green postcards part 2

It's Friday, you've got the whole weekend stretching out ahead of you, why not sit down and make some green postcards?

Need some inspiration?

I've got plenty right here:

Amy made four cards featuring a hand carved stamp that was inspired by a scarf she saw at an art museum.

Barbara's backgrounds are the most luscious emerald color, and oh how I love that flying car.

Currie is taking a year-long giraffe journey, but also made a seahorse card for good measure.

Peggy joins MMSA for the first time, and tells us this is her first postcard swap, and she's rather new to collage.  Sure wouldn't know it to look at her cards.  Welcome Peggy!

Marsie sent this lovely and harmonious card.

 Ria had so much fun with her first green postcard she decided to make another and sent it off a week later. (see what happens when you start early?)

Sam's green elephant swam across the Atlantic to me and still looks quite dapper.

 Shirley's cards positively sing with springtime.

(if only my snow would melt!)

Terrie  (who is making 365 collages in 2013) sent these fab four.

Impossible to not be inspired, don't you agree?

So get going and drop some more green in the mail by Monday. 

Through My Window - part 1

So far, I have received 4 lovely responses to the "Through my window" challenge.

Ellen's haiku on the back of her card reads:

"Outside the window

The backyard is in full bloom

Flowers everywhere"

(lucky Ellen!)

 Elaine, a self-professed "closet sketcher"  joins MMSA for the first time with this lovely drawing.

Welcome Elaine - glad you found us!

 Ria (who is also a photographer) took this picture in New Mexico, where she lived for 4 years.

Terrie sent this beautiful watercolor.

(you are a woman of many talents, Terrie!)

 

I bet there are more great "windows" waiting for me in mailbox.  Stay tuned!

Mandy's collage sheet - part 2

More fabulous results from Mandy's collage sheet challenge:

Two from Currie

 

Two from Ellen

One from Frances

Two from Gina

These next three are from Mandy herself!

One from Ria

Three from Terrie

I'm short on words today, but I didn't want to wait any longer to post these gems!

Round Postcard Swap - mail by April 8th

Create a postcard in any style, using the media of your choice

The only catch – the actual postcard has to be round.

You heard me – Round!

It will be mailed back to you without an envelope.

Won’t it be fun to get something round in the mail?

It only costs $.66 in the US, but I couldn't resist putting on a global forever stamp since they are round!

SWAP DETAILS:

• Include your name and contact information on the back of your postcard (address and/or email and/or blog) so that you partner can thank you or find out more about you.
• write a little message to your partner (something about yourself or where you live, or include your favorite quote, etc.)
• Make sure you leave enough blank space for me to attach an address label and stamp (but don’t attach them!)
• Stick the postcard an envelope with:
• stamps or money to cover postage (it will cost $.66 to mail in the US, and $1.10 outside of the US)
• a mailing label with your name and address on it (I will stick it on the card I mail back to you.  This keeps me from having to decipher handwriting on the envelope you send me, and saves me time when swapping everything and mailing it back out) 
• mail it to me no later than April 8^th.

Karen Isaacson
PO Box 532
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
United States

• If you make more than one you can send them to me in the same envelope just make sure you include postage and mailing labels for each card you make.
• I will post your work to the blog when I receive it.  If you would like your image linked to your blog, or flickr account, or facebook page, or etsy shop (or whatever) just send me a note telling me how you want it linked.  (this is a great way to meet other artists and make lots of new friends)
• If you live outside of the US and don’t have US stamps or currency, you can send me $1.10 (per item) via paypal: iamrushmore@gmail.com

green postcards part 1

Here is the first batch of green postcards to grace my mailbox.

Carroll sent three kitty tributes:

The first of Colleen's two postcards makes me wonder:

1.  what is a where are you contest?

2. why am I not on that beach?

 

 

 Cynthia sent these three cards (and this child of the 70's laughed out loud at #1)

 

 

Ria says her new washi tape inspired this card.

I can't think of many things better than having Kermit poke out of my mailbox.

 

Still plenty of time to join this swap - just mail them by March 18th!

Head swap - part 3

Hold onto your hats, this latest bunch of swappers will blow your mind.  (or am I getting ahead of myself?)

First up is Kathy's wonderful snake head.

I'm very fond of snakes, and the lunar year of the snake has been inspiring some terrific art!

 

Ellen's beautiful woman is collaged from tiny bits of torn paper.

I absolutely love Frances' take on the challenge:

a head of garlic.

Judith's green-eyed beauty is hypnotic.

 Chris sent two fabulous heads.

 

The whole idea for this swap originated with Chris, and she really outdid herself, because LOOK:

 

The top of the head flips down to reveal "What's on the Human Mind."  Hilarious.

The creativity amongst this group never ceases to amaze me.

Black and White doodle ATC - Mail by April 1st

Calling all doodlers and Zentanglers!
For this swap we will doodle or tangle an ATC using only black and white.
 It’s okay to add a collage element or printed image, as long as the majority of the card is doodled.

(I'm not much of a doodler or ATC maker, but I think you the idea)

SWAP DETAILS: 

• Doodle a black and white artist trading card in the standard ATC size – 2.5” x 3.5”  (64mm x 89mm)

• Include your name and contact information on the back of your ATC (address and/or email and/or blog) so that you partner can thank you or find out more about you.
• Please limit yourself to 2 cards (so far the ATC swaps aren’t as popular as the postcard swaps.  If you send me five I might not be able to send you five in return!)
• Stick your ATC in an envelope with a self addressed stamped envelope.
•  mail it to me no later than April 1st

             Karen Isaacson
             PO Box 532
             Shrewsbury, MA 01545
             United States

• If you make more than one you can send them to me in the same envelope and you only need to include one self-addressed stamped envelope.
• I will post your work to the blog when I receive it.  If you would like your image linked to your blog, or flickr account, or facebook page, or etsy shop (or whatever) just send me a note telling me how you want it linked.  (this is a great way to meet other artists and make lots of new friends)

Under the Sea - part 3

As I was packing up the Sea items to mail out today, I realized I never posted a picture of Laurie's beautiful piece for the swap!

It's really amazing in person.  The sea horse is raised off the surface of the tag, and the magenta swirls are printed on acetate so you can see the painted background beneath it.  

It's quite lovely.

Thanks for sending it, Laurie.  Sorry I didn't post it sooner!

Facebook and Twitter

Lookie, lookie!

I've created a Facebook page for MMSA and a Twitter account.

I'm feeling wild and crazy tonight.

I will use both to announce new swaps, give updates on swap progress, and share resources for other swaps and mail art challenges.

I'd love to get more people involved in MMSA, and some folks are much more active on FB and Twitter than on blogs, so I'm trying to be user friendly.

I'll continue to use the blog as the primary format for swap announcements and art sharing.

I would love to post pictures of your work on the facebook page too, but I will check with you via email before I do.  Or, if you are happy to have me post all of your items there as well as here, just leave me a comment telling me it's okay. 

So if you're on Facebook, head over to the MMSA page and "like" it.

or start following me on twitter.

or both.

(links are in the sidebar on the right)

thanks to all of you who swap, and exchange mail, and leave comments and suggestions.  

I love this community and want to share it with more people!