Kids Artist Trading Card Swap

Hello!  It's good to be back.  Thanks for all your well wishes last week.  The electricity is humming along and the house is warm.  We were well taken care of, though.  A big thanks to our good friends!

Sometime after the holidays, I stumbled upon Blair's post about Emma's artist trading cards.  I was immediately enamored with Emma's work and knew that my girls would love to create miniature works of art, as well.  I asked Blair if she would be interested in hosting a swap just for kids and she said yes!

So now, you might be wondering exactly what constitutes an artist trading card.  No worries!  Click on this link, to find out more specifics about these small works of art.  The artist trading card pool on flickr might also be a great source of inspiration for your budding young artist.  I found that once I gave my kids the small papers and we pulled out the watercolors and pastels, they didn't need any direction from me.  They just got busy creating!  It was so fun to watch how differently they approached it - Jane immediately thought of the art she has studied in school and did her own interpretation of it whereas Kate looked around the room and drew what she saw and later pulled out the Ed Emberley books and started painting again.

My girls were really excited at the idea that they could send their drawings and paintings to other children and then would receive some in return.  I think the idea of mail, addressed to them, certainly added to their excitement.  So Blair and I have put our heads together and have created a swap, just for kids, to share artist trading cards with one another.  Each child will be part of a small group and will create mini masterpieces (2.5" by 3.5" small!) of their own to send to similarly aged children all over the United States, and hopefully, around the world.  If your child would like to participate, here are the guidelines:

- Please send a message to atckidswap@gmail.com by this Friday, 2/6. Let us know your address, your child's name and age. International swappers are welcome!

- This is exclusively a project for children and for that reason, we are specifying that participating children be ages 4 and up.  No adult ATC's, please.

- We will divide the children into groups of 6, meaning your child will make 5 cards to mail out.  You will receive your group from us on Monday, 2/9.

- Artist trading cards are all the same size: 2.5" by 3.5".  Because ATC's are so small, they will fit into a standard envelope.  To keep it simple, the participants are not obligated beyond mailing the actual card out to its recipient (plus any information about the card they'd like to add). Anything extra is up to the sender and is not expected or required.

- Finished cards should be mailed out to their recipients no later than 2/28.

I hope you will join us.  A big thanks to Blair, and to her sister-in-law Jenny, who inspired the whole thing.  Jenny even created a kids atc button for us to use.  Feel free to put it on your blog and link back to this post, or Blair's post, for details on the swap.  I think it is going to be so much fun!

Comments

[caroline]

Brilliant! You already know Lily is in!

[janet clare]

that's a great idea- count my boys in!

[Dani]

Great idea. Since our communication seems to revolve around email and cell phones, I think that our children have lost out on the excitement of getting actual mail that is addressed to them. You don't know me. I am one of those "lurkers" and have been lurking daily for about a year or so. I love your site and feel as if I know you and your family. I have found much inspiration on my visits. I was beginning to feel a little weird about reading and not commenting...kind of stalker-ish. So I am coming out of the blog closet so to speak. I am working of setting up a space of my own. If you have any tips I would welcome them. It is so great to finally "meet". I look forward to getting the kids involved in this very cute activity and will pass the word along to another friend who also lurks at your site.

[Kathleen]

My Tessa has those same strawberry pjs, and that photo could easily be her drawing. It seems like a sign!

[Kris Bair]

This is a great idea - I just sent you an email with my kids' names and ages! Thanks
Kris

[Sarah Jackson]

I love this. Both of my kids are definitely going to do it.

[kim]

Great Idea! My daughter is very excited and she LOVES to get mail!!
Kim :)

[Amber]

What a great idea - thanks for doing this!

[Chica Schmica]

What a wonderful idea! My girls aren't quite old enough yet...maybe in a couple years we can join you!

[leslie]

such a great idea!!! and how FUN!
gotta check with my little painters. :)

[Lori]

aw, what a great idea! :^D

[Kim D.]

This is a fantastic idea. My kids will love it. Already signed them up and am excited to pull out the supplies and see what they create.

[Tracy]

aw, what a great idea!

[Kristina]

What a wonderful idea! This really makes me wish I had a kid of my own who could participate. Someday...

