Share Your Joy: Mixed Media Shareable Art

by Sarah J. Gardner

Learn how to create adorable mixed-media art to send to loved ones, friends, and even strangers via snail mail—then share in the happiness it brings.

Author Sarah J. Gardner has made it her mission to help others find their creativity and inspiration through mixed-media art . In Share Your Joy , she offers her idea for how to share joy via handmade postcards, note cards , and other items that can be mailed to anyone around the world and put a smile on their face. That’s where Sarah gets her joy, and with the techniques and step-by-step projects in this book, she will help you find it too.

Working on papers you have painted and that can be drawn and painted over (what Sarah calls “art papers”), you will learn to use collage , stenciling , found objects , watercolor and acrylic paints , and more to create art to share with others.

Included in the book
 
Experience the fun and happiness of making shareable, mixed-media art with Share Your Joy !

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Creative, Crafts

128 pages, Paperback

Published September 5, 2023

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Share Your Joy: Mixed Media Shareable Art is a fantastic how to guide to start out making your own mixed-media art to keep or share with others. This book follows in the artists own art work style but could be easily adapted and experimented to yo create your own pieces. This book is a great starting board to start using your creative side and exploring and adventuring with it. It's given me some great ideas to try to send to my pen pal. I really enjoyed the postcards and will be giving them a go first.

[JoyReaderGirl1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

For creative adventurers who like to play and have fun innovating their masterpieces, Sarah J. Gardner’s inspiring guide, “Share Your Joy: Mixed Media Shareable Art,” is a delightful handbook that inspires imagination, originality, and generosity.

The book is filled with step-by-step projects that are easy to follow, even for beginners. Each project is accompanied by clear instructions and vibrant photographs, making it easy to visualize the final product.

Gardner’s book is designed to help readers create beautiful, shareable art pieces that can be sent to friends, family, and other artists—spreading joy and happiness through simple art projects.

Covering a variety of techniques, Share Your Joy covers topics like collage, stenciling, found objects, watercolor, and acrylic paints.

In mixed-media art, readers learn that the goal is to create a piece that is richer, more textured, and more visually appealing than what could be achieved with just a single medium. This makes it a popular choice for artists looking to push the boundaries of traditional art forms.

Overall, “Share Your Joy” is not just a craft book; it’s a celebration of creativity and the happiness of sharing your artistic expressions with others.

JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Sarah J. Gardner, and Quarto Publishing Group - Walter Foster | Walter Foster Publishing for this advanced readers copy for review.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Share Your Joy: Mixed Media Shareable Art is a lovely reference work for those interested in finding a new way to explore their creativity and share their creations with others. The book covers different supplies that can be utilised in the creative process before moving on to sample projects such as handmade postcards and note cards, with a particular focus on small items that could be shared with pen pals in letters. Various different techniques are explored, so there should be an option to suit everyone. Highly recommended if you are looking for a new creative pursuit that can be done on a small scale. This book will be of particular interest to those with busy lives who don't have the time to commit to larger-scale artistic works. I am giving it four stars.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Had some great project ideas and great technique tutorials. This will make good programming for the library.

[Evilblacksheep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

If you're into arts & craft and more specifically collage and mark making, Sarah Gardner's book is a great read and includes some nice projects to play along. There is a total of 17 projects to follow, with a list of easy to find materials and clear step by step instructions for each of them. They include 8 projects to create your own collage papers and 9 projects to make small sharable art pieces. Sarah also shares her favourite art supplies and various art tips along the way.

I'm into mixed media so this book was right up my alley and I'm looking forward taking on a few of those projects myself, as they seem fun and mostly bite-size when it comes to the time needed for each of them.

I'll most certainly grab a copy paper of this book to add to my art book collection further down the line. An easy recommend for mixed media artists looking to get into collage/mark making or simply look for a few fun projects.

[Shilo Quetchenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much! Everything about it: the colors, the layers, the projects -- it all sparks joy for me and makes me itch to try the projects for myself.

I love how everything is explained in a easy-to-follow step-by-step way, with project materials clearly listed and examples of each step. I can see myself following the steps to create my own variations, and the gorgeous colors and designs make me want to drop everything to start now.

