HAVE A HEART - MAKE SOME ART - Post Card Swap - Postmark by Monday, January 16th, 2023

by hhc

Valentines' Day will be here before you know it. So let's create some art using "Heart" shapes as a main part of our designs:  abstract or realistic, your choice of mediums and techniques. 

 

Participants, please send in up to 4 (four) post cards to be exchanged with others.  I will attempt a quick (sorting) turn-around time so that maybe, just maybe, the swapped art will get to its new homes by or before Valentines' Day.  At least that's the intent...  If you will be delayed in mailing in your art, please notify your Blog Host (moi).

by hhc

Post Card size is 6" wide by 4+1/4" high although you can orient your post cards vertically instead of horizontally.  If I receive Art larger than that, it  will either need to go out to your swap partner(s) in an envelope or be sent unprotected with 1st Class postage affixed. 

by hhc

As some may have noticed, recently I have been grouping some of your post cards together in envelopes for their own safety through the postal sorting process.  When I do that, I hate to waste the post card postage that is already affixed, so... Loose postage enclosed works best for me.

And, please remember to send me some of your return address labels to use when I send your swapped art to you. 

Sample/template for back of each post card

NOTE:  Purchasing U.S. postage stamps will cost more as of January 22nd, 2023.

Send in your art by Monday, January 16th at the latest,

to:  Honi C.  PO Box 142  Freedom, NY  14065

by hhc

Questions?  s.h.greenstamps@juno.com 

Some Masterboard 4" Pages

by hhc - 20222

 Hello Mail Art Swappers,

by hhc - 2022

I hope your year's-end is going well.  Here are some 4" pages I made up recently starting with the Masterboard technique (overall large poster board background) and using acrylic paints, rubber stamps, rhinestones and stickers.  Oh, what fun!!!  And yes, I did get carried away.  I can either make up several booklets with them, OR, I can give some away :)

by hhc - 2022

I'm looking forward to seeing what you create.  

Keep on making art :)

Honi

 

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS ONE AND ALL, TODAY AND ALWAYS

 

PEACE JOY LOVE 

Be well, stay safe

ALMOST 2023!!! My Good Wishes...

 

SNOW 2022 in Western NYS

Hello Mail Art Swappers,

We had a good year of creating and exchanging art through the mail.  I hope 2023 will be even better.   Thank you for participating and also for sharing the word with others who might be interested in joining in on the fun. Each person brings something special and unique 

to the group.

To those in areas of stormy weather and sub-zero temperatures, stay safe.

Here's to an enjoyable, inspiring, creative, safe, healthy, wonderful New Year ahead.

Stay in.  Make ART :)

Honi C.

DECORATED FULL-SHEET PAPERS - PART 2

 Six from Andrea:

Five from Jan:

Five from LaDonna:

Five from Margaret R:

Five from Sarah:

CHRISTMAS/HANUKKAH/HOLIDAY/MEMORIES - PART 3

 Not wanting anyone to think I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs, here is a short post, just to let you know that I finally finished my three Christmas/Holiday Memories postcards.

by hhc - 2022

I mentioned in the original post that my mother would forget where she had hidden some of the Christmas presents and would be wracking her brain while we kids opened our other gifts.

by hhc - 2022

Then there was the year I decided to surprise my family with their own hand-made Christmas stockings.  Filling the stockings with chocolate Kisses and other candies, I hid them in a bottom dresser drawer.  Christmas morning I found that a mouse had eaten holes in the stockings to get to the chocolate.  Aarrrrrgh!!!

by hhc 2022

The twinkle lights are glowing outside.  Okay, time to decorate the tree.

As you prepare for the fast-approaching holidays, I wish you all Peace, Joy, Love.  Honi

THE YEAR IN REVIEW: GROUP SWAPS PARTICIPATION

For those who are interested in statistics, here are the swap titles for group exchanges we had in 2022, along with the participation total for each.  Maybe you'll see some you would like to repeat in 2023.  If so, please let me know in the comment section below, or by email.  Thanks...

