Autumn Enchantment Postcards

I have been feeling the Halloween spirit in my bones lately. I really enjoyed making these autumn postcards to mail out when October draws near. With the images I am proud to use from Moonlight Journey, these adorable postcards are a cinch to make. Thank you Becky for creating these 3-1/2" X 5" Post Office Regulation Size postcards. The colors are so rich and wonderful! Who would not want to receive these lovelies?

CREDITS: "AUTUMN ENCHANTMENT" AND "WITCH POSTCARDS" CREATED BY BECKY LOYALL OF WHYMSICAL MUSINGS AND MOONLIGHT JOURNEY.

Paris Art Tag

Two years ago this month, I stepped into the world of blogging. It started out as simply a means to stay more connected to two of my friends, Deb and Terri. Writing this blog has also helped me learn more about myself. It really can be a comfort on difficult days, when finding words and focus seem more challenging.

My blog has also provided a space for me to explore my desire to take better photos. I get so inspired by other blogs that seem to capture the simple moments of beauty, witnessing the quiet goings on in the world, and how I feel from these special times. When my creative spark may feel dim, I come to write on my blog. I choose to write about things that make me happy.

Thank you, everyone, who have enriched my life with your support, encouragement, shared stories, inspiring art, and treasured friendship. Blogging has definitely reminded me of how important each of us are, and how the simple sharing of our journeys can lift another along the way.

After a very long absence from one of my former swaps, I present my "Paris Art Tag." In exchange, I will be receiving 12 tags. Hopefully, finding new creative outlets, will expand my world just a little bit more!

CREDITS: BACKGROUND FROM PAPER WHIMSY, AND "PARIS BOOKCOVERS & BOOKMARK" COLLAGE SHEET FROM MOONLIGHT JOURNEY.

Art Mail Envelopes

Back in the 90's, I often used to make handmade envelopes. I find creating these envelopes very stimulating! They are unusual, fun, and amusing subjects often appear in your artwork. Even now, I like to use old calendars, larger magazines, thick-paged catalogs, and even use those scrapbook papers that come in those huge paper pads that are just sitting around with not-so-lovely designs.

Envelope milling is a great way to recycle something that otherwise would be tossed aside as trash, but with a keen imagination you can create something "environmentally friendly" and beautiful.

By giving yourself a stash of envelopes that you have carefully made, you will find so many ways and reasons to use them. Can you imagine mailing a letter to a friend in a special envelope that may even bring yourself to correspond the old-fashioned way?

These pink envelopes with note cards were on sale at our local craft store, but these amazing royalty free decorative borders were purchased at Angela Harris' inspirational YourAngil Etsy shop. I love visiting her beautiful blog and her tags are just too cool.

It will be fun to find an old magazine at a garage sale and know that the work of its photographers and illustrators will longer be destined for the trash can. Your envelopes will be enjoyed and admired by you and their lucky recipients.

I have three templates. A note card size, a personal letter size, and then a business letter size. A very useful book called "The Envelope Mill" by Haila Harvey introduced me to this obsession of creating art mail envelopes. I am not sure if it is out of print, but possibly you can find a copy from Amazon or Ebay. Or, just make your own template to plastic.

In her book, she lists more than 50 ways to use your hand-crafted envelopes, including a handmade stationery set, reminder notes, coupon keepers, bank statement holders, recipe mailers, and trading card keepers.

Great magazines to get you started could be Victoria (wish I never threw mine away now), Vanity Fair, Veranda, Vogue, Food & Wine, National Geographic and those gorgeous Neiman Marcus catalogs at Christmas. Once you start making envelopes, the number of subscriptions may suddenly increase! Plus, you may never have to actually buy an real envelope again!

I think it would be fabulous to make a stash of envelopes by making color copies of my favorite magazines. You may need to line the inside to make them sturdier though. I would suggest spray adhesive on two pieces of paper, press the sticky sides together, and then drawing the template design on the two-paper thickness.

With a little pre-planning, I would love to make envelopes from photos of places I have visited, and then mail them from a vacation spot from where I may be sitting! A picture is worth a thousand words, or even a thousand miles.

Have fun!!

Nancy