Claybord Artist Trading Cards by Judi Kauffman for The Queen’s Ink

 I make a lot of coil-bound books and my Rubicoil punch accumulates a TON of tiny little circles in the tray underneath. I’ve always kept a sandwich-size zip-lock plastic bag filled with these colorful bits of paper, using them now and then in shaker cards and other projects. Today, they take center stage on some Claybord Artist Trading Cards!

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Paint, layer on some sequin waste or other collage elements.

2. Use a scratch-art tool to make marks (removing the paint and revealing the white surface of the Claybord). Brush off the debris from the paint – it’s sort of like sawdust.

3. Glue on the little circles.

If you don’t have access to the leftovers from a coil-binding punch, use scissors to further chop up some paper from the shredder or use a hole punch to punch out circles or stars or hearts or other shapes till your hand gets tired and then get the kids to punch some more. (I’ve paid neighbors’ kids with cookies now and then, I’m not ashamed to say…)

If ATCs aren’t your thing, go for larger pieces of Claybord (it’s available in a lot of sizes, both flat and cradled – cradled have wooden sides that will need to be painted.)

MORE IDEAS:

• Add a magnet to the back.
• Seal the surface with a pour-on resin coating.
• Instead of paper circles, glue on some beads or gems.
• Drill holes; add twine or cord.

SUPPLIES:

• Claybord Artist Trading Cards (Ampersand Art Supply)
• Scratch-art tool
• Paints
• Paintbrush
• Glue
• Sequin waste (AKA ‘Punchinella’)
• Eighth-inch paper circles (waste from a coil binding punch)