Q is for Quilled Heart

The watercolor calendar envelopes work well with other stamps, too. Here is the Quilled Heart stamp on envelope 778 (and the 2015 non-machinable butterfly on 779).

Quilling is the art of using scrolled paper to make 3D artistic compositions. Wikipedia has some info, but better is to google  'quilling' to look for images, many of which are stunning.

The Quilled Heart stamp is the 2016 entry into the USPS Love series. Digital images of this stamp do seem more vibrant and show more detail than the actual stamp, although it has grown on me.

For more stamps with a Q theme, head over to browse the links at Sunday Stamps.

Bonus postcards and a Rorschach inkblot or two

Malok joins the spontaneous mail club with an interesting mirrored image complete with asemics.

I received no fewer than five postcards on Monday 18 May!

From Steve...

...Nikki...

...Terrie...

...Nancy...

... and my first mail from John.

Stoa Time from MomKat (a collaboration with her son).

Large collage postcard from PetrolPetal.

Collages from Adrienne (top) and Nancy (bottom)

And more collage, this time from Jon F.

Gold and turquoise lizards from Kathie.

Here is an abstract postcard from Kathie.

She saw something in it after she had painted it.

I thought I saw something in it when I first saw it, and before I read what Kathie thought she saw.

It's like a Rorschach inkblot...

...so, if you like, leave a note as to what you see here, and in a week I'll reveal what Kathie saw, and what I saw.

Bonus - here's an asemic card from Thomas - I think I see something there, so I'll be back in a week to reveal my vision. Feel free to play along.

Squares

Envelope 350 to Brooke C, who spontaneously sent me mail art.

Envelope 700 to Terrie (spelled her name correctly this time!).

Envelope 709 to Nancy.

Bonus postcards & bonus link

I received this one from MissiveMaven... I couldn't wait until October to post this one, so how about a little Halloween received in January and blogged in February!

And some fun washi tape and sticker action on the back. Great stamp, too, celebrating the bicentennial of the Library of Congress (a stunning building, well worth a visit).

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One from Karen. the outer layer is a transparency of some kind - very cool in person.

And some great vintage stamps.

From Honi C.

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A happy new year from Liberty.

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Nancylee sent this pretty winterscape. Hey, that could be the post office's next 'scape' set, to go with cloudscapes and earthscapes. 

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A bright collage from Jazzie.

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The scan isn't going to do this one justice at all.

Julie created this postcard using five different fabrics, then used a sewing machine to make neat edges. I wouldn't even know how to turn a sewing machine on!

She used the Nevada statehood stamp to complete the theme. 

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Another one from Honi C

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'Stolen page 176'. The flower Hester added to this page makes me think of a strelitzia

Hester used a great Alexander Calder stamp to send this one - even more fitting as the year of the Horse draws to a close.

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Bright orange and fuschia bicycles from Rose.

More color to cheer up a dreary February from Terrie.

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Bonus link to two articles from the designer of the upcoming Summer Harvest stamps, Michael Doret. I think the design of these is great. I wish it had included a couple of the originals - the lemon and pineapple ones in particular.

The first design series, ultimately rejected in 2002.

The redesigned series, currently scheduled for release in June. 

Envelopes 274 and 275 - Rothko

Philippe is a Rothko fan, so I sent this calendar envelope to him. I'm not sure why the scanner had some issues scanning this one - I like how this scan makes it look a bit like a polaroid.

I like the global forever stamps, I just wish there were a few more varieties to choose from for international mail. So for this one, I went with my all time favorite, Johnny Cash in the black space.

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#275, another Rothko. (The scanner loved this one, for some reason).

The black and red made me think of my last remaining Pioneers of American Industrial Design stamp.

Sent to Terrie.

Bonus postcards

Bonus postcards from Nancylee...

...Beth...

...Terrie...

...and Trula (there are some beautiful metallic areas that don't show up on the scanner).

Thanks, everyone!

Envelopes 421, 467 and 351

I haven't answered many mail art calls, however I liked Liberty's one for Hands and Feet.

I had this in my stack of envelopes.

And I thought it went well with all the hands on the Go Green stamps turning things.

Addressed in green, on the arm.

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Eva also had a mail art call that I answered. Hers is for anything to do with the Wizard of Oz. I thought envelope #467 would fit the bill. 

I really wanted to fit 3 Johnny Cash stamps in the black space, but no go. In the end I really liked the effect of Johnny plus a butterfly high in the clouds.

Addressed. I colored in the black town on top of the almost-transparent label.

And the back.

This envelope also had a graphic liner effect (nothing to do with Oz, though).

I almost sent Eva this next one, as she had mentioned the farmers market stamps. Terrie's postcard was sitting right next to Eva's in the reply pile, so she received #351.

(And this is the scanner having its usual meltdown over a white edge)

I like the way the stamp is not easy to recognize immediately.

Addressed.

And the back.