Supercharge Your Promotional Handouts with Cardonizer

Came across this awesome website Cardonizer, via Neatorama today. Cardonizer is dedicated to showcasing the best and brightest in business card design. If you are looking to update your promotional handouts for your youth organization, you must check out the amazingly clever design projects at Cardonizer. You will not be disappointed.

How Do You Stay Cool?

Let’s face it, it's not easy being cool...or staying cool. As youth experts we’re expected to dance in time with youth trends, even though we might not always know how to move to the song that’s playing.

My own personal experiences as a youth consultant, has taught me a lot of universal things about youth culture, but when it comes to keeping myself up to date and relatable to my teens, I rely on a selection of blogs and sites I like to refer to as "the cool kids."

I'd like to share some of my finds with you guys here, but what I really want to know is...

how do you stay cool?

I'd love to hear back from all kinds of youth experts, 

so please leave any comments, links or book suggestions below!

Here are some of my picks:

All things video games, apps, manga, street art, comics and sci-fi

4-Color Rebellion:

http://www.4colorrebellion.com/
Dedicated to the pop culture side of video games-- including fan art, industry news, mods and crafts, retro gaming and humor.


A Little Bit On The Awesome Side:

http://albotas.com/
brown kidd is the king of all things rad. His blog highlights the best in otaku culture, video games, street art, toys, gadgets and TV + film.

That Girl's Site:

http://www.thatgirlssite.com/
A blog dedicated to random cool things like "video games, movies, comics, manga, toys, zombies, and other geeky stuff."

Kotaku:

http://www.kotaku.com/
The freshest gaming news around and constantly updated. Filled with videos, interviews and hilarious commentary.


IHeartCoolStuff:

http://iheartcoolstuff.com/
This whimsical blog is dedicated to the cute and awesome things found in the world of art, paper crafts, video games, vinyl toys, and comics.

Fashion, celebs, movies and television

Polyvore:

http://polyvore.com/
All the hottest fashion trends & styles. Inspired fashionistas compile their favorite pieces into style sheets for the whole world to gleam from.


Street Peeper:
http://streetpeeper.com/
No need to book that flight to Tokyo. You can watch all the freshest street fashion trends developing all over the world right here.

Cool Spotters:
http://coolspotters.com/
Dying to know what kind of sneakers Justin Bieber's wearing? You'll find all your answers at Cool Spotters. Members tag the items celebrities wear, and in turn are searchable by product, brand or celebrity.

JSYK:
http://www.jsyk.com/
AOL's teen site about all the upcoming teen friendly films, shows, video games and apps. More or less sourced from press releases but informative nonetheless.

Gossip Teen:
http://gossipteen.com/
A PG-13 look into the world of teen Hollywood. No real snark or gossip here, just the need to know news.

Music and Viral Videos:

Unruly Media's Top 100 Viral Videos:
http://viralvideochart.unrulymedia.com/?items=100
Find out what all the cool kids are talking about via Unruly Media's Top 100 Viral Videos list.

VEVO:

http://vevo.com/
VEVO is all about music videos. You'll find all the hyped music videos on here, plus all your faves from the past. 



Hype Machine:

http://hypem.com/popular
Hype Machine scans all the music blogs to find out whose a buzz in the music blogosphere.

Digital Content Creation and Social Media:

Smashing Magazine:
http://smashingmagazine.com/
Digital media tutorials and social media news. Great for anyone looking to develop their photoshop/ illustrator skills.

Computer Arts:
http://www.computerarts.co.uk/
Online companion to amazing British digital design magazine. Tutorials, news and interviews with leading digital media artists.

Mashable:
http://mashable.com/
Social media news, and info on all the neatest, newest web apps.

Teen Craft: Soda Can Robots Via Cut Out + Keep

Here's another use for all of those energy drink cans- Cut Out + Keep member Jonesy has posted this adorable little DIY craft that I think is perfect for Earth Day. Using a paper craft template and a soda can, Jonesy's tutorial shows users how to make their own little robot guy. Visit Cut Out + Keep for the step-by-step instructions.

Gifting iTunes Apps for Teen Event Prizes

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Apple has recently enabled the gifting of iTunes Apps. With tons of cool apps available and at great prices, iTunes apps make great giveaway/ raffle prizes for your teens. The SF Chronicle offers that "When you visit the App's page in iTunes, you now have the option to "Gift this App." You can just send the app via email to one or more people and Apple will deduct the cost of the app from your credit card on file or your account balance."

Super simple. All you need to do is have your teens include their email addresses on their raffle card and email them the link if they win. Traditionally, giveaway prizes often involve small plastic trinkets, which we all know have an entertainment value of about 36 seconds. Even if you were able to find some neat trinkets for under a dollar, you still can't beat the value of a .99 cent app or music download. Doodle Jump or a plastic bracelet? There's no comparison really...and only one of them will end up in a garbage heap.  Apps are greener, cooler, and have an incomparable entertainment value.

