Monochromatic Mixed Media Postcards - Due April 13th

I wanted to do another monochromatic color swap, but I couldn’t decide on the color, so this time, the color is YOUR choice!

Pick your favorite color and create a postcard using only shades and tones of that one color.  (A little black and white is okay, but don’t use any other colors)

Here’s the catch – you must use at least 3 different media in creating your card.

So, for example, a piece combining paper and acrylic paint and ink.

Or watercolors, rubber stamping and glitter.

You can use more than 3 kinds of media if you want, but make sure you use at least 3.

(there are endless possibilities.  You could use crayons, pastels, markers, modeling paste, image transfers, stickers, tape, embellishments, thread, fabric, yarn, lace, plastic, pencils, ink, spray paints, pressed flowers, photographs, etc.)

Keep in mind, these are postcards and must be able to go through the mail without an envelope, so you might not want to attach anything too lumpy!

Here are some examples of things I've made that fit the criteria.

Acrylic paint, paper, ribbon, stickers

Acrylic paint, torn papers, modeling paste, oil pastels

spray ink, wax, handmade paper, skeleton leaves, oil pastels

Washi tape, torn paper, ink, acrylic paint

Spray ink, torn paper, lace, acrylic paint

 

Swap details:

• You may submit as many as four cards (you will get back the same number you send, each from a different artist)

• if you're sending me more than one, please make sure you insert waxed paper or parchment in between the cards so they don't get stuck together in the envelope

• Write “MMSA Monochromatic” on the back of your card to remind your recipient why they are receiving this wonderful work of art in the mail

• I highly suggest you write your return address on the back of the postcard (in case of postal delivery problems) and your email address so the recipient can thank you.   

• A note for your partner on the left side of the postcard is a nice touch.

• Leave the right side of the postcard blank (the part where the address goes)

• Include a mailing label with your name and address for each card you create
  (I will attach them to the cards I mail back to you)

• Please attach the proper postage to your postcard (see below for postal guidelines).  If you don’t have any stamps and it’s difficult for you to get some, go ahead and send me money instead.  You can stick cash in the envelope, or send it to me via paypal (iamrushmore@gmail.com)

• International swappers are welcome - the postage cost is $1.15 per card (paypal account is iamrushmore@gmail.com)

Postage and Card Size
You are welcome to make any size postcard you want, but please pay attention to the following postal guidelines

• In order to use the postcard rate ($.34) your card cannot be bigger than 4 x 6 inches, and it must be thin and flexible.  A 4x6 card that is thick, lumpy or doesn't bend, needs more postage.  Keep in mind, if you have the old apple or aloha stamps, you will need to add either a $.01 or $.02 stamp to equal the current postcard rate.  

 

• If your card is a rectangle bigger than a postcard, but still flat and flexible, a regular "forever" ($.49 ) stamp is what you need. 

• If your card is an unusual shape (square, round) or is flexible but has some lumpy embellishments it will probably cost you the "non machinable" rate of $.70

• If your card doesn't bend at all, the post office considers it a package and you should go get it weighed to figure out the proper postage.

You can find all the postal specifications (and a handy postage calculator) here:  http://postcalc.usps.gov/

Mail your cards no later than April 13th. (I don’t need to receive them by the 13th, they need to be postmarked by the 13th.)

Karen Isaacson
PO Box 532
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
United States

Letter M scavenger hunt - due March 30th

Start scavenging through magazines, junk mail, and old books because for this swap we are creating postcard collages using images of things that start with the letter M.

Image ideas:

• It could be an object (like Moon, or Meatball)
• It could be the name of a color (Magenta), or number (Million)
• Or you could find an image that represents an emotion (Mad) or an action (March) or an adjective (Mangled)

Find at least ten ways to represent the letter M on the front of your postcard.
 

 These should all be "found images" - meaning don't go searching the internet for things that start with M and printing out pictures.  And no fair drawing or painting something that starts with M.  I'm looking for actual bits of paper or ephemera that you have gathered and glued to a card.  (So that means no digital collages this time.)

On the back, list the items you included.
(Actual text starting with the letter M doesn't count toward your ten items) 

  

(here's one I did for the letter G last year - It featured golf ball, glacier, group of girls, goldfish, gumballs, gingko, gecko, gift, giraffe, glasses, green, gold finch, gloves, glass, and I stuck on some G stickers for good measure, the stickers didn't count toward the 10 items.)

 We did a "letter S" swap last year and you can find inspiration by looking at those cards here, here and here.

Hope those references to other letters didn't confuse you.  If you decide to make more than one card for this swap, you should still stick to the letter M for all the cards.

