Send Good Mail

Send Good Mail -- Get Good Mail
So, I've been sending and I've been getting (next post). My PDX pal Michelle (@HoldDear on IG) and I wanted to trade mail and Michelle suggested an air mail theme....
I can do that.
I sent her an altered Altoid tin and a vintage air mail rubber stamp....

I put some cards on a ring and wound some air mail washi tape to share with her...

And, of course, I decorated a card to go along for the ride...

All tied up with some air mail stripe ribbon. She has received it by now so I can show you the pictures.

Some funny faces for another Michele (@mbcano1 on IG).

My pal Susanna posted about the mail I sent her and
you can see it right here
And, my other pal, Virgo in the Russian Republic also posted the mail I sent him and 
you can see that right here

Fun making envelopes
The top one envelope was made from a Logan airport map of the Boston transit system -- with some baggage claim washi tape to further the theme.
And the lobsters and corn are for a pal in Cape Cod who is torturing me with photos of all the lobster and corn she's been having.

Another air mail theme -- the stamps anyway -- went off to the wonderful collage artist Cuan Miles.

I sent Cuan a little pile of collages.

Summery beachy envelope on the bottom...even though it isn't summery and beachy here.

This is what happens when you find a book all about French kings in a little free library.....

For my special Aries pal Vizma in Australia.

A little thank you mail..

I like little folders where I can tuck things inside the pockets.
So, there you have it -- some of my out-going mail.....now I am hoping since I sent good mail I get good mail...
Even though I send some mail out almost every day, I am always scrambling to keep up and I have a lot of people to still respond to.

Next post -- INCOMING!
SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL

Anybody miss me?

It's been a while, hasn't it? Funny how things get busy. And I seem to enjoy posting to Instagram these days.
But I thought I'd pop in to the blog and say hello and tell you some of the things I've been up to.
Grab a nice cappuccino and have a visit.

Since my last post of our mail art meeting, there's been another mail art meeting. We had some new visitors and all the usual fun of stamping artistamp passports and making things and finding treasures on the swap table.

There has been A LOT of hanging out and making things in my studio. I have been making lots of little origami folders and decorating them and filling them and mailing them off. It is really fun to make them. I even cleaned up and for a few days you could actually see the top of my work table. See?
Maybe not now though....

Of course I have been playing with stamps....

And, playing with rubber stamps too...

I stamped twenty pages for a FeMail rubber stamp art call and my ink pad ran dry..
By the way, anyone have a recommendation for the best stamp pads? I seem to buy cheap ones or even (gasp) pick them up at Scrap, and they really aren't any good...but no way am I paying $10 for a stamp pad...
What do you all use?

I have been sending out a lot of mail, if I do say so myself...

I made a pal an altered book a while back..(here are some pages). And, I have started a couple for myself. So many ideas...

Driving around San Francisco exploring all my favorite neighborhoods. Or walking. Or taking public transit.
Places to go and people to see.

One place I went was SFmoma - a favorite hang out of mine. If you are ever visiting San Francisco, don't miss it. Always something good to see there.
I loved the Walker Evans show and it made me wonder about the state of fine art photography these days. I went to the SF Art Institute and got a degree in Fine Art Photography but I wonder if people are still doing that....and if there are people like Walker Evans who spent his entire life following his muse and making wonderful photographs.

Lunar New Year is BIG in SF and I love it. I mean, who can resist all those lucky red envelopes and the outdoor flower market and the lion dancers....not to mention Chinese food? Not I.

There was Valentine's Day -- and a week later, our wedding anniversary. I still am crazy over my guy.  I was a child bride. Ok, maybe not....but I was very young...

Lots of flowers all around our house. Those plum blossoms are from our own tree in the backyard.

You all know me, of course there have been lots (and lots) of lunches,. I can't help myself. And a mail art pal from the east coast flew into town and we met up for lunch -- how fun.
And next week another mail art pal is coming and a group of her correspondents are meeting up for lunch at the The Slanted Door. I love when mail artists meet up.

You know it.

So, art and mail and romance and SF and food and fun ..... watching the figure skating at the Olympics too. Did you know I am married to a former figure skater?
I didn't think so. There are many mysteries still to be revealed (or not).

So, that's the news that's fit to print. Yes, there is bad stuff and average stuff too but no need to write about that. We all know about some of it and we all have some of it.

What have you guys been up to? I hope you are all well out there in cyberspace -- and making mail art -- and having good lunches.

XOXOXO
See you in the mail? Or in the comments.

Outgoing Mail

This seems appropriate...it isn't an eclipse but close...

Little folders

Brown paper tied up in string...

Little folder with die cut tag from a vintage postcard

Black & White

...and vellum...

Photo postcards I made after our last mail art meet-up..

Some postcards collages -- anyone remember Magic Markers?

Doesn't it feel good to take a nice little stack and drop it in a PO box?

Little folder

With the world in the horrible state it is in lately art gives comfort.

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL
LOVE -- NOT HATE 

Back To Basics

Mail Art OUT
It's all about the mail....

Cutting and pasting and playing with old photo postcards and off they go....

OUTGOING...inspired by my Postage Stamp Art workshop with Monica Lee.

OUTGOING
Sending off some ATC's and Altered Rolo cards in a little folder

Why send it plain if you can send it fancy?

OUTGOING
Collage still traveling to Russia

A BIG pile of OUTGOING surprises and a birthday postcard....

Sometimes you've got to write a letter....Mr Zip card by Jessica Manack

OUTGOING

OUTGOING
A little birthday surprise to my pal Patti in an altered Altoid tin

OUTGOING
Thank you tins to Linda

Ain't it the truth????
Rule certainly applies around my house -- nothing is safe! And I love to re-purpose.

So, I've been busy. And you?
SEND GOOD MAIL --  GET GOOD MAIL