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| San Francisco It was an interesting week here in the cool, gray city -- the temperature hit 93 degrees on Wednesday. Wild! If you know SF, you know that is very odd and unusual especially in April. Or in July (when we all freeze in the fog). There was a lot of whining. Ok, yes it was me who was whining..... but really...it was way to hot to do anything at all. (SF Thrift store painting I bought about 25 years ago). |
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| This is from an old cookbook I bought at the library book sale a couple of weeks ago -- people in SF on a warm day on a rooftop. There were a lot of folks out in the heat and on roofs but I can safely say no one really looked like these folks. Times do change. |
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| OUTGOING In just ONE WEEK from today, my mail art pal and the fearless mailer, Kelly P will sweep into town for one day. We have so many things on our to-do list -- Scrap, Japantown, Daiso, lunch, Chinatown, my studio -- well, it isn't going to be easy to fit everything into one day. But we are sure going to try... |
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| OUTGOING We want to send some joint-mail art to some mutual friends so I have gotten started collaging some cards. I figure we won't have enough time to do everything so why not be prepared? |
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| It was really too hot to do much of anything but I did manage to tear and paste.....found this book a while back at a thrift shop and got inspired to collage some postcards... |
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| I had to dig out anything I could find to do with playing cards....this is why I hate throwing anything away. You never know what you are going to need. Right? |
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| OUTGOING -- Italian Candy Wrapper collage cards And -- I went to a wedding on Monday. I was the cake picker-upper, the Matron of Honor (no comments please) and the photographer. Busy, busy. These candy/cookie wrappers were in the gift bags and what else to do besides eat the candy and then make collages with the wrappings? What would you do? |
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| OUTGOING CHICKEN..... |
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| Bird of another feather? I found these little envelopes at the Japanese dollar/yen shop and of course I scooped them up. |
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| A Little Texas gal I know loves squirrels. Don't ask. I found some paper I had with squirrels on it and I'm working on a surprise for her. Well...it may not be a surprise now....I'm not sure if she reads my blog... |
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| INCOMING FROM the UK Great stamps, great envelope and a new mail art pal. She tells me that in the UK the post offices do NOT want to put actual stamps on outgoing international mail. They want to use those machine generated stickers. Isn't that strange? I had never heard that before. Who wants that? No way......I want beautiful stamps on my mail. |
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| INCOMING From Stan Askew in Pasadena Stan is very prolific and I have been lucky enough to get some terrific mail from him. I just love how he rubber stamps the envelopes that he puts his collages in...so cool. |
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| And this one is rubber stamped with a Stamp Head on there! I think he has been looking at my blog and seen my obsession with Stamp Heads. Thanks, Stan! |
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| Collage by Stan Askew Hum.....and here is another Stamp Head on his collage. The possibilities are endless.... |
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| INCOMING from Allan Bealy Allan is a superb collage artist and he has a new book out that I can highly recommend Mud Bath Get it while you can -- only 100 copies are available and I know a lot of folks are buying. |
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| Starts & Finishes Starts/Allan & Finishes/Pamela Gerard |
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| INCOMING FROM NINA HERMUS (The Netherlands) Great Stamp Heads! Thanks, Nina. |
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| INCOMING from Cuan Miles (South Africa) Some great collages from Cuan on playing cards..... |
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| INCOMING from Stephanie Blake (Alabama) Collage pack #119......anyone who gets a collage pack from Stephanie is very, very lucky...and I've been lucky enough to have received several. |
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| I am really, really trying to stay NEAT and organized in my studio these days.... I even have two drawers set aside just for rubber stamps.... |
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| BUT somehow things still end up looking for like this....well...I like it messy! But I will get it picked up again for the royal visit from Miss Kelly P! And maybe I will even bring my camera along on our play date and do a blog post -- that way all of you can come along with us too. SF has (thankfully) really cooled off and I'm back in business again working in my studio and I'm not too hot to have fun. You can see that with all this great incoming mail I now have a big pile "to answer" so I better get busy. Because we all know, IF YOU SEND GOOD MAIL -- YOU GET GOOD MAIL. And what was your busy week like? Anything like mine? |
Always enjoy what you share through all the pics of outgoing/incoming artsy mail...so inspiring indeed. What fun you must have hunting for neat stuff in Japantown & Chinatown. Thanks for the heads-up about MUD BATH...I've placed an order and look forward to it arrival.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Happy Mail Day -- I am waiting on my copy of Mud Bath too. I love Allan's work . I'm happy you could snag a copy too. I forget to photograph half the stuff I make.....too busy trying to make it and get it in the mail. Thanks for stopping by the blog.
