Tag Archive for 'postcards'

31 Postcards 15-22

I’m getting a little ahead of myself. It’s only the 20th and here I am posting cards 15-22 of the 31 Postcards in 31 Days project.

After using my silk screens for week 2 of the 31 Postcards in 31 days, and then buying new drawing fluid that actually worked I wanted to keep going. This week after being inspired by the translucent look of washi tape I decided to do another series of silk screen postcards. I used my new screen and made little simple lines and shapes. Then I REALLY diluted my inks with translucent base to get the look I was going for. I’m really pleased with the outcome and will probably try more printing like this in the future. I think I might make more little screens as well, so I don’t have to wash it out as often, and I can keep certain patterns.
#31postcards 15/31

#31postcards 16/31

#31postcards 17/31

#31postcards 18/31

#31postcards 19/31

#31postcards 20/31

#31postcards 21/31

#31postcards 22/31

The print part has a more dappled texture than what I was aiming for. Unlike normal paper one would print on, these old pictures have a glossy finish, so instead of the ink soaking into the paper it just lays on top and sticks together.

Also, I just realized none of these pictures have my signature “place stamp here” stickers on them yet.

10.19. 31 postcards2
It kind of makes me laugh thinking about having this (or possibly more) super tiny screen. When I was college my serigraphy teacher was continually trying to make me go bigger, Bigger, BIGGER! Yet I grabbed and used the smallest frame I could find. Later when we had to build our own she insisted that I build a huge screen. I have it still but never use it. Instead I use the smaller ones I’ve built myself.
photo.JPG
One last thing before I sign off for the weekend. Today is  is the NaDa Farm Sale from 9-12. I’m not selling this time, I was just too busy, but I did go last night to shop. If you live in the northern Illinois area you should check it out. It’s $5 to get in. Pictured above is just one room from the sale, but there are 3 more rooms full of vendors and also plenty of booths outside as well, including Anne from abeautifulparty, who I got to meet for the first time.

Have a wonderful weekend!

31 Postcards in 31 Days – Week 2

I have finished another week of mailart postcards for 31 Postcards in 31 Days. I also finally finished addressing and writing the first week’s postcards and dropped them at the post office this weekend.

#31Postcards

#31Postcards
Postcards 7-14

These postcards are the result of my silk screening attempt, or should I say 3 attempts. Since then I have purchased a new bottle of drawing fluid and Tada, everything worked out perfectly. I tested out a little sample sketch and I only had to do one coat of the drawing fluid and the lines stayed crisp and didn’t dilute during the screen filler application. These postcards are still based on that former screen I did.

Below are a few details
10.14.12 31 postcards thumbnail 1

10.14.12 31 postcards thumbnail

10.14.12 31 postcards thumbnail 3

I have had a few ideas here and there for next weeks postcards, but nothing really set in stone yet. We will see what I come up with.

Day 3

10.3 mailart3

Day 3 of 31 Postcards in 31 Days. It’s been such a busy week. Every day this week I finish my postcard and then fall into bed and sleep like a brick.

Is anyone else participating in #31Postcards?

Day 2

Day 2 of 31 Postcards in 31 Days.

Well, it probably goes without saying, attempt 2 of my little silk screen didn’t work either.

I bought a couple of new books today, and wish I could just stay up all night reading them.

Book one is Heather Ross Prints. I read a review on Creature Comforts and picked it up after work at Barnes and Noble. I wanted to get it based on my interest in making my own patterns to be printed at Spoonflower, but while flipping pages I realized Heather is a designer who’s fabrics I’d already purchased (mushrooms, goldfish, bicycles, and gnomes).

The Second book I bought was Painted Pages by Sarah Ahearn . It’s been on my amazon wishlist for a while, but finally leafing through it at the bookstore I decided to buy after seeing 3 different prompts that I really wanted to try.

I also wanted to buy the Collage Workbook by Randel Plowman (I’ve been a long fan of his) reviewed here, but they didn’t have it at the bookstore. I will definitely add it to my amazon wishlist.

I can’t wait to read more of these books.

October 1st – Just a reminder

Today is October 1st.

I couldn't find my smallest silk screen so I just built one real quick from an ikea frame. I'll hopefully be able to pull some prints from this screen.
If you are interested, 31 Postcards in 31 Days begins today. I decided I wanted to do some silk screening for my first week of postcards. We will see how it goes.  I couldn’t find my smallest frame and just built one on a whim. Hear-Hear to just happening to have extra silk on hand, as well as an inexpensive ikea frame.

AND
#The100week begins today!
The 100 Week begins today as well.

Also, happy side note: I think I’ve recovered the resin pieces that flopped last week. I spent a good chunk of time on them yesterday was able to melt off the old, bad resin and replace it with a fresh (correctly mixed) batch. HOORAY!

Mailart365 160-166 PINWHEEL MANIA

I have a new pattern I’m loving and it’s the pinwheel. It started out earlier this year when I was seeing this pillow by Fine Little Day all over the craft/art/design blogosphere.