[Christina]

I hope you decide to do these again in 3 years. :) Such a fun idea!

[Tasha]

I want strawberry pajamas!! :D

[barbara brown]

great idea, thank you for letting us ol' bloggie freinds in on it.
barbara brown

p.s. count us in
3 boys
1 girl

[Kellie ELdridge]

YAY! So cool. I just signed up my two oldest and passed the info on to some friends. I have one question, though, do all 5 ATCs have to be the same or can they be completely different?

Thanks for the great idea and all the work at putting it together.

[amandajean]

i'm so glad to hear that you have power back!

[SpiderWomanKnits]

Love this! We just sent an email to sign up and can't wait to get our group!

P.S. Glad to hear your back and snuggled in to your home again.

[skipthechips]

This is such a lovely idea. Thank you for organizing this. Looking forward to what comes from this on our side, and what comes our way in the mailbox.

[Cindy]

My girls are going to love participating!

[lisa]

What a fun idea for budding artists and crafters. I like to see kids involved in these swaps.

[robyn]

Okay, I would really like my son to do this, but he is not the best artist at 4 and I am afraid the recipients would think his work chicken scratch. That being said, I think it would be neat for him to see other kids' work and maybe that might rub off on him. What do you think?

[Elizabeth]

Great idea - and I love the 'strawberries on strawberries' in that picture. February needs more strawberries.

[Crystal]

I just sent out an email, my son always wants to make stuff with me for swaps or craft shows. This is perfect now he has his own group.

[Stacy T]

Awesome idea.. I sent my information along. My 8yo Daughter will love this!
Stacy

[Sara]

Excellent. So excellent.
Thank you.
Info sent!

[greenchickadee]

We're in! Count us in the shuffle!

[josie]

What a wonderful idea. We'd love to be a part of it and have just sent an email to say so.

[MichelleJeanne]

OH I am itching to sign my girls up :) My 4 year old is definately in, but I suppose I should wait and ask the 8 and 12 year old before I sign them up. Even though I know they will want in on this.

I've posted a link over at my blog and sent this out to a few friends already! I think you have really hit on something here :).

[Jennifer Schultz]

we are in! I just emailed the info.
2 little girls, 4 and 7.5 years old!

Fabulous idea!

[Mary]

My girls are thrilled to do this! I just emailed you our info. Add two more girls (ages 6 and 7) to the tally. :)

[rachel]

Wow, great idea... my daughter loves snail mail :) can't wait!

[Robin (rsislandcrafts)]

What a great idea! My son Robbie (9) has decided he would like to be part of it. We will be incorporating it into our homeschool lessons. A great bonus!

Sent an email...

[kashoan]

Th is fantastic! My daughter Korby loves getting mail and making art!

[heather at brown robin]

Thanks for organizing this, Erin! It's an awesome idea and we're signing up!

[Sarah L]

Thanks for putting all this together! My kids and I are excited and plan to start this little project tonight!

[dagmar]

what a wonderful idea! i'll have to check with my daughter when she comes home from school, but i'm sure she's in! thank you!

[Brittany]

What great fun! My daughter is old enough (just barely) and loves mail so, thanks! I'm sending you an e-mail now.

[Rosina]

What a fabulous idea! I just emailed to sign my son up and will put the button on my blog :) He loves to draw and paint so he is all excited to join in.

[molly]

i'm in.

[Lani]

what a wonderful idea! :)

[Dawn]

We are in! Thanks for letting us out-of-country folk participate. It's awesome!

[mary smith]

Very sweet works of art!!

[farnie]

This is really a cool idea, my girl is 4 and she loves to draw. Loves to receive mail too, so this is great for her...

I recently setup an online gallery for her artworks too, but anybody can sign up for an account, it's just for fun and completely free, so do join us and see your kid's art online too!

http://gallery.ourhappybabies.com/index.php

[Ellen]

This is so great. I've joined in already via Wisecraft. Come for a visit - I'm helping to spread the word about a great fabric giveaway!

[Patricia]

What fun, my 2 are in!

[May]

What a neat idea! I will ask my 8 year old after school if he'd like to join in, sounds like heaps of fun!

[anna]

You are always full of the greatest ideas! My 10 year old is very excited about this.