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Thursday, April 26, 2012

Outgoing

I joined the Elevated Envelope swap and have 11 hand painted envelopes ready to go out in tomorrow's mail. I don't usually work in a series, but since I put this off until one week before the deadline (in spite of the 2 months I've had since signing up) I thought it would be more time effective to use the same technique on all of them.  Here they are, addressed and ready to go, hanging on the clothesline to let the glue dry.
and here's a closer view of them piled on my desk:


and here's a scanned envelope to show the layers


Did you miss this swap?  Never fear, Tara says she'll be doing them every few months.
We were encouraged to tuck a little something into the envelope, so I made a batch of ATCs from an old deck of cards:
 the orange side is covered in beeswax.  can you smell it?
I also tucked in one of my new Moo cards (squee!) and a note.

I made the following postcards for a swap hosted by Jill.  The theme was "April showers bring May flowers" and we needed to use one of those blank pre-stamped postcards that the post office sells as our base.

Those are pressed flowers from my yard from last May, glued on top of a collage of my own painted papers. I used some watercolor batik paper that I made after watching Amy's tutorial in her latest newsletter,and boy-oh-boy was that just about the funnest thing ever to make. But I'm going to post about that another time.

Because NOW,  I'm going to pester you to  sign up for the postcard swap I'm organizing at Flutterbye if you haven't already..  Go over there, join for free (because everything at Flutterbye is free.  plus we're prettier when we're there).  Once you're there, join the art swap group.  You've got 4 more days to sign up for the inaugural post card swap.  Just one simple little handmade postcard swapped with one partner.  Easy Peasy.  and fun.  did I mention fun?
maybe you'll get this postcard
Unless I decide to use it for my self-portrait for a different swap.


16 comments:

  1. Love, love, love these, wish I was in the swap:)
    The pressed flowers are fantastic.

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  2. Love those envelopes! Is that acrylic paint? I missed the envelope swap, but I'm following the blog now so maybe I'll catch the next swap.

    And you don't have to pester too much...I just joined Flutterbye! Been eyeballin' it for a while now. You know where all the fun and happenin' things are, Karen! I need to follow you around more :D

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  3. Your moo's are spectacular, what a phrase and so fitting for your crazy antics, circles of happiness hanging on that clothes line to dry. Oh, swaparoo for Jill and I guess I just forgot the theme and went ahead and made whatever, but I guess you know that by now. Ah well, mental pause, what can I say! Or should I say not playing with a full deck too! xox

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  4. Those pressed flowers are especially divine.

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  5. I've been coveting moos for a while but with no real purpose for them. I'm thinking they might come in handy at Squam, though? Little minicards with email & blog address? What did you include on yours, if you don't mind my asking?

    I'm very curious about that batik tutorial! And how you get everything to stay glued so well... all your stuff looks like so much fun, you obviously do very well with the technique of procrastination as a creativity spark!

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  6. Okay, this is all making me mad.

    I want to swap one postcard! And I haven't joined the envelope thingie! And I don't have ATCs just lying around to put into envelopes. And Self-Portrait!?!!?!?!?! This is SOOOO much more beautiful and youthful than mine!!


    Just for that, I'm not coming back here until the next time.

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  7. They all look fantastic! The colors are delicious...they remind me of orange sherbet. And the rooster is really cool, too.

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  8. I can just see you buzzing around getting stuff done.....and when you emerge from your studio, you are just coated in glue, paint and random ink marks...and had no idea they were even there :)
    Looks like you've been having some real fun!

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  9. You have never ending productivity and energy. :) MM

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  10. wow you are one bundle of energy, loving the postcards, and tghe envelopes,

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  11. When I do swaps I include a painted playing card w/ inspiration phrase too (got the idea from your inspiration deck that I missed participating in :( I just got my order of Moo p/c and business cards from their sale - I just LOVE their quality. Not sure what I'll do with the business cards, but I had to have some. Love your pressed flower p/c...I have some fall leaves that I keep meaning to try to use and see how fragile they are - once again you're inspiring/pushing me to get it out of my head and on paper!

    I didn't get around to messing in my mess book this weekend like I hoped, but soon. There are just too many wonderful things to try and play and....

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  12. You are the "Swapping Queen"! (Oooh...dirty... Hee hee!)

    Love the idea of using a deck of cards! And your "Not playing with a full deck" phrase definitely speaks to me! Ha!

    If/when things settle down, I will definitely be joining in one of your swaps :)

    xo
    Kristin

    p.s. I love me some beeswax... How does the it hold up on a flexible surface? It doesn't crack?

    p.p.s. I'm so glad you challenged yourself to join the messy facebook group - it's so much fun to see what you do! Wheee!!!

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  13. I like most of the cock, who says what he wants ;) so much wunderfull work you have done!

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  14. Very cool! LOVE that first shot of all the envelopes hanging! Brilliant, xo

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  15. Hi Karen,
    I'm inspired by your production line of envelopes, great way to get them all out at once. I also saw the reconstructed toy you made. Fantastic! I've tried making those before with thrift finds, but nothing came out as cool as yours. I've never seen anyone else do this before, we both must have a gene missing or something. You've got a great blog here.

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  16. Do tell more about using the pressed flowers ... how did you "affix" them to the paper?

    I think my current FAV color combo is orange and turquoise - makes me sooooo happy! So much is happening at Flutterby ... I think I need to call in sick for the week just to have time enough to play! I just saw the postcard swap ... maybe in June?

    Woman, you rock! Love the colorful JOY that is always present here :)

    xo Lis

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