I was turned on to paper crafting when I started working part-time and needed to trim the budget. Making cards, though has a front-loaded cost investing in supplies, turned out to be an enjoyable hobby that paid off throughout the year. I started hosting card-making parties once a season where a few friends swapped materials and shared each others creations bulking up the variety of cards in each of our card boxes. My goal is to never buy a card AGAIN! These community building card parties gave me the idea to add paper crafting to my curriculum.
I think paper crafting is favorite for people who either do not believe they have creative abilities or have little spare time because it allows one to add color and dimension to paper without having to "freehand" a design or pattern.
Unlike other art forms, card making is something practical and useful that can provide the artist with immediate feedback middle school kids thrive on because the product is meant to share. The scrapbook in a box project is perfect to capture memories and makes a wonderful gift or keepsake. Homemade cards with a handmade card box make a thoughtful gift or can stand alone for writing a special note to someone special. 7th grade students make a scrapbook in a box and 8th grade student make a set of 6 cards with handmade card box.
Like all hands-on projects, the kids are always sad to move on to something else once they have mastered the skills of card making and scrap booking. it's turned out to be the perfect transitional lesson coming back from Winter Break!
Card making link: http://www.ehow.com/how_2112745_homemade-art-cards.html
Scrap book in a box link: http://imageevent.com/littlecs7/projectofthemonth/srcrapbookinabox
