Kushner Collage Artist Trading Cards
Created for Project Spectrum Elements: FIRE

I save old calendars for occasions such as this. The collages, created for the Artist Trading Card (ATC) Swap were made from a 2006 calendar featuring the vibrant paintings of Robert Kushner.

These cards were not my initial vision, but I enjoyed piecing them together. In the end, I was quite happy with how the colors worked with the base paper (from a set of textured papers I picked up a few years ago…) I do hope that the little cards put a smile on the recipients’ faces!

The first Artist Trading Card swap for Project Spectrum was a bit of a test-run, and we had a few glitches. To those of you who were disqualified from the swap, I do hope that you understand that we needed a line of demarcation. As stated in the original ATC Swap post, if you are interested in participating in the swap, you must create an account and put some information in your profile – it can be as simple as talking about your favorite colors to a whole biography. We are using Swap-Bot to run the matches, and this third-party intervention is actually a big help. Poppins remains to be the administrator of the swap, and I can also help with any questions, etc.

…the next Artist Trading Card swap, for the EARTH element (April/May) will be open until April 17th, you can create an account and sign up for it now! (and don’t forget to add some information about yourself in the profile!)

However, thanks to the encouragement and help of a special friend, I am proposing that we give this another try. It is just too perfect to pass up – especially with the thematic and the chromatic focus of this version of Project Spectrum. But this time, there will be a few changes… good ones that will make it a more enjoyable process for everyone involved.

~ Artist Trading Card Swap ~

• What is an artist trading card?

“ATCs are collectables, a brilliant idea born of the older sports-themed trading cards. The one rule that makes an ATC derives from their origins: the dimensions of the ATC must be 2.5″x3.5″, or 64x89mm.

An ATC mustn’t be sold, only exchanged, as the whole essence of these tiny works of art is about artists meeting (by correspondence or online if need be) and exchanging their works, thus meeting many artists and getting exposed to many personal styles. Second, on the back of each ATC the artist writes part or all of the following information: name, contact information, title of the ATC and number (1/8, 2/8…) if it’s part of an edition. By definition ATCs are made in limited numbers, often no more than one of a kind.”

–From Art in Your Pocket, link provided by Poppins

The card stock must be strong enough to sustain a mailing (possibly an international mailing) in an envelope. If your ATC has special features that might require more care, you should consider enclosing it in a transparent sleeve, or wrapping it in tissue before mailing.

There are many websites, groups, and books devoted to the creation of Artist Trading Cards. Poppins has created some lovely pieces herself, and you can see them on her Flickr page. ATCs can be as simplistic or as detailed as you want to make them (within the 2.5 x 3.5 scale!) Common themes are mixed media: collage, mosaics, drawing, paints, embroidery, etc. Some examples from one of Flickr’s many Artist Trading Card groups:

• How will the ATCs relate to Project Spectrum: Elements?

There are FOUR sections of the swap – one for each designated element. You do not have to participate in all four swaps, as they will be conducted independent of each other (e.g. participate in “fire”, but not in “earth”).  Ideally, you would create your ATCs to reflect your ideas of the elements, or the colors associated with that element. An example of this could be using FIRE as your general theme, and drawing, painting, or collaging something related to fire or flames OR using the color RED (or one of the other colors) as a base for inspiration for your card.

• How will the swap work?

First and foremost, think about your schedule and your committment. If this is not something that you can make in the alloted time frame, please do not sign up.

The mechanics of the swap are simple. Poppins set up a swap on the very nifty site, Swap Bot. It automatically pairs people and sends addresses, etc. without any third party intervention. This will make things much easier, and more secure. So, if you are interested in being a part of the Project Spectrum ATC swap, please create an account on Swap Bot. Please also fill out the profile section – this will help us realize that you are real and not a robot

After joining Swap Bot, you can see the information about the the PS FIRE swap in particular:

This is an ATC swap for Project Spectrum participants on the Fire theme: orange, red, pink.

For this swap, you will have 2 partners and make 1 ATC for each. (2 total) It’s always neat to see multiple interpretations of a theme.

It is assumed that you’re ok with mailing internationally.

It is assumed that you understand that the organizers of this swap will not be providing extra ATCs if someone flakes.

To join, you need to have a completed profile – this helps us weed out the uncommitted.

Enjoy creating your little masterpieces. Don’t forget to photograph them and load images to the PS Flickr group!

If you agree/are eligible to the terms, please click on “Sign Up for This Swap” at the bottom of the Swap Bot page. It is a private swap [for participants only] and you will be prompted for a password. It is spectrum (note the lower case spelling).