Swap details:

• You may submit as many as four cards (you will get back the same number you send, each from a different artist)

• if you're sending me more than one, please make sure you insert waxed paper or parchment in between the cards so they don't get stuck together in the envelope

• Write “MMSA Letter M” on the back of your card to remind your recipient why they are receiving this wonderful work of art in the mail

• I highly suggest you write your return address on the back of the postcard (in case of postal delivery problems) and your email address so the recipient can thank you.   

• A note for your partner on the left side of the postcard is a nice touch.

• Leave the right side of the postcard blank (the part where the address goes)

• Include a mailing label with your name and address for each card you create
  (I will attach them to the cards I mail back to you)

• Please attach the proper postage to your postcard (see below for postal guidelines).  If you don’t have any stamps and it’s difficult for you to get some, go ahead and send me money instead.  You can stick cash in the envelope, or send it to me via paypal (iamrushmore@gmail.com)

• International swappers are welcome - the postage cost is $1.15 per card (paypal account is iamrushmore@gmail.com)

Postage and Card Size
You are welcome to make any size postcard you want, but please pay attention to the following postal guidelines

• In order to use the postcard rate ($.34) your card cannot be bigger than 4 x 6 inches, and it must be thin and flexible.  A 4x6 card that is thick, lumpy or doesn't bend, needs more postage .  Keep in mind, if you have the old apple or aloha stamps, you will need to add either a $.01 or $.02 stamp to equal the current postcard rate.

• If your card is a rectangle bigger than a postcard, but still flat and flexible, a regular "forever" ($.49 ) stamp is what you need. 

• If your card is an unusual shape (square, round) or is flexible but has some lumpy embellishments it will probably cost you the "non machinable" rate of $.70

• If your card doesn't bend at all, the post office considers it a package and you should go get it weighed to figure out the proper postage.

You can find all the postal specifications (and a handy postage calculator) here:  http://postcalc.usps.gov/

Mail your cards no later than March 30th. (I don’t need to receive them by the 30th, they need to be postmarked by the 30th.)

Karen Isaacson
PO Box 532
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
United States

Favorite book postcards – due March 16th

Create a postcard based on one of your favorite books.

It could be a  children’s book or an adult book.

Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, biography.

Illustrated or not.

Classic or contemporary.

Any book that means a lot to you personally.

(I'm finding it hard to believe that this lifelong reader has never created a piece of art based on a book!)

Your creation can use any media and any style.

You might make a card based around a favorite character, or a favorite quote, or the mood the book invokes, or a memory of reading the book.

This one is wide open to interpretation, but be sure to include the name and author if the book on the back of your card so that we can learned about your source of inspiration.

Swap details:

• You may submit as many as four cards (you will get back the same number you send, each from a different artist)

• if you're sending me more than one, please make sure you insert waxed paper or parchment in between the cards so they don't get stuck together in the envelope

• Write “MMSA Favorite book” on the back of your card to remind your recipient why they are receiving this wonderful work of art in the mail

• I highly suggest you write your return address on the back of the postcard (in case of postal delivery problems) and your email address so the recipient can thank you.   

• A note for your partner on the left side of the postcard is a nice touch.  Don't forget to include the title and author of your book.

• Leave the right side of the postcard blank (the part where the address goes)

• Include a mailing label with your name and address for each card you create
  (I will attach them to the cards I mail back to you)

• Please attach the proper postage to your postcard (see below for postal guidelines).  If you don’t have any stamps and it’s difficult for you to get some, go ahead and send me money instead.  You can stick cash in the envelope, or send it to me via paypal (iamrushmore@gmail.com)

• International swappers are welcome - the postage cost is $1.15 per card (paypal account is iamrushmore@gmail.com)

Postage and Card Size
You are welcome to make any size postcard you want, but please pay attention to the following postal guidelines

• In order to use the postcard rate ($.34) your card cannot be bigger than 4 x 6 inches, and it must be thin and flexible.  A 4x6 card that is thick, lumpy or doesn't bend, needs more postage  

• If your card is a rectangle bigger than a postcard, but still flat and flexible, a regular "forever" ($.49 ) stamp is what you need. 

• If your card is an unusual shape (square, round) or is flexible but has some lumpy embellishments it will probably cost you the "non machinable" rate of $.70

• If your card doesn't bend at all, the post office considers it a package and you should go get it weighed to figure out the proper postage.

You can find all the postal specifications (and a handy postage calculator) here:  http://postcalc.usps.gov/

Mail your cards no later than March 16th. (I don’t need to receive them by the 16th, they need to be postmarked by the 16th.)

Karen Isaacson
PO Box 532
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
United States