Blog Archives
Badge: Zentangle (revised)
Do you doodle? Zentangle, also known as Zendoodle, involves creating doodled patterns in predefined areas. It is an easy technique done in black and white. Anyone who can doodle can do this craft technique.
.
Steps
1. Reduce stress.
You’ll notice that both references use the word “zen.” The act of creating repeating patterns is relaxing and requires focus. It is a great activity to help reduce stress. While working on this badge, make sure to have a place you can focus and work without interruptions.
2. Basic materials.
A pencil, a black permanent fine line marker and smooth paper is all you need. Thicker paper is better so the marker doesn’t leak through it. Find these materials and a clean, flat surface to work on.
3. YouTube.
Check out the videos on YouTube to see how to Zentangle. You can purchase kits and books, if you really enjoy this technique. Watch at least two videos completely to see how this technique is done.
4. Research patterns.
There are many patterns available online. Start at tanglepatterns.com or Flickr. Save the patterns you like or continue to Step 5.
5. Pattern collection.
You can doodle the patterns you find. Use cards or a notebook to keep your collection. When you create Zentangles, you will have a variety of patterns at your fingertips. To help, AEP has printable ATC-sized cards available to download with the PDF version of this badge program.
6. Small Zentangles.
Create a few small Zentangles. Start with a simple shape, draw inside to define your pattern areas and fill it in. If you’re interested, AEP has printable ATC-sized cards available to download with the PDF version of this badge program.
7. More complex.
You can create Zentangle letters, frames or outlines of recognizable shapes — animals, insects, flowers and more! In addition, look beyond paper and pencil. You can Zentangle on fabric (quilting), paint on 3D shapes, or create anywhere else you can doodle.
8. Where to use Zentangles.
Here are a few ideas. What else can you come up with?
- Altered art
- Artistic trading cards
- Dishes
- Greeting cards
- Journals
- Postcards
- Quilts
- Scrapbook pages
9. Practice.
Practice your new skill. This is very time consuming, so most of your time will be spent on this step. Remember, you are doodling so there is no “right” way to do it. You’re also supposed to be relaxing, so don’t rush yourself.
10. Color
When you first experiment with color, copy your Zentangle and color the copy. You do not want to mess up your original after spending so much time with it. Make sure you’re happy with your color choices before altering your original.
11. Share your Zentangle.
Upload your original patterns and objects to AEP’s Craft Share site on Flickr.
.
Supplements
SUPP_ATC_TangleFrames.pdf — ATC frames for Zentangles (6 designs, 9-up).
SUPP_ATC_TanglePatterns.pdf — Cards to create your patterns on, one per page.
SUPP_ATC_Tangle_Steps1.pdf — Cards to show up to create your pattern, up to four steps (9-up).
SUPP_ATC_Tangle_Steps2.pdf — Cards to show up to create your pattern, up to four steps (9-up).
.
Sites to Explore
www.zentangle.com
blog.suzannemcneill.com
tanglepatterns.com
www.squidoo.com/zentangle-patterns
.
The Zentangle® art form and method was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Zentangle® is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc. Learn more at zentangle.com.
Badge: Card Making Basics (revised)
How many times have you looked for the perfect card only to “settle” for what the store had?
Reasons to make your own cards include: express your individuality, use your own words / images, design for your recipient, celebrate non-traditional holidays or events and much more.
.
Steps
1. What event would you like to make cards for?
Brainstorm specific holidays, birthdays or even “just because” events that you would like to send a card for so others know you are thinking of them.
2. Explore your purchased card selection.
Start at your favorite card store. Take shots with your phone / camera of cards you like. Include color combinations that you find pleasing. Make notes about styles, sayings and colors. Purchase any that you must have for your personal collection.
3. Explore online card selection.
Search for images of cards you like. Again, you can take notes, make PDFs of the page or do screen captures. If you find a site that you find exceptional, bookmark it. Don’t limit yourself to “printed” cards, e-cards often break outside of the traditional card lines and follow more niche areas.
4. Examine your choices.
Look at the cards, images and notes you have. Why did you choose each item? Did you find the colors and design pleasing? Why or why not? Were the words thoughtful or did they fall flat? Do they just not “sound like you”?
.
Let’s play!
5. Sizes and shapes.
Print out the standard US sizes for letters and envelopes if you’re in the United States. If you’re not in the US, what are the standard sizes your Post will accept? Keep your sizes handy for future steps. Feel free to share countries / sizes on the blog to help others.
