You've got mail.

I love getting mail.  I’m not talking about email.  I love, love, love getting an old fashioned, stamped envelope in my beautiful brass mailbox.  Most of my bills come electronically these days so I don’t have to sift through them to get my letters.  I do get a lot of junk mail.  Sometimes I recycle it in art projects (look for a post soon!). I’ve heard you can try to stop junk mail through organizations like:https://www.catalogchoice.org. But junk mail aside, when I get a true letter, invitation, card or announcement I get so excited!

I am always touched by the images and sentiments sent to me. Whether it’s a birthday card, wedding invitation or just a simple letter. I get excited just by opening the envelope.  Because this paper was touched by the hands of the person who wanted to reach out to me I start smiling.  The mail doesn’t have to be long.  In fact I prefer it short and sweet.

I recently gave myself a challenge to spend an hour a day on some kind of art.  I had been neglecting my passion as other life issues took up most of my time.  But I could carve out an hour a day.  I began this challenge in April which coincided with the birthdays of many friends and family members.  So I decided to make special cards for each of these people using pens and watercolors.  The feeling I got each time I sat down to create one of these was wonderful.  My creative process was inspired by people I loved.  And they adored my little masterpieces!

Create a card:

1. Either buy some blank watercolor cards (Strathmore makes some nice ones) or cut watercolor paper to the size of any envelope.
2. Lightly draw the person’s initial on the paper with pencil.  Make it a large bubble letter.
3. Use a fine point Sharpie to go over the pencil lines.
4. 
   Now doodle in and around the letter using images and patterns that remind you of that person.  Maybe things they love or places they’ve been.
   
   
5. Using watercolors add some touches here and there.
6. 
   On the inside all you have to say is.. . . “Love, . . . .”
7. Put the letter in the mail with an up-side-down stamp.  I heard somewhere that means love.