Neon brights to Janet

Well, this was supposed to be all bright and cheery, but it looks more Jamaican-themed instead.

Hand drawn altered foundational w/neon color pencils (tried matching stamp colors).

Backside (a bit of a fail). 😕

Diff. lighting.

 

2nd V-Day to Janet

Another handmade env. from specialty wrapping paper!

A bit delicate. Not liking what I did, and am still trying to figure out a way to design with the squares. I do, however, love lettering the address small w/in the boxes.

With insert I used from a leftover "failed" 100 Day Project piece.

Backside:

 

Kraft V-Day to Ming

First time sending to this exchanger.  Love how her name turned out!

Decorated this env. last year with my folded pen. B/c of the porous paper, the ink bled, but i touched up and added other elements.

Used pointed pen and india ink for her name. Added white & gold accents.

At first, I did the zip in white india ink, but didn't like how the numbers looked, so I made a design over it, and printed new ones below.

Back.

with insert

Used my pointed Pentel brush and flair pen, and although I love how the ink bleeds with water, it can get out of control!  (esp. when I touch up and repeat)

 

Thank You env. to b-i-l

A Thank you to Loren for his gift to our son for his b-day on the 16th!

Pentel brush pen. My "r" looks a bit funky, but overall, please with it.

 

"Love Stinks" to Leanne. :D 😆

I'm hoping Leanne appreciates this one, beings she has a good humor about her!

I actually created this a few years ago (lettered with my red Pentel pointed brush pen) and liked it at the time, but now, not-so-much.

Was trying to do fun, but non-traditional V-day wishes to her, and made the hearts all rainbow b/c of her love of the spectrum! (which is why I used the colorful Innovation stamp vs. the heart one as well.)

 

Non-Traditional Hearts to Jean

 I think I once read that Jean prefers or likes non-traditional colors for envelope themes. I try to keep that in mind when creating themed envelopes for her. (or maybe she just feels that way about Cmas. I should ask her sometime!)

So, for V-day, I decided to do this fun one. It's actually a re-purposed env., salvaged from Cmas this year (started to write a name in blue metallic brush ink, but didn't like it).

At first i was going to paste the black paper and hearts (below) over it and write the name above and address below, but then I got the idea to try and decorate over it, since it was such a small area. (Again, forgot to take a before pic!)

I just started doing hearts in blue (as that fit the letters already on it), then added neon colors and finally a 3d heart in the center. Then, I decided to use the black paper and hearts for a card! Thought it all came together wonderfully! (Got lucky with the stamp, as I wasn't sure which one to use at first!)

 

Valentine to Janet

I've been getting ready for V-Day (lots of ideas!) and here is mine to Janet this year.

I actually had this idea last year ("gold-ish" color wrapping paper), but I had addressed it to her home in Pleasant Hill, then she moved! So, I had to redo (which was ok, because I kinda wanted to anyway).

Used india ink and white gel pen accents.

Backside.

Insert

 

Magazine V-Day to Faye

I'm tiring a bit of my magazine env.'s, but this one was too fun not to use.

I made it last year and how perfect her address fit in and around the circle part (Is that the kisses or the hugs??)  😆  I love the x & o on the front and how it makes a face.

Used pointed pen for her name.

*also, little tip:  i had accidentally smeared (india) ink after doing her address, so I wiped up what i could, then decided to try some windex to see if it would wipe off and voila! It did! I just used a little bit on a Q-tip, so as not to saturated the paper. (I figured, if it works on pens, why not paper?)

You cab see it's an ad for Zoet chocolate. (Whatever that is. I never heard of it).

 

Valentines to Lina

I've had this store-bought heart card for a while and decided to send to Lina this year. (Lately, I've been passing on a lot of my stored goodies. Sharing the love!)

I hate that it's sideways in the clear envie, but I still made it work. I had the thought of lettering and addressing it the other way, but decided to be "nice" to the po. 😊

Used perm. markers for her name. Am kinda wishing I HAD done it the other way, and just added on extra postage, just for fun.

Outside the env.

I included a letter, but did this for fun on the inside.

 

V-Day to Shannon

This is a repurposed env. I had saved b/c I had written another name on it in italic marker, and at the time, I thought it turned out well. But now, i don't like as much, so I decided to do Shannon's name funky and paste over it.

I didn't mean for it to turn out THIS funky though! Was trying to get it to fit 1) to cover the name already on it and 2) to fit on the env. itself.

Hoping she won't know!

With insert

Backside

Close up of insert.

Party theme? Vday to Kate

Another old pre-printed envelope. Originally, I had this in my B-day env.'s file, but b/c of the hearts on it, decided to use for V-day.

Although I love how her name turned out, wishing I incorporated more of the design elements into her name somehow. Same with the insert below.

I'm so irked that it's bent. I asked Jean for advice and she suggested ironing it! (which is funny bc I was going to joke about that.) Had I not already put the insert in it, I would have tried it, but oh well. Sorry Kate!

 

Mail Art Call! (Book Love)

 The deadline for this has been extended yet once again for Mail Art Stories, SO I sent in yet another envelope.

This represents my gratitude to the availability of books (esp. Ebooks!) during the pandemic. It's been so convenient to check out ebooks when they're offered on Bridges (Overdrive), and/or hoopla. Plus, the libraries have made it easy to check out books as well (but the e-books are e-asier!  haha)

I'm also grateful I have that interest (even though I'm a slow reader).

Background script says: "Book lover; Kindle me happy!; So many books so little time, Keep Calm and Read On; I heart Books; Thank you to libraries." (covered by darn stamp) -- then starting to repeat except for near bottom where I added: "Sometimes the movie is better."

Abstract design to Heather (Jan PTEx)

 I did this design a few years ago, and decided to send to Heather this month for Jean's PTEx.

RW on blk env. w/white 3d puff paint. Added metallic watercolors.

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

Backside design. 

I also sent a matching insert, but forgot to take a pic. Grrr.

abstract alpha to Leanne

Leanne loves rainbows, so thought I'd do a folded pen overlapping alpha to her, with ROYGBIV colors, but my darn ink bled! (grrrr.)

Tried to write the "hi" in blue to go with the name ("abcedfg- hi leanne!...") but it looks too mixed in.  :/

In going through papers, came upon this little experimental piece and immediately thought of her (with all the rainbow colors). I rarely do rainbow colors, but this turned out rather nice! (tissue paper technique) Hope she likes.

And and extra one I sent her way for her b-day:

Not the best, but was in a hurry as I found out about her b-day late (in Dec. like me!)