You can hand out cards instead of mailing them. That means you do not have to follow standard sizes. Also, you can make
“non-standard” cards for mailing, they will need to be hand-stamped and will cost more to mail. Keep this in mind as you design your cards. You may want to break the “rules” for posting cards.
Most cards are rectangular so they can go through automated systems, so we’ll stick with that shape.
6. Coordinating colors.
Look at the colors you found most pleasing. Purchase cards and envelopes in the colors you like. White and ivory tend to be the colors that are sold in bulk if you’re looking at making more than a couple cards. Now, choose paper to coordinate with your cards and envelopes. You can use solid colors or patterns. Compare the pieces to make sure they compliment or contrast to your taste.
7. Basic tools.
The basic tools you will need depends on how much you plan to put into the card. It can be as simple as a sticker or swash of oil paint on the front of the card with a handwritten sentiment on the inside to intricate layers and images you’re created on your computer. Read through the tool suggestions and decide which is right for you. Before you purchase any supplies, check around your house. You probably already own some of them.
- Paper or cards
- Envelopes
- Cutting mat, X-acto® knife and metal ruler; scissors; paper trimmer
- Folding bone or similar item
- Adhesives; tapes
- Ink; inkpads; paint
- Embellishments including stickers, ribbons, brads, eyelets, etc.
- Paper punches
- Rubber stamping supplies
- Computer and printer
- Pencils; markers; crayons; chalks
8. Explore card making tutorials.
You can find free card making tutorials on the Web, in magazines or in books from your local library. Designs and approaches to card making are varied. Using your likes that you’ve already explored, complete a few tutorials. If you know someone crafty or have a craft / scrapbook store nearby, you can take classes to learn the basics as well.
9. Finding templates.
Templates are outlines for creating paper crafts. You can find templates for envelopes, cards, bookmarks, tags, etc. Using your favorite search engine, find templates that you can download or view that deal with cards and envelopes. This is another way to create your cards without purchasing pre-made cards and envelopes.
10. Do it simple — creating layers.
One of the easiest ways to create a card is by layering paper and then putting a focal item on the top layer like a sticker or rubber stamped image. You attach contrasting or coordinating colored paper on the front of the card, but make each layer a bit smaller so you can see the colors underneath. Layers do not have to always be centered or aligned.
11. Do it personal —using your own art.
If you like to use oil paints, mix a couple colors and add a swash to the front of your card. This puts your own personality on it. If you like to sketch, make a photocopy or scan it and print it out to attach. Look through any art journals or doodles you’ve done. You can also create one-of-a-kind art directly on the card and / or envelope.
12. Doing it digital — in whole or in part.
Print a full sheet of paper with a digital photograph as the front of your card. If you’re putting your print into an A2 (4.375 × 5.75) envelope, an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper will fold into an 4.25 x 5.5 card. In addition to making full cards, you can print out parts to include with your card including salutations, individual words or found ephemera (vintage, public domain images).
13. Doing it right — recycle.
Do you save old cards with no reason why? Cut out the images you like from the front and reuse them on your cards. You can also recycle junk mail to make paper, cut stamps off to use for embellishment, etc.
14. Collecting quotes.
Start a document, database or even index card set with quotes and sayings you like. This might just be a sentence for inside the card or a front and back set that you find appealing. In addition to books like “Bartlett’s Quotes”, you can find many other free quote sources online. You can purchase quote books online, especially from scrapbook vendors. Going for the more personal card, use favorite sayings from your recipient as the theme for your card.
15. Creating blank cards.
In addition to creating cards for a specific recipient, you can create blank cards. You put a design on the front of the card, but leave the inside blank. When you need a card, you can personalize your message inside.
16. Storage for your cards.
Creating a spot where you can store your cards will save you a lot of headaches and money. You won’t have to do any more “last minute” shopping for a card. Make sure your storage system keeps the cards clean and organized.
17. Sharing with swap-bot (www.swap-bot.com).
If you don’t have a lot of people that you send cards to, you can always swap them with others. Swap-bot allows you to join (for free) and swap not only completed cards, but random items and more.
18. Upload images to Flickr.
AEP has a special area on Flickr to share completed projects for others to see. Search for “AEP” or “Adult Enrichment Project” for our sites and include cards you make.
.
