Altered Passport Project

In the fall, I am usually dusting off my own passport and getting ready to go on a trip.
This year, my trip sadly got canceled so I may have to send some others off to travel instead of going myself...
The travel journal was all prepped and ready...

I love to travel and I've always loved passports....little books filled with exotic rubber stamps? How could I not like them?
So, I started picking them up any time I got a chance....and one thing lead to another....and....
I started creating fantasy passports for imaginary people going on imaginary trips...
just my type...

When I found these small, vintage photos at the Vintage Paper Fair I knew these ladies were going to have to go on a trip.

I change the photos of the travelers. After all, who ever likes their passport photo?
We need new and glamorous photos for our fantasy trips.

I collect small photos (especially when I travel in other countries) to add -- and I add in rubber stamps and postage stamps and really, anything that seems to suit the trip...

Sometimes I give the pages a watercolor wash....or collage on them...

A trip to Morocco inspired this page....I didn't see any camels but I saw donkeys.

A France inspired page...

Those two ladies look like they would enjoy an English Tea - so I sent them to the UK.
(real immigration stamps)

I always leave any existing  stamps and visas showing and work with them. This is a real visa for a trip to Japan so the two pages are Japanese.

Japan Passport picked up at the VPF
I found a Swedish one too....
You want to see them? Let me know in the comments.

This Japanese passport had A LOT of wonderful stamps from entering and departing Japan....
I think I will just leave them as-is. So cool.
One thing that really bugs me is that many times I just breeze thru immigration and my passport doesn't even get stamped at all. I really hate that.
If I am talking to a person I ask to get it stamped, but
I took a train thru a few countries in Eastern Europe and it was oddly like there were no borders,
No stamps in my passport at all....

A Russian Passport
Don't you love that handwriting? I am going to have fun with this one. Since I've been to Russia I have some wonderful bits of old ephemera from flea markets there to add....

I find that passports are difficult to find. They are very expensive on eBay. I have gotten lucky a few times at the Vintage Paper Fair.
But -- that Japanese store - Muji - has little, inexpensive notebooks (pictured) that come in red or blue and are the exact size as many passports, rounded corners and all.
So now I think I will be making a few of my own own passports -- I wonder if I will have to invent a new country?
Himmmm......I could give a workshop in my studio on making these......that would be a lot of fun.
Would you come?

I am kinda sad because of my trip....but the best remedy for that is making a lot of art in my studio so that's where I am headed off to now...

Ciao bella.

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Good Things from the Mail Box

Don't you just LOVE getting mail?
I know I do. It is often a highlight of my day. But when there is NO mail.....well.....let's just say I get very crabby.
Lately my mail box hasn't been as happy as it sometimes is....
BUT
I have gotten a few beauties to share with you.

From the lovely MISS MILLICENT this cool envelope arrived recently. A red security envelope folded inside out and stitched together -- oh!
And some roses sewn on to complete whole postal beauty.

See that stitching? Miss Millicent is a whiz with a sewing machine....

DORI SINGH MAIL
Anything I get from Dori I love.....two terrific envelopes with Rolo cards inside....

DORI SINGH MAIL
These two came in another envelope.....The colors on them are more beautiful than in the photo.
My Rolodex fie is getting fat and happy.
Everything Dori makes is wonderful. Thanks, pal!

Susanna Lakner  (Planet Susannia)-- wonderful collage artist from Germany added these two beauties to my Rolodex Art Project. And a rumor has it I just might be meeting her here in San Francisco next month.

Susanna Lakner
The flip side of them....

Margarete Minar
A new member of the SF Correspondence co-op and new pal sent me three Rolodex cards tucked inside this charming little pocket....

And, these two from Margarete have stamps on them -- of course! You can check out her blog on my sidebar.

Barcode Barb
Another co-op member sent me these two Rolo cards -- with a money theme -- so cool.
Barb has been into making books and various themes with a money/banking theme and when I saw those coin stamps at ScrapSF I knew I had to get them for her...

Erica Lang
Now this was fun -- Erica contacted me and asked if I would do a swap of Rolodex Art with her -- why not? And she sent me these three lovelies for the trade.
I love the couch with the stamp "paintings" above it and the real feather glued on --
thank you Erica!

Delwen Tatton
And just today -- from Australia -- this lovely mail arrived and I got to squeeze in one last photo to show you. I love those cartoon woman with the mail comments....and those great Aussie postmarks.