DeleteOh...how I wish I could shop in SF with you and Kelly next week- LUCKY! I miss you both tons. Send me a picture of you two gals when you're out on your adventure.
ReplyDeleteOh--Miss Millicent--I sure wish YOU were going to be here next Friday too. You will be with us in spirit and you know I will be taking photos. You'll see us on the blog or in a zine, don't worry. Next time -- you come too!
DeleteI enjoyed all those lovely transportation collages ! You make the best stuff !
ReplyDeleteComing from the Queen of Transit Art i take that as a high compliment, sallyw, and see YOU too next Friday. (You'll be the surprise)
DeleteI spent a week in SF once where every day was over 100--thought I was going to die! There was no a/c to be found and I had only packed for the colder days. Obviously I survived :) But I still don't care to remember that time. Glad you survived your warm days as well!
ReplyDeleteCindy -- that sounds awful and so rare. We are back to the 50's and wind and some fog and things are right in my world. You're right, a/c is pretty rare here too since we normally need it so few days of the year.
DeleteSuch a bounty of treasure--incoming and outgoing. Yours is an enviable occupation of full time fun.
ReplyDeleteWe've have triple digits in Texas but not here yet. It's too hot and humid to be out and about much though, so I tend to make the cool mornings count and save afternoon-on for indoor time: correspondence and creativity. I love winter and tolerate summer. Spring is fleeting!
Limner -- I'm with you -- I like winter! The thought of triple digits terrifies me....
DeleteThat's one slew of fabulous mail. I still can't believe you hit 93...must be some kind of record for SF that's for sure. 70 ish here but overcast. Still first week we haven't lit the wood stove in the morning.....xox
ReplyDeleteThanks, Corrine -- yes, a whole lot of good mail around here....
Deleteswooning over japanese postman envelopes. what a find!!! maybe i'll be lucky & find one in my mailbox....xo
ReplyDeleteHi miss polly -- you never really know what you'll find in your mailbox, do you?
DeleteEverything is totally awesome, your incoming and outgoing. I love it all!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Connie Rose!
DeleteNice transit collages! While you were sweltering in the 90's, we here in Olympia WA enjoyed two days with highs of 84 degrees, which yours truly spent gardening instead of slaving in the postal sweatshop. But we are back to record rainy weather the past two days so the artistamp design work beckons. May the Peeps be with you ;-] ~ Jack @ Cascadia Artpost
ReplyDeleteHi Jack! Just got your PEEPS yesterday. Very cool. It has (thankfully) cooled down here so I am back to work too. Thanks for commenting -- and for the great mail.
DeleteThanks for sharing all the great mail art you do and pieces sent to you. Very inspiring and motivating (as in cleaning my studio so I CAN make mail art). I would add to your already long list of places to visit with your friend--- Muji!
ReplyDeleteBoth Daiso and Muji were my places to go when in Japan (filling my extra suitcase) and NOW they are both here- beyond lucky we are. Also do you ever go to the Free Book Exchange in Richmond on San Pablo Ave? Bit of a trek but all FREE.
Hey Monica -- thanks for the suggestions. Muji -- yes -- I need to add that especially since it is on my side of town. a FREE book exchange??? Now that's one I hadn't heard of. I don't get over to the east bay much but when I do.....I want to go get a free book. How is the studio cleaning coming along? I am in pretty good shape but there is still one room.....filled with boxes.....of junk..er....ephemera.
DeleteYour rubber stamps look great. I have mine in pretty good shape...but I almost never use them. It's because I'm not sure how to care for them. Do you use a professional stamp cleaner every time or what? Have fun shopping! I love your creativity.
ReplyDeleteTexas leigh.....hahaha clean them???? Noooooooo I just stamp like crazy with them. And that is only one small drawer -- I have a drawer under that with seven plastic containers filled with stamps....my pal, JU, who is MUCH neater than I am cleans hers after stamping by stamping them on a wet paper towel. I'm sure that is a good idea but I am in too much of a stamping frenzy to do it....I say, use your stamps -- that's what they are for!
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