Hi from a newbie

[Holly Cooper]

I just joined IUOMA.  Yesterday I was buying magazines at B&N and browsed around in the crafts section at origami books because I had a little time and am on summer vacation.  I found the book Good Mail Day: A Primer for Making Eye-Popping Postal Art which was published in  2009.  It is fun and inspiring, with samples and ideas that don't rely on a lot of "products."  I have been aware of mail art, and am old enough to have done it two or three decades ago, but it was not something I ever did.  I did some reading on-line, and it looks like I've missed a lot.  I love the mail, and have sent post cards to family members a lot when I travel.  I collect post cards and ephemera like maps, tickets and bus schedules when I'm on the road, and I have stashes of it all over my house.  I haven't really gotten heavily into scrap booking or paper collage as it has been so commercialized and to be honest and not intending to insult the creators, it all looks very similar after a while.  I want to explore mail art as a way to use the things I collect and make spontaneous art with it.

[Holly Cooper]

Theresa, Rubber Stamp Album is a temptation.  I may snag a copy.  I agree, it's good to find artsy, not so much the craftsy.  I admire any one creating things with their hands, but a lot of what I like about what I see with the mail art is that it is less fussy, more quirky.

[Jen Staggs]

I LOVED this book, Holly, and it played a great role in getting me into mail art and IUOMA.  Welcome to this amazing exercise in creativity.  I've even received art from Jennie Hinchcliffe, the author, and she is fantastic!  Mail on, sister!

[Holly Cooper]

@Theresa: I looked at the book you mentioned, it looks pretty amazing.  I used to buy stamps pretty frequently and bought the magazine RubberStampMadness quite a lot

[Holly Cooper]

thanks everyone! I enjoyed seeing the photos on the fiberart mail group and thanks for friending me, those of you who did. Here's an etiquette question: I see people post photos of the mail they've received. Is it in bad taste to post photos of what you create?

[Winged Heart]

Welcome : )

 

I have read that book as well, there is a lot ideas in it to get you started. Happy Crafting : )