I have had some pretty pathetic no mail days but when I do get mail it is
GOOD MAIL
so thanks to all of you lovelies who keep sending me such delightful mail and cheer up my mail box -- because I am kinda like those kids at the top of the post waiting to see what the mail man will bring.

I have other things to report on. Stamp bundles. Library Book Sale. Co-op meeting. Altered Passport Project.

But that's for another time.

Get any good mail lately?

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Pretty Pictures & Things I Collect

A number of people have asked what do I collect?
It might be better to ask, what don't I collect?

Here are some pretty things sitting around my studio. I like living with them.
I love Japanese and Chinese calligraphy.....

.....and French cursive writing....and postal images of all kinds......
I have a very large collection of very old French postcards with people dressed up as letter carriers and ladies swooning with mail in hand...

If it is old and if it is paper I'd probably like it...

Old books, of course -- but you guys already know that -- that would be a whole other post.

Love old wooden rulers...

Flower and bird postcards and beautiful old handwriting in all languages...

I like outdated bank notes - love the bird on this one from the NL.

Anything and everything French. Well, you asked....

I love old airmail mail envelopes and bingo cards and typewriter and tape tins and old letters....

Stamps -- this is an old letter from Japan.

So, there are just a few of the things I love and collect.....but I just go to ScrapSF and the Vintage Paper and see what I come up with....I really don't spend a lot and I don't troll eBay for this stuff. My little sister is totally confused and does not get this at all.
I do not want things from department stores or malls....give me the old and torn and worn and I am happy.

I am on the look out for old passports if any of you out there have one to trade.
(You'll see why very soon)

Want to see any more or does this satisfy your curiosity?

And now, how about telling me what YOU collect?

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Two Mail Art Gatherings in One Weekend?

My last post was about the LWA Mail Art Social on Friday -- and on Sunday we had a meeting of the SF Correspondence Co-Op. I know, you hate me. two mail art meetings in one weekend.
Well, that's the way we roll around here.
We had a guest appearance of this cursive beauty -- and it was for sale!
Imagine that.

There's always show-and-tell. SallyW brought that book in the lower right corner and it was really interesting. Maybe your library has it?

Our "theme" this meeting was sketchbooks of whatever interests/inspires you. And we saw some real beauties.

These are Gregg's and you can check out his blog
The Junk Thief
right here. 

Wonderful old stamp album turned into a book filled with collages by Scooter.

Two of mine.....that vintage telephone book is filled with collages....and, inspired by seeing all those other books I just started a new one....

Of course we had an artistamp for our passports! (And we had three new members of the co-op checking in and buying passports and adding stamps).

And another artistamp by James Cline, Burning Man Postmaster and -- I  just found out -- retired USPS letter carrier. How did I not know that?

Passports and artistamps...
(Can you see the little bumps on the artistamps? That is Braille!)

And what have we here?

One of our new members brought in a book she made using a Priority Mail Envelope she received.
Isn't that a great book?
I know you'all are going to be asking me -- YES there is a tutorial and you can find it
Right Here

And, I highly suggest you check out her wonderful blog with LOTS of tutorials and books she's made
The Mellow Miller
And I'd appreciate it if you leave a comment, tell her I sent you over. 

I can't just sit there -- I made a little collage postcard...

And, I brought some of the wonderful incoming mail I've received for show-and-tell.....

This little party-goer was so excited she had to take a little rest on her typewriter........

And here is a link to my pal Ryan's Flickr photos of the same mail art meeting -
PHOTOS BY RYAN
Check 'em out

AND
Remember my fabulous Rolodex Art Cards? Well, now you can have some too, Mail Me Some Art is hosting 
ROLODEX ART CARD SWAP
It looks like a good one to me -- I'm doing it! 
And, I added Mail Me Some Art on my blog roll -- there are a number of interesting swaps happening right now.
If you're looking for more folks to trade mail art with, this is a good way to go.

I added various things to the blog -- there is a brand new "contact me" form -- I still love comments but if you can't comment, try contacting me. 
And I added two new blogs on the sidebar - Mellow Miller and MMSA. 
Also a link to my INSTAGRAM photos. (click the Instagram logo after you click a photo to see them on IG)
So, I hope you all enjoy the changes. Say hello.

So, it is another Friday here....no mail art events planned this weekend but lots of fun is coming right up -- The Zine Fest, The Library Book Sale, The Vintage Paper Fair....
I might need to rest up and get ready for all the upcoming fun...

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