Missed a few

Going through my December MMSA files, getting ready to archive them, I noticed a few fabulous pieces of art that never got posted!

(they were swapped, just never blogged)

My apologies to the artists.

Here are two food postcards from Judith:

and this sweet house ornament from Tina:

(flat view)

2013 by numbers

January is "random act of mail art kindness" month

Hello swappers!  

 I’ve had a wonderful little break from the computer, and I’m almost ready to announce some  new swaps for the new year.

In the meantime, I’m taking a suggestion from Joanne and hosting a Random Act of Kindness “swap”.

Here’s the idea:

Make something and send it to someone who isn’t expecting it. Take a picture of what you created and email it to me with a note about who you sent it to and why.  I will post all pictures and stories on the blog. You won’t get anything in return expect the joy of knowing you brightened someone’s day.

Who should you send it to?

It could be someone you know but never send mail to – your mom, your cousin, your grandfather, your faraway friend.  (I send mail-art to strangers all over the world and somehow never send anything to my friends and family.  That just doesn't seem right!)

Or how about someone in the military stationed far from home?  Or someone in a nursing home?  Does your church have a list of people who would benefit from a nice note?  How about sending a card and note to someone in your neighborhood whose garden you admire?  Or a thank you note to one your former teachers?  Now that I'm thinking about thank you notes....you could send one to your town fire department, or your local librarian, or to your mail carrier!  There are so many possibilities for spreading postal love.

 

Make a postcard, decorate an envelope, send an ATC – anything at all – but don’t send it to one of your usual mail-art contacts.  The idea is to send some handmade cheer to someone who never receives things like that.

So let’s get started!

1.     Create something

2.     Take a picture of it

3.     Mail it to an unsuspecting recipient

4.     Email the picture and your story to iamrushmore@gmail.com any time between now and January 31^st.

5.     Please write “RAK” in the subject line of your email, to make it easy for me to sort my mail and keep track of this project.

6. Feel free to send multiple pictures/stories

Ever wonder what to write on the back of a swap postcard?

I struggle with this.

I can have a hard time writing a short note to someone I KNOW, let alone to a yet-to-be-assigned invisible partner.

I end up writing comments about the weather.

seriously.

The weather?

Thankfully, Mary at Uncustomary Art posted a wonderful list of 50 things to tell your penpal on her blog.

here are a few of her ideas:

• people you'd invite to a celebrity dinner
• things you've dressed up as for past Halloweens
• what you'd put in a time capsule

I love this list.

Once in desperation, I wrote a list of the contents of my glove compartment on the back of a postcard.  Mandy later told me it was one of her favorite messages ever.

I for one am going to print out Mary's list and hang it on my bulletin board.

Go check it out for yourself!

White postcards - part 2

Here's another big batch of wonderful wintery whites.

The color is a bit off on these due to the challenges of photographing them.  They are all much whiter in person.

Gina made three prints from her beautiful original linocut:
(one pictured here)

Here's one from Jo:

and three from Joyce:

Judith sent these three:

and here are three from Julie:

Karen sent the next three:

This one is from Laura:

The next four are from Leslie:

and these five are from Linda:

Rhonda sent these three:

I'm so glad Rosalie is swapping here for the first time. She sent these two:

Sherry made this gorgeous batch of cards:

 
Here are some close-ups of Sherry's cards:

These last six cards are from Terrie:

GORGEOUS!

House ornament - part one

Today I received this beautiful milk-carton house ornament from Ellen.

The walls are covered in gorgeous fabric and embellished with all kinds of images and other goodies.

Since it is mailed flat, I am awkwardly and loosely holding it together in these photos.  The lucky recipient will be able to permanently adhere the house into position and hang it from its pretty cord.

Lovely, isn't it?

This is the only one of these I've received so far.

(the postmark date was yesterday, 12/2 so I realize some more might be on their way)

Have you made one?

Would you like to make one but need more time?

Here's the link to the swap description.

I'd be willing to extend the deadline a bit if there's need/interest.

Leave a comment and let me know.