Barbara received a handmade envelope with a map of British Columbia from an old atlas. Inside she found several prints of my recent work such as my washi paper sketches and a test print of my Coneflower silhouette. Since Barbara sent me original prints and a page from her sketchbook, I sent her several small prints of my college work and dug up some college sketchbook pieces. A few clippings of gardens and flowers as well as stickers and bits of ephemera rounded out my first reply.
Barbara wrote a lovely post about my package. I'm so happy to hear how much she enjoyed my envelopes inside of envelopes.
Catherine received a letter full of Canadian ephemera. She lives in the UK and I thought she might enjoy a Sooke postcard, Canadian stamps and a cover of a Parks Canada stamp set. I also included a few prints of my recent work as well as stickers and a card.
I've mentioned this before, but I love to send Rhya random bits of ephemera to see how she might use them in her journal. This time I filled a small handmade envelope with circle punches from scrap pieces of paper around my studio as well as a few stamps and an anchor punch. Inside a robot envelope (made from an IKEA catalogue page) I put several small prints of my washi paintings and some leftover embroidery floss. A print of a colourful sketchbook page and a clipping of a gorgeous tandem bike finished off the package.
Jessica received a varied assortment of prints and clippings inside another British Columbia atlas envelope. A few of my printmaking prints from college, a skull, polar bear, cougar, Roughrider, photography and 'young loaf' clipping were included along with stamps, a washi paper heart print and a bright postcard I received from Carol Whitley.
This week should see a few more packages arriving and I'll put the finishing touches on a few more.
... J
I love the Parks Canada card! So many pretty things.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for my package. FUNNY TIDBIT: the cover of the parks stamps is actually missing a photoshop layer - there is NO MOOSE! On the stamps however there IS a moose! I always loved pointing this out to postal workers - such a funny little mistake.
ReplyDeleteYEY! So happy you liked it. I hope you enjoyed the pieces and the clippings made you smile.
ReplyDeleteI already mentioned the moose bum on twitter but thought I'd mention that I would put a lot of money on the moose being omitted on purpose. I helped with a stamp project at one of the design firms I worked at and, to put it lightly, the stamp creation process is NOT a fast one. It's often minimum a year between the agency selection to print proofs. Throw in a committee of people approving the artwork as well as a focus group at the final stage and the end result can often be nothing like what the agency pitched. My bet is that the animals might have been an addition along the way and the stamp kit cover wasn't initially going to look exactly like the stamp. Moving the moose over would have put him in the water, changing his size would have looked wrong, compared to the stamp and cropping him would have left the viewer with an awesome shot of a moose bum.
Years later I still find the process frustrating but totally interesting. I'd love a stamp retrospective as to what would have been. Here's the final stamp, but here's what might have been had the focus group not nixed it. Would make for an interesting read.
Thanks for including me in your post! I've started my reply today... hopefully coming to your mailbox in a couple of weeks. : D
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to see how you thoughtfully tailor your packages to match personalities! BTW: I was intrigued by the tape you used on your envelope as well as the ability to peel off the address label. Do you use re-positionable spray adhesive?
You're very welcome, Barb. I'm quite happy we met and are exchanging mail art!! I learned from the best (Jessica) when it comes to combining something the recipient will enjoy with items that tell them a bit about what the sender is all about. I like to send packages that I would enjoy receiving.
ReplyDeleteThe 'J' tape was found in a clearance bin at Michael's with a corresponding, white 'S' roll. I'm saving that sucker for when (and if) I ever get my Etsy shop up and running. I use full sheets of label paper purchased at Staples and print on them using my inkjet printer. I like the full sheets so I can print any size I like or cut and draw on them to create more interesting shapes. I had no idea they would be easily removed! :D I'll call that a happy accident.
Thank you Michelle. I spotted it on a trip to the post office and knew I had to pick up a pack. The leftover stamp covers are PERFECT for mail art packages to my UK friends.
ReplyDelete