I have always wanted to try mixed-media projects, and have even collected most of the supplies in this book, but I get tripped up with actually creating the layers. But now I feel confident that I could use this book as a guide to get through that and really start creating.

I think this is going to be one of those art books that I have to own, that I can flip through to get my creative juices flowing.

I also love how every project in the book is designed with the concept of giving it away in mind. Postcards, Artist Trading Cards, Envelopes, Journals... It encourages you to create and then give it away to share the joy (and prevent hoarding).

A must-have if you're looking to get into mixed-media.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto Books, and Walter Foster Publishing for providing an early copy for review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I probably should have read a bit more into what this book was about, because I'm not so much about paper crafts like this. But I did read it and go through all of the instructions. I liked a lot of what Gardner presented from the description of the things she uses in the art she creates to the detailed instructions for various projects. I found that the book gave enough information for someone who is just starting out to be able to take up paper paint crafts but also offered some inspiration to someone who may have worked in this space before. My favourites were the woven paper and the drawings where she combined ink outlines with more abstract paint elements to create a repeating pattern with a background.

While I may not try these crafts myself, I can appreciate that this is a good how to and inspiration source.

*I received an ARC via NetGalley.

[Shatiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devo dire che ho apprezzato davvero molto questo libro, sopratutto rispetto alla mia precedente lettura di un titolo sullo stesso tema (Creative Wanderlust) che purtroppo si concentrava sopratutto sull'aspetto psicologico e benefico che questo hobby può apportare.
In questo libro ci si concentra molto di più su tecniche e progetti, e sono ben predisposta, se se ne presenta l'occasione ad acquistarne una copia cartacea.
Mi è piaciuto molto che il libro sia diviso in due parti: la prima dove si preparano le varie carte decorate e gli ephemera che poi andremo ad utilizzare, e la parte creativa dei progetti, che possiamo riadattare al nostro stile e prenderne spunto.
Il consiglio che sicuramente voglio mettere alla prova è fare una color chart di tutti gli acrilici che ho a disposizione, per poter studiare meglio le palette di colori che andrò ad usare. Ho apprezzato molto l'utilizzo dei qrcode per reindirizzare a dei video dove l'argomento viene spiegato più nel dettaglio.

Davvero un ottimo libro sia per principianti che per chi ha già un po' di esperienza nel campo dell'art journaling.

Grazie a Netgalley per avermi permesso di leggerlo in anteprima!

-----------------------------

I must say that I really appreciated this book, especially compared to my previous reading of a title on the same topic (Creative Wanderlust) which unfortunately focused too much on the psychological and beneficial aspect that this hobby can bring.
This book focuses much more on techniques and projects, and I am well prepared to purchase a paper copy if the opportunity arises.
I really liked that the book is divided into two parts: the first where the various decorative papers and ephemera are prepared that we will use during the various projects, and the creative part of the projects, which we can readapt to our style and take inspiration from them.
The advice that I definitely want to put to the test is to make a color chart of all the acrylics I have available, in order to better study the color palettes that I will use. I really appreciated the use of qrcodes to redirect to videos where the topic is explained in more detail.

A truly excellent book for both beginners and those who already have some experience in the field of art journaling.

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me preview it!

[Caylee Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah truly hit this one out of the park.

One of the best parts of making art is how it connects us. Turning your art into something that can be shared is the shortcut to better art and deeper connection. Mixed media is the perfect vessel for this, and OH so much fun.

The book goes beyond simply making art and sharing. It shares a host of practical ways that I never would have thought about without this book. It shares passing along art papers (my fave way to collaborate!), ATCs, postcards.

The projects are gorgeous - accessible for beginners and fun for those who've made a lot of art. The photos are beautiful and the instructcion helps remove overthinking.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I've already pre-ordered this for my shelf.

