AEDM #26

Okay, I admit it, I fell off the wagon a bit and missed a week of AEDM.  Well, stuff happens, right?

I managed a couple of quick postcards....for the MMSA white swap.....

Though it's hard to see it's got lace and tulle and paper and red stitching. I'm going to try to get back on track!

Mail Art

Mail art is such a joy to receive and send.  It always makes me smile and I can only hope that what I send out also touches the recipient - whether by bringing a smile, or the knowledge that someone is thinking of them, or just to have a simple/goofy/arty piece of mail.

I have lots of personal folks that I exchange mail with but my absolute favorite way to swap mail with new folks is through MMSA - Karen (of I am Rushmore fame) hosts this weekly swap group and challenges us with themes to keep us moving.  The best part is you can send one piece of art or ten pieces - you get back however many you send her.  AND, you only participate in the swaps that interest you or that you have time to complete....no pressure.  Wait, the real BEST part is that you get lovely mail art in your mailbox from all over the country!

She's got her themes through the end of the year posted (we'll all be taking December off so we can focus on the holidays), so look through the list and see where you'd like to join in.  I promise, it's really fun.

Here's a few of the ones I've made for upcoming swaps (I like to do a few at a time and send ahead when I can).

Postcard using security envelopes:

Postcards in "brown"  (below on printed cork)

Above is two pressed fall leaves on a piece of mango veneer.  Hope it arrives in one piece!

I recently discovered Art Geeks (I can't remember which one of your helpful blogs pointed me there).  They also have a mail art swap group, but it's a monthly swap and a maximum of three pieces to trade.  Again, easy, no stress, plenty of time to make a couple of postcards.  Give it a try!  

I received these 3 envelopes in a monochromatic swap (my first) from Art Geeks.

A few other incoming mail pieces.  I just can't keep up with scanning all the incoming/outgoing, but it's fun to share once in awhile.  Viva Mail Art!

APR theme

The Artist Playroom (APR) theme this week is mail art....I can't let this one pass me by since I LOVE sending and receiving mail art of any kind.

I made two postcards to go out (one to Jane to help save her post office!)  I'm finally letting myself use pieces of decorated papers I received in the MMSA swap months ago.  It's SO hard for me to cut them up, but when I saw how beautifully Jo used papers I sent her in some of her recent collages, I decided it was time.  The bottom one is all pieces of papers gifted or swapped to me!  Also, note the use of hearts for my own personal 'motif of the month'.  :)

Mail art opportunities abound so if you'd like to fill your mailbox with something other than junk mail and bills, this is the year to join in!  A good place to start is MMSA (mail me some art) - Karen hosts weekly themed swaps and makes it so easy to participate....

time to share

I've been MIA for the last couple weeks due primarily to computer issues. And holiday activities. During that time I've received some deLIGHTful mail......

A postcard from Bonnie (via MMSA) @ Postmuse.com and a beautiful card with a sweet note from my friend Lorinda.

Then I received these gorgeous envelopes filled with little goodies - Carroll in Vermont sent the top one with a bookmark as a thank you for receiving my tape journal in the MMSA swap and the floral one from K Brennan, Canada, just because.

Beautiful handmade postcards arrived from Stacy (via MMSA) in ME and my friend and inspiring creative soul Corrine.

Next up are a postcard from Andria in PA (a new MMSA buddy) and Carlene Taylor Simmons in TN.  The washi tape layered silhouette and the stitched layer with cutout boxes are SO clever!

Last, but certainly not least, I want to give a huge thank you to Judith (in VA) for her duct tape journal - another fabulous swap organized by Karen for MMSA (mail me some art)!  I can't adequately describe what a delight this little journal is....filled with the perfect mix of blank pages for me to fill and decorated pages to inspire me.  On pages she decorated she often included a little piece of lined paper making room for me to add a snippet of a thought or a quote.  I like the way that on many of the pages she included a little typewritten thought provoking comment like "Something you feel will find its own form."  I'll treasure this journal and will enjoy making more for myself and as gifts ......

The cover of Judith's journal.

One of the 2-page spreads.... Each of those stripes are pieced individually and the blank page leaves room for me to be creative too.  Thanks again Judith!

Even though I haven't been posting, I have been doing some creating so I'll add what I've been working on soon.  Acknowledging all this mailbox joy was more important!

mail art bonanza

Well, home from vacation, relaxed and rejuvenated and what do I find?  A mailbox full of delightful mail!  This weekend will have to be about making return mail.....I realized I'm about a month behind!

I received some postcards - top one from Karen (even while on vacation, really?!), the middle two are the first ones from the Kat Sloma art card exchange and the bottom one from Tina (see more of her art at witt0071 on flickr).  I connected with Tina through MMSA - if you want to find mail art enthusiasts, that's a great place to start.

This group of envelopes, each filled with a note, a poem, a bookmark, a little collage material and one candy (!) are from the Elevated Envelope exchange.  The one with the drawing is from Israel, the red one from Tacoma (just down the street, sort of) and the candy one didn't have a return address, so I'm not sure where it's from.  Just a reminder - if you go to all the trouble to make a postcard or beautiful envelope or send me just anything, be sure to include return contact info so I can reciprocate!

