Hope life is treating you well! It's been rather quiet here, for two reasons, - one I've been busy with other things as you will see in a moment, but also, I have become rather tired of blogger and blogging to be honest. It really annoys me they have still not fixed the issue with comments no longer getting into our inbox, but also, writing a blog post takes so long... I much rather spent my time creating. And for sharing creations and getting inspiration from others? Well I thoroughly dislike Facebook even more, but I have recently grown to LOVE Instagram, which was the starting point really of today's post.
I have been hugely inspired by some of the amazing Instagram accounts with wonderful examples of mail art, pen-pal creations, travel journals etc etc.
So recently I posted this photo on Instagram:
And asked whether anyone would like to receive one of these envelopes for their own journaling, swapping or pen-palling. Well, I got quite a number of requests, so set about creating all these envelopes:
Using washi tapes (a new addiction), vintage book pages, home made and purchased stickers, stamping, stencilling etc. It was so much fun:
Below a few more details and close ups:
Each envelope had a piece of tea dyed and hand stamped paper.
A little booklet like this, with two little pockets inside to hold some washi tapes.
A little bag, either from clear Glasine or Kraft Glasine paper (the stuff Tim Holtz brought out years ago and was hiding in my stash).
Each little bag was filled with a collection of home made stickers, real and home made postage stamps, little tags and some wax seals, another new passion of mine.....(making them that is).
I printed the flower and rose papers and then fussy-cut them. I also printed some on tissue paper and then made the little stamps (using the Tim Holtz stacked postage stamp dies)
And finally a little blank greeting card with a home made stamp of sorts they can use either as a keepsake or send on to others.
Well it was a lot of work but I had lots of fun. I have decided to added this project to two different challenges:
Art Journal Journey, where the theme this month is Inspired by, and this whole project was inspired by Instagram
And Frilly and Funkie, where the theme is By Airmail. The theme was just so perfect for this and a lot of these envies actually went by airmail!
Well, that's it for now, thank you for taking the time to visit, have a great week and I would love to know your thoughts on the different social media platforms such as blogger, Facebook and Instagram.
Happy Creating
xxxxx
28 comments:
I'd love to see a video or step by step on you making these beauties Astrid!! :)
So pretty! TFS
Lucky recipients! I'm sorry I didn't see the post on Instagram but I didn't know you were there. I am annoyed with Blogger and not getting notifications of comments. They claim last month they were working on it and should be fixed soon but nothing so far. I do love Instagram especially since it is free of negative posts such as those that are on Instagram.
Your art and creations are great wherever you post them. Hugs, Valerie
We're of the same mind Astrid, I am well and truly fed up with Blogger, particularly the notification issue. With three DT's of about 30 girls we rely on the notifcations to know what's going on, so we are all working in the dark and with all the will in the world ones never remembers to keep going to check on activity.
I find Facebook totally abhorrent and like you have recently started a Instagram, although as yet not had too much time to work on it.
On to your artwork today and as always it's a joy to see.
B x
Oh my goodness, not just these brilliant envelopes but also all the little beautiful things for going with them! I am thrilled dear Astrid! The recipiants will be over the moon!
I am with you that blogger isn't the easiest just now - and Instagram is nice but I have no Iphone to get photos uploaded there and am too lazy to get the app for doing this from my PC- so I just watch from time to time there to get inspiration and comment but never are involved.
I get the most from Pinterest ... much more from one session there than visiting thousands of blogs to be honest.
And FB isn't a place where I feel good. It just makes me nervous with all the privat photos and things I am not really interested in.
I never wanted to get emails sent to me in an inbox, I just work with my dashboard and the reading list there.
You made us happy over at Art Journal Journey with linking to our June theme! Much appreciated!
Thank you very much!
Hugs, Susi
Dear Astrid,
your envelopes are amazingly beautiful, and all the inside goodies, you have shared with the lucky receivers, looks so very tempting and lovely - someone will be so thrilled to start using your gifts ,in their own creations. The booklets are adorable !!
About blogger,,yes the notifications, missing is so annoying- and I do have an Instagram, which I have not come to use, - I don`t know why...but partly because, I miss the ability to write and tell , and show a course on the blog. Instagram are quick photos and messages - not the same - and I would miss you sooo much here, if you decide to give up your blog.
