Making Stuff

Oh yes, I've been busy. Besides exploring my friend's studios and going a little crazy at the Vintage Paper Fair, I am always making stuff.
These tri-fold pockets were inspired by one my mail art pal Dori Singh made for me.
They are so fun to make (and to receive). I like to fill them up with little surprises or letters.

Thank-you folder for j

Here is the folder opened up and filled with small surprises.....

....easy to do -- just either use double-sided paper or put two sheets together -- and do a tri-fold.
Then, fold up the bottom part way to make a pocket.
You can either sew the pocket closed or (as I do) use some double stick tape
and punch a hole on the front, thread some ribbon through and
fill 'er up!
Thanks for the inspiration, Dori.

Outgoing to the UK -- vellum envelope with airmail folder tucked inside.
This one did NOT make it to Alex in the UK.
I wonder what happened to it. I took it to the PO to be sure the correct postage was on it and had it hand cancelled.Very frustrating.

Little rubber stamped zine -- an edition of only six! 

But -- you can all take a look inside!

I spent one chilly, foggy SF summer day making loads of envelopes -- very fun!
The kangaroo is for Vizma in Australia (of course). I bet she's seen a real kangaroo or two.
Now she'll get a mail art one.

Support Your Local Cow -- do I have to say any more?
(to KSP)

Some summer farmers market inspired envelopes -- the giant tomato goes to
Miss Millicent.
The only thing about making loads of decorated envelopes is that you've got to actually FILL them up.
I'm working on it.

I got out the watercolors and started splashing and dripping and dabbing (and then stamping) on papers......that was fun. A lot of fun!
But waiting for everything to dry is hard on an Aries...

Allan Bealy/Pamela Gerard
Took a little time out to collaborate with AB on a collage postcard. 

Remember the postcards I was working on in the Collage post? Well, here they are all finished and going out to Jon Foster and Stan Askew....

A couple more envelopes ready to be finished up, filled and sent off into the world....
This week was all about farmers markets, summer produce and vintage kid's books...

An Empire State of Mind -- outgoing to SW

Playing with paint...
I have been having so much fun just fooling around with paints, inks and rubber stamps.
Getting your hands dirty is really fun.
And my motto is
Why Send It Plain when You Can Send It Fancy?
These sheets of lined paper just needed a little something...

It was quite entertaining to flick paint around and dribble and stamp some distress ink and generally make a (beautiful) mess. I am really getting into this...

After the paint comes the rubber stamping -- now I'm ready to write some letters to fill up all those envelopes I've been making!

A couple more envelopes....coffee inspired....

And some postcards.......Avocado cards and  a postcard I made while fooling around with paints and stencils...

Now I'm just sitting around waiting for different paints to dry.....gathering up my nerves after a 3:32AM wake-up call in the form of a 6. earthquake.
I really can live without those suckers.
We are fine here in SF except for jangled nerves but I really feel for those folks up there in Napa who really took the hit.
I guess earthquakes are the price we pay for living in one of the most wonderful places in the world.

I am happy today to be safe and work in my studio. Thanks to all of you who contacted me to ask if I was OK. Such a lovely, international mail art community.

SEND GOOD MAIL --- GET GOOD MAIL
So, what are all of you working on this week? Envelopes? Collages?Letters?
Do tell.