Happy Mail

Blog buddy, Phillip from Envelope 100 , made an envelope to tuck in his Christmas card. Yup, he made the envelope from

a Trader Joe's paper bag. Very clever, my friend. You should offer a blog tutorial on how to make envelopes. 😉

From my teacher, friend, and mentor, Gerry, one of her lovely Christmas cards. Gerry was a winner in this year's Graceful Envelope Contest. A cardinal was in her design and represented her dad. Gerry's envelope is the 1tth one when you scroll down, her homage to Dr. Fauci looks like a medical degree.

From a Masscribes guild friend, Dave the Postman. A lovely embossed card design 

And a Happy Winter Solstice!

Throwback Thursday

A Throwback Thursday  from January 2015

My very first Graceful Envelope Contest win in 2000. Beginner's luck. The theme was a significant historic event in the past 100 years. I chose the invention of the disposable diaper in 1961. I loved the New Year baby stamp. The envelope was constructed from the leg and waistband of a real disposable diaper. The front was a sheet of Arches 90# watercolor paper

Contest rules state the entry cannot be enclosed in an envelope or plastic bag. It has to go through the postal system. I brought it to my local post office. The postal clerk carefully hand cancelled the "diaper".

A couple of months went by, and I was notified I had been a winner. Went to the post office to thank the clerks for bringing me good luck.

"I'm so relieved," the clerk said. "Didn't have the heart to tell you, but it was sent back here the following day. Since it hadn't been marked "Return to Sender", I put it back in the delivery bin. I didn't think it would ever make it to the destination."

Later that summer, I was at the post office and the clerk told me she and her family had traveled to Washington DC for vacation. They visited the National Postal Museum at the Smithsonian (the original contest sponsor). She told me my envelope was in a display case.

"I was so excited when I saw your envelope in the case. I told everyone around me, I cancelled that envelope!"  :-D

The Friday Five Good Things

 

Five good things that happened this week.

1.  A dusting of snow, but bright sunshine melted everything. I didn't have to sweep the walk , stairs, or the car. 

2. Pi Day. Frozen chicken pot pies and Razzleberry pie courtesy of Marie Callender. Technically no cooking

3. Since we both had Zoom meetings just after the dinner hour, Himself suggested take-out so  we wouldn't have to rush to cook a meal and eat it before the meeting. No cooking!

4. Mailed my Graceful Envelope entry. The postmaster happily hand cancelled the 4 stamps.

5. On March 17, I saw the first robin of Spring! The pic is from last year (Mar. 27, 2021) as I scared the robin away when I went to take his picture 

How was your week?

Happy New Year

 

2000 Graceful Envelope Contest Winner

Here's to 2022! 🍾🥂 Let's expect the worst, hope for the best, hang on and enjoy the ride.

The Graceful Envelope Contest 2020 - Call for Entries

To see the full contest rules and to view past winning envelope entries visit: https://www.calligraphersguild.org/envelope.html

2019 Graceful Envelope Contest

The Graceful Envelope Contest winners have been announced. This year's theme: Put Your Stamp On It. The contest celebrated the 25th anniversary of the contest and 125 years of commemorative stamps.

Color me disappointed as I did not win, place, or show. My entry celebrates my maternal grandfather, and how he put his stamp on his new country. The concept is a timeline starting with his leaving his home country, Italy, signified by the grapes stamp and coming to his new country. Colored threads of the Italian flag (green, white, red) transition to the colors of the American flag.

The timeline begins in 1917 with Grandpa signing his World War I draft card. He couldn't read or write so used an X to make his mark which was then witnessed by the official. He proudly served his new country, (I honestly thought the use of the WWI stamp would have gotten me an honorable mention as it was a perfect tie in. The only aspect of the contest I don't like, is you are not notified if your entry has been received. Makes me wonder why the contest rules ask entrants to put their email address on the back of the envelope. Oh well, spilled milk). After the war when he came back home to America, he put his stamp on his family. As pictured, my mother, brother, and myself are his legacy.

The Graceful Envelope letters are meant to be the flag of Italy (green, white, red) alternating and blending with the colors of the American flag.

