The 2nd Edition of Create.Collect.Trade. is Out and For Sale!

The Pre-sale listing is out for the 2nd Edition of Create.Collect.Trade!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19176011

If you are an art collector, coffee table book lover, or ACEO artist, this is the book to get! There are both artist and elementary student ACEO and ATC artworks featured in the collaborative book. There is even a "How To" section on marbling with shaving cream!

This is a wonderful book for teachers, artists, and book lovers alike!

The first edition last spring was a huge hit and received national attention!

I only have 1 copy of the 1st edition left for sale. 

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19175797

Visit the book blog for more information, to learn what ACEO and ATC art is, or to give back to Project ATC! http://createcollecttrade.blogspot.com

Cover for the Fall Edition of Create. Collect. Trade. (An ACEO Book)

Hello everyone!

I am back on my feet again and in desperate need of updating everyone and everything. Several people know some of the things that have been happening lately, but I am doing much better now. Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers.

I wanted to update you with the cover of the book and some sample pages to follow. For those of you who have been keeping up to date in the forums, the book has been pushed back to the end of December/start of January. We had a few artists go A-wall and was wanting everyone to get a fair shot.

I have heard so many wonderful things about many of you being featured in shops, galleries, articles and that is SOOOO AWESOME to hear. I would like to update and link those bits of good news (on my to do list), as well as post some photos from the conference and students using the book from the Spring.

I hope everyone is doing well and that the holiday season is treating you well. It is a busy, but welcomed time of year as things are "settling down" a bit more for me. Please do not hesitate to contact me. The best way is though my e-mail art2theextreme@yahoo.com or an Etsy convo (but those can get buried fast since I receive so many a day).

For those Etsians who purchased and AD space, here is the layout of the page!

Etsy Ad in Venus Magazine for September!

(My Ad is the 1st square in the 2nd row... the linocut print of "Night on the Town")

Ok... so I have been REALLY bad about updating. This should not be the case, so I apologize... :)

Great day so far today... I have had several orders of Rainbow Crayons come in today even before noon! That is a great way to start off the day!

The school year is off to a great start for me! Wedding plans are coming along nicely. I just signed up for 2 craft fairs/holiday boutiques!

I am also putting out the 2nd Edition of my book, Create. Collect. Trade. A Collection of Artist Trading Cards Created by Artists and Students. We still need 13 out of 30, ACEO artists to join in the fun! For more information, visit this thread!

This past summer, I was able to snag 2 Etsy Cooperative Advertising Spots in Venus and Bust magazines on the 1st TRY!

I wanted to take the time to share the images from Venus with those who have not gotten a chance to see it yet. If you were one of the featured artists in the ad, I would love to hear what you think!

It was a struggle to get because the site had sold out of the issue right away, but I found it at my local Barnes and Nobel.

Hope everyone is having a great week and I will be updating more often!

In the News...

Two Wednesdays ago I had a Family Art Night for Artist Trading Cards at my elementary school where I teach art. The story made the front news of the paper the next morning!

Last Wednesday was my school's family art night  for Artist Trading Cards that I put together. I had written a DonorsChoose.org grant (my first one ever) and it was funded by the Prout Family and Robert Hanley, CEO of Home Video Studio.

This fun-filled art night lasted from 5:30-7:30 with a special presentation half-way though the night and a DVD slideshow IMOVIE that I put together of all the students artist trading cards. 22 Different families totaling over 70 people showed up for this event throughout the night. We even had a reporter present (who some how began calling these artist painting trading cards?!) that took photos that made the front page. 

It was so nice to hear from all of the parents and see the younger students making the ATCs (because I do not teach K-2 to make these yet). One family even brought a huge box full of playing cards, old book pages, puff paint, sharpies, and more to go above and beyond in making and trading their cards! 

This night was special because I had recently published a book featuring Etsy ACEO artists and my Elementary School Art students.

All proceeds of this book go back to purchasing books for students and ACEO education. 

Check it out in my shop or at the Official Book Blog!

Updates and What's New!

Hi everyone! It has been a week since I have updated... yea... I know... It has been a busy week getting back into the swing of things, but I want to catch you up on what I have been doing!

