My Month in Numbers 2013: October

Hello you.

I feel OK about mentioning this because [1] the layers of yellowing leaves on the floor and [2] the fact that it's now dark by the time you eat your tea has already given the game away: it's now the end of October! Scary isn't it? [And not just because it's Halloween!]

But, as another month disappears from the calendar like a vampire's reflection it brings with it another statistical summary of the days it left behind ...

Let's begin with my results for The Communal Count I set us all. [As usual I'll answer both, you're welcome to pick one or none!]:

9 = the number of items of mail I received which were directly addressed to me. While this doesn't seem like very many it was definitely a case of quality over quantity! Many of those were parcels containing lovely things such as: a free and entirely unexpected gift from a fashion brand; my mail art swap card; a postal themed gift in a fabulous envelope and the largest order of scrapbooking supplies I've treated myself to in a long time! I'll take a handful of deliveries like that over mounds of junk mail and letters addressed to 'The Occupier' any day!

The second Communal Count prompt suggested we share any weather-related statistic and I chose this:

20 degrees C = the temperature on the way home from a crafty weekend away:

Just like the summer, our Autumn here [N.E England] has been pleasantly mild ... so far. There've been a few awful grey and chilly days, but interspersed with real mini-heatwaves like this one. And I'm not sure if that's helping me ease into winter gently ... or just prolonging the inevitable frosty agony!

Oh and while we're on the topic of my crafting weekend let's take a closer look at its vital statistics.

On the way there we stopped off in Harrogate where I had my first sit-down meal at the famous Betty's tearooms ...

30mins [approx] = the queuing time to get in:

But at least we weren't the party of 10 who  had to wait for enough diners to leave to create a big enough space for them all to sit together.

4 = the number of us at the table and 4 = the number of us who couldn't resist taking photos of our meals [if you look carefully you can see two other photos being taken at the same time I took this one!]

3.5 days = how long we spent at our now traditional twice-yearly 'Crafting in the Country' retreat. Other numbers include:

• the 6 friends I met up with there;
• the converted 17th Century farmhouse we stayed in;
• the 5 bedrooms inside with 3 of us having a room to ourselves with the 4 others shared 2 twin rooms;
• the 2 craft shops we visited over the weekend.

I was a little bit under the weather sat the time so spent a good deal of time over the weekend doing nothing ... apart from picking out the eyes of the Muppets.

No, wait ... that needs explaining ...

1000 = the number of pieces in the Muppets jigsaw we began ... but didn't finish:

And I trawled all 1000 pieces seeking out any pieces of jigsaw which had a Muppety eye on it, so I could begin to put all the characters in place.

At the end of the weekend, when it came to packing up to go home I was more than happy for the half-complete jigsaw to be thrown back in the box ... but my friend Jean had other ideas.

Off she went to the kitchen and returned with a fish slice ...

Which she then used to lift up big completed areas sliding them carefully into the box so we'll have a head start when we unpack it all at the next weekend away in the spring! 

28 = the number of antibiotics taken. Least said soonest mended.

40 = the number of tags made + 20 = the number of gifts wrapped as my contribution to a gift-per-day-for-40-days-until-'someone's'-turns-40 surprise birthday 'thing' I organised for someone this month!

As I explained to the birthday girl herself : "think of it like an Advent calendar only it’s 16 days longer ... and it's not in December".
6 hours = the time spent getting painty with 10 others at the Kate Crane workshop organised by 3DJean:

Photo borrowed from this post on Kate's blog.

I made 2 sheets gelli plate print and 2 art journal backrounds. One which I like and one which makes me wonder what on earth I was thinking when I chose the colours. It's almost like I've never met me!

And speaking of colour ... after the workshop James, who'd collected me, had to go into his office so  while he got on with something important at his desk ... I was left to  my own devices in the store room ... which led to ...

 

200 = the number of reels of flooring weld I arranged into colour order. Here's the 'before':

Either you 'get' the need to put things in colour order ... or you don't.

If you do then I'm sure the above photo alone, with its jumbled shades all thrown together on the poles, is enough of an explanation as to why I did it! And, although I stupidly didn't take an 'after' photo of all 200 in their happy rainbow, I did take this 'during' shot:

That's better isn't it?

