Sunday, August 28, 2011

What's in YOUR mailbox?

I'm not one to make a big deal about my own good fortune, but the mail I have been receiving lately is so outstanding that I feel the need to gloat share just a little.

First, I received some postcard love from Lee (who lives in Canada), over at Defining Me, in exchange for one my stitched postcards:
In the front is an original postcard, with many fabulous layers of collage and paint, while in the back is a postcard print, which Lee used for writing her  message to me.  Many thanks to Lee for sharing her personal style and her art with me!

Christel (who lives in the Netherlands) and I also decided to do a swap.  When I found her blog, I discovered that #1) I couldn't read a word of it, and #2) she had done one of the projects from Jason Thompson's Playing with Books--so she is a kindred spirit in any language!

Here is what Christel shared with me, in exchange for a stitched postcard:
She included mail art envelopes, interesting papers, and stickers for me to use in my own art journaling and projects.  Many thanks to Christel for sharing her mail art, and giving me some new "raw materials"!

Recently, I discovered the blog of F.M. (who lives in Germany), over at La Wendula.  She creates the most wonderful collages, finds amazing historical papers and ephemera for her work, and hosts a frequent paper swap that I am going to participate in this September. 

In a recent post, she created a "Nonsense book" from vintage library cards she received from a friend who works in a library.  When I commented on how great they looked, and how difficult they are to come by here in the U.S., she was kind enough to send me a stack of them!  I love that generosity of spirit that "shares the wealth" with like-minded individuals.  Now I have to find something fun and interesting to send her way in return!

And finally (Can you believe there's more!  I told you, it's been an amazing couple of weeks for mail!), I visited the blog of Karenann, a collage artist (who lives in Arizona) who makes the most wonderful Rolodex card collages.  I bought an "old-school" Rolodex a couple of months ago, and have begun dabbling in some collages, but was having trouble cutting out the indentations where the card fits into the Rolodex itself.  In a comment to Karenann's blog, I asked her what her technique is for getting such neat cuts.  She didn't just answer me; check out what she sent:
In a beautifully decorated envelope, she sent me a six page letter, describing not only how she cuts the holes in her cards, but also her preferences for adhesives, tips for caring for scissors and punches, and tricks for punching through papers of varying thicknesses and painting on glossy surfaces.  Additionally, she sent me a Rolodex card to use as a template for punching holes AND an original piece of Rolodex art that she created just for me!  I can't even tell you what an unexpected treat her package was for me.

I've said it before, the very best thing about maintaining a blog is the relationships that develop as people come to visit mine or I go to visit theirs.  Having mail arrive at  my house from Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, and the other side of the US would be highly unlikely if I didn't have this online artistic community to enjoy.  So in the spirit of gloating sharing, I ask you:

What's in YOUR mailbox?

15 comments:

ginigin said...

Wow, what an amazing haul!! Only a postcard and a letter in my mailbox and nearby a 15' limb downed by Irene's winds. At least it didn't hit the mailbox!

Please share those tips sent by Karenann, especially how to keep punches sharp. And thanks for linking to all the other great blogs.

Carin Winkelman said...

Wonderful mail indeed! I was just lucky enough to receive some delicious cookies from one of my blog buddies. Yum!

scrapwordsmom said...

Wow...this is sweet!!

Love the Rolodex collage idea...I have been wanting to do something like that for years but haven't. So many projects, so little time.

laurie said...

i am so inspired by the generosity of blog world! not enough has been in my mailbox lately and that is rather disappointing. i need to start sending some post love myself! thanks for all the great links.

TJ said...

What beautiful mail art you've been getting! And you're SO very lucky, I'm a huge fan of Lee's - how exciting to get her artwork!! Woot! Woot!

aprilmariecole.blogspot.com said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
aprilmariecole.blogspot.com said...

Sorry...
needed to repost :]
Thank you for sharing your "mail art"
Looks very inspiring, to say the least.
I have been having fun creating altered rolodex cards and swapping with them too!!
Let me know if you would like to swap in the near future ?? I would be honored :]
Your postcard is going in the mail tomorrow.
Take care <3
Happy Tuesday!

Parabolic Muse said...

You fabulous person! LOOK at these things.

I have done a few rolodex swaps and I tell you, collaging on rolodex cards was so fun! And what a great mosaicky kind of pattern you could make with them, all collaged out on a tray or something. This is beautiful work on the postcards, too.

I love mail art. I hope to do more of it. Thanks for sharing these pretties.
xo

Jayne said...

Lucky you! I completely agree that one of the best things about blogging is the connections you make with lovely people and you seem to be doing a sterling job of connecting! There are so many kind and generous people in the world.

I love to get things in the mail too - I think it's one of the downsides of technology that not much nice or interesting comes in the snail mail anymore, but then perhaps that just makes receiving something special seem even MORE special?

I've recently started to send little things in the mail to friends ("real world" and online friends) so I can share the joy of mail.

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