Finding Oz

An entry for Eva's Oz Postcard mail art call. Picked up in 2015, mailed in 2018, blogged in 2019.

Devil boys from beyond

It is turning into a mini-run of space-themed blog posts.

Here's on I sent to Eric some time ago for his  2018 scifi mail art call, based on a flyer for a play which I didn't manage to see, unfortunately.

Against War

This came from Reiner L. If you look closely, those small fish are also made out of money.

It is a call for mail art on the theme 'Against War'. 

The clowns are here!

I know some people have a dreaded fear of clowns. If that's you I am sure you didn't participate in the clown mail art call. 

This excellent documentation of the Cascadia Clown Parade arrived in time for Halloween in this envelope - I love the artistamps.

And some selected pages

The Sun - a mail art call from Philippe Charron

While yesterday's solar eclipse visible in North America is on everyone's minds, I am very happy to announce that Philippe Charron is hosting his first mail art call.

I am sure you have seen his amazing envelopes on my and Eric's blogs.

Here are the details:

Theme: Send me your sun, and you will receive mine.

Size and thechniques are free.

No deadline.

Send your contribution to :

Philippe Charron

5 Impasse de la pierrière

17220 Bourgneuf

France

Don't hesitate to spread the news so that Philippe receives lots of sunshine!

Here is the latest clever and beautiful envelope Philippe sent to me:

A bonus sun picture from yesterday's eclipse...

Squirrels and dust bunnies

Squirrel mail for Connie Jean.

Dust bunny mail for Michael.

Snow for Sunday Stamps

This week's theme for Sunday Stamps is weather... this stamp is not specific to weather, but does show some snow.

A wintry Lowenberg Castle that arrived as part of Big Mail Monday...

This last stamp came on an envelope from Michael, containing a piece of his art and announcing his mail art call for dust bunnies!

Year of the Monkey

I know, I know, it's the Year of the Rooster, or as I like to call it, Year of the Chicken.

In 2016/17 I ran a mail art call for Year of the Monkey because I myself am a monkey.

You can see the wonderful contributions on the Year of the Monkey Mail Art blog.

As my good friend Eva wrote to me, 'Now you will always be getting monkeys'. I only half believed her, but I think she is right. (Another friend, Heleen, told me that Eva should always be believed - I'm finally on board, Heleen!) And thanks to Eva for helping me decide what Y is for.

Here's the evidence - a monkey on an envelope from Elena.

Is there something your friends/family associate you with, even though you feel you have moved beyond it?

Also, should I have another call for Year of the Earth Monkey in 2028?

Mail art call Irises

Irises on the outside...

...and inside.

For the Hotel 'Iris' mail art call.

Mail art call celebrating 500 years of Royal Mail

stripygoose and Positively Postal hosted a mail art call 'Make the Most of the Post' to celebrate Royal Mail's amazing milestone.

The USPS planets and Pluto minisheet gave me inspiration to send all 10 stamps on three envelopes:

I stood in line to get them hand cancelled (to try and avoid ugly black lines all over the stamps) and the clerk asked me where the stamps were - seriously! Perhaps he had not seen any of the new stamps yet.

Update: here they are side by side, so the intended message is easier to read (click to enlarge).

Eric Mondays - part 2

It's Eric Monday!

The next four items I sent Eric were cut from this larger piece I printed on card and transparency. This tends to give it more of a 3D effect in person.

They were sent in envelopes from my homemade series, one of which was for the January exchange.

This is envelope 366 - 2016 has the same number of days, if you are looking for a connection to the theme of Eric turning 50.

Envelope 408.

Envelope 250. I was surprised that all of my envelopes numbered X50 have been sent, except this one. I tried to match the tones on the envelope with the stamp selection

Happy 50th Birthday, Eric!

Since I rediscovered mail art, Eric has become one of my favorite people to exchange envelopes and letters with. 

He has a call for the whole of 2016 dedicated to his turning 50, and I decided to send him several items. I'm going to start blogging them here on 'Eric Mondays'.

This is the first item:

I sent this in envelope 583, a replacement reindeer for the one that went missing last year.

Happy birthday, Eric!

Year of the Monkey Mail Art Call

I have a mail art call for the Year of the Monkey, until 27 January 2017. 

The blog of received pieces is here.

This year's USPS Lunar New Year stamp celebrating the Monkey features bright red peonies.

Usually I like to use stamps for contrast, or theme, but this time I thought they looked great on a purple envelope, which makes the red and gold stand out.

WTF is a bocksbeutel part 2

Thanks to jean's reminder, I did finally get my bocksbeutel mail art sent off.

Cartoon mail art call

Roberto Bergamo at IUOMA has a cartoon mail art call.

This is what I sent him. Creatures are drawn by Dale J, text by me (based on a real conversation I overheard in a department store!)

Sent in envelope 706.

WTF is a Bocksbeutel?

Roland has a new mail art call - the theme is Bocksbeutel. The card announcing the call made me laugh.

Details and received submissions are here.

Roland always does an amazing job of documenting his mail art calls - this one is no exception with cool artistamps and a catalog planned at the end. Deadline is 31 Dec 2015.

There's no place like (a) home

For Eva's Oz project, a show with two acts.

There's no place like... an old folks' home.

From Richard B

Richard always sends beautiful work.

This one is even more interesting in that the stamps are on the back. I don't think that USPS would approve of this at all - so thanks to La Poste for playing along.

And this is what I sent back - a response to Richard's mail art call Fiat Lux, and he specifically requested that art, address and stamps be on the same side.

Privacy is the Next Revolution

I entered this postcard for a mail art call run by liketelevisionsnow.

Envelopes 430 & 697 - bicycle series part 2

A delayed series, but a series nonetheless.

To review: in September 2013 I sent this one to Jean. She blogged its arrival here.

Last month I sent the next two in the series to Mim, who has a mail art call on bicycles because the UCI Road World Championships is coming to her home town September 19-27.

She's hoping for a lot of mail to display in two locations where spectators can see her exhibit. Apparently over 400 000 visitors are expected during this time.

Here's what I sent her.

Envelope 430

And envelope 697

There's one stamp left, stay tuned in 2017 for that one.