Art Mail Archive: Wenchkin

2 December 2011 envelope and card from Wenchkin, IUOMA

 29 December 2011 envelope and card from Wenchkin, IUOMA

25 February 2012 two cards from Wenchkin, IUOMA

Red, White, and Blue #4

"Fashion Queen: Red and White on Blue" vintage button, trim, playing card, and fashion plate, 2011

Red, White, and Blue #3

 July 4 ATC with blue clip mounted on red greeting card, 2012

July 4 ATC with red clip mounted on blue greeting card, 2012

Red, White, and Blue #2

 "Happy 4th #1" with vintage sheet music, postage, and trim, 2010

 "Happy 4th #2" with vintage sheet music, postage, and trim, 2010

Red, White, and Blue #1

"Unite" Pocket Card with Four Patriotic Postage Stamps, 2008

Recycled Cross Stitch Card

We visited Lancaster Creative Reuse on First Friday and again yesterday to close out the Mail Art celebration in honor of the Lancaster County postage stamp. It was such a pleasure to work with them; I certainly hope to do it again in the future. Tina and Vanessa were the lucky winners of Deluxe Travel Mail Art Kits. While we were there yesterday, the girls all worked on projects, my hubby was kind enough to corral the little one, and I did a little more shopping (it's addictive since the selection is constantly changing.)

One of my finds was a stained cross stitch piece made up of four smaller designs for a mere 30 cents. I brought it home and washed it, then tea stained it to even out the coloring. I separated the four smaller elements to use as focal points on cards. (I wish I had scanned it before I cut it!) I chose Card Patterns Sketch 150 and spent some time flipping through my stash of K&Company patterned papers to match colors and styles.

I originally had a light neutral solid paper at the top, but it needed a little something more. I dug out some of the 1840s bank ledger paper, and I liked the look of it. I may try one with an old dictionary page in place of the ledger paper. Papertrey Ink's Ocean Tides was a perfect match to the darker green stitching.

I realized I left a few of my mail art samples behind at Creative Reuse. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to go back to collect them!

40th Anniversary

Today is my mom and dad's 40th anniversary, their ruby anniversary. We celebrated as a family with a dinner out last night. They have had their share of trials and tribulations, but their love and dedication to each other continues to help them overcome obstacles. I was so proud to help them celebrate 40 years of marriage!

CPS 239 Holiday Season Joy

Today I broke my own rule that I made a few years back about no Christmas music before Halloween. I figured maybe it didn't count if no one else was around to hear it!

I wanted to try this week's sketch from CPS, and I wanted to try using some of the holiday card-making goodies I collected recently. Not a rubber stamp inked for this one, but I went a little crazy with the die cuts and textures! That music paper rosette adds quite a bit of dimension; it will require a larger envelope (and extra postage) if it travels by mail.

The ribbons with the little banner-cut ends are vintage, recently cleared out of my mom's basement. The ribbon is fairly stiff, so I used one corner of my 3/4-inch-square paper punch to make those V-cuts--so quick and easy! I cut the rosette from old sheet music with a Tim Holtz Sizzix die and spritzed it with walnut stain. The glittered flourish and "Joy" are also Sizzix die cuts. The main image is a small re-purposed card front with Cuttlebug embossing folder swirl texture added and layered on a paper doily and circle of DCWV Christmas paper. The finished card is 5x7 inches, larger than my usual A2 sized cards.

No matter what you might be making or mailing today, I wish you joy!

Mail Art Project: October

"Surely two could play at this game,
if only someone would explain the rules."
Sent to Danny via Jaime B's Mail Art Project

Jaime B contacted me through IUOMA to participate in this project. A senior in college, Jaime is creating a mail-art network of participants as part of a final project. If I had known about mail art in college, I would have done the same! (I was sending it then, I just didn't know it had a name, and others were doing it too!) A little Anne Taintor flavor to this one, using some fun vintage supplies, mailed off in a popcorn bag envelope.

Puzzle Note #20

I purchased a Sizzix puzzle die on clearance, and I have been itching to try it. I finally took the time tonight, despite the growing creative mess on my desk. I am pleased with the results, though the outer edges of the puzzle are not straight. (I am a recovering perfectionist.) I adhered printed paper from 7gypsies to both sides of a piece of chipboard and rounded the corners (my poor thumb.) I wrote a note on the reverse side before I die cut it. Into the mail it goes, then perhaps I will clean up before starting any new projects. Or not.

A Happy Card #19

Today was tiresome. I am worn out.
This card makes me happy every time I see it.
I made it for my middle daughter's 6th birthday (she's now 7 1/2.)
It is my favorite layout with some of my favorite Cosmo Cricket paper.
I hope it makes you smile too.

Hooray for Mail Art!

My dad sent me mail art!
He painted this watercolor while taking a short vacation
in Ocean City, New Jersey.

