Journals & Collaborative Projects

Below you will find a sampling our members' work from previous collaborative projects.  Click on images to view them larger. We hope this will inspire you to come and play with us! If you are interested in joining our group, please visit us at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Paper_Traders/

Tutorials & Techniques

Below are some of our favorite tricks for adding depth and dimension to your art.  We hope you have fun giving these a try!

Current Group Swaps & Projects

Below is a list of current swaps and projects available to group members. If you are interested in joining our group and participating in these projects, please visit us at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Paper_Traders/.  

For existing group members, you can sign up to participate  in these projects here: Swaps & Current Projects.  

We look forward to swapping with you.  Happy Arting!

Member Gallery for Group Swaps
 
Below you will find a sampling our members' work from previous group swaps and projects.  Click on images to view them larger. We hope this will inspire you to come and play with us! If you are interested in joining our group, please visit us at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Paper_Traders/.
 
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, June 26, 2015

New Swap: Sew Wonderful

This project is for Paper Traders members only but we would love to have you join us. Please click on the purple Yahoo button in the sidebar for more information on how to join.


Sew Wonderful
3 for 3 ATCs
Skill Level: #1 Sprouting
Sign up: In time to meet the Due Date
Due Date: Cards IN HAND August 11th
Hosted by Debra Claxton

Please make 3 ATC’s that have something to do with sewing, such as images of sewing machines, dress forms, old pattern pieces, tape measures, small flat buttons, etc… You may do actual stitching on your card, (but it is not required). Use any of your favorite mixed media techniques, and have fun!

Here are some inspirational samples:
https://www.pinterest.com/debclaxton/sewing-theme/

Details: Please include a return address label (I will supply envelopes).
* $1 return for flat cards
* $2 if using thick elements.
* International players may send ephemera, an international stamp, Euros,  or use PayPal. Please allow ample mailing time!

Skill Level: 1) SPROUTING - Geared toward the artist who has recently begun their journey into mixed media, these swaps are open to all group members, regardless of experience. Participation is the key - caring and sharing in the spirit of friendship and fun. Every artist needs to understand that contributors to these projects can be of any level of artistic experience.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Gallery: Tickled Pink

by Nancy S.

by Beckie H.

by Debra C.

by Shelly R.

by Eileen K.

by Linda E.W.

by Mel D.

by Nikki S.

by Quincy R.

by Sandy A.

by Jo M.

by Connie H.

by Pam P.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

New Swap: CitraSolv ATCs & Papers

This project is for Paper Traders members only but we would love to have you join us. Please click on the purple Yahoo button in the sidebar for more information on how to join.



CitraSolv ATCs & Papers
3-for-3 Technique ATCs
Skill Level: 2 - Budding
Sign Up by July 19th
Due Date: Postmarked by July 21st
Hosted by: Beckie Holso

For this project, we will be creating CitraSolv papers and using them in the construction of our ATCs. There is no theme for this project so just let the inspiration of what you see in your papers be your guide. You may also use other solvents, if you prefer. You can use the papers as your background, dabble in the ink to "paint" a picture, cut shapes and images out of the paper and collage them on your cards... whatever you want to do!

For details on how to make CitraSolv papers, check out this post on the Paper Traders Blog for some tips and other useful links:
http://papertraders-art.blogspot.com/2015/04/technique-citra-solv-papers.html

In addition to the 3 ATCs, please send along some extra pieces of your unique papers so that I can share them around with all the participants.

Please send $1 for postage and a return address label. International participants may send an extra ATC or ephemera in lieu of postage.

2) BUDDING: Participants will be open to trying new ideas and materials, without necessarily being competent yet with their applications. Swap Hosts are encouraged to add the requirement of a technique or process such as creating texture, using crackle paint, doing photo transfers, painting with watercolor, etc.

Friday, June 12, 2015

Gallery: Bird Hybrid ATC Speed Swap

by Debra C.

by Jo M.

by Cathy C

by Connie H.

Linda E. W.

by Sandy A.

by Nikki S.

by Sandra D.

by Shelly R.

Gallery: Splatter House ATC Swap


by Connie H.

by Beckie H.

by Pam P.

by Eileen K.

by Linda E.W.

by Nikki S.

by Pam C.