If you don't 'get' it then you probably just think I have [a] 'issues' and [b] far too much time on my hands. To which I reply ... the next time you're in a life or death situation which can only be resolved by something being arranged in perfectly shaded gradations ... you'll be sorry you mocked! ;-)

[Now, let me confess that the '200' is only an approximate number because, surprisingly I didn't count each one. I think pandering to one of my obsessions at a time should be quite enough for one afternoon.

Arranging things in colour order in a warehouse is one level of weird ... but going on to then count them all up so I could mention it in a number themed blog post ... well .. that would just be ridiculous ...

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So, that's how my month's statistics added up. To share your own then ...

• please visit the full 'How to join in My Month in Numbers' guide here.  
• There aren't many 'rules' as such - they're mainly a few ways in which you can help me to keep the Month in Numbers community running happily.
• I'll gladly visit you, comment and save your post to the Month in Numbers Pinterest board [currently followed by over 700 people] but this takes time, so there are a few simple things I ask in return. All of which you can find here in the guide.

I'll look forward to reading your memory-keeping-by-numbers and in the meantime ... I'll be working on the next Communal Count prompts.

 

See you soon.

 

Julie :-)

Scrapbooking: Simply A Moment - October 2013

Well hello there.

When I rounded-up the Going Postal series on Sunday I mentioned that normal service would resume soon and what better way to get back into the regular swing of things here than with a spot of scrapbooking?

2013 has certainly not been The Year of the Scrapbook round here!

I have several theories as to why that may be [some of which I'll probably bore regale you with at some time in the future ...] however ... it hasn't been an entirely un-scrapped year.

No, there've been a few valiant things which have helped me document at least some of the story of this year:

1. I'm managing to keep up-to-date with not only taking, but also scrapping my photos from the 52 Weeks of Photos project. One photo per week is the nearest I'll allow myself to get to falling down the Project Life rabbit hole!
2. I've been scrapping some of My Month in Numbers posts, printing out the full text from my blog posts to slot inside and ...
3. I've faithfully scrapped every one of my Simply A Moment blog posts and again, I print out the full text, only this time I've been adding it to my pages inside pockets:

If my memory serves me, I don't think I've shared any of them here ... so I'm trying to rectify that by sharing the page I made to accompany my most recent Simply A Moment post:

I also combined it with my 3DJean Design Team post today by using some of the lovely new blank tickets which are perfect for holding stamped dates and small blocks of journaling:

After creating the page from mainly a selection of patterned paper layers, the page was feeling a little too flat for my liking, so I added a couple of colours of Shimmerz Texturez [again, from 3DJean].

These heavily textured pearlised pastes [applied directly to the page by scraping through a section of plastic embroidery canvas] plus a few splatters of Shimmerz spray inks were just the thing the page needed to stop the whole thing feeling too 'safe'.

Ah, I'm living dangerously here you know?

Whoever said scrapbooking couldn't be an extreme sport?  ;-)

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Join me back here on Thursday for something scary.

[No, not a Halloween project but my October Month in Numbers round-up which will serve as a reminder, should you need one, that this year is very nearly over!]

[Please read this with a spooky ghostly voice in your head] I'll be seeing you sooooooooooooooon!

Julie x

I'm sealing the envelope + dashing to the post-box before the last collection: the end of Going Postal 2013

Hello there.

My title for this post was going to start: I'm licking the envelope etc ...

... but I didn't think giving you a mental image of my tongue was quite the tone I was trying to set here ... so let's move swiftly on ...

This is my final post about all things postal, at least for this year ... maybe I'll be tempted to open the envelope and go postal again at some time in the future, but until then ...

... the Going Postal Pinterest board is where you can [permanently] find:

•  all of my own postal-themed blog posts and craft projects from the 3 years in which I've been Going Postal;
• plus all of the posts which other people have contributed via their own blogs ....
• and ... a fair few other mail-ish projects, supplies and inspirational images I've stumbled across online.
• [just click on the image you're interested in reading more about until you're re-directed to the individual post].

I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to all those bloggers who managed to find the inclination and the time to go postal along with me this time round.

As I mentioned, you can catch up with all of their contributions via the Going Postal board, but I wanted to just take a minute to introduce you to them all here so I can thank them 'in person'.

So 'thank you' to:

• Alexa from 'Trimming the Sails'
• Bernice of 'Newly Creative'
• Deb of 'Deb's World'
• Hetty from 'Roses in December'
• Jennie of 'Jeant-Jinnag'
• Katie of 'A Grown up Gap Year'
• Kirsty Neale at 'Ginger & George'
• Louise at 'Boys, Bugs and Beautiful Buttons'
• Mel of 'Let's Get Scrappy'
• Nicky at 'Creative Flourishes' 
• Sally of 'Sally Makes Art'
• Sian at 'From High in the Sky'

Thanks ladies! It was a treat to have links to each one of your posts drop through my [metaphorical] letter-box over these last 6 weeks.  I hope that through pinning your posts and sharing [most of, forgive me if I missed yours] them on my Facebook page that I've played a part in matching you up with some new blog readers along the way.

I'd also like to thank Gabrielle from The Green Gables who provided the great special offer on her eco-stationery during the final week. Make sure you follow Gabrielle on Facebook, Twitter or via her blog so you can be the first to hear of upcoming discounts and special offers from The Green Gables.

And I wouldn't dare end the series without thank all those who read, commented, repinned, retweeted and shared anything at all to with the series! Thank you so much!!

I thought I'd draw things to a close by sharing two fun packages of mail I received while Going Postal was running [I'll spare you any photos of the Electoral Registration form and myriad take-away menus which also landed on my doormat in the last 6 weeks!].

The first is the card I received as part of the 'Do What You Love' Great Big Stitched Postcard swap.  Remember when I shared the card I made? Well this is the work I received in return:

Inside that fab text-print envelope there was also that rarest of things: a handwritten letter from my 'swapee' and a lovely bundle of papery gifts:

 ... all of which had travelled safely from Shannon in Florida, right across the water to the North East of England where it's all now nestling cosily in my craft-room. Thank you Shannon!

And finally ... I was gifted yet another bundle of papery goodness and another handwritten letter, this time from Heather, one of my lovely shop customers: 

Now then ... as gorgeous as Heather's gift of an envelope-filled hand-bound art journal [which I've already started using] and a great selection of postal ephemera was ...

... perhaps the most noteworthy thing about her parcel was the envelope it all came in. As I mark all my outgoing shop orders with only a brief return address Heather found a rather striking way to make sure her gift found its way to me ...

And, hurrah for the Royal Mail, because it worked! It made it to me without a problem ... and I do hope it raised a smile with the postal workers along the way!

Thank you again Heather!

So, there we have it, the 6 weeks of posty fun is now over and regular non-postal-service will now resume.

I plan to gently drift back into my usual blogging schedule ... just as we all begin to wonder about those all-important last mailing dates before Christmas!

See you very soon.

Julie x 

At home: Like sleeping in a giant envelope ...

Hi, hi.

This is the penultimate post of Going Postal 2013 and I couldn't think of a better way to prepare to put the series to bed than this:

What? I know, awful pun ... but get over it ... and let me explain ...

As I type, this ^  is the linen we currently have on our bed [so far so entirely random but bear with me].

While you can clearly make out [and are no doubt not surprised by] the zebra print quilt in the photo, you might not yet be able to see what exactly it is that makes the remainder of the bedding so appropriate to our current topic ...

But the thing is ... when I spotted it on the shelf at TK Maxx a few months back then as, like you, I got closer:

... and closer to it ...

... I began to realise that the print was almost exactly like the kind you find inside security envelopes!! And, as this is my 3rd year blogging about postal themed ephemera ... you should know by now that security envelopes are one of my favourite everyday treasures!

So how could I resist?

[FYI: On previous occasions when I've shared photos of bed-linen I've had quite a few emails asking where I got it from - so this time I've come prepared. As I say, it came form a TK Maxx store[in England] so is probably old stock from somewhere or other. The name on the pack was: Wallis Young Home and, rather than the more accurate 'awesome security envelope patterned one' the actual name of this set is 'Harriet Blue'. However, I can't find anything about it online anywhere.]

So now you know how I've been sleeping at night after long hours of posty-themed blogging! But, for the record, no ... we don't have to tear the top of the duvet cover open each morning to get out of bed!

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Join me tomorrow for the final Going Postal post of 2013!

 

Julie

Cardmaking: with skulls and chains

Hello hello.

 

Do you know the Daring Cardmakers ? They're a weekly challenge blog who've reached their 7th birthday this month:

And they recently invited me to pull on a party hat and join in the celebrations over there today.

After giving me a list of themes I could choose to play along with I chose Spooky Birthdays ... because, really, any theme that justifies me using a skull and chains on a card is always going to win me over!

And here's my card:

The skull in question is a Cuttlebug die-cut + embossing set while the chain is a scrap of silver wrapping paper cut with the 'Delicate Chain' Poppy Stamps die, and I arranged them to give the idea of a skull chandelier:

But - skull & crossbones aside - by keeping the other elements quite subdued and subtle I was aiming for a fairly sophisticated, even feminine, finished result. And you can't beat a touch of crochet trimming and bling for that can you?

And, as you might have come to expect, no card of mine is really complete without a few word snippets, these cut from an old children's annual: 

Here's the end result again, to save your scrolling finger!

For more Spooky Birthdays ideas make sure to hop over to see how the Daring Cardmakers have interpreted the same theme and check out the challenges and competitions too.

 

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And join me here over the coming weekend as I prepare to post off my final few Going Postal missives of the 2013 series! It's your last chance to get your contributions linked up, pinned to Pinterest and promoted on my Facebook page too.  

 

See you soon.

 

Julie

Cardmaking [take a deep breath before saying this]: a framed-postage-stamp 3D-art-gallery-scene stepper-card! Oh my.

Come in, come in, you're just in time for my final craft project of Going Postal 2013.

And, unusually for me it's what you might call a 'high concept' card! [I guess I must be caught up in the drama of this crafty finale!]

 So, let me introduce you to my [deep breath ....]: framed postage-stamp 3D-art-gallery-scene stepper-card!

With this project you can showcase some of the more interesting and attractive designs in your stamp collection on this special fold-out gallery card.

Should you wish to try something similar ...

Here are some instructions:

• Take a blank stepper card or make your own - they're just a zig-zag shape in profile;
• Cover the 2 outward facing sections with patterned paper - I chose a design that you might find in an old art gallery;
• Next add a strip of wood grain paper at the very bottom - to represent the gallery floor [I told you this was high-concept!]
• Use nesting dies to cut frames from gold paper;
• Now run them through various embossing folders - to mimic ornate frame surrounds;
• Now use the frames to highlight the smartest, prettiest and most well designed stamps in your collection!

Then you can decorate as you wish, such as using haberdashery trimmings for picture-haging chains...

... but, of course, whether or not you add an entirely cheesy greeting [like I did!] is entirely your decision!

I know it's not something you'll make everyday of the week ... but it will certainly would make a unique contribution to a mantelpiece on someone's special day!

 

If you give a framed postage-stamp 3D-art-gallery-scene stepper-card a try [and why wouldn't you? ;-) ]... and you re-interpret it in your own way, at any time - give me a shout and I'll swing by for a peek.

 

Julie :-)

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If you still plan to post a posty post of your own ... the series does end on Sunday [27th Oct 2013] ... and while I'm not saying I definitely won't pin your project after that ... it will start to clash with Octobers Month in Numbers contributions ... meaning I'll have a lot less time to hop around blogland. 

Cardmaking: Brown Paper Packages

Do you want to sing? I want to sing [heck, who am I kidding? I am singing] ... brown paper packages, tied up with strings ... these are a few of my favourite things ...

... especially when they make easy and fun Christmas cards like this:

I made this card a few years back now for a Papercraft Inspirations Christmas Card 'bookazine' special but, when I knew I'd be sharing postal related projects at the time of year when many cardmakers are settling down to make their Christmas cards ... I knew I had to share it again here.

The brown paper package is ...just that!

• A scrap of chipboard wrapped in brown parcel paper [something I'm never without in my craft room]
• tied with plain old parcel string and mounted to a plain white card on 3D foam pads.

The postmark and the outline of the postage stamps comes from:

•  the Forever Friends - The Good Life - 'Journal' set which is a few years old now but which is still showing on the Docrafts site [and I have spotted some on EBay].
• I just stamped one onto a festive patterned paper, framing the stocking image and cut them out by hand. Then stamped another on to plain white.

A similar effect could be attained from using a small postage stamp punch and a small number/alpha stamp set.

I might give this style another go this year and, if you're looking for more Christmas card ideas Papercraft Inspirations are in full festive swing! They've already published two Christmassy issues this season - the most recent featuring my festive themed 10 Ways with Fabric card + gift ideas ... and there's still more to come!

Also ... for a lovely collection of actual brown paper packages to send as gifts this Christmas hop to my post from yesterday which features a special offer from The Green Gables.

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If you haven't already visited the Going Postal board where everyone's postal-inspired blog posts are saved, then do treat yourself to a browse when you get time. [Just click on the image you want to learn more about until you're taken across to the original post].

 

Then ...

 



If you join in with a posty post of your own:

• let your readers know you're Going Postal [a few words of introduction is fine];
• link up to my blog or the Going Postal Pinterest board where I'll be saving your post.
• then - if you use Pinterest please consider pinning it to one of your own boards, link me up, and I'll 're-pin' it.
• but - if you DON'T use Pinterest drop by here or my Facebook page and leave a link to your postal-themed project or story before Oct 27th and I'll add you to the board for all to share your contribution.
• The Going Postal Pinterest board has close to 800 followers ... so this could be a fun way to get your blog seen by some new eyes!

Any problems or questions - just get in touch. :-)

Special Offer for stationery lovers from The Green Gables

Hello and welcome to the final of 6 weeks where we've all been Going Postal!

As a final-week treat I've got a postal-themed special offer for you from eco-friendly stationery and gift studio  [and 'happy post' supporters] The Green Gables.

From today until the end of the week you can use the code GP30 to receive a 30% discount on your Green Gables order:

* Clearance items are not included as they already feature a 50% discount.

 If you have any stationery lovers on your Christmas gift list then this could be a perfect opportunity to treat them to something unique. OR ... if you're the stationery lover ... you might want to drop some big hints this week!

You should definitely head over to The Green Gables to check out their full range but I've hand-picked a few items here so you can get an idea of what's in store: 

Stationery Club Gift Subscription:

The product description for this reads: "For as many months as you choose the lucky gift subscription recipient will receive a box of gorgeous stationery delivered to their door. It's a wonderful birthday or Christmas gift that keeps on giving. Or if you're a stationery addict why not treat yourself?"

Simple Things Letter Writing Set: "Give someone a happy post day with this illustrated letter writing set that can be personalised to make it extra special."

 Or maybe some stocking-fillers:
 

Set Of Six Mixed Vintage Postcards: "This set of six recycled card postcards, with recycled paper envelopes, featuring six different hand drawn illustrations of a vintage objects with messages, are so gorgeous the cards can be used to send notes or as mini pieces of art."

So, there you have it ... a few, of many, lovely things to tempt you over to The Green Gables where  you can use the 30% discount code until Sunday!

 

And I'll see you tomorrow.

 

Julie :-)

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 * Disclaimer: I am not being paid in any way to promote The Green Gables. Green Gables' owner Gabrielle is simply offering this discount as part of my Going Postal series. It also as it fits with her brand's existing 'Happy Post' philosophy!

Simply A Moment [October]: Like an earthworm in a rainstorm

Hello, hello.

I'm taking a break from blogging all things postal today to document a little 'moment'. 

Last month, due to spending a lot of time [too much?!] on Going Postal, for the first time all year I missed joining in with  'Simply A Moment' - a mid-month marker created by Simply Alexa who encourages us to pause and record something which could otherwise have disappeared into the ether.

[To learn more you can read Alexa's tips on how to record your own moments and if you do join in, there's a link box on her October moment for you to add your post.]

But I've made sure to capture a moment this time around ... and here it is ...

Like an earthworm in a rainstorm

Date: Tuesday 15th October 2013
Time: 10:40am-ish
Location: A few streets away from home.
It's not exactly 'the road less travelled' but, for whatever reason I've just turned left, rather than right on my way out of the Nisa shop. [Empty handed. No sour cream in sight].

And I don't normally do that. I usually walk home the other way.

But not to worry, the two routes are 'six and two threes really': either way I'll end up back at home in roughly the same amount of time. If I'm not eaten by dogs on the way that is.

[A thought which actually does cross my mind when taking the different route. Diverging from the usual. Well, OK maybe not that I'll be eaten alive ... but that I might run into a dog, then be scared, then chastise myself for not taking the other dog-free route - like I could know that! Hey, look, I know that when I admit it all out loud it sounds crazy ... but that's phobias for you isn't it?]

Anyway ... apart from the ever-present fear of terror-by-canine, this is a brighter walk than yesterday's. A dry walk. I actually ran part of this route on Monday all hood-up-against-the-rain and hems-soggy-from-puddles. There's no rain now, but evidence of it remains in puddles I try to avoid.

As I cross the road I spot directly ahead, on a bungalow's windowsill, a strange ornament peeking out in front of the net curtains. A slightly sinister creature with its hand against the window grinning out at me as I pass. I think it's meant to be waving a salutation. I think it's meant to be cute.

And it is ... in the way that toys that come to life in horror films are cute ...

As I round the bend in the road I hear the steady crescendo of rumbling that is the 'bin day' symphony: wheelie bins being manoeuvred into place behind the bin wagon by men in blue overalls and fluorescent yellow high-vis vests.

They're ahead of me, further along the road, leaving in their wake the empty bins slightly askew at the tops of driveways.

Following on closely behind several elderly ladies head up those driveways, collect their bins and pause to chat to one another on the return trip.

"He had to stand with his arms like this ..." says a lady wearing an apron to another. She's let go of her bin to hold out her arms at 90degrees to her body. "And he stepped backwards ... " she declares to her bin-wielding neighbour. And that's all I heard [although I'd have loved a good reason to stop still and listen to the rest!]

More ladies emerge at the tops of drives as if, like earthworms in a rainstorm, they've all been tempted out into daylight by all the rumbling.

And with that I turn into my road to head back inside ...

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Don't forget to catch up with Alexa's moment this month  and make sure to enjoy the rest of your weekend. I'll see you next week.

Julie :-)

Gift wrapping: How would *you* adapt a wrap?

Hello again.

A few of the postal-themed posts contributed to Going Postal this year, such as Deb's and Mel's, have mentioned proper old-fashioned 'snail mail' pen-pals ... [hey, I'm not claiming I'm not old and don't remember when snail mail was all there was!  Many a time did I spend my pocket money on the perfect stationery and stickers to prepare to write to my own pen-pals .. we're all on the same page here. Almost literally!]

And it all leads me to my latest posty-inspired project: a colourful paper 'wrap' for a plain stationery set:

As simple as it is, this band of patterned paper, ribbon and twine does add an extra special touch to very plain paper and envelopes. And, s the large circle in the centre hides the 'raw' edges, it's a very easy way to create quite a professional finish.

You could use this letter writing bundle to let someone know you want to keep in touch ...


For an 'Instant Collection' of similar colour-coordinated stamps visit the 'Ephemera' shelf of my shop. 

OR .. you could just take inspiration from the general idea of making a decorated wrap and ...  

• wrap a set of handmade greetings cards to give as a gift to someone who likes handmade - but who doesn't make their own;
• personalise a bar of chocolate - leave the foil on but replace the original paper wrapper with something prettier;
• liven up plain gift boxes with a wrap that add a stylish luxury finish ...

I'm sure there are more ways to adapt a wrap ... what do you think? Let me know your suggestions in the comments!

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COMING NEXT WEEK ...

• If the timetable I created for Going Postal is correct then I have just two crafty projects left to share in this series! I can't believe we're almost at the end of 6 weeks of posty celebrations! That said, there's actually more than two posts left ...
• alongside the paper-crafting there's a mix of things happening in the final week including ...
• a special offer from a gorgeous store where you'll get some great ideas for Christmas gifts for happy post lovers!
• ... and a peek inside my bedroom ... all for purely innocent postal reasons I assure you!



If you haven't already visited the Going Postal board where everyone's posty blog posts are all saved, then do treat yourself to a browse when you get time. [Just click on the image you want to learn more about until you're taken across to the original post].

 

Then ...

 



If you join in with a posty post of your own:

• let your readers know you're Going Postal [a few words of introduction is fine];
• link up to my blog or the Going Postal Pinterest board where I'll be saving your post.
• then - if you use Pinterest please consider pinning it to one of your own boards, link me up, and I'll 're-pin' it.
• but - if you DON'T use Pinterest drop by here or my Facebook page and leave a link to your postal-themed project or story before Oct 27th and I'll add you to the board for all to share your contribution.
• The Going Postal Pinterest board has close to 800 followers ... so this could be a fun way to get your blog seen by some new eyes!

Any problems or questions - just get in touch.

 

Julie  :-)

Cardmaking: 'Stay in Touch' postal ephemera card

Hi, hi.

I've seen similar things to this mentioned in several contributions to Going Postal so far so I know I'm not alone ...

... but what is it about stamps and stationery that, while they're everyday items, they manage to hold within them a heightened level of romance and seductive power over us?!

Do you, like me, come over all untoward in the office-supplies aisle of even the most mundane of supermarkets? Let alone the days you can lose browsing around a Paperchase! And, given half a chance, which of us would turn down the offer to play Post Offices?

Well, with this envelope / paperclip / postage stamp combo card I've pulled those postal + office-supply obsessions together ...

Even though I never send letters overseas I do own Air Mail envelopes ... but who doesn't??! So I just added one to the front of a card, on top of a few strips of coordinating papers.

And here even a single stand-alone feature-stamp can help get the message across maybe as the ideal sentiment to send someone moving abroad or heading off travelling ... or else adapt it for any other card-sending occasion:

There's still 11 days for you to link up to Going Postal in your own posty-themed posts ... everyone's welcome!

Julie

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If you join in with a posty post of your own:

• let your readers know you're Going Postal [a few words of introduction is fine];
• link up to my blog or the Going Postal Pinterest board where I'll be saving your post.
• then - if you use Pinterest please consider pinning it to one of your own boards, link me up, and I'll 're-pin' it.
• but - if you DON'T use Pinterest drop by here or my Facebook page and leave a link to your postal-themed project or story before Oct 27th and I'll add you to the board for all to share your contribution.
• The Going Postal Pinterest board has close to 800 followers ... so this could be a fun way to get your blog seen by some new eyes!

Any problems or questions - I'm always around! Just get in touch. :-)

Scrapbooking: using postage stamps as an embellishment

Hello there.

That bedraggled creature with a windswept hair poking out beneath a hood and with damp trouser hems? That's me after my little walk this morning. In the wind and rain. How about you?  I hope things are drier and calmer where you are today.

[Whatever the weather don't forget you can join in with any weather-related number moment for this month's Communal Count - all the details are here.]

But, while I dry off  by a radiator, let me launch into the 5th, and penultimate, week of Going Postal 2013 with some scrapbooking ...

Although pre-made, bought, shiny + new embellishments are great ... and although I use plenty of them in my paper-crafting ... I really do like to mix them into my projects along with some more 'real' bits and bobs. You know the sort of thing:

• Ephemera;
• Originals;
• One of a kind once-it's-stuck-down-it's-gone type elements.

Like old postage stamps.

[Hey after 4 weeks of Going Postal you knew that that's where this was going didn't you? At least I didn't let you down!]

And that's precisely what I did here; threaded a random - but colour-coordinated - selection of old postage stamps throughout an otherwise modern layout:

A mix of eclectic stamps can easily add colour, texture and interest to a layout which you can treat just as you would any other colourful sticker or die-cut etc.

Also, as this layout about yarn-bombing demonstrates, postage stamps don't only work on travel or correspondence themed pages either:

And each individual theme or image featured on a stamps doesn't need to match your photos, which is just as well ... because I've not found a yarn-bombing stamp ... yet ...

Just treat them as you would any other colourful embellishment in your supplies [and goodness knows some of those commercial scrapbooking sticker sheets have some weird sentiments and images on them that don't particularly go with anything ... but they still get used!].

Just group them together on your layouts or sneak them in anywhere you would a regular paper layer:

 ... and let a random collection of stamps elevate a flat page into something a little bit different! [Which, to be honest, is the Holy Grail of my crafting endeavours!]

Julie :-)

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There's been an influx of fabulously varied posty-posts being shared across BlogWorld in the last week or so, so ... if you haven't already visited the Going Postal board where they're all saved, take a minute or two when you get time. [Just click on the image you want to learn more about until you're taken across to the original post].

 

Then ...

 



If you join in with a posty post of your own:

• let your readers know you're Going Postal [a few words of introduction is fine];
• link up to my blog or the Going Postal Pinterest board where I'll be saving your post.
• then - if you use Pinterest please consider pinning it to one of your own boards, link me up, and I'll 're-pin' it.
• but - if you DON'T use Pinterest drop by here or my Facebook page and leave a link to your postal-themed project or story before Oct 27th and I'll add you to the board for all to share your contribution.
• The Going Postal Pinterest board has close to 800 followers ... so this could be a fun way to get your blog seen by some new eyes!

Any problems or questions - just get in touch. :-)