Flash Field Trip

Some mail art pals and I found out at the last minute that
Hero Arts Rubber Stamps
was having a FLASH (don't you love that word?) sale a while ago. We didn't even know the factory was over in the East Bay (in Richmond).
Of course we had to go check it out -- and we made a day of it!
How about you guys come along?

The factory store is open Monday and Wednesday from 10AM-3PM but a Flash Sale is extra special.
I think if you go to the website for Hero Arts (linked above) or the FaceBook page you will get notices when the flash sales are.

See what I mean?? Boxes and boxes of stamps (mostly cling) for $, $2 and $3 only.

But besides the tables set up for the flash sale, you can go into the regular little store too where there is more stuff...and a really nice woman named Debbie was helping us there.

And look what else you will find -- a Make and Take table fully loaded with lots of stamps pads and rubber stamps, paper cutter, Swizzle machine (I think that's the name of it). It made waiting for my friends to finish shopping very painless -- I played with stamps and made a bunch of cards while I waited.

We made a day out of it and after the stop at Hero Arts, my pals had to deliver their altered books to
the Altered Book Show at the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art.

And, lucky me, I got to have a preview of the wonderful upcoming show and auction of altered books. You can bet I am going to bid on some of them
Marin Museum of Contemporary Art
If you're in the Bay Area I recommend you go.

Several pieces were made of de-constructed books -- just my type.

If you're going to have an all day art field trip, you've got to eat lunch. And we had a fabulous Puerto Rican lunch at Sol Food in San Rafael.
I only mention that because if you go see that altered book show, you just might want to go to Sol Food for lunch.
I'm just sayin'.

Right across the street from lunch were two thrift shops. It was almost as if they knew we were coming.......

When we saw the $50.00 we were not amused but then we realized that it was $50.00 for everything in the basket.....hum......surely chipping in $25 each Monica and I have plenty to share. Score!

Hero Art Stamps
These are some of the cool faux postage stamps I got.......

And there are some MORE of the stamps I got....you all know by now I cannot resist faux postage...

And the stamps are already in use in my altered passport project. You know my rule -- if you bring it home you better use it!
Can you tell the real stamps from the faux?

Here's another one....I am having fun with these and I had a lot of fun on the field trip.
Where will I go next?
A trip to Tracy, CA for art is rumored as well as a ferry ride over to Marin to see the Altered Book Show when it officially opens.
Any more invitations? 
Just say the word.
Now, wasn't that a fun day?

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Grab A Bunch of Artists....

People often ask me if I know of a mail art group in various different parts of the country. Or, they tell me how jealous they are of our SF group.
But, you know, you can easily host an artist meeting in your house. In your studio. Around your kitchen table. It doesn't matter where -- just get together and make stuff.
My pal Monica cleaned up her studio and hosted an artist get-together
and we all had too much fun. 

Monica did go way beyond the call of duty though and made us an incredibly delicious dinner which we ate at her studio work table.
But, you don't have to do that! You can have snacks or maybe a pot luck instead.
But we were sure happy Monica cooked for us!

There is just nothing like hanging out at a kitchen table or in an artist's studio....

Lots of good stuff to look at.....

After we ate we cleaned off the table and brought out all our art supplies and things for "Show & Tell".
Let the games begin...

We had demo's of paper folding into cool little books and how to punch hopes with a Crop-A-Dile and passed things around to share...

You may already know all all about these things - the Crop-A-Dile - but I didn't. My pal Dori told me this is what to use when punching holes in book covers for altered books and Monica had a couple to share...
They really work! I punched holes in the artist book I am making and I found out you can punch holes in metal bottle caps or cd's too...

Here is a page in the altered book I worked on at the get-together...

Monica showed us how to fold these little booklets....I like that the pages inside look like little envelopes...

Dorothy showed us how to to make these cool cards......using no adhesives...

Yes, there was dessert.

I encourage you to do this -- invite some pals over and make some art. Even if you just start with just one other person. It is so much fun and so inspiring to see what other's are working on and a terrific way to spend an evening.
We want to make it a regular thing. Definitely!
I want to host one in my studio too.
So, if you don't have a formal, public art group, just go ahead and start up your own.
You won't be sorry. That I can guarantee.
I can't wait for the next one.
(Monica??? Are you listening???)

Tie One On!

Isn't everything better with a ribbon on it?
I think so! And have I been busy making little books?
You bet!

I love air mail stripes.This paper had the airmail stripes but nothing else  going on so I had to do a little stamping....

They have a postal theme going on for some mail art pals....

The fun part is filling up those little pockets with tiny treasures.

Paris is a good theme.

Give it the ooh-la-la!

For Limner -- Black Mail! She coined that mail art expression and I like it.

It is a challenge to find things the right size to fit in the little pockets...
This old (altered) photo fit just fine.

And I finally figured out something to do with those boxes (and boxes) of vintage language cards I have been picking up at the library book sales all these years...

Postage stamps fit perfectly inside. And gift cards.

As do birthday greetings...

You can make these booklets with four or eight pockets....

I just can't stop....

I picked up these fun little pencil pouches (with an elastic to fit around a notebook) at Daiso and some notebooks, which I re-covered in better paper...now my pals will always have a pen and paper when they need to jot down a note!
Clever?

I needed one myself...I am always coming up with ideas I need to write down...

So, there you go -- that's what I've been doing all week (among other things). Now that I have given all these out to the folks I made them for, I can show you.
But I'm still making them. I have so many ideas.....
a bon voyage booklet, a wedding anniversary booklet, mail art pals booklet....
I guess I better go start folding more.....

Any other suggestions? What do you think I missed?
You making them too? Do tell.
What else can we use these for? It is so much fun to make things.
And fun to get things too -- I have gotten some little booklets in the mail after I posted the tutorial
(thanks to KSP, Dori & Linda)

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