• When do my cards have to be finished / mailed?

You can start thinking about your themes and your art now, and in the meantime you can sign up for the swap (see above). The last date to sign up for the FIRE theme is February 14th, and your partners names and addresses will be emailed to you shortly after this date.  The deadline to mail your ATC is March 5th. The following months/elements will follow that pattern: signups close in the middle of the first month, and you mail your cards out early in the second month. This ensures that your cards arrive on time.

• How do I make the cards?

As long as you keep with the size parameters, you can make anything you want! You can use any supplies, and really expand on the theme and the colors. It is completely up to you! There are some helpful hints about making the cards in general on the previously mentioned website, Art in Your Pocket. 

This is a new adventure, and one that I am quite excited to start. I do hope that you will join me for the swap! If any other questions come up, please feel free to ask them in the comments!

With the temperatures peaking, the trees budding in our neighborhood, and our windows open for the breeze, my mind is already thinking about spring-time knits. With Project Spectrum colors as my guide, I did a little stash diving and found some very nice matches for some tops that I have had my eye on…

For the first two-month span (February / March) we will be exploring the possibilities with blue, white, and gray. There is so much to do with these colors, and I can't wait to see how you will use them.

This is the "Sirocco" camisole, from the June 2004 issue of Knitting magazine, a UK-based magazine. I picked it up when I first started knitting, and this tank caught my eye. It calls for a cotton yarn, and I just so happen to have some lovely Rowan 4-ply cotton in the "Night Sky" colorway (pictured) that fits the bill. The color is a favorite of mine – sort of a dark periwinkle. So, it could really fit in blue or purple… I decided to call it blue so that I could start it sooner. Plus, if I start it in February, I will actually be able to wear it during the warm months! (Small needles and lace details translate to slow knitting for Lolly – I am just being realistic).

It will probably require some tweaking, because I do not have the "build" of this wispy little model, but I think I am up for the challenge. Probably will start this one in the first few weeks of February.

Also of note, the lovely "Acorn Camisole" from Interweave Knits, Summer 2005. I have a great clearance-bin find: a soft green mercerized cotton, very similar to the color of the yarn used in the sample, in fact. I considered the color to be gray when I first saw it, but after looking at it under natural light, it was clearly green, and therefore, perfect for April / May time frame (green, pink, yellow).

Do you have some projects in mind for Project Spectrum? Are you "thinking outside of the box"? I am obviously thinking about the ways to explore color with my trusty needles and yarn, but I encourage you all to think about what else you can create in the colors of the month. Project Spectrum is not just another knitalong, so we have eight months – EIGHT MONTHS! – why not try something new?

We have over 700 participants in Project Spectrum so far: a wonderfully diverse group of crafters and artisans. We have hundreds of textile artists – spinners, crocheters, knitters, hug hookers, dyers, weavers – and dozens of needlework afficianados – embroiderers, sewers, quilters – a great number of photographers, beaders and jewelry makers, glass artisans, and basket makers. So much diversity! So many colorful prospects!

In addition to all of the knitting I have planned, I am also planning several other crafts. I have long enjoyed needle crafts like embroidery and cross-stitch. Last year, I found this beautiful silk scarf kit at the craft store.

I love the two-toned silk scarf, and the embroidery is simple and sweet. The kit is a Linea Blue Silk Scarf/Shawl – there are different patterns that use the same blue silk base.

I am planning some quilting for April and May, using Denyse Schmidt's Quilt-It Kit.

That pillow on the front cover seems like a good introduction – and the fabric colors are perfect!

And outside of the textile/needle work world, I am also planning some paper crafts…

The Origami Page-A-Day Calendar 2007 was a fun addition to my [alread] large calendar collection. Who can pass up cute paper pigs?

I would love to hear what things you are planning to create during Project Spectrum! Let me know!

The project is simple, and perfect for a quick decoration. It took only 15 minutes to put it together!

I followed this tutorial: 3-D Paper Snowflake.

For this project, you will need:

• origami paper (or any lightweight square-shaped paper)
• scissors
• clear tape
• stapler (the smaller the staples, the better)

I used some patterned origami paper in blue and gold. I made two snowflakes today, but could make more for table decorations, or for a mantle garland. It is a fun craft that children can also do. Leave me a comment if you decide to make your own!

While the tutorial calls this a "snowflake", it could easily be a flower, or a star. In fact, it looks very much like the poinsettia that I bought last week! The poor poinsettia was on death's door – all wilted and dry – at the market. I got it at a discount, and nursed it back to health. It now adorns my table with big healthy ivory blossoms!

Poinsettias on Wikipedia

History of the Poinsettia