I am replying with this fashionably altered vintage card
showing the Pennsylvania Railroad Horse Shoe Curve.
For more railroad fun, check out this amazing video:
Maple Mountain Sunburst Triolian Orchestra - The Age Of Steam

A beautiful drawing of a Xiamen University building from China
via Postcrossing.

My reply to China. The cool of autumn is beginning to creep in,
and I had my first cup of hot tea today!

If Friends Were Flowers #16

I am not feeling very social this week, but I am thankful for my friends.
I am glad I can make and send unique cards to let them know I care.
A simple layout with everyday objects can make a quick but sweet card.
Quilting flower pins, grosgrain ribbon, and Dymo labels.

Sometimes what we chose to see is not what we need to see to grow.

Two great sites to check out it you haven't already:
Save America's Postal Service
The USPS brings the world to my front door.
I love Real Mail in my mailbox, and real people at my local post office.

The World Needs More Love Letters
It's beautiful. Let's send more love letters.

Quilt #14 and Fun with Die Cuts #15

I'm back, with two cards to make up for missing yesterday! I call this a Pocket Tag Card. As I noted before, I like tags and cards that do something more that just open in the usual manner. I was making some library pocket cards, and this design grew from that. I have been using this basic style for quite some time, though I continue to tweek details. I recently began sewing the sides closed instead of gluing them, and I changed the tag style. I often use these for my own notes, and several mail friends told me they enjoyed reusing the pocket. A bunch of these will soon leave my desk and travel to the quilt museum.

Here's a bit of fun for today.
I spent my quiet time playing with an owl Sizzix die.

Rather sweet with it feathered belly!

Quilt Museum Card #13

Another quilt-themed card headed for the Museum Shoppe.
This is a slight variation on Just Off Centre from Sheetload of Cards.
I incorporated two different vintage trims and some machine stitching.
The focal point is another postage stamp; this time a 34c Amish Quilt.
Time to make more cards!

Quilt Museum Card #12

A good friend introduced me to the buyer at The Quilt Museum at the Old Country Store, and every once in a while she surprises me with an email order for some of my handmade cards. I created a line of quilt-themed cards especially for the Shoppe. I received such an email this weekend, so this week I will be working to fill her order and sharing some of those cards before I ship them off to the store.

This is one of my all-time favorite layouts, the very first sketch (I'm aware of) from Sheetload of Cards. I really like the colors on this one. It features a postally used Gee's Bend Quilt stamp with some more lovely K & Company papers.

Bewitching #9

"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?"

Fresh off my desk this afternoon, a fashionable card for Halloween. I had not done any vintage pattern book page cutouts or typewriter captions for awhile. I found a different kind of glitter paper, the DCWV Glitter Cardstock Stack, and of course, had to try it out with the flourish die. I finally, FINALLY found a witch hat paper punch, at a local warehouse clearance center of all places! It is a huge punch and includes a bat, ghost, and pumpkin as well. The houndstooth background paper is from the DCWV Mod-Retro Stack. The clock face is die cut from a Tim Holtz paper pad. The jewels, felt flowers, and buttons are from my stash of tiny things.

#8 Travel Cards

I created six similar cards in this series using a lovely set of papers and embellishments from The Girls Paperie. I was hoping to finish them before this year's vacation, but I'm writing notes and sending them off into the world now. They will travel near and far, even if I am stuck at home with the kiddos due to Hurricane Lee. I have heard of snow days, but this is my first flood day!

#7 Card for a Rainy Day

I am grateful my family members sometimes come card-shopping at my house. Recently, I had a request for a get well card. I thought I didn't have any made and would have to whip up something, but it turns out I had several tucked away. I made a series of three or four similar to this one last year from a Sheetload of Cards design.

If you are getting rained on today, I hope tomorrow is sunnier.

Papertrey Ink cardstock, buttons, baker's twine, sentiment stamp, and cloud die,
K & Company printed papers,
my wool felt and ticket.

Card #6 CPS Sketch #234

I just made this Halloween Bingo card yesterday afternoon. I figured since I'm working mostly from other designers' sketches right now, I might as well work on a current sketch and share it. I'm currently obsessed with Halloween cards. I have black and orange bits and pieces all over my work area. I made a set of cards and a bunch of tags, and I'm still going strong.

I couldn't wait to use that glittery swirl on a card. I don't consider myself a glitter girl, but I was drawn to the flourish die and the glitter paper. I am really pleased with the results, and I'm looking forward to adding some glittery swirls to Christmas cards in the near future.

The sketch is vertical, but I created my card horizontal. Now that it is finished, I think it works either way.

This is a postcard, but I just found an almost-perfect sized glassine envelope to protect it for mailing!

The Girls Paperie Toil & Trouble printed papers,
DCWV solid paper,
Tim Holtz Elegant Flourishes die and paper tape,
Recollections glitter paper and spider punch,
Inkadinkado spider web stamp,
Cavallini & Co. Vintage Number stamps,
my vintage bingo card.