Have a lovely rest day :-) xo
oh wow - so many amazing beautiful pieces -
love it all - lucky recipients!
Thanks for sharing what inspired you and joining in at AJJ.
I always find bloggers are such lovely people but the stories I've heard about FB put me off there. I am in a Fickr digi-scrapbooking group and thats nice too but I don't know anything about Instagram - I'll have to check it out :)
Hope your day going well.
Gill x
I know what you mean about blogging and time. Right now I am wasting time at work so I am responding. I usually do my blogging at night if I am sitting in front of tv and not following the show-usually when my husband is watching something. I do like blogging though-if for nothing else I can check back at my own progress and what I was doing, but the whole thing seems to swirl into a big time sucking vortex. Anyhow, enough taking up your time reading my comment. Your envelopes are gorgeous. And thanks for showing your process too. Hugs-Erika
I have not been blogging for long but I think I will be switching to Wordpress.org as most of the free sites are not really yours. I was shocked to learn they can be taken down at any time and as you discuss they do have lots of problems. I also have instagram and agree it is very visually inspiring. I have not started using it properly yet, but it is on my to do list! Your envelopes and goodies are lovely and I am sure all the recipients will be delighted with such lovely postal surprises. I do hope you stay in the blogging world you are irreplaceable Astrid. x Amanda
Wow, what amazing happy mail! I bet the recipients will adore them with all the creative love you put into making them, they look so amazing 😁. I was totally mesmerised as I followed along to see all your makes and what you included with those pretty packs of handcrafted goodies, stunning cards and beautiful envelopes - perfect! Interesting question about media platforms, I'm not a big fan of using Facebook either and I have toyed with the idea of using Instagram recently, so please let me know how you get along. I chose to use WordPress rather than Blogger for my blogging as WordPress is more intuitive and verstile (less limitations than Blogger). Also when I first started blogging I always had problems leaving comments on Blogger sites rather than WordPress. I find WordPress really easy to use - I love it and would recommend using it! Sending you happy and creative wishes! J 😊 x
I was a very happy recipient of one of these envelopes - it is really gorgeous. Thank you so much Astrid, the care you've taken with each one is wonderful. Thanks again. Jean.x
Astrid, your mail art is so beautiful! I too am intrigued by all the pretty mail art and travel journals on Instagram. What a great idea to create all these pretties to send off to people.
Kate
Your mail art is beautiful and I am sure the lucky recipients will be over the moon when they receive them!
I guess I am not as annoyed with blogger as I do get my comments but I am disappointed that so many people are moving away from blogging. I do hate Facebook but it is a necessary evil as some DT's run through FB. Instagram is fairly new to me but I don't really enjoy the endless scrolling - I think I need to learn more about it! I truly hope you will not abandon blogging! Hugs, Anne xx
Your envelopes and packages look fantastic Astrid. I think you will have a number of folk doing a happy dance as they receive these in the post.
I am not a Fan of Facebook, only signing up because of a DT requirement in the past. I certainly don't feel comfortable to use it.
I put up with Blogger issues because it is my contact with so many crafting friends. Friendships formed because I took the plunge to open a blog and the contact with them is one I really treasure.
As yet I haven't thought about using Instagram and can say I know nothing about it.
I would really miss your inspiration if you decided to stop blogging.
Yvonne xx
Well could my day get any worse (sad face) To think I may no longer have your blog to read brings on a deep sigh. I love reading what you have been up to and all the inspiration you bring, always something to learn, ideas of how to compose a creation with the end result always stunning.
I understand that Blogger has not been the best and with the GDPR laws everyone has had to dot the I's and cross the T's.
Blogger is the only place I feel I can be me, I can share more creativity and try to give a little back to anyone interested.
Instagram is full of creativity but it's just not the same and you know my feelings regarding FB..
I really hope we do not lose you from blogger Astrid.
Hugs Tracey xx
P.S Your envelopes and added extras will be a real treat for those lucky receivers..
*UPDATE regarding blogger comments Astrid.. Mine is now working !!*
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/blogger/V611KU-BUOQ
Your generosity knows no bounds Astrids. How lovely of you to make this luscious parcels of beauty to share around the world. Absolutely gorgeous. Like you, I'm a bit fed up with Blogger,.
