Stunning Sugar Skull

Hello, Halloween lovers, it's the witching month!

I am not sure how I managed to not blog this amazing envelope when Cathy sent it in 2017, but it is worth the wait. Inside a protective plastic cover...

..and unwrapped.

And it came with a nice autumnal card inside.

Hearts on exchange envelopes

Great envelope and insert from Cathy

And a nice wreath from Maureen.

Love the calligraphy on both!

Oscar on Black

I really like the Oscar de la Renta stamps - they are large, attractive, and seem to have a much brighter finish than your average US postage stamp.

Here are some on some black envelopes.

To Cathy and Hester for the April envelope change.

And one to Eva.

Total Eclipse

Today is the big day, when the first total eclipse in to cross the continental USA in 99 years occurs, with a partial eclipse visible over the entire North American continent.

What better envelope to celebrate with than this excellent one from Cathy O.

The stamp shows the corona of the sun, only visible when the surface of the sun is blocked by the moon. USPS has really issued two stamps in one, as, when warmed, the thermochromic printing process reveals the ghostly surface of the moon.

The rest of the fun July envelopes came from...

 Jean - this one didn't scan well, it is bright pink in reality - and Troy - some stylish calligraphy.

Debbie made an envelope from a beautiful illustrated book page.

Amy put together this fascinating collage on her envelope.

And Tina used some sort of reveal-the-color technique. I am not 100% sure how she did it, as the black layer looks like it is stuck to the rainbow layer. Regardless, a great effect.

April envelopes received

Here are the fab envelopes I received in April. There's a lot of green... must be spring.

From Cathy. I love how the colors match the flowers on the stamp.

From Jean. I'm loving the draw out letters here. And the color matched stamps.

From Jeanae. Great calligraphy. And I always have to think twice when typing your name :)

From Hester. Great artistamp, insect and Oscar stamps.

From Kathie. Love the WPA Posters stamp here, hiding in the bushes on this John Rush painting.

From Smash. I never thought I'd receive this stamp myself - thanks so much!

Jean-san

If you've been following along on the A to Z challenge so far, Jean has shown up twice before.

I found her envelope blog by googling 'homemade envelope'.

She runs a fun monthly envelope exchange.

She also introduced me to IUOMA (see yesterday's post).

She made me think about how a stamp can enhance or even be the focal point of an envelope.

She encouraged me to start this blog back in 2013.

And she considers me to be one of her envelope grasshoppers.

Thanks for all the ideas, support and encouragement you've given me in pursuing mail art as a hobby, Jean-san. And happy one-day-late birthday. 

I hope you liked your March exchange envelope - I was sure you'd like the Oscar de la Renta stamp. 

And here are the other exchange envelopes I sent out to Amy, Cathy and Tina.

Do you have someone who helped you pursue something you were interested in or passionate about?

Did they have to push you, or did they just need to nudge you a little every now and again?

What did you do to show them your appreciation?

Envelope exchange

I've been taking part in Jean's monthly envelope exchanges for a few years now. Always a great variety incoming. These are the March envelopes I received.

From Amy - I'm loving the silver technique she used on the envelope. And of course the note on the Charley Harper art. And as she wrote, check out the 5.3c vintage non-profit stamp.

Fun rubber stamps from Cathy. The colors work so well with the La Florida stamp from a few years ago.

St Patrick's day luck in green and gold from Jannie.

Jean sent this great graphic piece inside a glassine envelope. Love the clever use of the C as part of the address.

And this awesome envelope with one of my favorite stamps ever from Royal Mail from Tina M.

September exchange envelopes in

A great set of envelopes from Jean's September exchange.

From the hostess...

From Cathy (love how she spaced the address at the bottom of this Joan Miro-inspired envelope)...

From Grace - I'm always impressed when someone can remove those fruit/veg stickers so perfectly... (and thanks for the bonuses inside!)

From Lynne, making me think of travel...

From Jannie, leaves of Fall.

And a bonus envelope from Hester, which I didn't even know was from her because she went for it on the freeform handwriting. 

Advent - envelope exchanges

Jean and Jan increased the frequency of the envelope exchanges to once a month. The one featured for today is from Cathy O, and she used colors from the great new coastal birds postcard stamps. See the rest of the mail from Cathy here.

Jean and Jan's June exchange - incoming

Here are the five envelopes I received for the June exchange.

Some very cool lettering to go with the new postcard rate coastal bird stamps from Cathy. Clever how she did the double L in my name.

This envelope from Eric makes me think of smoggy Victorian London.

Firework fun from Jan.

Jean sent the cool translucent (looks white here) batman envelope, then followed it up with her flower letters.

And a lovely water color piece added to the envelope by Martha.

Thanks to Jan and Jean for hosting, and thanks to the participants!

From Me to ....

Cathy very kindly included some From Me to You stamps, and a few of the related stickers, in her envelope received in the last exchange. I matched them with some of my hand made envelopes (bonus points for knowing what they are made from).

Envelope 658 sent to Cathy

Envelope 655 sent to Jean

Envelope 644 sent to Kathie

__________________________

Bonus link from the USPS Stamps website:

A master envelope letterer.

Jean and Jan's April exchange - received part 1

From Rehj. I *think* this was done on the computer - looks fantastic with the love ribbons stamp.

From Hester. This envelope is handmade from wallpaper - I love the Calder stamp, the asymmetry of  stamp placement and the vertical format.

From Me to You, from Cathy. I had skipped buying these stamps as I thought they weren't particularly inspiring - turns out all they needed was Cathy's artistic touch!

Janet sent me this fantastic cherry. Really beautiful colored pencil work. And this might be the first time I've received a water lilies stamp.

Vintage

Another Philatelic Catalog arrived featuring the vintage tulip stamp on the cover.

This one went to Julie S.

And another vintage rose, this one sent to Cathy O.