CappuccinoandArtJournal

Mostly postal but art and other things of interest too.
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Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Mail Art Meet-Up

First mail art meet-up of the new year and a brand new artistamp in my passport!

Nothing beats a nice Sunday afternoon hanging out with the mail art crowd -- doing some cutting & pasting, some  (ok, a lot) socializing and seeing some fabulous show & tell.


The fabulous Miss Red Letter Day created the atristamp and was very dedicated in sticking them in all our passports.
I'm sure you all know about her blog but just in case someone out there reading this hasn't seen it, be sure to click that link.  She is the best! She posts when her upcoming classes are
and the SF Correspondence dates -- I'm just sayin' -- in case you are going to make a trip to SF -- you are welcome to join in the mail art fun.


We like to bring some Show and Tell to each meeting for eye candy and inspiration -- Tofu brought this fabulous piece made by Tough City Writer Adrienne Mason.
The fabulous book of collages was passed around the room and appreciated by all.

The photo doesn't do it justice. An accordion book with collages on each page -- beautiful!


Another incredible piece of work by JW of San Francisco -- an entire book of hand-stamped pages -- was a gift for one of our co-op members, SW.
Now THAT is what I'd call a birthday gift. Really wonderful. 

GinaVisione brought her pen case and let us test out her very fun (cheap) fountain pen collection.
Of course I found one I want. She also told us about the website
Jet Pens
where she buys them. Check it out -- a great resource for cheap fountains.

Of course, I brought my supplies -- address book, datebook, etc -- it is hard for me to sit still without doing anything.....
We had a special guest -- a woman who works at a post office -- she is one of the good postal workers! She answered some questions for us and brought a whole stack of the USPS templates for figuring out postage. I have been asking for one of these for years.
What a treat.

I managed to make a couple of collage postcards while I was hanging out....there is always something I can find to tear up.
I was so relaxed I forgot to take photos of the swap table and the snack table! But I did partake of both.

Of course, you know me.

And in December (doesn't that seem like a long time ago?) the SF Correspondence Co-Op had our Holiday Party -- a good time was had by all.

We all brought a few pieces of mail art received and hung them up for a pop-up mail art show.




And of course, we made things. This year we made holiday cards for  kids. We are going to make valentines too....


Russian Mailman

So, a mail art meet-up is a great way to end the year and start the year -- Portland is getting it's very own mail art group. Why don't you all think about starting up a group in your town?
Trust me -- it is a whole lot of fun and you meet lovely people.
I'm hoping to get up to PDX sometime before too long to check out the group of there.
And maybe I'll see some of you at a San Francisco Correspondence Co-Op meeting in 2015.
I don't know what the Russian mailman has to do with any of this but I just like him.
*************
I'm working on a couple of zines and playing catch-up with all the mail I owe and plotting my outing to the Vintage Paper Fair next weekend.
What's going on in your mail art work?

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL


36 comments:

  1. Oh man! This post is making me excited for the PDX meeting!! I love that a postal worker brought those templates for you guys. So awesome!

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    1. Tara -- you guys up there in PDX are going to love it! I will need a full report. Say hello to Miss Polly and Niko C for me at the meeting. and yes -- the USPS template was a great surprise!

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  2. Oops. I think I just published half a comment. Sorry!

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    1. sarala -- hummm....something is missing here.....want to try again?

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  3. Everything looks wonderful, especially that artistamp passport!!

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    1. Pie Poster -- yes -- those passports filled with artistamps are almost (almost) my favorite part of the group.....so cool....I'm on my fourth passport....

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  4. What fab stuff! I buy all my FPs at JetPen, and yes, they're cheap and they work great!

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    1. You knew about JetPen, Connie? How have I missed that? I love to write with a FP. I am going to order a couple right now.

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    2. Heaven help you! You've now discovered JetPens! Ha ha ha! (Yes--I like them too.)

      What wonderful fun this all looks like.

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  5. What a great day you had! Lots of inspiration there!

