A Very Happy Mailbox.....

....is a mailbox full of mail art. In case you don't know, mail art is a decorated envelope, package or postcard, the point being that the container is the art, and there may or may not be anything inside. For the past few years, one of my groups, Blissfully Art Journaling (this links to the yahoo group, and we also have a Facebook page) has had a mail art swap going on during the summer months. Everyone who signed up had about two months to send mail art to everyone else on the list. I recently received my last piece, and decided it was time to do something with it all. Not to mention the nearly 30 pieces I received last year and still had languishing in a folder. Not to mention also, all the random mail art I've gotten from various friends over the years.

My inspiration for creating my mail art journal came from two sources. One, a workshop by one of the Documented Life Project administrators, Roben-Marie Smith. Click HERE to learn more about it. It spurred me on to get all this yummy mail into a book, and was well worth the cost. I used one of Roben-Marie's techniques for getting all my mail onto pages, but my binding method came out of classes I've taken with the wonderful DJ Pettitt

The outside of my book:

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Just about everything I used to decorate the covers came from my art pals....bits of ephemera, text papers, random scraps, stamped images....all included inside the envelopes.

Inside, you can see how I was able to attach multiple envelopes and postcards on each page by stacking them and using my sewing machine to stitch them in place. I love that each piece can be turned, as often the backs are just as beautiful as the fronts.

The pages are hinged together with strips of fabric that I printed with my Gelli Plate.

Here are just a few of the pages:

The buttons on the spine are not merely decorative. They are what hold the signatures in place. Thank you for this awesome technique, DJ!!

For my fellow mail art lovers, I hope this inspires you to get your mail art out of the closet and into a book.

Keys 4 Art 2014, Part III (DJ Pettitt is in the house!)

Ever since I discovered the wonderful world of art journaling, book binding, and mixed media, I have wanted to take a class with DJ Pettitt. I'd look at her glorious creations online and drool. Last year that dream came true in the form of a four day workshop DJ gave at Donna Downey's studio in North Carolina. I met Elena and Jacquie there, and we had such a great time, learned so much, and enjoyed DJ, both as an artist/teacher and human being. So much so, we wanted the rest of our art sisters to have the same experience. If you follow DJ (and if you don't, you should!), you know she is a passionate and talented photographer, especially of birds, and the lure of being able to get some shots of Florida wildlife was too much for her to resist. So, DJ Pettitt is in the house! We spent the next two days with DJ, and they were wonderful! And after our workshop was over, and we went on to other art projects, DJ spent her days out and about, going to bird sanctuaries and getting those photos she wanted. Check out DJ's blog (link highlighted above) to see what she saw.

DJ brought lots of her journals and some tote bags to inspire us.

DJ is a generous, patient teacher, and she spent as much time as was necessary with each of us.

Our books consisted of two signatures, with the pages connected by fabric "hinges." In this photo, DJ is watching as a template is used to mark the holes for binding. DJ has an amazing technique for book binding that is not only beautiful to look at, and results in a very sturdy book, but is easy to do. 

We created covers, entirely out of fabric, embellished them, and then did the same for the inside covers. We also did a wrap which went around our two signatures. The hinges I mentioned were temporarily held in place with a glue stick, then sewn in place on our machines. (Helpful tip from DJ: Use Elmer's Extra Strength glue stick. It will NOT gum up your machine needle.) Some machine stitching was also added, if we wanted, to the journal pages themselves. The following photos are all of my book. Not my usual color scheme, but these are the colors I was drawn to for this project. Considering our tropical setting, fitting, I think.

Here are some of the books my friends made.

Using DJ's binding technique, the buttons on the spine are not merely decorative; they help hold the whole thing together. Look at this beautiful lineup:

If you ever get the chance to take a class with DJ, run, don't walk, to sign up. And remember, you will only add 5 pounds to your luggage if you bring along a Janome mini sewing machine. Just trying to help. 

Keys 4 Art 2014, Part II

Greetings from Keys4Art! (Oh, how I wish I really was still there. Especially after yesterday's deep freeze and snow. But don't get me started). Before I get to the art activities of the day, I want to share some of the gifts we all gave/received. First, Elena. What can I say about our hostess and founder? In addition to being a loyal friend, a fun companion, a devoted mom, and a whole bunch of other cool things, she is hands down, the most generous person I know. When we arrived at our rental house it was all set up for us, and at each seat, a whole bunch of incredible gifts. And the pile just kept getting larger as we all gifted one another and Elena added more as well. I truly am blessed to call these women my friends.

Because our two day workshop with DJ Pettitt would involve sewing, Elena thought we each should have a Janome mini to use (and then, to take home). 

Pretty fantastic, right? And this little, 5 pound machine works like a champ. If you've ever hesitated taking a workshop  because it involved schlepping a sewing machine with you, consider this. Easy to operate, and did I mention, only 5 pounds. Thank  you, Elena!

And then, there was the beach towel, pretty pink satchel, t-shirt, personalized apron, pencil case, tote bag.....

I bought this great NYC fabric at The City Quilter.

And used it to make everyone a tissue holder.

Every year Jen makes a great music mix and we each get a disc. This year, she did her research, and actually found at least one song for each of our names. And here I thought I was only memorialized in "C'mon Eileen," by that one hit wonder, Dexy's Midnight Runners. Nope, Jen found another Eileen classic. So, we each received the mix and the "say my name" compilation. Speaking of mixes, Jen is also a very excellent mixologist of another kind.

Many of the gifts were small hand crafted items, or things picked up in travel, and they made their way into my Keys2014 journal. Below, tags from Sue and Lill, a real porcupine quill from Sue (from her very recent Africa trip), a cupid from Pat, and a paper kimono from Carla. There were others, as well, including paper for our journals, journal inserts, and ...... I know I've left things out, but honestly, there was so much sharing and giving, I found things on my table with no clue where they came from. Thank you everyone!

Our first full day was mostly spent doing a beautiful canvas with Pat as our teacher and guide. She called it "Steampunk Dragonfly," and it is not only beautiful, but incorporated some techniques I know we'll be using again and again. 

This is not a licorice puree, but the result of Pat's recipe for homemade texture paste. Worked like a charm! Here is my canvas about midway through the process. You can see the black paste used to build up texture as well as act as an adhesive for many of the steampunky embellishments we used.

And the finished piece, which is even better in person, and which I love. And by the way, Pat provided virtually everything we needed for the project. Many thanks, Pat for a fun day. 

After dinner (Karen's gumbo, y'all) Daisy led us in a button bracelet class. I didn't think I'd like it, and it wound up being one of my favorite accessories. And all you really need is a strip of leather or suede, some velcro, a LOT of buttons and other do-dads, and some good glue. Here is a lineup of our bracelets. Mine is the one in the upper right.

Now, in addition to any other quirks I might have, I have a real "thing" about naked buttonholes. You know what I mean....buttonholes with no thread. Just don't care for that look. I started working on that problem at the retreat, and finished when I got home. 

That's what I'm talking about! Stamp out naked buttonholes! When thread is not an option, just add some bling. Daisy, you won me over. I wear this all the time. Thank you!

The next time I post the subject will be the wonderful, the talented, the beautiful DJ Pettitt, and the totally gorgeous books we made with her. Stay tuned!