Art Journal: The Goodies from Mail Art Friends

I get a lot of cool stuff pouring out of envelopes from mail art friends. I have piles of it. Boxes of it. Tins of it. Envelopes of it. Folders,too.

Why have I not been using it? Why am I hiding it away? Dare I say, hoarding it?

It should be used!

So, I started a new art journal- my first themed journal- and it is all about using these bits of paper, ephemera, stamps, cancelled stamps, envelopes themselves, stickers, altered and painted and stamped paper, and all kinds of fun stuff!

Here are my pages so far! ( Maybe you'll see some of the things you've sent!)

It is going to be fun to have a journal of these treasures from my lovely friends.

News, and new goodies

 I am excited to tell everyone that my two 12'' x12''  art quilts made it into the show, "27 Feet of Art",  here in Olympia, WA!!  I am jumping for joy!  It's the first time I've entered a juried show.  They will be holding a silent auction to raise money for the Washington Center of Performing Arts on Sept. 21st! Thanks to everyone who congratulated me on facebook already! I appreciate it!

Also, my custom stamp for my shop came in the mail! Didn't she turn out cute! I couldn't carve one myself that was small enough, so she used my girl image and added in the words, and made it with a machine. The Etsy shop, Terbear, helped me out with it. She was great to work with.

While shopping there, I finally found the 'postcard' stamp I have been searching for forever. I had only been able to find the stamps that put the 'postcard' writing at the top, but have searched high and low for one with lines and stamp spot, etc. I'm loving it!

I just started a new art journal this weekend- it's all with mail art goodies. I will post those pictures tomorrow...or maybe later tonight!

Little Stamped Book

I took a class at Art N Soul stamp shop in Lacey, WA last night. I loved the sample book and had to try it for myself.

The pages are wood. First, we colored them with alcohol inks, added a stamp or two, and colored them in with pencils. I love the effect! And it was so easy and meditative....like zoning out with a great coloring book.  I need to keep an eye on their upcoming classes. What a fun group of ladies, too.

Here's how mine turned out. I'm pretty much done unless I add some words and text.

If you live in Washington, or pass through, this is a great shop. Try to make it on the first Saturday of the month for 'Recycled Rubber'....seemingly endless tables of stamps people don't use anymore, and are selling super cheap! This girl on the cover was one I bought last week for a couple bucks. I had a basket full of stamps! There are also all kinds of stamping accessories,too.

See you all soon! XO

The New Girl

I made another one of the girls! Here she is.

Also, all throughout August, my felted dolls have Free Shipping worldwide. You can check them out in my shop.

I still have so many things on my list for this week. I did finish some more felted beads today. I'm almost done with another silk cocoon book, and some time over the next week I need to clean. My friend is coming to visit and there is no way she can sleep on a bed covered in wool, fabric, magazines, paint, papers, and a whole variety of art supplies.

See you soon!

A Peek at my Heart

Lubomyr, my mail art friend in Ukraine, is doing this great project on her blog. She sent me a stamped envelope with a giant heart made out of stamps from the Ukraine. She is asking people to alter them and mail them back.

Here is a peek at mine. Check out her blog to see more! They are really great!