Saturday, March 29, 2008

What everyone is making/trading...

Have you given any thought to what everyone is trading, making recently? I didn't until I was looking through a craft forum the other day and was blown away by all the different goodies people are sharing with each other. I knew ATC's were very popular and I've been trading them for a while now. I had heard of inchies but never participated in a swap for those...well, these are JUST the beginning!!!!

I went in search of and here is a list of what I came up with.....If you know of other artys goodies out there that people are making and trading please let me know, I'd be happy to add it to the list!

ATC's - Artist Trading Cards - 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" - only requirements, must be traded not sold and you have to sign your work. Now, some swaps are for specific themes and such but for the most part, they are just little pieces of random art.

Dominoes - varied sizes. Yep, people are decorating and trading all sizes and shapes of these critters! Not sure what they do with them all but I'm sure they would make a beautiful display when they are through.

Envelope Books - varied sizes. This sounds like such fun to me...I would love to get into (or host) one of these swaps. To make an envelope book everyone in the group decides on the size of envelope they want to swap, each person decorates an envelope and single cardstock panel that fits inside the envelope with a different theme. Everyone who participates ends up with one envelope of each theme. The resulting books can be bound however each person desires! I'm thinkin it sounds like lots of fun!

Fat Books (Pages) - 4" x 4" - Fat Books tiny scrapbooks that are usually made by joining a group. Each week someone will post a specific theme that each of you are supposed to work on that week/month (depending on how your swaps are set up). You make enough pages for everyone in that group and trade. By the end of the swap you'll have a "Fat Book" full of cool lay-outs.

Gothic Arches - varied shapes & sizes. Another cool ATC type of altered art. The blog Gothic Arches posts a new challenge each Sunday to get you creating. Be sure to check it out....they also have links to various templates for making your own Gothic Arch base.

Hidden Depths - 5" x 5" (starting size) - 2" x 5" (folded) - This is a really great idea thought up by Simon on the Craft Swap Forum. Check out this link to his instructions... Hidden Depths. Basically, you decorate the inside and outside of a card using the same theme but you decorate the outside of the card in one style and the inside in a different style! How cool is that!! I'm very excited about this and can't wait to give it a try :)


Inchies - 1" x 1" squares. I've never participated in a swap for these but I'm thinking about jumping into one somewhere. They look like fun!

Moo's - 70mm x 28mm - No laughing now - this is for real!! These are tiny little canvases that can be made just like ATC's or Skinnies. Just another fun and challenging piece of art. Here is a Moo Challenge site I found....Make a Moo or Two :)

Skinny's - 3" x 5" - these remind me of cabinet cards from the old days. Basically, they are ATC's on steriods. There is a great blog that offers up challenges each Saturday - Check it out....
Sarah's Skinny Saturday Challenge!! I believe I'm going to give them a try :)


So there you have it...quite a list to work off of.
Maybe some afternoon when you've hit a creative block;
you're creative Muse is on vacation
or maybe you just can't get motivated
give one of these a try!
Be sure to check in tomorrow when I'll share another great stamping site/designer with you :)
Now, go get inky!!

8 comments:

  1. I am doing the inchie swap over at Hannah Grey's (you should join us, oh - design team queen!).

    Hey - how about doing an envelope swap here? I'd sign up for sure. (Not to put pressure on you for this idea, though. I just wanted to throw the idea out there.)

    I just love swaps of all kinds. It stretches me as an artist, keeps me to a creative time table and it inspires me to see the wonderful things other people do on the same theme.

    ~phinny
    (... still raining! lol)

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  2. LOL...I saw that! I wasn't sure since it's a monthly thing if you had to be in on it from the start. I guess I should go back through the old posts and learn a bit more about it.

    I wondered how running a swap through the blog would go over. I may post a poll and see if there is enough interest. I love swaps too!!

    I host an ATC swap on the about.com scrapbook board if you want to join in on the fun over there...the next swap is due 4-22 (just in time to beat the mail increase - LOL!!!) We'd be more than happy to have you!!

    Bummer about the rain...no snow here today, it's just cold this a.m....

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  3. I'd love a Fat Book! Moo's, Skinny's and the Envelope books sound FUN!! Get them going!! :~)

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  4. I'm in an inchies swap on SCS--I tried to start one on About, but no one was really interested at the time... but they're fun, and cute, and easy!!

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  5. I just joined an Inchy swap today. Even DD, Hannah, has joined and she doesn't even like papercrafts!! LOL!! She just figures she can do this one since it's a very small piece of art. ;)

    I would be interested in the envelope book one. I love the look of envie books. Not sure if I'd be able to 'fit' it in (LOL!!!!!!) but I could give up work just to do it!! ROFLOL!!!

    Love ya, Sweetie!!

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  6. P.S. I know a friend that was in a recipe swap. She showed me her book today and it is the coolest thing. All the recipes were crock pot recipes and it was done on a 6x6 page and her album turned out beautifully.

    Now only would we have a cool album but it would be multipurpose and we could make our families happy by way of papercrafting!! LOL!!

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  7. I've been doing the Skinny Saturday and Gothic Arch challenges. A couple months ago, I asked someone what a Moo was. Cute, huh? Join the Skinny Saturday challenge, Roni! I'll "see" you there too.

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  8. Hey, Roni. Thanks for the ATC swap info for your about.com scrapbook board. I'm heading over there now to check it out.

    Oh - and just to let you know. The Hannah Grey inchie swap is really cool. You can sign up for any particular month or all of the months - it's totally up to you. If you go to the group and then click on "Polls" you will find the post that tells about it and shows what colors are selected and who is hosting each month. So, you can jump in any time and you don't have to commit to doing more if you don't want to or just don't have the time. All they ask is that you sign up in advance and then keep that commitment. I have signed up for the April inchies.

    It's very low key, but there is a good, loyal group there.

    TTYL!

    ~phinny

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Thanks for your thoughts and comments!