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.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

A little something to get you inspired....

about our new Open Challenges starting on June 1st.




Click on top right link for more info.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

10 Days until.....

our first open  Challenge !

June 1st .

Don't miss it.

Mark you calendar.

Tell your friends.

:D

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

15 Days until first Challenge!

GET READY!!

We are getting excited.
We are feeling happy.
We want to CELEBRATE!

Our open challenges are starting June 1st.


Click here for more details.


Monday, April 25, 2011

Open Challenges coming soon to our Blog!

In a couple of weeks we will be announcing 
our first Open Art Challenges.
We are so excited about this new feature to our blog.
You will be able to participate in themed challenges
whether or not you are a Paper _Traders Yahoo Group member.

We will have 2 challenges  per month and they will run
for 30 days so you will have plenty of time 
to get your creative juices flowing.

You will need to have a blog where you can post your art
and link back to us as well as leave us a comment on
our challenge page with your blog post link. 

Very easy, very fun and very exciting!
Come back for more specific rules mid May and for 
the official launch and first challenge on June 1st.

Friday, April 22, 2011

My Stuff/Your Stuff Swap Partners

Karen B & Connie H.
Beckie H. & Amy W.
Cathy C. & Linda F.
Janne R. & Debra C.

1. Mail out your envelope ( #9 or 10 size) of supplies by April 30th
    to your partner. (nothing too bulky)

2. Post your finished ATC in the album and please mention 
    whose supplies you used in the description

3. Mail out your finished ATC back to your partner by May 30th.

4. Enjoy seeing your supplies used in a new, fresh way in 
    the ATC you recieve back. :D

Thanks and have fun!!
Cathy C.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

My Stuff/Your Stuff Swap Announcement

Paper_Traders Members only

My Stuff/Your Stuff Swap
One for One ATC swap
Any theme
Level:  2 -Budding
Sign-up deadline is April 21st.
Supply mail-out deadline : April 30th
ATC mailout deadline: May 30th


One of the benefits of hosting swaps is all the wonderful ephemera that the
 participants send along with their art. I always get inspired because it makes me think outside of my supply world and the things I usually am drawn to. Some of my favorite pieces have been made almost entirely from someone else's supplies.  So, I got inspired and thought how fun to have a swap where your creation is made from someone else's supplies. Here are the details:

1. Sign - up by April 21st in the Database/ Swaps & Challenges  . I will assign everyone a partner randomly and post it on the blog as well as the Paper_Traders Yahoo group site.

2. By April 30th, mail your partner a #9 or #10 size envelope of supplies and ephemera. Don't buy anything special, just raid your stash!!  (nothing too bulky).

3. Make your ATC using your partners supplies. Yes, you can incorporate some of your  supplies in, but really try to use the new supplies to keep the spirit of the swap.

4. Mail-out your ATC to your partner by May 30th.

5. Post your ATC to the My Stuff /Your Stuff Swap album on the PT swaps site  and please don't forget to mention whose supplies you used in the description.

This is only a one for one swap so it should be easy for anyone to fit it in between the start of  round robin and the new Seaside Swap.

If you are not a member of Paper_Traders Art group and would like to join this swap , please click on the link to the right and get started!

Anxiously awaiting your supplies!!
Cathy Calamas

Friday, April 8, 2011

Gallery: Beeswax Encaustic ATCs

Sam Bonney

Beckie Holso

Cathy Calamas

Connie Holso

Darlene Rolls

Karen Boatright

Marion Bockelmann

Quincy Richardson