Put some new life into old ideas!

Today we have a Mail Art Show & Tell... I'm always looking for something new to create as Mail Art. There are soooo many wonderful artists on the internet generously sharing their techniques and talents, I really do enjoy seeing their work, undoubtedly it inspires me to stretch myself a little farther to experiment more! Whether it's a postcard or an envelope I still want it to reflect my style of art and in the end, I want the recipient of what I send out to receive a little piece of me when they open their mailbox! 

I recently went through some old Janoodles that had not been traded so I removed them from my gallery pages on AFA. I thought I'd repurpose them into a mail art envelope. I started with a template of an envelope that I cut out of a sheet of 140# watercolor paper. My plan was to create a basic patchwork pattern using the cards. I used a small amount of glue to attach the cards, just enough to keep them in place as I made the pattern. 

Below is a photo of cards & how I laid them out on the envie.

 Cards laid out in a patchwork pattern on top of envie template

I'm definitely not a seamstress, this is one thing in my life that tested my patience and won hands down!! That being said, I decided to sew the pieces to the template to create the patchwork quilt look that I had envisioned. When my mother passed away, I inherited her beloved sewing machine. She would be beyond livid to know that all I've ever used it for was sewing paper or cardboard, not to mention that I've managed to mess up the tension with no knowledge of fixing the problem. (To be perfectly honest, I actually like the irregular stitch effect!)

Below are photos of the cards after being stitched down to the envie.

Cards attached with a simple Zig Zag stitch

Section close-up to show stitches

Below are photos of the assembled envie, ready for mailing!

Envie Front

Envie Back

 Send someone "a little piece of yourself" with Mail Art!!

Until next time ... Blessings to you all!