I saw a version of this guy at a book store, but I added my own twist to it. I like the dark and creepy characters with tape! ha

I started my 365 on Boxing Day 2010. I put a lot of thought into my own guidelines for the project, how I wanted to share, and what I wanted to share. I've been very involved in mail art in the past, but fallen out of practice. Art, it's an active practice. As such, I wanted to re-immerse myself in this world of stamps and staples, tape and office supplies.

I'd been behind on my letter writing, and wanted to be able to incorporate letters into this project, as well. So, for my personal rules, I can take longer than a single day to write a letter, but all the mail art elements and embellishments have to be completed on a single day. Same with choosing a recipient for a postcard or project. The creative elements are limited to a single day, but the logistics can take a bit longer.

My hope is to share my progress on this blog once a week. Being that I am 8 weeks into the project, I think I will just share my favorites so far (here's a link to my flickr set for the rest)

"G is for green-ness"

"G is for green-ness"

 Mailart 365  - 67.  Bunny traveling incognito.

Mailart 365 - 68.  Camouflage Valentine Chinese Year of the Rabbit bunny.

Ok, yes, this is dog fur, from our girl Akita, Jewlz.  The specks are not dirt they are transfer foil, I was trying to be sure that the surface was not sticky.  This is going to a volunteer recipient from IUOMA, I hope that it arrives and the USPS does not throw it away as trash.

Second in this series. The art stamp painting can be viewed in a larger version on my blog. It was originally painted as a contribution to the Virtual Paintout. We were painting New York City last October and I took a fancy to that corner. The painting is titled Balloon Saloon.

The vintage ginger label makes all sorts of claims about what it can aide. I'm sure such labeling would never be allowed today. I do always keep a supply of ginger chews in the car, though, because I like to read and write in the car (I'm always the passenger) and sometimes that upsets my stomach.

The big G on this card was originally very glittery. I like glitter, but the glitter on the G was way over the top. I scraped most of it off and painted the G to match the background. And I used rubber cement to glue it to the card. Rubber cement is my new favorite adhesive. I hope it holds well.

This is going as an official Postcrossing card to a young woman in Turkey who is a doctor. I think the label's claims will make her smile.

Oh, is there any letter so lovely as the lower case g? I love it.

7 Feb. 2011

We went to Maine last weekend and stopped at one of our favorite places-Stonewall Kitchen. Steph had the lobster tacos in the cafe....I got the menu.

This envelope went out to a ZMACS forum prize winner. I sent out a bunch of assorted unused vintage postage as the prize.

The last swap I hosted on swap-bot was a "reversible postcard". We folded a piece of cardstock in half, taped it shut and treated it as a postcard. When it got to your partner, they were to open it up, fold it inside out and send a postcard back to you.

My partner's theme was balance. I tried to have some balancing elements, but allowed some tension and some harmony too.

Walmart receipt (yes, that was the same trip with veggies and enough chips to choke a horse), magazine cutouts of water, scrapbook paper, stamp selvedges, junk mail, map bit, candy wrapper, fortune, prescription warning, toilet paper wrapper, hand made sticker from one of my tins, and leaves from that very useful discarded nature encyclopedia.

I'm running the swap again, if you are on swap-bot.

http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/82245

Four more in the 365 series.....

I love the way this looks like a wall covered with graffitti. You know how I love crusty and peeling textures...

I call this my CSI card because I always think of leaving a little something for the forensic guys whenever I lick an envelope or leave a fingerprint in paint.

Sent to Fiona Webster.

I had started this LARGE postcard back on 10/10/10 and then went a different way with that swap. Now it is celebrating the end of 2010.

Sent to Donovan Beeson of The Letter Writer's Alliance.

A vintage photo is combined with two background photos to produce this art class in Paris.

I have to say thank you to Leonardo da Vinci for the lovely lady I paired up with this awesome photo. She makes even the photo look like part of a beautiful painting. Kudos, Leo!

I was on a role today. We did gesture drawings today in class. I can't wait for portraits now.

This card was once a larger painting on cereal box inspired by one of Mary Todd Beam's books.

Went out to Adamandia in Chicago of "A Fishy Requisite"

Background is another page of the 1885 math textbook on recycled food packaging. Stamped robots are from the Dollar Tree.

This one went to Boo.

I have at least written down who I sent most of my cards to. :)

Andy was bugging me to catch up...I didn't realize I was so far behind~~smile.

I saved the background for this from the trash at work and added some paint and a paper napkin. A little early for Valentine's Day..Oh well.

"Vamos a ir a Paris"

"Nous allons a Paris"