The Friends We Make Through Mail Art

One of my Good Mail Day friends is Lubomyr in Ukraine. I think we've been exchanging mail art since 2010 already. She always does the coolest stuff with hand carved stamps and altering what I send her. Sometimes we get a little rough made book going, nothing fancy, and swap it back and forth, each adding elements, and stamping the heck out of it. This one is just using part of a folder.

Today, I gathered up her latest stamps, and various things of mine, and put together this book with plenty of room for her to add. A great place to use my new collection of washi tape, doodles, and some ACEOs I had done.

I love Lubomyr's hands! Isn't that a great stamp!

I'll keep you posted on how it looks upon return (which can be a while).

Treasures We Keep

Here's my second art quilt for the show. In this one I used all sorts of things I have collected over the years- silk hankies, vintage doilies, an old key, bits of my felting, art yarn, fabric from the stash, and there is even German glass glitter throughout the silk. We all have so many little treasures we keep...I hate to leave them in drawers, they should be displayed and enjoyed.

Art Quilt Progress

I have decided that deadlines stress me out a bit. I have been working on this 12 x 12'' art quilt over the past couple weeks. I do one thing....set it aside...come back and do something...set it aside....and today it finally started to look good so I kept on going.

I have until August 3rd to submit my 12'' x 12'' art to the Washington Center of Permorming Arts. I'm going to start a different one today as well. I need some options.

Lately, I have been trying to do a hundred things at once. I need to set all that other stuff aside and focus on this ( hence the stress, I think).

Even as I type that, I am thinking of a new thing I want to try with my silk cocoon books, and how I'd like to add some sketchbooks to my shop.

I will keep you posted on what I end up entering...and if I make it in the show.

Mail & Mail Cat

I was so excited to open my mailbox today and see that my new little pincushion had arrived....

my adorable mail cat!

Isn't he the best?! I think so! I am somewhat of a pincushion collector and when I found this shop, Fat Cat Crafts , on Etsy, I had to see if she would do a mail carrier cat. She was up for the challenge, and I would say she exceeded it! My mailman, Pete is happily home on my sewing table ready to help me with my crafts. Thanks so much, Kathleen.

Check out her shop- there are the cutest cat characters!

Made by Fat Cat Crafts

And, speaking of mail... I have been making more mail art books to send out soon. I did have to set this project aside to get started on an art quilt for the auction I hope to be in this September. I'm pretty excited to have the bonus day off Wednesday for the 4th of July! I'll be at my seewing table with mailcat!

Playing with the stamps

Here's a quick little accordian book, or the beginning of one. . I used alcohol inks on water color paper, my stamps, and a bit of my new washi tape!  Will add words soon, and who knows....

Can you tell I am stamp obsessed these days?

What else can I stamp?

Hello!!

I'm a busy gal today cutting up paper, stamping, and making. Besides just loving to make cards, I am adding some postcards to my shop, building up the mail art stash, and getting ready to send in my cards for Liberate Your Art! Are any of you participating this year? I did it last year, and loved seeing what rolled into my mailbox! If you haven't heard of it, click the link on my sidebar...lots of great artists in it!

I used to work for Stampin' Up almost 12 or so years ago---thank god I didn't give away all my stuff. These ink pads work as good as they did when i first bought them! Amazing!

Stamping the gals on moleskines too.

the postcards...

Where do I get my inspiration?

Today---from my new obnoxious & glorious orange and black Adidas! I'm a sucker for loud 3 stripes!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Sweet Girl

I have been carving away....made a new gal. Here she is.

Views on the deck

Sitting in the sun on the back deck today.

I got a new sketchbook the other day. This one is for a friend and I to mail back and forth, sketch, paint, collage, anything, and fill up over the next year.

Got it started so I can throw it in with her birthday package.

Carving up stamps...

Last night, I carved up another stamp. I have plans for her.

She may end up in my postcards for Liberate Your Art.

She may pop up on some fabric for an art quilt. I decided to try to get in a ( sort of) juried show here in Olympia. It's to raise money for the Washington Center of the Arts. I have a deadline of August 3rd, and can submit up to 3 pieces of 12x12 art.

A deadline- it's just what I needed.

And, more stamps coming, I think. I have some ideas brewing.