Each specific challenge will be open for one month and all art bloggers can participate, whether you are a Paper Traders member or not. Each artist will comment with a link to their blog post that features the artwork for that particular challenge. For each challenge, a winner will be selected whose art best exemplifies the challenge. The winning artist will be featured here and get a "Trader Treasure" blog button to display on their own blog. They also will receive one chance for each entry for the end of the year prize drawing. Watch this page for more details and challenge announcements.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Life Mantras Word Prompt - Be A Blessing

We are on to our 11th Life Mantra

Word Prompt for our Art Journal Challenge.

Only one more to go!!

If you just stumbled upon us,

stay and play with us.

You can join at any time.

For info. on the complete challenge guide lines go here.

This month's prompt is "Be a Blessing"

and the requirement is to

use a magazine image in your design.

Here are some inspirational quotes as

well as our DT contributions:

Love and kindness are never wasted.

They always make a difference.

They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.

~Barbara De Angelis

Most of us would be upset if we were accused of being 'silly.'

But the word 'silly' comes from the old English word 'selig,'

and its literal definition is 'to be blessed, happy,

healthy and prosperous.'

~Zig Ziglar

by Beckie H.

by Cathy C.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

New Swap - Cardboard Creations

This swap is for Paper Traders members only but we would love to have you join our fun. Please click on the purple yahoo button in the sidebar for more information on how to join Paper Traders.

Cardboard Creations Swap

one-for-one cardboard creations (approx 6")

Skill level: 2-budding

Partners announced: November 23rd

Mail out by: December 10th

Hosted by: Beckie Holso

Stampington offered a free article download this month featuring primitive-style cardboard creations: http://stampington.com/postscript/downloads/pdfs/1SOM-1304_98-103.pdf. I thought these were cute and would be a fun swap idea. I hope you agree and will want to join in this creative venture with me.

This will be a one-for-one swap and you will mail directly to your partner. The theme is open so you can create whatever you're inspired to do. Cardboard creations should be approximately 6" in size (height and/or width, depending on the shape of your item). Feel free to embellish your cardboard with paint, fibers, fabric, buttons, or anything else that you'd like.

Please sign up no later than November 22nd. Partners will be announced on November 23rd. Please let me know privately if you prefer to not mail internationally. You will have until December 10th to finish your piece and mail it off to your partner.

You can sign up in the database here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Paper_Traders/database/36/records

Or email me if you're having trouble with the database as some people are.

Don't forget to share photos of your cardboard creation in the project album here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/PT_Swaps/photos/albums/567887744

Friday, November 8, 2013

Gallery: Our Postage Stamp Swap

We recently had wonderful ATC swap

featuring postage stamps and you

can see we had a lot of great participation

and inspiration.

by Patti Mc.

by Barb A.

by Eileen K.

by Jo M.

by Lillian M.

by Bevlea R.

by Shelly R.

by Beckie H.

by Amanda E.

by Ellen L.

by Marion B.

If you would like to join us and get

in on some future great swaps,

click the purple yahoo button in the sidebar

and you can get more info.

We'd love to hear from you.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

November Freebie - Be a Blessing

It's time for another freebie courtesy of your Paper Traders Moderators. A great big THANK YOU to Connie Holso for preparing this lovely collage sheet for your personal use. Please use the link BELOW the photo to download the high-res version of this file. Enjoy!

Download HERE:

http://tinyurl.com/PT-Blessing