Converted Exemplar, Env. to Janet

 This one comes from this exemplar I did last summer (see link to other blog:  https://lovemesomeart.blogspot.com/2019/06/more-color-paper.html )

Again, was going through papers and decided it would make a fun envelope.

Added color and sparkles to the white letters. (and again, the Celebration stamp is the best choice!)

Hope the heart sticker stays on!

With an insert (actually a mini card).

Before pic (I think I might have initially intended to send to Leanne, which is why her name is penciled in where the stamp goes).

On the original, you can barely see how some pink and teal ink got mixed in with the white (which I thought looked so cool), so I added colors to the letters on the env.

Dotted to Grace (Jan PTEx)

 I wasn't intentionally trying to match the stamp with this one, but it's just how it turned out.

I was blotting up extra ink with a Q-tip, and did my "signature" dots around her name, then decided to add to them, and voila! Kind of matched the stamp nearly perfectly.  :)

Pink to Nele

 I actually created this a few years ago, when I first started exchanging with Nele. I got so many ideas for her name that I had to start a "Nele" folder. 

Used bleach on astrobrights paper. Love how it shines, but hate how the N turned out (tail too long).

I got lucky with the stamp though! (I actually did this b/4 these pink ones were issued -- when I had to use the green ones. Which, is probably why I held off sending to her for so long!)

Also enclosed a "Happy 2021!" card to her, which I forgot to photograph.

Close up -- added some gem stickers. Hope they don't fall off!

Abstract Design to George (bday)

 

I love this env. & insert and although it was a bit hard to part with, I'm happy to give to someone for their bday. And although too big, I love how the stamp matches too.

Another for George.

When I first designed it, had no intention of making it into a bday theme, but I think it goes rather well! Used my ruling pen.

*Update:  Posted on Jean's blog, 5/31/2021

George Bday 2, Neon on brown craft

 I actually painted on this env. last year, and then, was planning to send to George, but I didn't like how I lettered his name & address. Came upon it this year for his b-day (in my Jean and George file) so decided to send.

Went over the name again to make darker, and added other embellishments. Not happy with the insert, but did in a hurry. (Keisel "7's" are hard to draw!)

Love the back side, as I forgot I painted this way! Very celebratory.

neon acrylic paints.

Heart card

Years ago (probably early 2000's), I purchase some handmade cards online from a site/artist called, "But is it Art?" by Treecia Myere.  She made some really cool cards.

I've tried looking her up online, but cannot find anything for these anymore. SO, I'm glad i was able to get the ones i did.

I love this one. So pretty. I've been holding onto it, as they're so hard to part with, but finally decided to send to my mil for her bday today.

I didn't do the env. to match (tried with the blue!), but she won't know/care. (She'll just be happy to get the card.)

This is a scan. Wish I would have taken a pic too. Esp. since I had to redo the card (my goofy youngest wrote something silly in it). Luckily, I was able to peel off the artwork and glue onto another card. And my emulation of Happy Birthday turned out rather well too!

This design could be easily applied to so many things, SO, I'm trying to recreate for some Vday cards & inserts:

Here is the env. Done with Crayola marker. Turned out rather fun! i LOVE how i did the name! (I struggle with M's)  

Crayola marker, white gel pen outline & glitter gel pen.

Whale's tail to Lina

 Much like the one I did for Nele in Aug. 2019:  https://snailmailingmadness.blogspot.com/2019/08/whale-tale-to-nele-pull-string-art.html

Pull- String art & Happy New Year card.

Forgot to take pic of back.

Bday to George 1 (Stripes)

 George's bday is Feb. 4, so I'm sending a few his way, as I love to letter his name.

Here is the first one:

Not sure what I was going for, but I did his first name in a funky "italic" (?) and gestural lettering for the last.

Tried to make the happy birthday the same, but kind of a fail.

New Year's postcard

So, this is a bit late, but I just had to send instead of waiting next year (sending to Jean). Was going through some papers, and came upon this cardstock sample of "confetti" paper. Not only fitting b/c of that, but the photo on the front!

Forgot to take a pic, but on the backside is a description of the confetti paper. I immediately thought of Jean b/c of all her paper knowledge. So fun.

Lettering with gold ink.

Diff. angle w/champagne, midnight clock, top hat and noisemaker. 

