Banned Book Week Scratch-Off Cards

I LOVE Banned Books Week, so I'm highlighting a project I did for Banned Books 2015 - Banned Book Scratch-Off Cards! There's something about promoting books that people love challenging,  that I just love, and I always try to do something cool to promote it - whether it's a display, program, or activity. I'm a huge proponent of intellectual freedom in all forms, so I took to the black hole of the internet for inspiration: Pinterest.

Pinterest is a dangerous place. I mean it. You start looking for one thing, and then BAM! You're in deep, eyes bulging, fingers twitching, and it's five hours later than you thought it was.

I found a recipe for home-made scratch off tickets, and they were being used as wedding party favors. I'd seen this before. Small beans... but then, a great flash went across my vision, and the lightbulb came on in my head. BANNED BOOKS WEEK SCRATCH OFFS - because what better way than to un-censor a book than to uncover it from beneath a layer of whatever-the-heck-that-scratch-off-stuff is made of. Amiright?

I adapted this pin from a Better Homes & Gardens article.

So here's what you'll need:

• A way to create an easy-to-print bookmark (I used Microsoft Publisher)
• A good printer
• Cardstock 
• White crayons
• Black acrylic paint
• Dish soap
• A paintbrush
• A paper cutter

Here's what you'll do: 

1. Create and print your scratch-off tickets. I used Microsoft Publisher to create these. First I made these ones that have five different banned books that I chose to highlight. The reason they are challenged are beneath, so you can have fun guessing which book it is and then be properly horrified when you find out what book goes with which reasons. I made a different set that says "You won a free book!" so that we could give some free books away at our Banned Books Week Reading at the Tin Whistle Irish Pub (Tuesday, Sept. 29th at 5pm!) 
• A helpful hint: Images weren't as clear once they were scratched off, but the black text on the white cardboard did fine. I used both the book cover image and text and that worked out. 
2. Scribble white crayon over the part that you want to have be the scratch-off part. I found it helpful to have the lines around the area to guide me. 
3. Mix one part dish soap to two parts black paint (you could use whatever color paint here, but black is the easiest to use to cover, and you'll only need one coat). Don't stir too vigorously, or else you'll get lots of little bubbles. 
4. Paint mixture evenly over the white crayon. 
5. Dry thoroughly. 
6. Test it out! You'll want to try all of them, but don't, you'll ruin it. 

Artists' Journal Workshop: Personal Favorite Supplies from Cathy Johnson

I am on hold for Cathy Johnson's Artist's Journal Workshop book at the library right now, so I looked more into and found this great page while I'm waiting. She lists all of her favorite supplies for painting and artistic journaling. I'm in love!

I have always liked the idea of using watercolors out and about, but haven't tinkered with the supplies much. Mostly, I get overwhelmed by the idea of getting all the supplies together, making sure I had everything, and then "setting out" to find the right place. By then, it's a big thing in my head, and the thought of going out and doing it sounds like a whole lot of work, and maybe it would be easier to stay in and take a nap? No more! (Well, not no more napping, naps are good, too.) With these little tools, it would be easy to keep supplies in my car, and use inspiration as it comes to me. Or throw them in a tote bag when I may have down time, and just go from there. True artistic journaling.




Seriously? Here she uses a recycled Altoids tin with little trays of color, a tiny spritzer with water, and a tiny pencil and pen. Genius! She stuffs some good watercolor paper into a notebook skin and she's good to go! TWO THINGS to carry that can fit in your purse.



This is a little more like me. I might need more colors than an Altoids box affords. Luckily, I have a little tray of paints from when I was very young that words perfectly for this.

And lastly:



A little spray bottle that she uses to wet the paints in her tins, to add texture, etc., and she has a nesting cup that fits on top, too!

Go to her website below for more great stuff, it's fantastic! And if you haven't checked out her book yet, find that, as well:

Find it here

Please see Cathy's post, here:

Artists' Journal Workshop: Personal Favorite Supplies: What Journaling Supplies Work for YOU? We all like to see what other artists enjoy using in their journals; I started our with jus...