A penchant for old tickets and stubs

So here I am in a beautiful place having walked for hours, had food cooked for me by our gourmet son feeling relaxed and replete. I have prescanned mail art that I haven't managed to blog in a very timely fashion and as I look carefully at it I realise, with disappointment that I am I in trouble… not only am I far from my old ticket stubs and coupons, I am late in responding, so probably have already missed out on the Cascadia Artpost's amazing offer!

I'm gonna have to gird my loins and meditate during tomorrow's walk and then 5 hour car ride back to the land of mail art coupons, sprouting seeds and artistamps.  I'm gonna have to wait and will live in hope! Disappointingly the Keswick Pencil Museum doesn't give coupons or tickets, so the trip has not reaped any new fodder.

Fromages, un verre de vin rouge - Ces't la vie

 Dave's been doodling (on collaged pages) in Bordeaux (and Paris?) while eating cheese and drinking red wine, creating an intimate glimpse of the good life.  

This good life makes me hanker for the mystery of foreign streets, the sun that seems to shine down alleys with tables full of people soaking up the culture and sharing drinks and conversation, a vacation!

and then again, I almost feel like I was there, so half way there to being part of the cafe set. As ever a wonderful missive from DTR!

It's a Waning moon tomorrow and I've got seeds to sow!

It's that spine-tingling time of year when we go to the potting shed and sprinkle seeds into soil and wait for magic to happen. Not only have I been ridiculously otherwise occupied, it has been rain-rain-rain.  Tomorrow is supposed to be a fair day and it's a waning moon.  The stars are aligned and the seeds will be buried! If anything as gorgeous as Cascadia's flower stamps appear I will be over-the-moon. 

 This year's' mailing is even more comprehensive than before. Some of the perrenials do well in our clay soil, others may struggle.  I have failed at Penstemon time and time again.  Perhaps 2018 will be the year that Nayland Farm delivers. I promise to try and send some photos this year and I have a mail art idea that I hope I can find time to execute.  I am so grateful!

Beneficiary of an NBS splurge purge

Whoop whoop.  I have had this gorgeous NBS envelope in my letter clam next to my computer for about a week! I apologise for the state of the 'G' in my name… our daughter suggested that I put blue tac over my camera so I did.  Then my computer got stuck together when I closed it and once I remembered why, I removed the blue tac and placed it by my computer.  Next, somehow, Nancy's envelope adhered to the blue tac and that BEAUTIFUL 'G' came away when it peeled it off.  Honestly, who wants to watch a 57 year old mail artist any way? 

Make sure you look at those stamps closely! It's a mini 2-scrap! or maybe the envelope is a three-scrap when you take into consideration the sideways-cropped-plural-stamp too. Also, love that strap line, 'don't get even get odd.' If you ever look at my other non-mail art blog https://virtualdrawinggroup.blogspot.co.uk you would see that I had a disappointing day today and my response was to draw, but I'm sure what Nancy says applies too!

I am always arrested by a NBS sandwich of work. The colour green with some asemic painting peeking out is so enticing.  On the other side of the green is a message from Nancy.  She tells me she is splurging or purging and it sounds like she's enjoying what she's making. 

Nancy's mixture of colour and text is unique and arresting. She makes a piece of wax paper look regal and unkempt all at the same time.

Consent, Nancy Bell Scott, 2018

This altered book page collage is 16 x 10 cm.  It is thicker than you think with a fat belly of stacked paper, topped by Macbeth.  The words 'servant' as well as 'ourt ?, o-night, attend his leisure, had, all's spent,' appear seamlessly with a stave and other recogniseable marks and letters.  Asemics frame this and create an NBS composition that reminds me of a door. I love it!

And as if that weren't enough, there are other treasures to unwrap: three three-scrappers that take my breath away.  (see if you can match fronts and backs.  I've mixed tham up a little…)

And finally, below are three 'ink minimals' - dancing across the page! the page makes interesting reading too and that title TYPEE, (a peep at Polynesian Life) is something a lover of language savours and repeats and must not be incidental. 

What a WONDERFUL mailing.  Thank you so much, Nancy!

Suggestions for improving the planet

Love the portraits and researching Thomas Paine, discovered that he was born in Thetford, not far from me here in England. In these envelope images I see a conflicted world trying to assert itself in a time of trouble.  Funny that. Well Sticker Dude has a few solutions / or actions to improve the status quo… send them to 'art schul' where all religions make a great motif.

and in that postscript I see I have a kindred spirit.  Be buffeted, you might as well, life has some surprises up its sleeve so 'knowing' may not help. 

I guess this is something to do with guns and I'm thinking it's sugesting images rather than force?

 This ATC has some amazing suggestions / instructions… Who knew! DISCLAIMER, I am not suggesting you put a hat in your ear - that would be silly!

I wish I could hear Sticker Dude sing one of his songs… I've never been to an open mic and certainly never sang at one.  No risk of singing like a gorilla though.  I hate Baloney!

 And wat if we cold print everything.  They say it's coming.  What would you print first?

 TROUBLING TIMES.

 Enjoy this Double Earthday Birthday celebration with the Sticker dude and Jocelyn MacKenzi on April 21st.  Look carefully at the flyer for details!

What a packed envelope and thank you, again, Joel, for reminding us and leading by example that we all should be doing something to change the way things seem to be going in a humorous, audible and visual way!

Neil Gordon doodles too!

Great news! Neil Gordon's doodles have arrived! Neil has also included some tucker fan club paraphernalia and a hilarious clipping that will definately come in handy in future mailings!  Big thanks Neil.  DKult Doodle stuff coming soon!