Sites to Explore
www.how-to-make-greeting-cards-rock.com/index.html
www.greetingcardsresource.com
www.making-greeting-cards.com
www.handmade-cards-ideas.com
www.card-making-world.com
www.papercraftsmag.com
www.craftcreations.co.uk
Badge: Artistic Trading Cards (revised)
Artist trading cards (ATCs) are small pieces of art. They can be made with multiple different materials in a variety of art and / or craft techniques. In addition, these can be as simple or complicated as you choose. ATCs are an excellent activity for kids and a great way for you to get rid of scraps and leftovers from other projects.
.
Steps
1. Size.
Artist trading cards have only one rule — they must be 2.5″ x 3.5″. This is 64mm x 89mm. The size is the same as a standard trading card. This also allows you to place them into trading card plastic sleeves, the same as baseball cards.
2. ATCs on the Web.
Search for ATC images online to see what crafters and artists have created. Save any images that you find inspirational.
3. Cutting ATCs from a sheet of paper.
You can easily cut out nine cards from a standard sheet of paper (7.5″ wide x 10.5″ high).
- US letter — 8.5″ x 11″ (215.9mm x 279.4mm)
- A4 — 8.27″ x 11.69″ (210mm x 297mm)
To save paper, you can get 10 out, but trimming is a bit more complex. You can find templates on the Web showing you how to cut them. Cut a sheet of each and decide which way you prefer to use.
4. Simple techniques with ATCs.
Simple craft techniques to try with ATCs include:
- Rubber stamping
- Drawing
- Decoupage
- Coloring
- Stickers
Try one or more of these simple craft techniques on a card.
5. More techniques / materials for ATCs.
ATC cards can be made with any art or craft technique. Try making a card with paper, clay, fiber, wood or other material. You can also make embellishments to attach to the card with a non-paper product.
6. Kids make ATCs, even big kids.
Kids love to create ATCs. Collect some or all of the following and place them in the center of the workspace. Each kid will go through 3-5 cards an hour. Have extra cards on-hand in case you have very creative kids. Providing examples will give them a starting point.
- Scrap paper / construction paper
- Stickers
- Stamps and ink or paint
- Paper punches or scissors
- Markers / pencils / pens / crayons
- Yarn, embroidery floss or other fibers
- Scissors
- Glue
- Glitter
- Confetti
- Scraps of ribbon, lace, etc.
7. Sharing with swap-bot (www.swap-bot.com).
If you don’t have people that you send cards to, you can always swap cards. Swap-bot allows you to join (for free) and swap not only completed cards, but random items and more.
8. Card swaps.
Card swaps aren’t limited to swap-bot. Groups on Yahoo! and other sites trade in singles and multiples depending on swap themes hosted by volunteers. Some are very large . . . a US swap covered a card for each of the 50 states. Also, check out your local scrapbooking / paper / rubber stamp store to see if they have a monthly swap you can participate in.
9. Start your own swap.
Start your own ATC swap club. Show others how to make ATCs. Pick a theme, technique for everyone to use, etc. Perhaps you can invite others to share their art or craft skills to add variety to your cards.
10. Upload images to Flickr.
AEP has a special area on Flickr to share completed projects for others to see. Search for “AEP” or “Adult Enrichment Project” for our sites.
.
Supplements
SUPP_ATC_9up.pdf
Diagram for cutting 9 cards out of a sheet of paper.
SUPP_ATC_10up.pdf
Diagram for cutting 10 cards out of a sheet of paper.
.
Sites to Explore
www.atcsforall.com
www.wikihow.com/Make-Artist-Trading-Cards
www.art-e-zine.co.uk/atcnov03.html
gomakesomething.com/category/ht/atcs/
painting.suite101.com/article.cfm/artist_trading_cards
www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/artist_trading_cards_atc
thekeytomyart.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/artist-trading-card-atc-swap-and-tutorial
www.squidoo.com/atcs
www.mailartists.com/atcs.htm
Badge: Field Trips — Sharing My Community
For younger kids, field trips are normally limited to a day outing including driving time. As kids get older, field trips last longer including cross-state or even cross-country.
Each of us knows our own community. How often have you wanted to do a field trip, but are unaware of what’s outside your community? By sharing your unique community with others, you can provide experiences that visiting troops might miss.
Together, we can provide opportunities for discovery and exploration for our youth and ourselves. Instead of sharing our stories, we’re providing the opportunity for everyone to have the experiences to create their own.
.
Steps
.