What you will need:

• An iTunes account for your youth organization
• An email address to connect to your iTunes account
• A credit card (iTunes gift cards cannot be used to send gifts)
• A form to hand out to your teens that asks for their email address, name and phone number, and requested app/ song/ downloadable content
• A list of approved apps/ songs you are awarding 

Quick Guide to gift iTunes Apps:

1. Determine your budget and how many iTunes apps/ songs you want to giveaway. Alert your accounting department that you will be using a credit card. (You CANNOT use iTunes gift cards to credit your account for gifting songs or apps)
2. Set up a new iTunes account for your youth org and connect it to an email address.
3. Create a double form (so you and the teen will have a record of the reward) that your teens can fill out. It should list their name, phone number, email address, and requested iTunes download, and your contact info if they have problems receiving the iTunes gift. 
4. Once you award the iTunes prizes, have your teens fill out the form. Make sure they write their email in clearly.
5. Find the download that you want to gift, and click the arrow to the right of the Buy button, in the drop down menu, choose the Gift option.
6. On the "Give a Gift" page, you'll need to fill in your teens (and your) details, such as names, email addresses, and a personal message. Click ok and confirm.
7. Your teens will receive an email alerting them that they have been gifted with an iTunes download, when they click on the link it will open up their iTunes program immediately and the download will start.
8. If your teen loses the emailed iTunes gift, you can resend it via your Purchase History or the iTunes Store.

Here are some favorite teen apps for giveaway ideas:

Angry Birds
Tap Tap Revenge: Justin Bieber 
Doodle Jump
Bejeweled
Scoops
Plants Vs Zombies
ZombieSmash
Tetris
The Sims 3
Final Fantasy I + II

Summer Graphics for Your Promotional Materials

Totally bored with your clipart library? Check out VectorStock.com for some awesome and affordable summer graphics. Unlike other stock image companies, Vector Stock sells only vector graphics-- and at a dollar an image, are super cheap too. Their selection of vector images are fresh, fun, totally teen friendly and a perfect starting point for making eye catching promotional materials. Check out my summer picks below and don't forget to check out vectorstock's free downloads!

Tip: No worries if you don't have vector editing software like Adobe Illustrator. Each file comes with a .pdf file which you can turn into a .jpg using the "print screen" key on your keyboard on a PC or Command-Shift-3 on your Mac.

http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/31241-sea-waves
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/19600-stylized-brushed-ocean-waves-splash
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/30349-sea-waves
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/49671-tropical-summer-banners
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/73621-tropical-surfer
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/70938-surfing
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/938-endless-summer
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/76334-tropical-beach-web-banner-templates
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/73742-surfing-grunge
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/97412-grunge-party-people
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/147651-surfer
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/61056-skateboard
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/105863-ice-cream-party
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/73641-icecreams
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/5594-stylized-ocean-graphic
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/55344-tropical-party
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/636-tropical-island-vintage-style
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/108360-whales
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/78946-beach-sandals-on-sand
http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/40584-old-vespa

Good 2 Know: Teen Media News 3-28-10

With the new Twilight film "Eclipse" only months of away, Summit has been busy releasing snipits of Eclipse info for all the Twihards. Check out the official movie poster at and a trailer at the official Eclipse website.

Leave it to Bieber- The new prince of pop Justin Bieber, has released his second album My World 2.0. Order it now at Amazon and click here to see some of his videos on VEVO. Want to know more about Justin? Check out MTV's documentary "MTV Diary" this Sunday at 7:30 for a look into the world of Beiber.

In other music news, JSYK reports the Madonna episode of Glee will be getting its own soundtrack. The songs included on the CD are Express Yourself, Borderline/Open Your Heart, Vogue, Like A Virgin, 4 Minutes, What It Feels Like For A Girl AND Like A Prayer. Still don't know what all the fuss is about? Watch Glee at FOX.com here.

Nintendo surprised fans earlier this week with a news release about their upcoming handheld gaming console the 3DS. The 3DS is the true successor to the popular DS system and reports are claiming that it will feature 3D visuals, be backwards compatible with previous DS titles, and will feature motion control similar to that of the iPhone. [Via 1UP]

Final Fantasy fans rejoice! The epic Final Fantasy VII may be getting its PS3 remake after all. According to Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada, Square Enix "is going to explore the possibility" of remaking the RPG classic. [Via Joystiq]

News of a sequel to the mega hit LittleBigPlanet has also been mentioned by Sony brand manager Folkert Langeveld. Although LBP publisher Media Molecule has dismissed  rumors of a sequel in the past, this new offering could be a re-make for the Sony GO. [Via Joystiq]

The final volume in Bryan Lee O'Malley's super amazing Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series, "Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour" will be released on July 20th 2010. It is available to pre-order at Amazon. Read them now before the movie release!