I am very pleased with the simplicity of my design. I did not know Grandpa as he passed away 12 years before I was born. From the few stories I've heard about him, he was not a complicated man. While in the service, a fellow soldier (an Irishman) taught Grandpa how to write his name so he could sign the payroll ledger. I don't know if he ever learned to read or write English. Though he had a fourth grade education, he was not stupid. He worked hard as a laborer and bricklayer to provide for his family.

You can see the fabulous Graceful Envelope Contest winning entries here.

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion of WWII. So while we pause today to remember those that fought for our freedom, let's not forget those that came before, like my grandfather, who paved the way for the freedom of the Greatest Generation.

The Friday Five Good Things

ICAD 2015

Five good things that happened this week.

1. June 1st began Meteorological Summer!

2. Made plans about visiting The Eldest in Pennsylvania for her birthday week.

3. Some lawn goodies arrived for the Zensical garden.

4. The stylist I like was on duty but was leaving early afternoon. I was able to run over and  got my hair cut

5. My friend/teacher/mentor won Best in Show for the 2018 Graceful Envelope Contest

How was your week?

2017

2000 Graceful Envelope Winner

Let's make it a good one. And a creative one. Happy New Year

Call for Entries - The Graceful Envelope Contest 2017

The Washington Calligraphers Guild has announced a call for entry for The Graceful Envelope Contest 2017.

The theme is "Pushing the Envelope". The deadline for entry isn't until 27. March 2017 so you have plenty of time to come up with an idea and push the limits of your imagination.

The contest is open to all and there is no entry fee. Visit the rules page for more information. While you're, there check out the winning envelopes from past years for inspiration.

Another Year as a Bridesmaid

I didn't win this year's Graceful Envelope contest, but you can see the amazing envelopes of the winners and honorable mentions. This year's theme was Communication.

Graceful Envelope Entry

For better or worse, I mailed my Graceful Envelope entry on Thursday, a week ago. I thought the deadline was the last day of February. I was mistaken. Entries must be postmarked by 28. March 2016. There's still plenty of time to enter. This year's theme is Communication.

Now comes the hard part, the waiting. You're not notified if your envelope made it to the destination. Though I mailed a "diaper" for the 2000 contest, and it arrived in perfect condition.  I have faith in the USPS. Besides, S. at my local post office carefully hand-cancelled the four stamps I used. She's my good luck charm.

Judging takes place in April and contestants will be notified in June.

Graceful Envelope Contest Stamps

These are the stamps I'm using for my contest entry. This year's theme is communication.

What stamps did you choose?

The Friday Five Good Things

Five good things that happened this week.

1. I received an un-Valentine card. Really made me laugh and brightened my day, Robin. Thank you.

2. Himself burned me two CDs filled with Oldies tunes for Valentine's

3. Tempeatures were below bitterly cold, Himself was able to start and move my car. Thanks, Kid.

4. While running errands, I listened to one of the Oldies CDs. So nice to be able to listen to good music, no commercials, and no inane chatter from DJs or announcers.

5. Worked on my Graceful Envelope contest entry. I finally got a layout I'm happy with. It's already to be inked and colored. Contest deadline is 28. February.

How was your week?

The Friday Five Good Things

Five good things that happened this week.

1. The new printer is up and running.

2. Enjoyed watching football with Himself.

3. The return episode of Supernatural didn't disappoint. Predictable, but I loved it.

4. PSP X8 arrived earlier than expected. Install went smoothly.

5. Worked on an idea for the Graceful Envelope contest.

How was your week?

Throwback Thursday

My very first Graceful Envelope Contest win in 2000. Beginner's luck.The theme was a significant historic event in the past 100 years. I chose the invention of the disposable diaper in 1961. I loved the New Year baby stamp. The envelope was constructed from the leg and waistband of a real disposable diaper. The front was a sheet of Arches 90# watercolor paper

Contest rules state the entry cannot be enclosed in an envelope or plastic bag. It has to go through the postal system. I brought it to my local post office. The postal clerk carefully hand cancelled the "diaper".

A couple of months went by, and I was notified I had been a winner. Went to the post office to thank the clerks for bringing me good luck.

