Getting Inked

No, not me......but I did go see a really interesting show recently. I had a couple of free passes to the Jewish Museum here in San Francisco and went to see this show about tattooing...

It was interesting to me to see the old school tattoos...when the tattoo artist were doing these in the 40's and 50's the world was a different place and tattooing was not really accepted in mainstream culture.

I think I liked the old signs the best....

Maybe it was seeing the Asian women tattoos (and, of course, it was all women and not men in the drawings) but I suddenly had an udon craving...

Finding a great bowl of udon or ramen in San Francisco is pretty easy and happens at least once  a week for me....

These old gals also got inked -- but in a slightly different way. I rolled out my brayer and used some stencils my pal Margarete lent me and gave a bunch of old cabinet cards some ink!
By the way, Maragrete's blog is listed on my sidebar to the right (on your laptop -- doesn't show on phones) and I recommend taking a look at her last two delightful posts.
I'm just sayin'.

I think the color really livens things up, don't you? They all needed some cheering up.

And, while I was at it, I made some cards too. Always nice to have a stockpile of cards ready to mail out.

I think a lot of us here in California could use some cheering up. There are wild fires in both Northern and Southern California. The air quality here in San Francisco is terrible which serves to remind us of of all the losses people and the wonderful state of California are suffering. There are many people here who won't be having a happy thanksgiving.

Count your blessings.

I already have another blog post in the works so I'll see you guys soon.

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No Actual Mail Was Harmed in Making This Post

What do you do when you get a bunch of pretty boring vintage envelopes and a box of vintage stamps from the post office?
Well, you PLAY, of course!

See those plain white envelopes on the bottom of this shot? No fancy cursive, no beautiful stamps.....

You have to admit these mono printed envelopes look a lot better than those plain white ones.....
don't you?

I just printed over the whole darn thing, stamps and all....I am happy with them.

Some I just went to town with my Post Office vintage rubber stamps. Too much fun. I just love playing post office...got everything out, including my favorite faux cancellation stamps..

I think the eclipse inspired that envelope up top. I just settle on some kind of vague theme and add postage stamps and rubber stamps and just have fun.

I think the theme on these two was green and brown....

I left the original postmarks (of course) and added my SF faux postmark..I love BLOOMER Wis. and had to add a flower rubber stamp to go with that cool postmark..

And Krakow, Wis.???? Who knew? I have been to Krakow, Poland but not Krakow, Wis. And, look at that shaky handwriting....

What would Melba think of her mail?

Thanks to my friend Margarete for sharing the post office stamps with me. So much fun to play with....

Next I may have to play office. Who wants to come on over and play with me?

When I am finished playing around I fill the altered envelopes with ephemera and a letter and slip it into a vellum envelope and send it out into the world....(that one in the back is in vellum...)
I have been pretty useless now for the last few days. San Francisco has had a record-breaking heat wave with temperatures of 103" and 106" and it has been miserable here. This is a City that is cool and gray. We wear leather jackets and boots all "summer". We don't actually have summer. And then BOOM a horrible heat wave.
I hid out in my studio and stamped things. And waited it out.
The fog always returns...

So, the Vintage Paper Fair is next weekend. I'm just sayin', in case you are looking for me. I will be there for sure....
maybe I will find some more old envelopes to alter.
What would YOU do with those envelopes?

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Why Send It Plain If You Can Send It Fancy?

I really can't seem to leave well enough alone....I've got to play......
I am loving these colors lately..

I had to mail someone some rolo cards for a swap so I had to make a little folder to send them in...just sticking the rolo cards in an envelope wouldn't be much fun, would it?

A bit of outgoing mail

Stationery from Diaso needs some extra treatment to make it more interesting.

Making some collage cards

Someone brought a bunch of old family photos to our mail art group's swap table last week. I've been having fun putting them in collages.
I wish I had a huge box of of old snapshots to play with.

Rainy Day Play
We've had a lot of rain here in SF lately and I love mono printing on a rainy day.....

I'll print on anything I can get my hands on...tags and gessoed over postcards and...

rolodex cards...I printed a bunch of Rolo cards to have ready to collage on...

Altered Rolodex Card a Day Project
I'm still at it...

Altered Rolo Cards

Today's Altered Rolodex Card
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY Sweeties!!!!!

(back of the card)

Dorothea Lange Photo
Just look at the size of that post box! I love it -- and the two kids on top are icing on the cake.

Hope you are all out there tearing and glueing and pasting and making and having a good mail day.

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