Mail Art Traders

Traders for mail art group ATC IO group. These are based on a prompt or a 'call'. Participants then create and mail to designated partners. 

Closed view

Pull tag out of drawer

doors  open

Closeup of dress inside

Back of tag

Secret swap where one or two elements are mailed to participants who then  put together a card using the elements as well as their own supplies. 

Elements for these cards was the daffodil yellow paper ribbon and the roses paper ribbon

Anything goes swap card

Anything goes ATC swap

Art card postage stamp and  anything goes 

Thank you CSM for publishing our sweet Fae girl layout in your Fall 2024 edition.

This layout is entirely fussy cut out of G45 paper and pop dotted to add dimension. 

Thank You Creative Scrapbooker Magazine

Love my Sweet Granddaughter! 

Creative Scrapbookers     Submission call for circles 'Winter 2023' Issue

 I am very pleased with my 'Littlest Mermaid' layout!

It took me a long time to configure the pipes how I wanted them in a continuous circuit. A lot of move and turn. NOTE: I always do the dry fit first. When I finally figured it out. I took a photo so I could do the background, then recreate it. 

Background paper 100% hand done with alcohol inks on Ranger Glossy paper. I used different size glasses. Shot glasses, caps, tiny splats. NOTE: Pour your ink down the side of the glass, then gently twist it and remove.

The water beads actually move on their string. I used as stretchy beading elastic. This is the inside view of the framework. I had to reinforce the edges with punched chipboard layers so the string would not pull through and ruin the photo. The layers allow the beads to move freely.

This is how I attached the string on the back so they couldn't move once they were pulled tight. Just a twisted paper clip really. Then secured with heavy duty packing tape. Added another matt over to hide the inner workings. 

Counting Crows

As soon as I saw Crows and Flowers paper from Simply Stated Design, I knew I wanted to make a mixed media art journal. The poem is based on a very old English rhyme passed down through the ages. Author  unknown.

Each page has a tag, several tuck spots as well as a pullout for photos and journaling. The wax seal lined paper pulls out of the pocket as well. 

Each page is secured to a pre-made spine. Cover has magnetic closure and is completely reinforced with heavy chipboard. 

ONE FOR SORROW

TWO FOR JOY

THREE FOR A GIRL

FOUR FOR A BOY

SIX FOR SILVER

SIX IS FOR GOLD

SEVEN FOR A SECRET NEVER TO BE TOLD

EIGHT FOR A PROMISE

NINE IS FORSWORN

TEN FOR A TREASURE

 HIDDEN 'NEATH A THORN

ECO Prints Experimenting

This is my first try at Eco dyeing.  I gathered scraps of cotton, linen, and silk. I had to do a fair amount of searching to learn about mordant's and tannins. I had to use tea for the tannin. Regular tea and pomegranate tea. The mordant was introduced with alum. 

First treat the fabric. I washed it several times in hot water. 

Then treated it with Alum.

Next comes the overnight hot tea bath. I did not boil them in the tea. 

The fresh leaves and flowers from my lawn and garden were also treated to an overnight soak in a vinegar bath.

I layered them between plastic wrap so they wouldn't all mush together. 

Get ready to assemble. WEAR DISPOSEABLE GLOVES .  I learned this the hard way. I had read to wear gloves. It was hinted that their was a chance of dangerous chemical reaction. Because I have had my hands in a lot of possibly hazardous situations and I did not have the iron concentrate that was called for. I opted out of using the gloves.  HUGE MISTAKE- My hands turned very dark black and no amount of cleaning would get it off . Then I had to go to my granddaughters graduation, looking like I just came from a tar pit. It took a solid 2 weeks to leave my skin and nails.

Now time for the layering and commencing of the rolls. I worked outside. It is messy.

General sample of placement and a scrap of rusty tin.

While I am at it why not layer in some paper to see what will happen. NOTE: Paper is also treated with an alum bath. 

Then all is rolled as tight as I can get it around the dowels etc.

Here they are pre boil, all nicely tied and soaked in the tea/alum solution. 

Placed them over a large water filled roaster on a vegetable BBQ rack. The roaster was large. I covered it all with tinfoil and kept it steaming on the BBQ for close to  4 hours. 

Fun to see the colors change the longer they steam.

I left them to air dry outside for 3 days.

Now for the unrolling. Love how the string left texture lines. 

COTTON

Some of the leaves did not transfer at all.

SILK

COTTON placemats and PAPER -paper yes, cotton not so much.

SILK reveal above

THE PAPER THAT WAS LAYERED BETWEEN 

VERY OLD TATTY COTTON

FOLDED AREOUND THE TIN

MAPLE PODS

Very faint green smudges from the ferns. those did not work well.

The darkest prints were from the last minute Pansy addition. I picked them right off the plants. I didn't give them the overnight treatment. They were almost a purple black color. After the process they printed a marvelous shade of indigo. I thin I am going to try doing some more just with the pansies. 

The silk transfers above and below, are hands down my favorite. So moving forward, I would do silk and very old cotton for printing on. 

Some close ups

These ones made it all worth the effort.  Love them. 

Old cottons

I would do this again for sure. I think I may even try to dye over the ones that didn't turn out so well.