By Cathy C.

By Jo M.

by Nancy S.

by Debra C.
by Sandra D.

Sunday, June 7, 2015

June Freebie - In the Garden

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

Download HERE:

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

New Swap: Seaside Souvenirs Lunch Bag Mini Books

This project is for Paper Traders members only but we would love to have you join us. Please click on the purple Yahoo button in the sidebar for more information on how to join.


SEASIDE SOUVENIRS MINI ALBUM SWAP
Hosted by: Karla Jackson
Sign up by July 15th
Due in hand by August 1st
Skill Level: 1 - Sprouting

Calling all seaside lovers to join in this creative swap! Grab 4  lunch bags and let's make a mini album in vintage style. Fold the bags in half and decorate each side (16 sides total) in faded, muted color tones, soft pastels (no brights). Please add something special in the open end of the bag...a tag, papers, poetry, ephemera etc. One of the bags will be the cover for YOUR book (designate which one with a sticky note). You will get 3 different bags in your album from other artists. I will assemble the books with beautiful ribbon and seashore charms. If you can fold, cut and paste, you can do this swap in any level. (Please no shedding glitter; sparkle Mod Podge works so much better). Please join me and see how fun these lunch bags are to play with... you will love making them!

Include $6 for flat rate small package and an address label. International postage will be around double that $12. (First Class mail can take up to 3 weeks or more to arrive.)

Here is a link for inspiration and a tutorial: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/paperbagbook/
This is my Pinterest Album with printable Seashore images: https://www.pinterest.com/mzpeach/seashore/
This lady has wonderful paper bag book theme ideas on her Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/debbie57d/scrapbook-pages-and-paper-bag-albums/

Skill Level: 1) SPROUTING - Geared toward the artist who has recently begun their journey into mixed media, these swaps are open to all group members, regardless of experience. Participation is the key - caring and sharing in the spirit of friendship and fun. Every artist needs to understand that contributors to these projects can be of any level of artistic experience.

Monday, June 1, 2015

By The Numbers Art Journaling Challenge "FIVE"

This project is for Paper Traders members only but we would love to have you join us. Please click on the purple Yahoo button in the sidebar for more information on how to join.


"FIVE" - our fifth By The Numbers Art Journaling Challenge

Skill Level: 2 - Budding

The fifth challenge for our monthly art journaling project is to use multiple techniques for creating texture with watercolors.

You can find instructions for several different technique on my Pinterest board here:
https://www.pinterest.com/artbeckons/art-journaling/

Don't forget to do some journaling on your page by writing down your thoughts using an idiom for the number "five". You can find a list of idioms here:
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/five
Just pick one that inspires your thought process and journal about it. I think the number theme of this project can add a fun element to your pages... you might want to use the respective number prominently in decorating your pages. Don't stop with a simple saying - that's just a prompt to get you started. Let the creativity continue to flow as you journal and decorate your pages. You have the entire month to complete your pages for this challenge.

Here are some idioms for "FIVE" to get you going...

  • a good five-cent cigar
  • bunch of fives
  • five-finger discount
  • Give me five! 
  • hang five and hang ten
  • He wears a ten-dollar hat on a five-cent head.
  • nine-to-five job
  • slip someone five
  • take five
  • five-oh and 5-O
  • high five
  • low five
  • nine-to-five
  • five it 
  • a five-alarm fire
  • take the Fifth


Don't forget... As a little incentive for this project, the moderators are offering the opportunity to win a prize for participating.

For each challenge in which you participate (there will be a total of 10), you will earn one entry into the random drawing to be held when the project is complete. The more entries you earn, the bigger the potential prize:

1-3 entries = prize value of $5
4-6 entries = prize value of $10
7-9 entries = prize value of $15
10 entries = prize value of $20

One lucky person will win a gift card to their favorite local craft store up to the value for which they qualified.  More participation >> More chances to win >> Bigger potential prize!  Plus... it will be lots of fun, too.

Skill Level: 2) BUDDING - Participants will be open to trying new ideas and materials, without necessarily being competent yet with their applications. Swap Hosts are encouraged to add the requirement of a technique or process such as creating texture, using crackle paint, doing photo transfers, painting with watercolor, etc.