Exploring my community
1. Sharing my community.
You can share your community by photos and information on events and organizations. Start a database, document or folder with information on the events that happen in your community so you can share this information. Include the following:
- Event name
- Dates
- Cost
- Hosting organization
- Location of organization
- Contact information for organization
- Frequency of event (yearly, anytime, etc.)
- Photos available?
- Links for more information
If you have additional ideas for your database such as age limitations, group size, etc. include those as well.
2. Free all the time.
Create a listing of free field trip opportunities in your area that may be arranged at any time. Make sure organizations that have offered free field trips in the past did not do it for a specific group or reason so that anyone may be offered the opportunity. Find out if these organizations are still operating. Share this list with your service unit, council or other groups that would find this information useful.
3. Special events.
Some field trip events are special events. These may happen at parks, orchestras, museums, clubs or businesses. Keep track of events that happen annually or on a regular basis. Share these as they are released.
4. Scheduled events.
Some events need to be scheduled to make sure they have the minimum number of participants. Find events that need to be scheduled and share those. Make sure you note any specific requirements, age limitations, etc.
5. Other events.
Find other events that do not fit into the above categories. Determine if they can or should be shared.
6. Photos.
Take photos of various sites in your community. Highlight those areas that are of interest to tourists and locals. Rename your files so you can quickly identify your community sites.
.
Bird’s eye view
7. Determine the area.
You may choose to share your community with other group leaders or a larger group. Decide if your final plan is to cover your city, your county, your state or your council. Can you do this on your own or do you need to recruit help?
8. Sort.
You can sort your area by any of the information in Step 1. Decide if you’ll distribute your information electronically, with printed materials or another means.
9. Printable only.
If you choose to share this only with printable materials (handouts and emailed PDFs), create a template you can share with others so you can combine collected community events into a folder for reference. Determine a way you can notify others about your updates.
10. Private and online.
You may choose to set up an online resource about your community, making it private so only those you invite can join. Discuss this option with others who are sharing their communities.
11. Interactive site.
Create an interactive map of the area you’re covering. Make each area clickable so that it opens a page specifically about an event, city or other smaller area. Provide the information and photos you’ve collected in Steps 1-6. Include links for additional information.
.
Beyond sharing
12. Badge programs, individual.
List any badge programs available through the events you list and where you can acquire them. For example, many museums offer badges to participants.
13. Badge programs, clusters.
Find or create badge programs for specific sets of activities or locations. Make groups of them so that the design matches, giving kids the opportunity to “collect them all.”
You might want to do all the camps in your council, the museums in your state, parks in your region, etc. Brainstorm ways to honor kids who acquire all pieces of these badge sets.
For example, Indiana State Parks has a pin program where you can earn a pin at each of the state parks. You have to participate in events, explore the park, etc. Earning all of the pins would be an interesting project for a troop or group.
14. Badge programs, group.
Ask your council to provide a badge program featuring the counties or service areas of your council. This can coincide with an interactive map site (see Step 11). A multi-part badge can highlight areas visited within their council, exploring what the others have to offer.
The supplement for this is listed below. It is a patch program from the Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana. It is no longer on their site, so I do not know if it can be earned. It is provided as a sample only of what you can do.
.
Expand the experience
15. Create your own, local
Create your own community event. Offer it beyond your organization as a recruitment event or service project.
16. Create your own, wide
Create your own community event, offering it to anyone within your organization. In addition to your own event, provide information about other community offerings that are similar that your participants might be interested in.
17. Social media.
Social media allows you to explore communities and create communities. Find out what social media offers and how you can utilize it to share your community. This might be through photo sites like Flickr, sites like Facebook or even special sites set up by your organization.
.
Supplements Available
05_CouncilQuilt_Patch.pdf (For reference only, available on Scribd and Google Documents.)
.
Sites to Explore
www.flickr.com
www.facebook.com
Badge: Photowalk
A photowalk combines photos and exploring a specified area. It allows photography enthusiasts a chance to meet, share their hobby and have a great time together. This is not just about taking photos, but making friendships. This can be a low-cost event for troops.
.
Steps
1. Before you begin.
Make sure everyone is familiar with their cameras before you accept participants. You want to enjoy the photowalk as well, not spend time helping others figure out their equipment. To do this, feel free to explore the AEP badge programs:
- Digital Photography: Basics
- Digital Photography: Improving Your Photos
2. Participate in a walk.
Before planning a walk, participate in one. Find out how a photowalk works.
.
