Artists trading cards with kids

As you know I am a teacher and am undeniably an artist. I got turned onto Artists trading cards by watching and reading other peoples blogs, Especially by Reading Michelle Cummings Faerie Dust Dreams.I just started making them and feel in love. They are just the  right size that I can carry around a blank stack of them and a little pocket of pens and make them in between classes while subbing, when trying to use up scraps of shiny left over paper from scrap booking. During the winter school break I taught a a kids class on making artist's trading cards at my friend Kat's gallery and studio space called  Stella Art Studio in East Rochester.I like following the ATC/ACEO trends to etsy and sharing these finds with my students. I was also fortunate enough to get some ACEO's from John of Jackbear stamps to share with the kids.

                                                                      The supply table

 

Assortment  of Two students cards

So for this kids classes with four students we started with one material and added other materials to it, we started with  colored pencils talking about shading blending and using varied pressure to create values we then used a shaped hole punch.  Then I  showed them how  to use watercolor pencils and then use whatever  supplies they wanted to make more cards.Most kids went home with around 11 cards in a 2 hour class.

The Making of a Ketchup and Mustard Packet,No Really, Sorta Kind of

So I am part of the RNEST network which stands for the (Rochester NY Etsy Street Team). This group of Crafters and Etsy shop owners does monthly challenges and other fun creative projects to keep people motivated and looking to create,craft and post on the internet etsy shop walls.


The team took a believe it or not Rochester food favorite called "The Garbage Plate" and created their own version of it. Several local late night and small independently owned restaurants serve their own version of a garbage plate and people do really eat a lot of them. A Garbage plate consists of macaroni salad with egg in it, hamburger or hotdog patties, Potatoes or fries, a gravy sauce or ketchup and mustard and a hunk of bread.
Their is also a soda can which is not shown here... This weekend it was raffled off to a lucky RNEST craft show attendee.

I created  my own version of a ketchup and mustard packet to go with the "garbage plate" .The etsy shop artists who created this are john of Jack bear stamps( mac salad), Kira of Kira Arts (hot dog) Michelle of the quilted house (plate) Casey (potatoes) of Peaches Products. Karens Swimmer of Duncan Creative (hamburger) and Carol Traynor of Buenhelena.(gravy) to find out more about RNEST and view members shops go to the RNEST etsy team page

Below is my step by step tutorial to the making of the garbage plate ketchup and mustard packets.

 Step one in Paint on the computer create little generic  labels for ketchup and mustard and print them. Create 1/2 inch by 2 in approx box fill in with color using paint bucket. Add text, use magnifying glass to increase size use paint bucket tool to fill in the letters between the text. Then print these out

Step 2  fold aluminum foil into rough shape of  packet

Step 3 fill in middle section of aluminum foil  with smoothed out parts of polymer clay


Step 4 Roll out white polymer clay and put on layer on either side of aluminum foil

step 5 Use a dental tool to put texture on the ends. use a sculpey knife to cut of uneven edges

Step 6 Smooth out the "package" with fingers

Step 7 Bake in the oven at 275 degree for approx 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool
 

Step 8 When cool use wet dry sanding block to sand the folds and creases etc. out of clay

Step 9 Use caulk to fill in uneven areas
 

Step 10  Cut the paper logos out and Use Elmers white glue and glue the logos for ketchup and mustard onto the polymer clay. use some glue on top to help seal the image.Let dry.

Step 11 Paint into the white area of the clay with craft acrylics