 

Cheers to Maggie!

One last New Year's card & env.

Walnut ink and metallic watercolors with gold writing over. Same design as Jean & Janet's: 

 https://snailmailingmadness.blogspot.com/2020/12/cheers-to-jean.html

Diff. lighting (to see metallics better). Before stamp.

With card. This one turned out better than Jean's (didn't bleed!)

"Graffiti" env.

Another sketchbook page i kept layering over. Pilot parallel pen practice -- say that three times fast!  :D  and blue Pentel brush pen.

Finished env.

Before adding name & stamp.

Back

Sketch book page. You can see a few phrases, words & letters:  Top -- "Oh what fun", and Middle Left -- "hello".

To the left you can see letters in a foundational hand:  abcedfgh, Then to the side, the brush lettering alpha.

I added neon colors and some 3d elements to it before making into the env.

 

New Year to Janet

 I had a leftover family card, so I thought I'd send to Janet, as I used a funny pic (of my goofy family!)

I also salvaged an env. where the lettering went awry. It's funny, b/c I got the idea to do diff. colored brush metallic markers (Zig), so I did with her name on black paper and cut & pasted over. Not too bad, esp. with the black stamp.

FUn Primary Colors

I did this for The Introverted Post, as they use to have a quarterly issue featuring snail mail. But I don't know what happened this year, as they're not active on IG anymore.  :(

I must say, I LOVE how this turned out. Love the design and primary colors and how I did the address & zip.

I also love the back! It looks so fun and celebratory. Need to keep this in mind for b-day env.'s

 

New Years to Janet and Lina

Tried something different:  Versals.

I use to love hand-drawn letters vs. actual lettering, but have since gotten away from that. However, am venturing more back into it, esp. with Versals.

Messed up my Z for Lina.  :/

Cannot remember which stamps I used (but I wanna say the new Innovations ones).

 

Did hello 2021 on the backs vs Happy New Year.

Cmas Postcards!

So I made this piece initially for our upstairs hallway (get it? Deck the Halls???  -- heehee), but it was the wrong size. I put it back in my pile of Cmas stuff, and when going through it this week, got the idea to convert it into postcards for thank yous!

Original piece, cut up.

They're just a tad smaller than postcard size (4.5 x 5.5) but will still work!

I added embellishments to the front, to try and disguise the lettering, and then fun borders and address lines on the backs.

Close Ups:

I love the swirl part on the left (looks like a fun, funky tree!), but I messed up when trying to cover up the s.  :/

The ink of my Flair pen smeared b/c of the paper (cheap wc).

Wooden circle painted gold.

More smearing.  Grrr.

Love how I was able to disguise the k. Added splatters too. (crimped gold paper for the square)

Abstract Design to Heather (Jan PTEx)

I had designed this env. a few years ago, and decided to send to Heather this month for PTEx.

RW on blk with white 3d puff paint. Metallic watercolors.

Not very good pics. (hard to get the right lighting with metallics)

Backside. I also did a matching insert as a Thank You, as Jean told me this was a military address (SO, I don't know if it's her or a family member, but always good to thank a vet!)

 

More Cmas Thank You's.

Re: Previous post -- this year, I had a few left over Cmas env.'s I created just for fun (that I thought I'd save and use next year) and I created cards to match for Thank You's and sent out!

I also created more for next year.

Decorated env. and card (Love how the card turned out, but the env., not-so-much).

Before pic, with gift tag to match (that I don't like).

Another of the same. Love how it turned out.

And another set, a bit different. Too much red on the env., but oh well. 

Cmas Thank You's

Every year I always want to create a bunch of these to have on-hand, ready to go, but each year, I don't make time. So, I had to quick make some, as i didn't want to send out store-bought ones, esp. since I have my own materials (and I love my homemade ones!)

used a Crayola marker for the name, and wc ink for the tree (thinking they'd match. :/ )

Wish I had scanned in the tree (or could get it back somehow!) as I love how it turned out.

this isn't Cmas themed, as I ran out of stamps. Not sure what stamped I used either, but I'm sure it matched a bit.

This is actually a store-bought thank you card that was plain (a cheap, 10 pack, I think), and I've been adding my own designs in the black space. 3d puff pain and metallic watercolors (looks so much prettier in-person).