HNY to Lina (monoline on green)

Not really diggin' this as I did it in a hurry for Lina.

I want to create beautiful env.'s this year.

Monoline with bullet tip Posca.

happiness is... whatever makes you happy! (as long as it doesn't hurt others)

HNY. (even though so far it's been sh*t).

 

Miro to Nele

Nele speaks several languages, and sometimes sends me pieces lettered in other languages, so this time, I thought I'd do the same (or try!)

I used the Joan Miro quote, "A simple line painted with the brush can lead to freedom and happiness." I then translated (via Google) to Spanish, and lettered with a B-6 nib, incorporating some of the shapes from his work (as well as an alphabet, inspired by the artist -- which I used for Nele's name too).

matching set.

back side

I wanted to do a whole artist theme for Nele, sending her mini env.'s based on the Calder paintings from my DC trip last year ( https://snailmailingmadness.blogspot.com/2024/09/more-dc-art.html ), but nothing was turning out, plus it would require more postage. So, I just sent this Rothko piece instead (which did not turn out. -- waaa.)

Hard to letter on watercolor. Sigh. 😖😞

Bday to Jessica

This is the last of my Midori envelopes I got from P&I a few years ago:

https://www.paperinkarts.com/86763006.html

I was going to do a circle print insert to match the env., but decided to just go with the lettering.

B-nib to match her name.

I sent her a 2nd one, just to spoil her! Very plain, but another "treat" inside (forgot to take pic, but just a b-day card).

Another Elf env.! (to my oldest at work)

I love sending to my son at his work. Hoping he gets this in time (I forgot about him taking time off!) and that he gets a good chuckle!

I got this idea for his name AFTER addressing.  😕 (using the serif as an elf foot)

Wish I had sent along with the other insert.

flip side!

I wanted to use this insert, but ended up using another (same saying though), as it was too flimsy.

Grinchy.

This is a copy of one i did last year (and can't bear to part with just yet: https://snailmailingmadness.blogspot.com/2023/12/day-19-grinch.html )

i added Max the dog, and then this insert:

Here it is addressed:

And on the flip side:

Love the tree, but the ornament is a bit of a fail (it's suppose to represent the scene with the lone ornament falling off the tree as he's stealing it. But I couldn't remember the color.)

and a close up of Max!

This is another I want to duplicate!

C'mas in July!

I get so many ideas at Christmas time, and never can use them all, so I end up doing Cmas in July! (I just hope the recipients are ok with it!)  😆

I decided to just group them all together vs. indiv. posts.

 

This is the backside of Juliana's. (Leave it to Buddy to get us excited for this holiday!) 🎄🎅

Did my good 'ole Rudolph one!

Insert I did for Lina

Saw this on Pinterest and tried to mimic.

Brush lettering (as I'm currently taking Julie W's pointed brush class).

Lina's env. I've had this in my Cmas file for a while, so finally decided to send.

back side.

To Amy.

Again, another I decorated a while ago, but decided to use. Made a tree to match.

LOVE this tree!

Gold callig marker, posca pen

Tree shape name & address for this one. (Bullet tip posca)

Backside. LOVE the watermelon tree!

So, I did for Shannon as well! And an env. to match (I've done this theme before: just search watermelon.)

Watercolor tree.

Insert I've always wanted to do. Used scraps of Cmas papers. (Too labor intensive though!)

more trees. These are trial ones, I put in a collage as an insert.

Crayola gel marker, then script lettering for the background. 3d paint dots.

Another gel marker with script lettering on top.

3d puff paint for the tree.

Another trial piece I did jff (just for fun!), which inspired the pp one on the top right of collage.

Embossed card 

Not happy with how Maggie's turned out, but at the same time, not bad either. It's mainly the G's I'm not liking. Thought I was pretty clever with the M fireplace! Wish I had done the E in a more curved fashion to resemble a candy cane better.

Did a word border for her letter: "Spread Joy". I wanted to add more color, but was afraid of ruining.

I'm way overdue sending an env. to Vanessa, so decided to include her! This env. is from my 25 Days of Festive env.'s I did last Cmas. (Die cut and 3d. B nib for name)

Geometric tree for Lynne. Inspired by Julie W's Funky Letters class.

Before (outline)

With Lynne's env. Tried to do her initial's to match.

And finally, a small handmade env. to Nava (w/in her other env.)

Sun to Nele

I created this last year for Nele, and decided to send to her in April b/c of the Solar Eclipse!

I only messed up her name just a bit, as I didn't like how I lettered it over the address (it was in pp). So, I redid, and pasted over it (hope it stayed on!) I painted in gold and used my paint shaper tool to do her name in semi-Neuland.

It went on a bit crooked though. 😒

For the name "rays", I used various tools and gouache:

italic, uncial, foundational, b-nib, pp, script, neuland, etc.

Close up of name -- had to touch up a bit.

Plus, I had to add more lines around it, as part of the old name was showing under. (THAT I don't like.)

With insert.

For the insert, I again used gouache, and my tiny italic nib. Then, for the sun part, I used pastels.

The rays are songs with Sun in the title:

Here Comes the Sun, the Beatles

You are my Sunshine, various

Let the Sunshine in, Hair musical

Good Day Sunshine, Beatles

Pocketful of Sunshine, Natasha Betingfield

Seasons in the Sun*

Walking on Sunshine, Katrina and the Waves

*So for this song, I went to look up who sang it (I know the Terry Jacks version) and when doing so, I came upon this:  

"Seasons in the Sun" is an English-language adaptation of the 1961 Belgian song "Le Moribond" ("The Dying Man") by singer-songwriter Jacques Brel^[2] with lyrics rewritten in 1963 by singer-poet Rod McKuen^[3] portraying a dying man's farewell to his loved ones. It became a worldwide hit in 1974 for singer Terry Jacks and became a Christmas number one in the UK in 1999 for Westlife.

I just found that a kinda fun fact (Belgian song) since Nele is in Belgium! 😊