Seriously. I was obsessed. The things I loved the most about it was the use of a wide range of colors, AND that the color application looked very handmade. It didn’t look like a store bought and manufactured design, it looked like someone just colored on this pillow with some markers.


Next I saw this awesome garage door on pinterest. How can a person not smile while driving by this house?

Then a couple weeks ago I saw this post by Elise Blaha. This girl is awesome, if you don’t already follow her blog, do so now! Turns out I wasn’t the only one inspired by the pinwheel. She made this lovely painting above, WITH a tutorial on how to make your own to boot! I think I will be making one of these shortly for our new home. (I love to say that)

The pinwheel is so cheerful I think. This week I present to you my pinwheel mailart, tada!
10.4.11 166 365
I’m starting out with my favorite, which was also the last card I did in the series this week. I painted all the yellow and then had the idea to draw in a floral pattern like some of the vintage fabric I have. The solid yellow is watercolor and the flowers are colored pencil. I’m so in love with this, don’t be surprised if I do a whole series based on this idea for next week.
10.4.11 165 365
Thinking about it, it makes perfect sense, the fabric inspiration and the pinwheel. The pinwheel pattern in a very common quilt pattern. My mom is a quilter and I was regularly taken to quilt shows as a child. The pinwheel pattern inspiration really touches on this art, design and quilt kind of a thing for me.

10.4.11 164 365
The three above were the last three I did.

10.4.11 163 365
And this is where I started, with the variety of colors and the apparent texture in mark making.

10.4.11 160 365
Fun, no?

10.4.11 162 365
I made the cards using a variety of colored pencils, water colors, dry pastels, sharpies and highlighters.

10.4.11 161 365
I hope you enjoyed my cheerful pieces this week!

Mailart 365 153-159

I present more of my mailart postcards for the mailart365 project. Notice how I’m only posting 7 postcards each week. This is not going to help me get caught up, but at least I’m not falling further behind.

9.26.11 158 365

When I was little my godmother gave me a little pin that said “Robyn, strength of character”. As a child it didn’t really mean much to me, but as I’ve gotten older it became more and more important. Unfortunately, I have no idea where that pin went, but I’ll always remember those words

9.26.11 159 365  9.26.11 157 365 9.26.11 156 365

9.26.11 155 365  9.26.11 154 365  9.26.11 153 365

Click on any of the pictures to view them larger.

Earlier today I was catching up on my blog subscriptions and was delighted to discover that Shannon of Happiness Is had featured my chalkboard mailart postcards. I did a double take “wait, did I click on my own blog?” Thank you so much Shannon, it made my day :D

Mailart 365 139-145

Hey, remember my Mailart365 project? Yeah, it’s been a long break, with house buying, and moving, but I haven’t forgotten. Even before the move I was already 3 weeks behind but I don’t plan on throwing in the towel yet. Yesterday I decided to finally count up exactly how far behind I was and I’m officially 8 weeks back. 7 after this post.
9.9.11 139 365

For years I’ve wanted to use chalkboard paint in my home. Now that we are home owners it’s finally going to happen. We have some ideas, but they haven’t been executed yet. In the meantime, while I’ve been on my mailart break I’ve been wanting to do lots of nonsense sketches in my sketchbook. It occurred to me to make some chalkboard painted postcards so I could do nonsense sketches as mailart, but still make the pieces interesting. The cards have all been spray fixed so they won’t smudge in the mail.
9.9.11 140 365 9.9.11 141 365
9.9.11 142 365 9.9.11 143 365
9.9.11 144 365 9.9.11 145 365

Today is a very exciting day, Renegade in Chicago! I hope I can find some wonderful treasures and that I don’t get too annoyed with the crowds. Also, I hope they have the photobooth again.

Mailart postcards 125-131/365

If you remember from the sneak peek a few weeks ago, I purchased a bag of vintage photographs from the flea market and decided to use some of them for the mailart 365 project.
mailart 125/365
I started out with the idea to create outfits using my paper collection.
mailart 126/365
Then I had the idea to do more of the environment in paper. This piece is a very “Robayre” piece, obviously, with all the individual pieces of grass. It was time consuming, but I love how it came out.

mailart closeup
Here is another detail
mailart 127/365
Another environment piece
mailart 128/365
Another wardrobe piece.
mailart 129/365
While I was working I suddenly thought of the artist Alyn Carlson and her lovely paper hats. I love her hats and immediately I knew some of my vintage folks needed to wear some fancy hats! I love how they came out and it was so much fun to create their hats.
mailart closeup2
and another close up
mailart 130/365
Here’s a bathing beauty and her showy hat
mailart 131/365
and last but not least, a lovely pair and their extraordinary hats.

mailart 365 cards 111-117

My sister brought to my attention that I am officially one third of the way through this mailart 365 project :) The idea for this week was inspired by the transparent colors of japanese washi tape. Did you see this post via poppytalk handmade, where someone is making large rolls of the tape to put up on your walls, swoon!

7.14 card 111
card 111/365
7.14 card 112
card 112/365
7.14 card 113
card 113/365
7.14 card 114
card 114/365
7.14 card 115
card 115/365
7.14 card 116
card 116/365
7.14 card 117
card 117/365