"I'm so relieved," the clerk said. "Didn't have the heart to tell you, but it was sent back here the following day. Since it hadn't been marked "Return to Sender", I put it back in the delivery bin. I didn't think it would ever make it to the destination."

Later that summer, I was at the post office and the clerk told me she and her family had traveled to Washington DC for vacation. They visited the National Postal Museum at the Smithsonian (the original contest sponsor). She told me my envelope was in a display case.

"I was so excited when I saw your envelope in the case. I told everyone around me, I cancelled that envelope!"  :-D

Best wishes for 2015

Graceful Envelope Contest 2015 Call for Entries

Once again, it's time to think about entering the Graceful Envelope Contest. This year's theme is There's No Place Like Home.

Artistically render what home means to you and enter the contest. There are categories for children as well as adults. Teachers, this would be a great way to incorporate art into Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum.

All the rules to enter the contest can be found at 2015 Graceful Envelope Contest. 

My Influence Map

Found the idea for this creative exercise from my colleague and influencer, Andy Fish. An influence map is a bit like a vision board, but instead of showing where you are going, it shows where you came from, and what or who inspires the art you make.

You can fill your map with anything you want, books, movies, artwork. Whatever your little heart desires. I made my own layout using Paint Shop Pro. I wanted to limit the number of images I used because there would be too many, and the image would be so huge it would take days to download. Each image I used represents more than one influencer.

The influence map isn't limited to artists. You can use it to show what inspired you to become a(n) [insert your profession here].  You can find the influence map template here. If you don't have a program that allows you to manipulate photo images, you can use free, online, image sites to make a collage. Try Photovisi or Fotor.

Have you ever made an influence map?

The Graceful Envelope Contest

Just like college acceptance letters, large packet, you're in. Business envelope, you didn't make it. I didn't need to open the envelope to know, my entry didn't make it this year. Oh well.

The winning entries have been uploaded, and the envelopes are amazing. Congratulations to the winners.

The Graceful Envelope - Finish

Background and bus glued down to the front of the envelope. I used Yes paste and a brayer to make sure no bits would stick up and get caught in postal machinery.

With stamps in place, it's hard not to second guess the design. Does it need more? Should I add words? What are the judges looking for?

Good or bad, this was it. The entry had to be postmarked by 25. Feb. so it's not like I had a lot of time to come up with something else.  Off I went to the post office. N was manning the counter. Before I absolutely hand the envelope over, I always ask if there is enough postage. I usually have another spot I can put another stamp, if needed. N measured the envelope with a template. He pushed the envelope through a slot in the template to make sure it wasn't too thick to go through a mail slot. All entries have to be delivered through the US Postal Service. No outer wrapping or putting the entry in another envelope are allowed. Pronounced it had sufficient postage, N carefully hand cancelled both stamps, made sure the postmark date was clearly visible, and placed the envelope in the pick up box. The only thing left to do now is to wait for May when the results will be made public.

Graceful Envelope from Start to Finish - Part 3

Across the front of the envelope in white ink which doesn't show up in the scan, are the lyrics to The Wheels on The Bus.  Around the perimeter of the envelope, are the words to the verse I made up done in a loose Roman capital with a Gillotte 303. The people on the bus can sit where they want, thanks to Rosa Parks. I measured the stamp and left room where the stamp would be placed.

I wanted the overall effect of the envelope to be whimsical and childlike. Decided not to rule lines and used lower-case Copperplate for the hand.

The pen point caught the fibers of the paper or a blob of paint and made the "f" turn out quite fugly. I blotted it with a wet paper towel and then erased what I had written as the ink was still wet. I had used Ziller Glossy Black ink and when wiped it smeared a bit darker in the one spot. Waited for that to dry and then brushed on some gesso over the black area like white out. All this because I was too lazy to cut another sheet of paper, paint the background and letter. I was hoping to salvage my work. When the gesso dried, I applied another layer of black watercolor and plastic wrap. The writing would be difficult to see so I switched to Winter White Ziller ink. Not bad.

While the paint dried, I used watercolor pencil to color the bus and cut the bus out. The paper glued to the front of the envelope, plus the bus cutout would, most likely, cause the envelope to go over the one ounce weight for first class mail. Another stamp would be needed. I decided the flag stamp would fit nicely on the grill of the bus.