French Hair and a Hat in Embroidery Thread - Diana Hale

I am the delighted recipient of something quite special from Diana Hale! Not only has Diana HAND SEWN my name and her name onto a piece of muslin, she has also stitched it around the sides to make an envelope and embroidered the bust of a vintage woman wearing the sort of hat that I'd like to own on the back. I believe that I am not meant to unstitch the envelope so am blogging as is.  If I am wrong and there is more between the stitches, I trust Diana will tell me.

My mother is visiting and her comment that you can't really appreciate the feel of the piece online, is spot on.  This is something to hold, to run your fingers over and to appreciate first hand.  Thank you Diana.  It is a gem and I am touched that you sent it to me!

To see more from Diana, visit her Philpott Lake project blog: 

http://philpottlakeproject.tumblr.com

Greek Christmas Mail!

This Christmas mailing from Katerina in Greece reminds me of her El Greco chapter for Cheryl Penn and De Villo Sloan's collaborative book a bunch of us took part some years ago.  Like Katerina, I like that strong blue and the white gives it both an ethereal and a snow scene feel.  I particularly like to see Katerina smiling back in her artistamp!  Glad to be on Katerina's Christmas mailing list. Thank you!

Tree love from Diana Hale

This beautiful cascading tree tryptic arrived from Diana Hale.  It fills me full of hope for 2017.  Thanks, Diana!

Trashpo and stuck stickers from the dude

Shenanigans on the front of the sitcker dude's mailing encourage me to open this fat pink envelope! Joel's smiling face is juxtaposed to the sour faces flanking the roller skater and the fab foursome off to see the wizard. And Joel is hob knobbing with an odd mix of characters… Nixon, Batman, Smokey and more. 

Joel has put something a little different in this mailing.  He has put stickers on some recycled card to make interesting arrangements, comentary on the state of affairs: clowns waving an American flag popping up like pop tarts while the audience looks on.  What else can you see?

To complement the visual poetry is this poem of despair by Joel with an alarming illustration by Thomas Kerr.  What a world we inhabit!

Thanks Joel and your Banana Rag is on its way!

I'd walk over seismic ground for a view of that asemic upholstery

I can't understand how David did this but that's not the point.  It is just so cool!  Clearly we need some of this in the Elgin mansion, in all vehicles.  And David's right, the price is right! 

She looks like she might send a man teetering on the edge of some impossible feat.  BEWARE mr top hap, she's trouble but if she has the key to that asemic coach, walk carefully because you wouldn't want to miss stroking the upholstery.  And while you're at it, tennis anyone.  Or take me to the flapper dance!

A riot of mail artand warm and friendly greetings from Cascadia Artpost

Enjoy perusing the colourful mail art Jack has curated on his pages in a salute to creativity in 2016 and a wish for the future in 2017. Jack has received lots of exciting mail art.  That reminds me, I should send him something.  With any luck I'll get something off before Hogmanay! 

Don't miss Jack's beautiful artistamps! 

The Last Banana Rag

As I write this blog I am aware that what I'm doing may not be Anna's favourite form of communication, but I also know that if I send other people's mail art into FB and at IUOMA then although I have a hard copy they get to see it too. I will of course send a physical piece of mail art to Anna soon.

This Last Banana Rag is a cracker! I read it cover to cover, and hope you will too. Its seems bizarre think that this is the final pale yellow zine mailing from Canada, but of course I can understand that Anna needs to move on.  The loft of my studio is quite heavy with mail art and it will only be a tiny fraction of what Anna has! Huge thanks and I'll be looking forward to Anna's new/next project.

Postal Protesting with Jon Foster

 It doesn't happen often, but this time I opened Jon's envelope and began altering its contents before I had scanned the original!  I feel awful.  I rarely post my own mail art at the postal ledger, but in this case I will, because otherwise you will miss the key bit of this mailing from Jon, a Trump protest postcard to do what I like with.

Yes, I'd happily cover him in stinging insects. 

My current thing is to take a series of stamps and doodle them into a story about Trump and bottoms. You may be shocked, but this guy has unlocked something base in all of us.  I am certainly going to use it on him. 

I might even win the bad poetry prize!

Touched by DKult mail art

I love these simple Dkult stickers and I am touched that they arrived in the big fat envelope about a week ago from Diane. I feel the good vibe of mail art friendship all the way from Elgin.

Diane has been making fabric and this blessing as well as the Egyptian symbols  will come in handy when I finally make my prayer flag… How did she know? Or perhaps they will become part of a collab book…  Oh mail art, you inspire me! 

I notice there is proliferation of stamps at the moment.  I suspect it is part of the soft protest movement in the face of our recent election upsets. Although the white version is fab, I prefer the violet, I will find it difficult to share these!

 Diane knows I LOVE her dyed paper and again I think I will make a teeny DK/RG book.  These would be perfect endpieces.  Carina, should I send it to you?

 Dkult is about optimism, for me, and what better than an outing to the forest to frolic with the hobbits? But lest we forget that we are joined to this insane world, I have a
practical add and pass of the most urgent nature.

And then, it's back to the doodles.  I have been doodling up a storm lately.  I find when I have had a particulalry busy period that I need to distance myself from the  'serious' or purposeful play of art making by making mail art. Doodles have been my go to re-entry form this time.  So, I guess it's time to dig up all those unfinished doodle pages (these are chock- a- block full) and make some new DKult Doodle therapy bookies.  Who wants to take part?