Satellite Beach Public Library Teen's Awesome Amigurumi

How awesome are these little Amigurumi yolks?! The super talented teens at the Satellite Beach Public Library embarked on a 10-day crocheting workshop adventure last summer and made their own little plushies at the "Amigurumi Madness" workshop. According to youth librarian Marlena Harold, "Amigurumi traditionally involves the creation of small humanoid animals that often have over-sized heads, undersized bodies, exaggerated expressions, or over-sized limbs. Sounds weird, yes. But they are absolutely adorable." Adorable indeed. I want that cupcake!

Lucky for us non-Floridians, Marlena Harold and the gang at the Florida Youth Program and have posted a complete guide to all things Amigurumi in their monthly FLYP newsletter for all to share.  

Check it out here:
FLYP Newsletter January 2010
For more crocheted cuteness check out their Amigurumi slide show here.

Check out Google's Image Search for more inspiration 

Promote Your Facebook Page with this Awesome Poster!

To celebrate Teen Tech Week, Kristi(e) the super librarian/ graphic designer extraordinaire and owner of the Purple Polka blog, has kindly posted this super rad poster to help you promote your teen Facebook page. All you need to do is download the poster and insert your organization's name in the wee yellow box.  To download the Facebook poster, pop on over to the Purple Polka blog. Thanks again Kristi(e)!

Teen Recipes: Microwave Potato Chips and Crisps

Looking for a neat and easy snack you can cook with your teens? Why not try making potato chips in a microwave? Check out thatkidwithayoyo's Instructable on how to make tasty potato chips/ crisps in just a few minutes. They're totally crispy, flavorful and healthy! Teens can experiment making unique flavors using different seasonings and salts.

Visit thatkidwithayoyo's Instructable to learn how to make microwave chips

OMG Lady Gaga Cookies

For a wild take on decorating gingerbread cookies, why not try making an army of Lady GaGas? Super clever flickr duo fffireburns and Matt dreamed up this wonderful cookie couture project in hopes to meet the uber famous Lady Gaga. They didn't get tickets to the show, but they have become quite famous among the hipster and baker set.  For more info and pictures of these amazing cookies check out their post on ohnotheydidnt. [Via Neatorama]

Check out their flickr streams here: fadedlines6 and catatonicpatient

 

Lomography: Embracing Happy Accidents in Photography

In the early 1990s two students in Vienna, Austria, discovered a small Russian camera that would help launch a new analog photography movement. This camera, the Lomo Kompakt Automat, was prized for its "unorthodox snapshots" where photos came out bursting with irregular color, exposure and multi-shots. These photos came to be embraced as "happy accidents," as their artistic expression and surprise exposure became valued over traditional photo composition.

Lomography now sells the LC-A, and other fun cameras specifically designed to capture those wonderfully bizarre moments in time. With numerous styles and attachments (multi-shots, fish eye lenses) teens can shoot photos that are bursting with color and uniqueness. For more information on Lomography and fun projects you can do with your teens visit these links:

The Lomography Philosophy and the "10 Golden Rules of Lomography"
Check out the Lomography gallery for inspiration
Visit the Lomography store 
More Lomography photos on Flickr
Moo Cards: Turn your teen's lomo shots into cool bookmarks and postcards


For more cool photography project ideas check out the 4YA article on Photojojo

Teen Nick's Top 100

Want to know what's really cool with teens? Go to the Top 100 polls at Teen Nick. Teen Nick fans periodically vote for their favorites in movies, books, video games, music and various other important topics such as-  the best pizza toppings, Halloween costumes, and the best celebrity hair. lol.

To gleam from minds of teens check out Teen Nick's Top 100.

Teen Craft Idea: Shrinky Dinky Plastic

One of my favorite artists Bubi Au Yeung, posted this fantastic shrink plastic charm tutorial on her blog a couple of years ago. Love the idea and still totally fresh 48 months later :) All you need is Shrinky Dink sheets, markers, scissors and an oven. Teens can then use these plastic pieces to make charms, earrings, and keychains.  [Via Super Punch]

Check out Bubi's full tutorial here: http://www.milkjar.com/b/?p=460
Shrinky Dink sheets can be purchased here: http://www.shrinkydinks.com/

Top Ten Music Videos on VEVO.com

A great way to find what music teens are listening to (and what you should order for your collection) is to check the Top Ten video list on vevo.com. Here are the current Top Five videos:

The Youth of Today in the UK

British teens are gearing up for a world first: an epic live and interactive chat show featuring leaders from the worlds of music, movies, sport, business and the community in general. The Youth of Today Show, hosted by young people alongside radio and TV presenter Edith Bowman, will feature inspirational stories from young people around the country who have succeeded against the odds. Their stories of triumph over adversity show how the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.

