Envelope Watercolors...Autumn

The air is cold and crisp.  The trees are losing their leaves faster than I can rake them up, and I find myself drinking hot tea by the gallons... It's time to get out the paints and start dabbling away.  First, I must caution you.  I am a complete amateur, I really don't know what I am doing...but hey!  Watercolor is a friend to all.  I must warn you also, that trying to do any blending on regular paper is next to impossible.  If you try your hand at watercolor (and I completely urge you to do so...) you might find yourself a bit frustrated because if you work on anything but watercolor  paper you will have a big puddle of wavy paper.  So, this is about the best I could do with the paper envelopes I had.  I did find a link to watercolor envelopes, but they were outside of my budget for now.  If anyone wants to go in halvsies let me know!  :-)  

Here is one going out to Sheryl!  The nice thing about pumpkins...they are so naturally irregular that they are very forgiving to budding artists. :) I love the postage on this letter!

 

 

 This particular study.... I'm pretty sure that I overworked it a bit.  Ah...there is always next time!

I love this sweet little watercolor birdie with its cauliflower bloom  on it's breast!  haha.  Oh the joys of watercolor!  I think that the postage on the birdie envelope is my favorite!

Here is some of my top pics of  washi tape that I am using right now on outgoing snailmail!

 

 I do almost all of my work at my desk.  It's not usually so neat and clean, I think I dumped everything onto the floor for this picture  so you wouldn't see how messy I really am.  

Well, I think that wraps up the autumn themed snail mail that I sent out this week.   What are you sending out?

Happy Snail Mailing,

Pam

P.S.

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What's Happening In My Mailbox!

The Goings On of a Snail Mailer

I received this letter  recently and noticed that there were not cancellation marks on the stamp.

A young friend of mine made this  gorgeous origami flower with a jewel center--it arrived in perfect condition.  I think that it was saved from going through the machines and someone lovingly directed it to me.  OK...I like to think that, but hey--maybe!  Anyways, thank you, USPS for a job well done!

Some Great mail that needs my attention.

I love this New York Stamp, and look at that great 2 cent stamp with the light house. I love the art of postal arrangement, I'm still learning about it.  Some people just have a knack for it...I need to work at it.  I guess it starts with a wide assortment of postage stamps at the ready.  Do you work at making a beautiful arrangement of stamps on your letters? 

This sweet letter came from Spain!  I loved the fruit slice garland and the package of goodies.  Really cheerful  mail.  Now all I need is some quiet time  so that I can get busy  and write some letters.  What about you?  Are you behind on letter writing or on top of things?  

The craftier, the better!

Happy Snailmailing,

Pam

I Spy A Stamp!

Do You?

My daughter and I were recently in a craft store.  She wanted to buy some scrapbooking paper, and I was busy elsewhere.  She found this paper and immediately knew that I would love it.  And I did.

Unfortunately, it was a rather small piece of scrap booking paper.  I guess 8 1/2 X 11.  Too small to make envelopes.  Boo.

The next best thing that I could come up with was to just cover the front of a purchased envelope.  I was able to get two and have some scraps left over.  Don't ever throw away scraps!

Haha.  Do you spy the "real" stamp?

The Craftier, the Better--

Happy Snail Mailing

Pam

Vintage Unused Stamps

Edelweiss Post

Do you like interesting stamps?  I do and I especially  have a hankering for older stamps!  Edelweiss Post (Etsy) is a great place to purchase  interesting unused stamps .   I went ahead and placed a small order...here is what I received in the mail.   I love everything about the front of this envelope...the stamps, the rubber stamp markings, and the beautiful calligraphy!

The back side didn't disappoint either.

Isn't it clever to use an old book page (in German, of course) and pen a bit of a note?  How personable...great customer service!

And here is my tiny order...aren't the stamps lovely?  "Letters Lift Spirits".   I couldn't have said it better myself.  Thank you Edelweiss Post for making my tiny order so special!

Write letters,

Write Often.

Lady Pamela

Stamp Love.... Farmers Markets

I'm loving these!

I might have to go out and get  some more of these.  I'm a country girl at heart...and I live in the country, so these are a hit with me! They make me want to open a booth at our local farmer's market.  Hmmm....what could I sell?  A crop of letters?   

Way to go, USPS.  Keep  making  such cool stamps.

Write Letters,
Write Often.

Lady Pamela

Stationery Scandals: Vintage Postal Theme

Vintage Postal Theme

Here is some more of my creations for stationery.  I recently visited our RVA stamp store...and what a visit I had!  I will have to share in a later post about my finds.  But among other things I was able to pick up some bulk vintage stamps (already off the envelopes), very convenient for craft purposes.    So it's time to get out your snail mail tools and get to work!  I collect a lot of vintage postal ephemera , so while looking over these and my vintage postal washi tape, I decided that would be my design theme.  The paper, also is a cream color instead of a white.  Do you have some old cancelled stamps?  This would be a good project to use  on  this stationery .  The red label (which I use very frequently in my mail art) can be purchased at the Dollar Tree!  Yay!!! Vintage--ee  looking and cheap!

The paper is just decorated with a few glued on old stamps, sort of scattered on the boarders.  The tag was very simply made by just gluing on some old stamps on a Kraft tag.  The rest of the envelope art is just vintage stickers.

Have fun making and SENDING your own designed stationery to someone who will really be wowed by it.  

Write Letters,

Write Often.

Lady Pamela

Stamp Love and Outgoing!

Are you a  Philatelist?

Do you enjoy the hobby of philately?    Are you a philatelist?  Haha, for those of you unsure of this vocabulary , philately is the collecting of stamps and other postal matter  as a hobby or an investment 

When I started this blog almost 5 years ago, I was like many.  I bought the first stamps that the Postal Clerk offered me....those dreaded "Liberty Bells" or the latest "USA Flag" stamps.  Ugh.  But when I realized what amazing works of art are offered on postage stamps, I changed my stance.  Now when they ask me if I need any stamps , I reply: "Why yes!  Please show me what you have that is PRETTY or INTERESTING!"...then they get that look like , "Oh man! Really?????".  Then out comes the HUGE 4 inch binder that has all of their stamps and they ask me to step aside so they can help the next patron.  I like that.  That gives me time to just go through the stamps and pick what I like!

Your stamp purchase is an important part of your envelope!  Think of it as  adding a huge bit of interest to your letter.  Many are actually works of famous art, so it is really an education.  I spend quite a bit of time enjoying the interesting stamps that come my way.  

I must say...I do love the holiday stamps that are out right now!  THUMBS UP ! USPS!!!  

Here is a closer look at the Gingerbread Houses stamps!

And I just love these sweet stamps!  I don't know who the illustrator is , but I love this style!  And, of course I am from Virginia...and the cardinal is our state bird!  I also grew up in  St. Louis and there again, I love the Cardinals. :)  Also, bird feeding is one of my all time favorite hobbies in the winter...I have had up to 7 male cardinals  at my bird feeder.

Here is some outgoing!  3 cards to Germany, and 1 to Russia for Post Crossing.

Things are slow here postally for me, do send me a letter!

Write Letters,

Write Often.

Lady Pamela