Advent - Paper (Source) Bags

I enjoy sending mail art using items not intended as envelopes. Good, sturdy paper bags are great for this. Paper Source bags seem to be held in high regard by readers of the blog. 

I practiced by wrought iron writing on a bag I sent to Hester and she reciprocated with a great bag from a cookware store. I also sent Eric one as part of Jean & Jan's December 2015 envelope exchange. He sent me one from his local grocer.

Quite a few other bags have been sent and received this year:

Target pharmacy bag to Keith.

Ann Sather bag to Martha. Jean also sent me my second airline waste bag... also know as a sick bag :)

Envelope exchange from Alyce, plus bonus envelopes

This came from Alyce. Color pencil added to some of the letters and loops is so effective in the right hands, i.e. Alyce and Jean. I doubt I could pull this off even half as well.

When I turned it over to open it, this line was mysteriously written on the back.

And inside was, as advertised, the exchange envelope.

Turns out the post office had delivered it straight back to Alyce - I guess the sorting machine must have read the return address on the back, even though the zip is larger and clearer on the front.

As a thanks for the bonus envelope, I sent Alyce #279, another one from an old Rothko calendar.

I even brought myself to part with the second of my sheet of Earthscape stamps.

Simple address.

Envelope exchange from Carol

Carol sent me this clever envelope - great use of the lighthouse stamp.

She also let me know that the vertical Charley Harper calendar envelope I sent arrived just fine - thanks, USPS!

Envelope exchange 2014: from Jean

Jean sent me this minimalist envelope. I think the fern stamps are excellent. You don't see them much, as they are used on mass mailings unless you order them from USPS directly.

And there was a bonus envelope inside. I am a big fan of Warhol; this was perfect. And it's a bird on head.

At first I thought the minimalist envelope was for the exchange... then the *real* exchange envelope arrived.

Envelope exchange 2014: from Cathy O

One of the things I love about Jean & Jan's envelope exchange is the wide variety in artful envelopes I receive.

This cool one is from Cathy. She covered up blue and red color pencil with black crayon, then carved my name out!

Thank you.

Envelope exchange 2014: from Chuck M

I love the graphic design of this envelope. I *think* Chuck drew all the small lines on the border - I would never have the patience for that - great effect. Thank you.

Envelope exchange 2014: from Chuck K

Chuck addressed this envelope on the back.

And reserved the front for this great zentangle.

Envelope exchange 2014: from Marti S

Fun envelope from Marti in the exchange. I like the way she wrote the letter s in South and Street. Great stamp, too.

Bonus update - even more Halloween!

Owls from Christy R in the envelope exchange. This envelope is amazing. The way the lines are done to outline a moon is fantastic, and a great choice in vintage stamps to accompany it.

I didn't want to open it, as the design continued on the back, but there was something inside...

...a great bonus Halloween poem.

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And an outstanding bonus Halloween envelope from Hester. Dark and brooding, with Monster stamps.

There's even a great Romanian spider stamp used as a seal on the back (and a post office barcode in orange - does this help solve the mystery of Adrienne's triple barcoded card, or just add to the puzzle?)

Inside, another fantastic bat.

And even better, a creepy Halloween story.

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And speaking of creepy, here's what Julie S sent me...all the elements work well, and the vintage stamps are fantastic.

The back has a brilliant chalk body outline, and I love the fact that the return address is on a tombstone.

Inside was a bonus postcard - I don't think I can part with it. Also, Julie included a signature Laboratory note. The smiling skull on the poison label is a hoot.

Envelope exchange 2014: from Hester

Fantastic bat and stamp variety from Hester. 

Halloween is coming...

Envelope exchange 2014: #298 to Eric B

Great to see Eric's name on the exchange list.

This manatee made me think of him for some reason. The scanner made it a lot darker than it is in person.

The colors made me immediately choose the global stamp from 2013. This is my second last one, and this stamp is now sold out.

Eric often sends envelopes with white writing on them, and with the white from the stamp (plus a bit on the envelope) I thought I would send my first white address to him.

Envelope exchange 2014: to and from Mary Katherine

Another Japanese block print. Sadly I didn't keep the artists' names from this set of calendar envelopes.

I almost went with another bonsai stamp. This last choreographer stamp was lying out (having used one on the Rothko envelope to Chuck K). I had regretted buying the choreographer stamps as I really thought they weren't all that well-designed - they don't seem to evoke movement at all. After this exchange, I think they just need a perfect backdrop to shine.

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Mary Katherine sent this great envelope inspired by the boats on the envelope I sent her.

She also pointed out that the choreographer on the stamp shares her name - something I didn't even notice when I sent it. 

Mary Katherine's handwriting is amazing - it is tiny and perfect - I thought it was computer printed at first.

(And I had no idea the Civil War stamps were so large)

Adding to the nautical theme, she included this neat dollar bill origami sailboat.

I sent a thank you on a postcard pre-stamped with the same theme.

Envelope exchange 2014: #335 to Marti

Japanese block print.

Bonsai stamped.

The back.

Envelope exchange 2014 / bonus faces: from Jan H

Jan sent this mixed media portrait envelope. I think it fits in the exchange window, although she referenced september's 29 faces. This definitely stood out from the rest of the day's mail!

The envelope itself is one of those with a thread closure, like an internal office envelope. I've seen these on design sites, and the effect is great. I bet the post office doesn't love them all that much. The sparkling splatter effect on the back looks much better in person.

Much more fun to open than an ordinary envelope, and inside was another face - Mr Dick Tracy on a postcard. I don't know where Jan found this, or if she's been hanging onto it since 1995, as it is in pristine condition.

Envelope exchange 2014: #278 to Elena

Rothko

Marin and Elena on Rothko

The back

Envelope exchange 2014: from Eric

Eric sent me his signature frogs mischievously exploring my name.

There is a great faux stamp on the back, and a mysterious card inside. More on the card in a future entry.

Envelope exchange 2014: #266 to Alyce

Eastern Kingbirds by Charley Harper.

Accompanied with a paper cut heart stamp.

The back.