MAKE YOUR MARK W/RUBBER STAMPS - 8

SHOES & BOOTS - 16

WORKING THROUGH ARTISTS' BLOCK  - 14

ARTFUL HEARTS - 24

DRIPS & SPLATTERS - 13

NUMBERS - 14

SPRING THE SWEET SPRING - 15

CIRCLES & STRIPES - 15

BLUE & YELLOW - 13

MARVELOUS MINI-MATCHBOXES - 10

DECORATIVE ENVELOPES - 16

FROTTAGE PATTERNS/TEXTURE - 10

ABOUT TREES - `5

FROM MASTERBOARD TO ATC'S - 17

MMSA 10-YEAR CELEBRATION - 10

MARBLEIZED POST CARDS - 8

TIME - 10

REPURPOSE JUNK MAIL - 8

BOOKMARKS - 10

BUTTERFLIES - 19

DRIP & DRAG PAINT - 12

DESIGN-A-MUG - 11

AUTUMN LEAVES WILL FALL! - 17

JUST BLACK & WHITE - 15

OPEN-THEMED ATC'S - 14

INKTOBER - 11

That's it so far.  

Three year-end group swaps are still in progress:

• CHRISTMAS/HANUKKAH/HOLIDAY PC's
• DECORATED FULL-SHEET PAPERS
• 4" MINI-BOOK PAGES

4-Inch Mini-Book LOOSE Pages - Postmark by Wednesday, January 4th, 2023 - UPDATED

Hello Wonderful Mail Art Swappers,

 I don't think we have ever had a 'Mini-Book Pages" swap in this group.  A while ago, I really enjoyed a one-on-one exchange with a wonderful pen pal in Belarus.  

Fanned-out 4" booklet by hhc

We both made up eight four-inch square LOOSE pages with collage or other media/designs on the front side, and then put our name/address and a message, quote or good wishes on the back side of each page.  She mailed me four of her pages, I sent her four of mine.  

Booklet pages by hhc

Then when we had put our 4 pages together with our swap partner's 4 pages to make 8 pages, we  punched a hole in the upper left-hand corner of each page, and connected the pages together with yarn, string or a cord through the punched holes.  (I suppose a hinged C-ring would also work to keep the pages together.)

Fanned-out pages by hhc

Any questions?  Please email me.

I used the super easy"Masterboard"technique.  On a sheet of poster board, I made a background with light acrylic paint and collaged over the whole large piece.  I cut it up into individual pages.  Next, I added finishing touches to make each page different from the others.

Fanned out booklet by hhc

I recommend using light-weight poster board, NOT copy paper.  I don't think (index card-weight) card stock would be sturdy enough, not sure...  If you are using collage, that adds weight to each page so you want it to be supported.  You don't want your finished pages to curl or fold.

I suggest you keep your collage relatively flat, not too thick or heavy, although if we have to, we can mail the finished booklets as "packages" in puffy/padded mailers since plain paper envelopes wouldn't be protective enough.  Postage costs will be higher for thick/lumpy mailings...

SUMMARY:  Each swap participant- design eight (8) LOOSE pages that are 4" square:  4 to send in to swap, 4 to keep to round out your own finished booklet of eight (8) pages when the exchange is completed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOW, if you wanted to have enough pages for TWO mini-books, you could make up 16 pages, sending in 8 to be swapped with participants' art, and keeping 8 of your own, to eventually make up two books for yourself.  (Or one thick booklet) This should work IF we have eight or more participants in this fun exchange.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHEN YOU SEND THESE IN TO ME, I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU ARRANGE YOUR LOOSE BOOK PAGES SIDE BY SIDE, WRAP IN WAXED PAPER, TAPE WRAP LENGTHWISE WITH WASHI, MASKING OR SCOTCH TAPE, AND MAIL TO ME IN A LONG ENVELOPE.  OKAY TO DOUBLE UP THINNER PAGES. 

 KEEPING MAILINGS RATHER FLAT KEEPS THEM FROM GETTING RIPPED OPEN BY THE SORTING MACHINES, WE CAN HOPE.  YOU MIGHT REINFORCE EDGES AND CORNERS OF YOUR MAILER ENVELOPES WITH SCOTCH TAPE...

Postmark your mailing of 4" pages by 

Wednesday, January 4th, 2023

Include two loose 1st-class postage stamps, and a self-address label for the art coming back to you. I will gladly provide the envelopes when I mail your exchanged Mini-Book pages to you.

Mail your art to:

Honi C.  PO Box 142  Freedom, NY  14065

Questions?  

Email me at   s.h.greenstamps@juno.com 

COMMENT:

M.R. writes:  I would think that papering both sides of regular 65 pound cardstock would be fine if these will not involve weighty embellishments 

My P.S.  Once you receive the swapped 4 pages to keep, you may do whatever you want with them.

DECORATED FULL-SHEET PAPERS - PART 1

 Five from Ellen:

Five from Karen M: