Snail mail ~ Mail art ~ Pen friends

Since joining twitter a couple of years ago, I was once again introduced to the joys of post from far afield. Now, I love post and I actually think that Royal Mail does a great job (their online service is getting there too).  I've always had pen-friends, ever since I was about 5/6 I think.  I have boxes and boxes of letters I received from friends in America over the years.  There was a lull - probably when I joined secondary school - but gradually and especially since University, I have got back into the joys of sending post.

(This particularly cute card is from my friend Alex and you can read her blog here and here.)

I like how it's a bit unpredictable, it's always a surprise and it's nice to use the service for something other than bills and online shopping!  My first experience of something along the mail art lines was actually from Rob Jelinski, who's work is amazing by-the-by and I won a t-shirt of his in a twitter competition.  Shortly after I found Jessica Gowling and am hooked to her lovely arty blog which is full of mail art, art, crafts, and daily life - it's an excellent mix.  I then won another competition, with Jessica Mack aka 'Brown Paper Bunny' or 'Illustratuer', a year of snail mail!  And it is safe to say I've been hooked ever since.

I have recently started exchanging post/mail with Jessica Gowling (Nature's my Friend) and have adored what I have received so far from her.    I love how even the envelopes are so thought out.  As soon as I see it lying on my desk I get excited!  Full of cute cards, stickers and lovely notes, it's just what I need at the end of a day or on my train journey into work.

I think that post/mail is important.  I love to let friends and family know I'm thinking of them whether I'm at home or on holiday somewhere new.  A moment to write and send a card or postcard is hardly anything at all.  I seem to spend a lot of time designing and illustrating cards, I think that this is a need that stems from my love of receiving post! 

Now to put together a response!

X

Pocket Mirrors

Lovely, Lovely Pocket Mirrors

'Sweet Stuff'

I have chosen two of my favourite recent designs to put into pocket mirrors - HURRAH! A nice way to carry something pretty around with you.  They measure a darling 56mm or 2.25inches and slip nicely into a pocket or handbag.

You might remember seeing the original 'Sweet Stuff' illustration on my blog a little while ago, you can read that post here.

These were available at my exhibition at Seasons Cafe at Rowan in March and went down a storm.  Now you lucky lot can find them in my Etsy shop here.

'Flower'

What do you think?

Thanks for looking!

X

Business Card Commission

A business card commission with a difference - Business cards for an I.T. worker!  Not the usual illustrator commission I get I must say.  But Anthony Capstick wanted something a bit different from your standard I.T. business card.  Less and less people have them, he says, and therefore he wanted to be able to stand out rather than have his card forgotten about.

Step one:  A must have these days for any I.T. personnel/geek...a QR Code.  Now, i thought I had it sussed.  I downloaded the App onto my phone, I googled it, I watched YouTube videos on it, I followed steps online to create one.  but somehow it wasn't quite working out.  It took a rather geeky conversation over designing some cards for the lovely Julie of 'Jules and the gang' (can be seen here) for me to find out that I can create the QR Codes right on my phone - genius!  It was then easy as can be to link a QR Code to Anthony's business site 'Instant-Search'

Try it out for yourself please:

I'm very happy with myself about this.  So much so that I created one for myself!

Step two:  Put together illustration and I.T.  Easier than I thought it would be!  At first this card worried me a lot, I thought I needed to get it 'technically' correct.  Then I accepted that Anthony would be after something with my style or he wouldn't of asked me, and then I could relax.  And then came the final card design.

The cards I've designed have two sides which are almost polar opposites with one in red and one in blue.  Anthony has a personal side and a business side.  The two really are linked, but this makes its easy for potential clients to see the difference.

Lets hope he likes them too - the proofs are in the post!