I finally have my place clean!!!!!! I do not think it has been this clean since I moved in, but this time it is ORGANIZED! This is a picture of my new shelf, which is much taller than me. This has most of my current projects and materials I work with stored in it for safe keeping and ALL IN ONE PLACE! Do you even have that problem where you cant quite keep it all in one place or stay organized? It drives me nuts sometimes.

I also got my GOCCO! It came in less than 3 days from Japan! I have not got the chance to use it yet due to my busy schedule, but brainstorming ways to use it and things to make. I know I want to make my fiend's bridal shower invitations using it. Now if only I could get a hold of her to start!

I also finished the ACEO book I have been working hard on the last 3 or so months! I want to thank everyone who has supported this project and waited very patiently for the book. It took about a month longer than I had hoped it would, but now I have worked out the kinks and feel like a pro, so the next edition should be super speedy and just as amazing! I am so impressed with the artists and the student artists involved.

If you would like to order a copy for yourself and support this project (all proceeds go towards buying copies of the book for students and ACEO education) you can snag one of the 2 copies that are at pre-sale SALE PRICE in my etsy shop, or click on the Blurb icon to the right of the blog.

Here are a few sneak peeks at the student pages. More sneak peaks can be found by visiting the Official Book Blog for Create. Collect. Trade.

Blue and Brown Treasury

I got another treasury last night! I don't think it meshes too well with each other, but I liked the items! The theme is Blue and Brown and the link can be found HERE.

Some of my favorite etsians are in it as usual... KateFitzpatrick, Shaylamaddox, and I have purchased that exact headband from PurpleLicious before (she has a great shop).

In other news... my spring break is over today. I am getting ready to go to school and prep for tomorrow. I did get a ton accomplished over break, despite the unforeseen trip to Missouri. I am finishing up my book tonight and sending it to the publishers tomorrow if all goes well. It seems like I have been saying that FOREVER, but things keep coming up. I will be thrilled when my students have copies in their hands!

I still have 4 pre-sale copies left in my Etsy shop at the discounted price. It features 30 ACEO artists and over 50 elementary 3rd-5th grade artists in it. All proceeds go towards buying books for the students and ACEO education. 

You can also make a donation on the Official Book Blog.

Announcing the COVER ARTISTS and the PRE-SALE of Create. Collect. Trade.!

Pre-sale for Create. Collect. Trade. began yesterday (3/15) with copies already sold!

For a limited time, ordering your pre-sale copy gives you a discounted price! 

All proceeds from Create. Collect. Trade. go towards the purchase of student copies of the book.

30 Etsy and Ebay ACEO artists are featured alongside 3rd-5th grade elementary school artists! I cannot think of a more meaningful and inspirational collaboration. If you were ever wanting to get into ACEO or ATC art, this is the book to get! There are so many inspirational images, teaching tools, and actual ATCs made by students included in the book. 

There are six student ATCs featured on the cover (grades 3-5)... can you guess which ones 

those are???

WIN A COPY OF CREATE. COLLECT. TRADE.!!!!

Want your own FREE copy of Create. Collect. Trade.?

This project is so important to the artists and students involved that we want the word to spread. There is already a waiting list for artists to be featured in the next edition.

Visit the Official Book Blog at THIS LINK for more information!

I think I am Going to Go Crazy..........

This week has been crazy in the way or new customers. It is weird how business is because in order for me to sell more, I have to raise my prices. I had recently posted some new crayon designs. Usually my crayons are hot sellers, but I have not spent as much time promoting my shop and products with so many things going on  in my life and three separate projects that need to also be completed this weekend.  The good news is that I completed my first THREE wholesale transactions this week!!!

These orders were HUGE compared to what I normally create at a time. I am sure I have been breathing in a ton of wax fumes (but the crayons are non toxic, so I should be safe right) and that will take its toll in about 40 years. I am almost complete with all three except for packaging, labeling and shipping. The only thing I do not have complete are the Rainbow Butterfly Crayons(see picture from previous entry) because they are so slow and time consuming to make! THEY ARE DRIVING ME NUTS! These large crayons are the coolest ever, but I have to make them one at a time. I have 10 out of 60 to make. I think after these orders, I will not wholesale those again....

