Bringing professional-looking cards into the realm of do-it-yourself home crafting, this reference teaches the processes for embellishing fabric, pressing flowers, handstitching easy designs, and using paper napkins to create stunning card art. Encapsulating the unique joy of mini cards, this book—buttressed by dozens of color photographs—weaves a number of crafting techniques that will appeal to card makers, art enthusiasts, and general crafters alike. It also imparts useful knowledge on embroidery, monoprints, vintage images, and how to use rice paper and emboss stamped images.

In the late Middle Ages and early modern times, card playing was widely enjoyed at all levels of society. The playing cards in this engaging volume are unique works of art that illuminate the transition from late medieval to early modern Europe, a period of tumultuous social, artistic, economic, and religious change. Included are the most important luxury decks of hand-painted European playing cards that have survived, as well as a selection of hand-colored woodblock cards, engraved cards, and tarot packs. The casts of characters they illustrate range from royals to commoners. Many feature animals such as falcons and hounds, while other portray such diverse objects as acorns, helmets, or coins. This is the only study of its kind in English and the only one in a generation in any language. The insightful narrative by Timothy B. Husband discusses the significance of playing cards in the secular art of the period and also recounts the varied stories they tell, conjuring the customs and facts of life of the time. Little is known abut the games played with these cards, but as Husband notes: "The playing out of a hand of cards can be seen as a microcosmic reflection of the ever-changing world around us—a world in play—a view that the creators of the cards under discussion here would seem to have shared.

A guide to creating works of art, just one-inch square, through a variety of materials and techniques.

These elegant cards--conceived by the biggest names in crafting, such as Lynn Whipple, Claudine Hellmuth, Terry Taylor, and Akiko Sugiyama--use many of the popular "altered book" techniques, and the results are exquisite. In the same amount of time as it would take you to scan the racks for something mass-produced and impersonal, you can create these superbly designed, individualized 3-D and pop-up cards; photocopied, collaged, stenciled, and stamped ones; papers that have been stitched, embossed, woven, and cut; and projects incorporating fabulous folds and fasteners. There are even ideas about coordinating accompanying envelopes. And all the cards include many imaginative variations that will prompt crafters to explore the techniques in greater depth.

"The cards...go beyond simple greetings...and are small works of art. Twenty-two designers contributed projects to Gilchrist's book using collage, fabric, printing, and photocopies decorated and embellished to make one-of-a-kind creations...Recommended for public libraries."--"Library Journal."

Bring out your child’s creativity and imagination with more than 60 artful activities in this completely revised and updated edition Art making is a wonderful way for young children to tap into their imagination, deepen their creativity, and explore new materials, all while strengthening their fine motor skills and developing self-confidence. The Artful Parent has all the tools and information you need to encourage creative activities for ages one to eight. From setting up a studio space in your home to finding the best art materials for children, this book gives you all the information you need to get started. You’ll learn how to: * Pick the best materials for your child’s age and learn to make your very own * Prepare art activities to ease children through transitions, engage the most energetic of kids, entertain small groups, and more * Encourage artful living through everyday activities * Foster a love of creativity in your family

ATCs are all the rage! Making artist trading cards (ATCs) is a hugely popular activity for artists. Originally a paper/collage-based art form, ATCs have caught on with crafters working in a range of mediums.