Dan and I took tons of photos on the trip (to Vancouver Island, BC) - both for our memories and with an eye to selling them.  We came away with some really great images.  I bought a new camera - a small point and shoot instead of the big, multi lens DLSR that Dan likes to use. I have to say I just LOVE my new Panasonic Lumix camera. In some cases it took better images than the DLSR, with the added benefit that it fits in my pocket so it's easy to whip it out and capture a moment.  It does lots of things I haven't explored yet, but I can't wait to try them all.  I'll be sharing some of my fave pics soon.

AND, one of my most favorite parts of the trip was getting to meet, in person, both Jenn and Lorinda who both live on Vancouver Island!  I had lunch with each of these delightful ladies, and can I just say, it was a blast!  If you ever have the opportunity to meet someone you've met and enjoy through blogging, go for it - it's so worth it.  We chatted life and art and laughed and shared tips - it was SO much fun....just wish we had more time.  Thanks to both of you for making time for me and hanging out - it was great!

summer mail

Most of my recent mail has a decidedly summery feeling thanks to the theme at Mail Me Some Art.  If you haven't tried this site yet, it's certainly worth a look.  Karen has organized swaps so that she does most of the work....you only have to be creative!  She is so great about encouraging everyone to participate - no matter your perceived artistic ability.

It's so easy - you send your swap creation(s) to her along with some postage and she sorts and redistributes all entries so that everyone who participates gets something in return.  How easy is that?  Check out the site, there are several swaps going on right now....

I've received:

Dori decorated both sides of her card so beautifully - doesn't it just radiate summer?

Gina covered all the summery bases (how did she know I'd just come back from camping to find this?). Her dictionary pages are about camping and summer -school, squash, stock, theater, etc.  How cool is that?!

Lisa at DandelionSeedsAndDreams sent this charming little girl dreaming of ice cream - complete with a quote on the back.

Then there's this fun one from Tim, don't know where or from what group, but the 'open here' directs my nose to one of those perfume inserts, still sealed, just for my smelling pleasure!

The bird was hand drawn and colored then glued onto the watercolor background and arrived from Margaret in IL.  These two birdie cards are for the international postcard swap hosted by Shannon at Musings on Realities.

This lovely densely painted and textured background p/c is from Julie M. at StampinMaui (from HI) and arrived in a beautiful handmade envelope painted and stamped and made into real art.  It doesn't show in the scan but the flower is a dimensional piece glued on top of that folded red ribbon.  Thanks ladies!

Thanks so much to all of you for making my mail box so happy!

I sent:

My cards to Karen for the Mail Me Some Art (MMSA) trashpo p/c swap.  Scraps, fabric, craft foam, bits from paintings....cleaned my worktable right up!

Finally playing catch up with my mail art and am sending lots out - maybe there's some art headed to your mailbox!

mail received

This has been a great mail week.  I was gone for a few days camping and upon my return the postcards from the International Swap hosted by Shannon at Musings on Realities have started coming in.  Just look at all this creativity!

 From Mim at IUOMA - she's a very regular creator and believes in using what's right at hand.  She got a new shredder and wanted to experiment with making art in little bitty strips.  Fun!

I couldn't read the city or email address, but it's from Kay with Shannon's swap.  Kay, I hope you see this so you know I received it.   I love the layered and layered collage pieces!

Julia in Las Vegas sent me this stunner.  Embossing, collaged torn red (handmade?) paper then dimension with the bits of raffia and that gorgeous heart that looks like it's made of clay but is actually paper.  Did you make it Julia?  It's SO pretty and arrived in perfect condition.

 Here's another beauty - this from Sherry in Alaska (no blog or email....so thanks Sherry!).  She used a grid index card that is colored in for the background, stitched around the edges and then all those flowers are colored, cut out and glued on only in the center so they each pinch up a bit for a great 3D affect!  Cool, right?  It came in a handmade envelope made of a newspaper page - love it!

Last, but not least, this collaged card arrived from Tammy in British Columbia, Canada.  Again, no contact info.  Sure wish folks would remember to add some sort of contact info so I could thank them.

I just love all the variety and attention paid to the postcards I'm receiving.  It's like Christmas!  I just might have to take another vacation soon so I can have the cards stack up! :)  Thanks so much to all of you and I'll be sending something in return to those that I can.  PLEASE be sure to add some way to stay in touch.....

I have lots more catching up to do after being gone for 5 days, so I'll gradually get caught up with my visits and my ICAD posts and whatever other challenges I can.  Looking forward to seeing what you've all done in my absence.......

delightful mail

As you all know, I just love the whole sharing of postcards and any kind of snail mail thing....I'm making buddies all over the world!  I recently heard from Kat Sloma at Kat Eye Studio and she's holding her postcard swap again this summer.  You can sign up any time starting now and it closes in August.  I participated last summer (think it was my first mail swap) and received some delightful p/c.  She runs hers a little differently, so click through and check it out if you'd like to receive some fun snail mail.

Here's the lastest batch of goodies I've received:

Misty from Pen Thief (she has an interesting page showing some of the more truly creative items she's received through the mail - it really is worth a look) sent me an actual letter with hand decorated envelope and a couple of goodies tucked in with her note.

From Karen, and below from Corrine

From IUOMA and Postcrossing swaps:

Mail Sent:

For the Flutterbye swap, before it closed.  Karen has moved it to Mail Me Some Art.

These went to my IA swap partners - hope they've received them by now!