In other news, the book I am creating about ACEO Art and Artists is coming along great. I have recently written a grant that will provide copies of Create. Collect. Trade. to all of 3rd grade at both schools (about 110 copies). Please wish me luck in getting this grant because it would mean so much for myself, the students, the artists in the book, and ACEO art in general. If you would like to make a $5.00 donation or donate a whole copy of the book for $23.00 (and get a dedication/donor label for the book) please visit The Official Book Blog for Create. Collect. Trade.

I was also featured in a blog this past week. Elektrajewelry blogged about my shop and my crayons, saying some wonderful things about my products and some of the services and items I sell/offer.

Well... I am hoping things will slow down for a bit, so I can catch up with life! Hopefully I will have more time to blog now! Check back for more updates!

ETSY ARTIST FEATURE #3: HeavensEarth

During my quest to find ACEO and ATC artists to feature in a promotional and educational book I am putting together called, "Create. Collect. Trade. A Collection of Artist Trading Cards by Artists and Students," I ran across a post in the book thread by heavensearth. I began looking though her shop and found the most colorful and beautiful art I have seen in a long time!

In her shop, Heavens Earth, the artist uses a greens, pinks, and reds to create stunning works canvas paintings and ACEO cards. She even has works organized by series such as her Tree Series and Flower Series.

My eyes were immediately drawn to "Green Eggs" on a canvas. I would really love to see this on an ACEO, which she has created before, but sold out of!

Another favorite of mine is pictured above called, "Picking Flowers." This ACEO reminds me of the students I teach art for at two elementary schools (the same students for the start of PROJECT ATC) the colors are AMAZING. 

Please take some time to comment about her work or visit her shop! Prices are very affordable and images are too unique in beauty not to buy!

LINK TO Heavens Earth

The 2008 edition of  "Create. Collect. Trade. A collection of Artist Trading Cards Created by Artists and Students" is now available for artists to purchase their 2 FULL PAGES and individual copy of. 

"Create. Collect. Trade. A Collection of Artist Trading Cards Created by Artists and Students" is an 80 page yearly publication of ACEO (Art Cards, Editions, and Originals) and ATC (Artist Trading Cards) art created by 25 artists and 25 elementary art students, who use these artists as inspiration. 

This book is perfect for shop and artist promotion, a great coffee table book, and an inspirational guide for visual artists, students, and teachers. 

This handbook is sent out to each of the 25 artists for them to use it as a promotional tool and given to artists, teachers, and art students to refer to for inspiration and interest.

Being featured in this book is a way to share and give back to the art community, while at the same time promoting yourself, your art, and adding this experience to your portfolio. 

I will be updating the blog on a daily basis and providing more information about the book. Please convo me on Etsy or send an e-mail to art2theextreme@yahoo.com

***Create. Collect. Trade. was inspired by Project ATC, where Flickr and Etsy ACEO and ATC artists have donated their cards to swap with elementary art students in the hopes to make this art form become more well known and provide students with the visual opportunity to view actual artist work. 

****Thank you to TimothyAdamDesigns for help and guidance! Please take time to check out his ETSY shop. His work is AMAZING!

I am Creating a Book!

My student-artist ACEO and ATC trade has become so successful that it has snowballed into something HUGE!  I am in the process of creating a book titled "Create. Collect. Trade. : A Collection of Artist Trading Cards by Artists and Students."

I will be looking for shops and artists to fill the space in the book along with student work. This book makes a great promotional tool for you and a wonderful coffee table book as well!  

My purpose in creating this book is to help teach and spread the knowledge and inspiration to artists and visual art students of this unique art form and eventually hold a nation-wide contest for visual art students to be seen and published alongside true ACEO and ATC artists. 

For more information, please visit the book blog.

Create. Collect. Trade.

Or these forum posts...

ETSY thread about the book

ETSY thread about the ATC Trading Experience Between Artists and Students

If you have more information or would like to be a part of this wonderful opportunity, please convo or e-mail me at art2theextreme@yahoo.com

**Blog Image is by Etsian AnnaCox with Purty Girl Designs