The Youth of Today Show is being created by teenagers for teenagers and will be broadcast online on Thursday, March 17th from 4-7 UK time. The broadcast can be watched live here on 4YA, and will be available to stream directly after the broadcast.

For more information on this exciting initiative please visit the Youth of Today at http://www.theyouthoftoday.org/

Steampunk X Leprechauns

Found this hilarious St. Patrick's edition of the Adventures of the League of S.T.E.A.M, on boing boing today.  League of S.T.E.A.M members JayAre and Potts, try to capture the ever elusive leprechaun using a pot of gold and some steampunk technology. It's a great St. Patrick's day add for your teen page, and a must watch for steampunk fans.

Check out the rest S.T.E.A.M's fantastic videos on youtube.

The One Book Everyone Should Have: Photojojo

If I could recommend only one programming book for people working with teens, it would be Photojojo: Insanely Great Projects and DIY Ideas by Amit Gupta and Kelly Jensen. Based on their online photography newsletter,  Photojojo is a collection of ingenious DIY projects that can be made from left over photos.  Projects range from wall art, and Rubik's cubes, to wallets and "eyeglass frames" (amazing!).   The greatest thing about this book is that is you could literally do an entire year's worth of cool teen projects using this book alone. With Photojojo there's no need to stress over your hunt for cool.

Photojojo can be found online at Amazon.com and other major retailers.

Visit photojojo at http://photojojo.com/

Social Media Magic: in B 2.0

What happens when you bring together youtube musicians for an online jam? "In Bb 2.0 is a collaborative music and spoken word project conceived by Darren Solomon from Science for Girls, and developed with contributions from users. The videos can be played simultaneously -- the soundtracks will work together, and the mix can be adjusted with the individual volume sliders." [Via in my atmosphere]

Totally fun, and perfect for sharing with your teens.

The in B 2.0 music project can be found here: http://wwww.inbflat.net/

Have you found any cool teen friendly videos? Send them to 4YA at 4yastaff@gmail.com

Teen Craft Idea: Paper Craft Sneaks

Designer Shin Tanaka is one of the most talented artists in the paper craft world. One of his most popular paper craft projects is his customizable Nike Air Force 1 sneaks. Being that most every teen is a sneaker head these days, I thought this would be an excellent quick and affordable program idea. All you need to get started is the template, some scissors, glue, and markers.  Flickr user ZNA's students made these paper sneakers for a school project and the results are simply awesome.  To make your own paper sneakers check out the links below:

- Air Nike Air Force 1 paper craft template
- Tanaka's Onitsuka Tiger paper craft
- Matthijs Kamstra's Puma sneaker template
- ZNA's students paper Air Force 1's (great examples)
- 2D sneaker files for design fun

[Photo via flytip.com]

Totally Weird and Totally Awesome: The Taste of Star Wars LEGO

Here's another great find for your teen page! German teen Sophia Heesch, has a very special talent. She can identify over 80 Star Wars LEGO minifigs using only her mouth! Wunderbar!
[Via That Girl's Site]

The Incredible Edible Cadbury Creme Egg

Every spring Cadbury releases it's seasonal chocolate creme eggs and mini eggs. Fans of these little Easter confectionary lovelies have a limited time to consume them before they disappear into the midst of the summer air.  So, to celebrate their precious arrival, try some of these creative re-inventive creme egg and mini eggs recipes with your teens.

Cadybury Creme Egg Recipes:
Good To Know's Creme Egg Chocolate Hearts:
Baking Bite's Creme Egg Muffins:
Good To Know's Creme Egg pancakes
Good To Know's Creme Egg Tarts
Good To Know's Mini Egg Cupcakes
Pimp That Snack's Giant Creme Egg

Teen Craft Idea: Alice In Wonderland Inspired Custom Teacups

Etsy member and artist Aya Rosen has posted a fantastic tutorial on the Etsy Handmade Blog that shows users how to customize their own teacups. With the release of Alice In Wonderland I thought this would be a great teen workshop idea to feature on 4YA.  All you really need are some teacups (second hand store? Ikea?) and some porcelain paint from a crafts store.

Links:
Aya Rosen's tutorial on how to customize a teacup
Visit Aya's Etsy store LoucheLab
Alice-In-Wonderland.net inspired projects ideas

[Photo by Aya Rosen via Etsy]

LOLZ: You Can Totally Relate- I've Seen It All by Matt McGill

If you work with youth, you'll completely understand the phrase "I've seen it all." Youth minister extraordinaire Matt McGill raps it like it is, in this hilarious video about working with teens.

J-Pop Culture: Discovery Doc On Japanese Youth

Love this Discovery documentary on Japanese youth culture. Japanese teens are a major cultural influence on our youth today, it's interesting to see where a lot of these cultural phenomena start.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5