Returned from Travels! Here's a Blog Jam of the Bounty I Received While Away...

[Thom Courcelle]

Hi friends! I'm recently returned from travels abroad--a lovely holiday, thank you--and I received some great mail that collected while I was away! A great fun time to go through the loot upon my return, and I wanted to share some with you (it may take multiple blog postes to get through it all...)

Many pieces were Hallowe'en-themed, so it is appropriate that I'm documenting it on the hallowed day itself...

Amy Irwen's awesome little package was WAY more 'TREAT' than 'trick!' Here's the front:

And, back:

And the innards:

A special Hallowe'en ornament!

Boo Cartledge also sent special Hallowe'en greetings in the form of eyeballs in spaghetti--the preferred cuisine of Italian ghosts!...

Svenja Wahl sent an amazing envelope that was hiding a skeleton inside! (still don't know where she finds so many cool vintage illustrations!)

'I see London,

         I see France;

                  from behind he's got no underpants!!'"E" sends greetings and expresses that he is NOT living on the Other Side...  "E IS NOT DEAD!"  I LOVED this piece--it entails some hand carved stamping, and the envelope it arrived in was an antique page torn from a vintage textbook--La Litérature Française--that was altered to reveal a secret message. (SOOooo BRILLIANT!!) and the etching of Jean de la Bruyère was transformed into a Ray Johnson bunny...

"A statement about ambition: is it not painful that a fool man, trembling unknown, shakes like the wind?"

"The irony was not noble, as he lived."

...I think that "E" might be playing lighthearted at a recent medical scare about which he kept some of us abreast.  I know that everyone in the IUOMA family is filled with anticipation that all treatments have been successful, and that we can express joy in knowing we'll be enjoying "E"'s great art for a long time to come.  

"E" even fit in one of my Gotij Goat Cheese stickers, and referenced a line from Rimbaud that I had sent to him concerning the colours of the vowels...  Genius!  And here is the work of art inside:

My mail caché included several postal cards... From pen pal Paula Brown:

John Foster and Mary England:

And an original study in angularity by Dean Marks... front:

Back:

Note the "angular" jaw lines inlcuded...  This guy is all "lip!"

Starry-Eyed Stamper sent several card creations in a highly sophisticated stamped envelope... What a stamper indeed!

Also sending me an envelope chock-full of goodies was CZ Lovecraft...  CZ has sent me a couple buddy ATCs to alter and send back, and though I don't consider myself an ATC artist, I have to admit that it's been fun to embellish the "challenge" ATC that CZ has sent for the project. Sometimes it's a good exercise--and fun--to try something outside of one's usual medium.  CZ's envelope's are often hand-created, colorful things.  The treats inside could definitely be condsidered Hallowe'en-ish--they contained images of several dead people (Salvadore Dali, Marilyn Monroe...)

Also included: a collaborative piece by participants Suzanne Bruney, CZ Lovecraft, and Jim Leftwich:

And finally (for this blog), Viviana Cernjul really spent some time on her latest creation to me--a whole set of estampillas!  Each panel quite unique!  Brava!

Her envelope was creative, too!

Well kiddies, that's enough for one blog!  So nice to have so many wonderful friends thinking of me even while I'm off playing on holiday!  Thanks to all of you.  And, Happy Hallowe'en and Blessed All Saints' Day!

[Thom Courcelle]

Hi everyone!  Welcome back to you also, Kat!  Hope your travels--to Paris?--were satisfying and wonderful. I had some great adventures in England and Ireland this go.

Vizma-- Starry-Eyed Stamper is a gal named Melissa in Tennessee.  I'd be happy to share her contact (privately), but I don't know that she's got an IUOMA account. I *think* she used to work in the rubber stamp business--and undoubtedly has a collection that matches her passion.  My favorite stamp from the "insanity" collection on the envelope above is: "PLEASE REMAIN CALM. There's no point in both of us being hysterical at the same time." 

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Good to see you back, Thom!

What a great collection of mail art to have upon return.

I am back today, too...must blog the contents of mail box, too.

[vizma bruns]

Wow, great exhibition Thom, and welcome back! Who is starry eyed stamper? Those are great!!

[cheryl penn]

Great blog - I can see the benefits of a holiday!! XX

[Carina]

Glad you're back Thom! Fantastic works, thanks for sharing.