[Janette Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Gardner provides inspiration and instructions for eight art paper projects and nine shareable projects in this colorful mixed-media art book.
The sharable projects include;
Sewn Collage Postcards
Printed Layers Postcards
Watercolor Rainbow Greeting Card
Abstract Collage Note Card
Embellished Envelopes

This is an inspiring and instructional book for mixed-media artists. The focus of the book is creating art that can be shared with others. This is a perfect selection for artists who create handmade greeting cards and mail art.
The step-by-step directions are excellent for both beginners and experienced mixed-media artists. The color photos add great value to the text. The original designs and techniques will motivate the reader to take their creativity to the next level.
The book includes interviews with two artists who have been swapping and sharing art for many years.
Ms. Gardner (juicy.s.art) shares samples of her work on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
I read a digital copy of this book and hope to order a print copy in the future. I really love everything about this book.
Highly recommended!!!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

Thank you to NetGalley for an excellent reading opportunity.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun book. She offers all kinds of creative ways to make gorgeous crafting papers and then lots of ways to use them. My daughter would love some of these. I wish there were more projects that aren’t just paper items like postcards and ATCs but I can come up with my own new ways to use them. This is a book I think my daughter would love and it inspired me to want to do all kinds of creative art.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The colourful cover and a love of crafting drew me to this book. I make a lot of homemade birthday cards and was hoping for some new ideas and techniques. The step-by-step guides are easy to follow with clear photos for each step. There are 8 different Art Paper instructions and 9 Shareable Projects to follow, so while not a huge amount, they can be adapted and are sure to inspire creativity.

Thank you Netgalley, Quarto publishing and Sarah J. Gardner for this ARC.

[Jacqueline Nyathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this through *twice* and spent the day doing all of the suggested things the second time; that’s how much I loved this book. So many creative prompts and ideas for your creative practice. Although this book is about creating art to share, it’s full of mixed media techniques for you to try. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys making things, even if you’re a beginner.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Walter Foster Publishing for this ARC.

[Amelia Maness-Gilliland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Share Your Joy by Sarah J. Gardner is an ideal entry point for anyone interested in exploring mixed media. She does a beautiful job of guiding readers in choosing and using supplies. She shared fun projects intended for sharing, and I loved that. Her clear directions and the images shared made following along easy. She also covers many excellent techniques. The book itself is beautiful. I recommend it for any beginner mixed media artist.

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute book! It's fairly short and has some instructions on making some mixed media art. There's a lot of focus on making cards including postcards and experimenting with different kinds of media. It seems like the kind of book that's about inspiring creative ideas with a few paper-based examples.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun, and I think kids will get a kick out of it. While not necessarily geared towards kids this book is all about using various techniques and falling in love with paper to change, merge, collage, and create new items that you can share with others. I thought the instructions were well done with a positive look that there are no mistakes there’s just art.

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

These projects are not just fun, but very simple!

Going over the pages and projects I couldn't help but smile. They made me happy! I look forward to trying out these new techniques in my mixed-media journal.

[Bobbi Galvin · Rating 2 out of 5]

All of the samples were very busy. A simple tutorial and an example or two of something "calm" would have been better for me. I liked the step-by-step instructions and the great photos, it just wasn't my style. Fun to look at, though.

[Christina Valastro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book!!! I will definitely use some of the ideas in my studio and the pictures of the art are really inspiring.

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to follow instructions. Great photos and examples. The added QR codes is nice, too.
Can definitely see myself using this for ideas.

[Joni Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like mixed media art and this book gives you tons of ideas on how to start and ideas to make different styles of projects. It’s bright, fun and joyful.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the hardback version. The book had lots of photos, useful information and suggestions for types of materials to use. I gather several ideas.

[Trudy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great idea filled mixed media guide, with lots of fun projects!! Recommend!!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun book on mixed media art and how to share it. I highly recommend it. :)

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best art book ever and the only one I’ve ever read cover-to-cover. Sarah is an excellent teacher.

[DeAnna McNeill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun Exercises

I enjoyed seeing the fun ideas in this book. Great creative springboard! Graphics / photography were beautiful. Truly enjoyed it.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspiration of doing your own art projects using scraps, new items , techniques and having fun !! Great instructions and illustrations.

[Erika Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was as expected.

[Elle C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great ideas for mixed media art. Layering & lots of tips.

[Dorise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, colorful, innovative - this is a great introductory book that provides techniques and ideas for art projects as well as fun ways to share them with others.