Planning your photowalk
3. Pick a date and time.
Depending on your group, you may choose to do one time on a specific day, over a weekend or even over a week. Choose more than one date you can make it before deciding your date with others.
4. Set a participant limit.
Limit the number of participants. Age will be a huge factor here. If you are limiting your participants to adults, they are more likely to stay with the group, move around crowds, etc. Limit adult groups to 50.
If kids will make up the majority of participants, you’ll want to make sure each group is a good size to handle as you’ll probably be spending time making sure no one wanders away, stops to window shop, etc.
5. Determine a location.
Pick a specific area for the photowalk, a place to start and an ending location. This is where you will meet, where you will be taking photographs and where you will end up. If people in your group will be driving, plan on completing a circle so they don’t have to walk back to their cars.
Because you will be outdoors taking photos, you can start at a coffee shop to give everyone time to arrive and have something before you start. You might choose to have refreshments afterwards to discuss your photowalk, what you saw or even to plan another photowalk. If you have a large group, ask your establishment if you can meet there before doing so.
Limit your route to 1-1.5 miles. You’ll be moving slowly to make sure everyone has time to take photos. It should take about two hours. Provide a map, if possible.
6. Research your location.
Whether it is to help with Step 7 or just to provide additional information during your photowalk, researching the area you’ll be photographing adds to the experience. You can share the information you find during the photowalk or provide information via PDF or print beforehand.
As part of your research, walk the area you’ll be photographing before the event. Note any hazards in the area or special historical items you may want to share with your participants.
7. Pick a topic.
You can have a general topic like “people in the city” or perhaps you want to focus on architecture. A topic allows people to focus on one item instead of randomly taking photos . . . or perhaps not taking photos at all.
In addition, the topic allows more skilled photographers to decide what gear they need to bring beyond their standard equipment. Brainstorm topics.
8. Share your photos.
The result of your photowalk is sharing. You can compare your photos with those of the other participants. A site, such as Flickr, allows your participants to upload their photos to an area you set up. You can use your Yahoo! ID to sign in. Check out Flickr for photowalks or other sets of images taken by a group of people.
.
During your photowalk
9. Group photo.
Before you start the photowalk, take a group photo. This is the only time everyone will be together.
10. Photo release.
If you are doing this for an existing group and wish to publish any of the photos in your group’s newsletter or other publications, you’ll need a release for them. Find or create a photo release form to be filled out before going on your photowalk.
11. Safe and comfortable.
Remind all participants about comfortable shoes, appropriate clothing and water bottles. What other items can you think of that you might need?
12. Any camera.
Don’t penalize anyone because they don’t have a great camera. Even camera phones can take photos. Be as inclusvive as possible. If someone doesn’t have the ability to share digitally, find a way for the photos to be scanned and uploaded to your sharing site.
13. Minimize.
This is something to think about with kids. You don’t want to haul all their extra items around. Make sure everyone is aware they will be carrying their own equipment. If necessary, create a packing list.
14. Be aware of other photographers.
You don’t want someone wandering in front of your perfect shot. Be courteous to others.
15. Have fun.
If you think the photowalk will be work, it will be. Focus on the fun. For a few more ideas to incorporate fun, check out some of our ideas to make a photowalk into more of an event, read below and pick one of the following events to run or create your own and share it with AEP members.
.
Similar photo events
16. Photo scavenger hunt.
Adjust your photowalk into a scavenger hunt. Just like a photowalk, have a starting and ending place. Limit the area where participants can find items to photograph.
17. Property activity.
Set up photowalks as an activity at your camp or other location. Change the theme to coincide with seasons, organization or as part of a fun patch program.
18. Badge based.
Create a theme based on a badge you are working on. You might want to concentrate on specific shapes, plants or even colors. Look at badges beyond photography. For example, photographing invasive species can help others identify them.
.
As a council event
19. Featured properties.
Set up a photowalk at each property owned by council over a weekend. Provide a short photography workshop beforehand. Use the photos the girls take to share how they see the camp with other girls and volunteers. Make sure to give each girl credit for her work.
20. Girls in action.
Ask the girls to take photos of their troop / group over the course of a month, highlighting their activities. Feature photos online with stories of why that shot was taken, what was happening, etc. Allow the girls to show the world through their eyes.
21. Share your community.
Ask girls and volunteers to photograph their community. Share the stories that make your community a unique part of your council.
NOTE: The AEP badge program “Field Trips: Sharing My Community” is currently in development and will further explore Step 21.
.
