13 "Little Wallets"

Once I got started making this Little Wallet pattern by Valori Wells, I couldn't stop.  I loved making them!  So much so that you could say I was obsessed with making them for four days.

 

 

More than a year ago, I was gifted a couple of these wallets by very dear blogger friends.  I've used them and I've loved them.  But I didn't want to make them until now.  And I thought I'd be lucky to just get through one.  Little did I know THIS would happen!  haha

 

I think there will probably be a few more too.  My title says there are 13 but you only see twelve.  I'm already using one.

 

So how many ways can these be used?

 

The usual:

Gift Cards

Credit Cards

Cash

 

And what else?

I keep condensed medical info handy on my family. 

You never know when you might need this info quick.

How about shopping info that's hard to memorize, like sizes, brands, favorite colors.

The annual Christmas shopping list will need to be handy soon.
Coupons
Small Notes Paper

 

What other ideas can we think of?

 

xxx

Annie

 



Recent Envelope Art

There's been a sad lull in the department of mailing envelope art.  That HAD to change!  The withdrawals are not a pretty sight.

 

Envelope Front

 

I sent it across the globe.  That's definitely NOT instant gratification.  More like hand wringing and worries if your baby will make the trip ok alone.

 

A bit dramatic you say?  Well, yes, but it's really a small piece of my being that I put on paper as a tangible connection to me that I trust the postal system to keep safe and deliver to my friends.

Envelope Back

 

The extremely few times that my mail art goes astray, I hope only that it finds it's way to a kindred spirit or just a kindly being who will enjoy it.

 

A good mail day to you,

xxx

Annie



Fractured Quilt

I had these bright, colorful fat quarters that needed to be a quilt for my daughter.

 

As soon as I made this Fractured Pillow design,

 

 

I knew I wanted to make a whole quilt with the design.  I didn't have colors enough to duplicate the design, so it took on a look of it's own.  That was close enough for me.

 

So I began laying out the 3.5" squares.

 

 

And pretty soon it was a flimsy.

 

And then quilting began.

 

Soon I was stitching the binding.

 

Before I knew it, I had a completed quilt.

 

With a very worthy orange backing.

 

Measuring in at 59" X 77".  A very nice throw quilt size I think.  My daughter approved the fabric stack in a hot second.  I hope she likes it made up.  (Of course she will!) 

 





 

 I really got a bug when I started this one and kept at it continually (when I had the time) and within 5 weeks it was a quilt.  That's the fastest I've gone start to finish on a quilt. I  have in mind two more quilts I want to make, so sewing is not done yet.

xxx
Annie



 



follow your dream

A new envelope has traveled through our kindly postal system, and safely arrived in the UK.

 

 

I very much can see my own progress with my mail art and am surprised and thrilled that it is going in a direction that I'm very much enjoying the process of.

 

When I have success with these envelopes where I swipe ink onto the envelope with a plastic card, it is pure luck.   l love the effect of this inking technique, but I have thrown away more than I save.   Throwing the envelopes away doesn't make me a very happy mail artists.  I think I'm going to have to leave this technique behind and work on other ways to get more successes than failures.  Always a good plan...right?

 

 

Happy Mail Day!

xx

Annie



Altered Jars

I gave my storage jars a simple Washi Tape makeover.  It's incredibly simple and fun to look at.

 

 

The green jar on the right holds a few of my sewing machine's presser feet.  Before I put on the Washi Tape, I swiped the glass with a green Staz-On ink pad.

 

I think I saw this done on a tin can, but I'm a clear glass jar girl.  The tape sticks wonderfully to the glass.

 

Happy recycling!

Annie

 



CAREFUL!

Don't fall off your chair.....

 

.....I'm sewing!
 

I'm making a new quilt...

 

 

 

I'm actually only still cutting and laying out, but I'll be sewing soon!

 

xxx

Annie



Some June Days

A few of my days in June went like this...

 

I could not be more pleased to have discovered printing on tracing paper.  I can add anything printed I want to this non-expanding journal without adding any measurable bulk.

 

I love the spray adhesive I use as well, because it leaves the pages flexible rather than stiff and warped.  That would be ... 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive, High Coverage, High Tack, Multipurpose.  (The can I have is rather old, but I'm pretty sure I have still seen it on the craft store shelves...at least I dearly hope so for when I want more.)

 

Happy Days,

Annie



New Mail Art

But is it fun or a slam?

 

I got this new Renaissance Girl stamp.  After stamping her a quick glance told me she looked bored.  (Probably because she lives in my boring life now. lol)  And since she was on an envelope, the phrase quickly came to mind.

 

I thought of several people I could mail this envelope to and began to decide which one.  Then it hit me that they might not see it as funny.  It could be taken as an insult to their life or where they live. 

 

So here it sits languishing among the envelopes I couldn't part with.  I love how it turned out and don't at all mind having it around.  Personally I would have died laughing finding it in my mail from someone.  But I've been reprimanded too many times for trying to be lighthearted and silly.  So here it sits because I just don't want to chance the possibility of insulting someone.

This next envelope, however, with no questionable wording, has gone on about its business of being mail art.

 

Tina was curious about this torn tracing paper technique, so I sent her a real life envelope altered that way.
 

A Good Mail Day to you!

xxx

Annie



Envelope Art and Journaling

Another torn tracing paper envelope that I can't part with.  But I did make another one to send out into the world. (Sending photocopies has left me feeling like a cheesy schmuck.  No more photocopied mail art!)

 

 

 

I tried to make the layout exact, (so that I wouldn't have to admit that I couldn't part with this one) but if the first stamping doesn't land in the right place, exact can't happen.  So it turned out to be a slight variation of this original.

 

And here are my most recent journal pages with bits of stamping art added to break up the boringness of my life.

 

 

Creative time is at a minimum around here.  But that's better than nil and I will take what I can get.

 

xxx

Annie

 



Mail Art

While every envelope begins as mail art with every intention of mailing it to someone, I sometimes can't let it go.  That only happens when I completely surprise myself with some art that I really love how it turns out.  I have to keep the piece around awhile to convince myself "I did that".

 

This is one of those times.

 

A couple of background stamps stamped on the envelope behind the man image.  A collage photocopied to tracing paper then torn in strips that are sized and spray glued to the envelope.  Ranger distress ink daubed over the design and framing where the address would go.

 

I can't part with this original right now, but I did make a photocopy to send to a stamping artist who is very inspiring for me.  She also appreciates the "men" stamps.

 

While I don't know if that particular original envelope will ever become real "mail" art, this next one did get mailed. 

 

 

This envelope was mailed to and inspired by a piece of mail art done by Miss Iowa.  I love so much of her art.  I hope she found it worthy.  You've already seen this butterfly lady on some other pieces of mine.  Those other pieces came about after this envelope was done.  I'm big on getting mileage out of an idea that I like. 

 

And, I've made only one Post-It pad cover between envelopes.  I really like this crazy collage stamp.  I imagine it will by creepy looking to some, but not to me.

 

 Have a wonderfully artsy craftsy time!

xx

Annie