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    1. cjsrq -- yes, very inspiring -- I love to see what others are doing and all that creativity rubs off!

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  6. Hi Linda -- sure, i can show you -- it is super easy -- just use staples pr a pamphlet stitch to make the little passport--and a corner rounder for the cover. I am thinking of doing a couple of simple tutorials so stay tuned! thanks for commenting and visiting the blog.

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  7. Linda -- really???? i understood that they are supposed to be free....

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  8. Great post - you're always up to something interesting with your mail related art. I really like the pictures you've taken for this post - They make a cohesive group.

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    1. Well, thanks FinnBadger -- much appreciated. I try. Photos are probably cohesive because they were all taken at a Correspondence Co-Op meeting!

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  9. I'm still working on getting that NorthEast correspondence group active!

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    1. How far Northeast, FarStarr? Anywhere near Philadelphia??

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    2. Andria -- I think she lives in MA. Maybe you will have to start a group. PostMuse lives in PA I believe...

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  10. Fun gatherings! I love the idea of the pop-up mail art show. Lots of eye candy! Have you done much with artistamps? (Did I already ask you that?) I am curious about those, but not prepared to head down that road just yet. I love the idea of the show and tell, and would love to get my hands on one of those templates, too!

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    1. Andria - thanks . The only artistamps I've made were ones where I used perfed paper and rubber stamps and some inks.....I have not master the really fancy, cool ones yet...those templates are really useful. Try asking at your PO. You are supposed to be able to get them but no one working at the PO seems to know that. Maybe try on USPS.com?

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    2. I'm curious how else you would make artistamps besides perforated paper and rubber stamps...computer? Thanks for the tip about the template...I'll check it out!

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    3. Andria -- oh yes -- people use photoshop and other programs on the computer to do it..you set the size of the image and repeat it in grids.....I am sure there are tutorials online about how to do it...

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  11. Jet pens, have to check those out. Lovely post Pamela, drooling at all that goodness everywhere. xox

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    1. Corrine -- maybe you will visit SF and come to a mail art meeting one of these days.......

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  12. Hey Miss PG -- thanks for posting the photos of my lovely bday gift from JW. Like you, I thought every page was a wonder. It was fun sifting through postcards with you & RT at the Vintage Paper Faire today too -- what better way to wile away a few hours, huh? --SW

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    1. SW -- your birthday gift from JW makes me swoon.......and yes, it was great fun pouring through boxes of postcards with you at the VPF...and we even shared!

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  13. Replies
    1. Cindy -- I guess I was the only one who didn't already know about jet pens! Wonder what else I am missing out on?

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  14. Oh, I missed this post and the little mention of me! What a fun surprise. I think there are more little accordion books in my future. Or zines. Small books…now there's another rabbit hole to go down.

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    1. Oh yes -- do it! And I would like one of everything you do! Glad you saw the mention and enjoyed the surprise.

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  15. my postal template is one of my most prized possessions. How did I ever live without one? so many lovely things to gaze upon in this post. thanks, as always for sharing the wonders of the SF co-op

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    1. Karen -- I know -- love mine too and use it all the time -- incredibly useful.

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  16. sent a comment yesterday as soon as you posted this, but seems to have been a technological glitch. 'imagine that' uttered the luddite. i would LOVE a copy of your new zine...they are always so magical. and i am happy happy happy to see that you are clearly feeling better. hope this one goes thru! xo

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    1. miss polly -- I think you are confusing yourself...this is an older post and the one with the Lunar New Year Zine came after -- and you DID leave a comment on that post....

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  17. I would love to join the PDX group - just what I need to get me going. I would also love to see you when you come up here. Wait until it gets pretty up here...May, June. Lots of good food with your name on it waiting for you.

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    1. Christine H -- I know! You absolutely need to join the PDX gang every month and make mail art! I would love to visit PDX and eat and see you and got to a meeting......but you are going to be away in France for a while, non?

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