These are all AWESOME!!! U had me with that very first closeup- I'm still wanting that TH stamp set & I LOVE using plain wrap, hemp, and positively ADORE old-fasioned stamping seals!!! U are actually inspiring me to finally get brave & give those a try, too.
These are so cool & the fact that U got right down to business making them, tells of your excitement on this challenge!!
But then; this one just HASTA be a fave of many of us; that old-time postal, Americana colors...and esp the neutral colors (my faves)... reaches out and grabs our attention.
U did GOOD, girl... REALLY GOOD!!!
I was in AWE of your incredible mail art. I haven't used my stamping seals for so long, I had actually forgotten I have them. Your reminder was inspirational. Those little packets of love and kindness you added to the envelopes were incredible. What lucky recipients you had. And of course, sharing them with us at Art Journal Journey was the icing on the cake.
I always love your blog posts, Astrid. I'm a blogger, period. I don't own a cell phone (SERIOUSLY), so don't have the option of using Instagram. And I would NEVER use Facebook, regardless.
I've never used the option of getting e-mail reminders for my messages, so that has never been a problem. I know some have worried that it was causing problems with blogger. I DO hope you will stay with blogging, or I won't be able to visit and be inspired by your creative and beautiful art.
Awesome envelopes and tags !
What a complete treat for all those who signed up - your little parcels are packed full of mail-art loveliness. I do understand exactly what you mean about the time it takes to write a blogpost. And with time at a premium (I can't even keep up with blog-visiting at the moment) I sometimes wish I worked in a CAS style - and then I could be done with one photo! But I'm guessing I still wouldn't manage to write short posts. I can see the appeal of Instagram too - I expect I'll succumb one of these days. I hope you'll keep at least an occasional outlet here on Blogger - we'd miss you horribly!
Alison x
Wow!! You are such a generous soul Astrid! How lovely to create all these gorgeous little bits of art and simply giving them away .. lucky, lucky people who are on the receiving end!! They will be over the moon!!! I know what you mean about blogger and facebook. Getting a bit fed up with them too but I will keep plodding on I guess. I do have an Instagram account but I haven't really utilised it yet. I really hope you won't give up on blogging altogether though because, even though I'm a bit sporadic with it at the moment, I do love coming here for a visit!! Take care and have a great weekend my friend!! hugs xx
First up...PLEASE DON"T LEAVE US ASTRID!!
Your blog is one of the very first I visited and came to for inspiration...way back!!
I understand what you mean about the issues..This is from RedAnne's post this morning- I hope it helps:
Just a quick post today. If you have been having problems getting your Blogger comments via email, there is a solution which is working for me and many others too! My dear friend Darnell posted the solution on her blog and I am sharing it here:
* Go to your dashboard
* Click on Settings
* Click on Email
* Delete your email address and click on 'Save Settings' in upper right
* Re-enter your email address and click on 'Save Settings' again
* You will then receive an email in your inbox from Blogger confirming that you want to subscribe
* Click on the underlined word 'Subscribe' in the email
> Please share if you have other friends/Design Teams where this issue has been a problem.
It worked for me!
I get what you say about FB, but it is where the Dt's work from so I have to be there- instagram is inspiring, but not having a phone is difficult for me,I have to turn my computer into a phone to use it!
Anyway,please don't leave...too many of us love you and your art!
As for your little packages, they are just wonderful and you are so very generous for offering such a sweet gift!
Sending HUGE hugs to you Astrid!
lots of love,Jackie
What delightful little packages filled with your artwork and love! How lucky are these recipients!
Anyway, since you shared these in Frilly and Funkie's By Airmail challenge, I want to thank you for sharing your lovely work (and your blogpost) with us there! 'Sending' hugs!
On a personal note: I'd love to can all of social media if I could and just rely on good old fashioned snail mail and a nice phone conversation every once in awhile, but I guess that puts me in with the dinosaurs. I do love catching up with my blog buddies and really enjoy commenting on all the great creativity out there, so I think I won't give up on blogging, and I do hope YOU won't either. It would be a sad day, indeed.
They are all such beautiful little treasures. I started following on Instagram too.
I do hope you continue to blog - I love to see deals such as on these! I will never join Facebook but as you know I am loving Instagram. There are some things that only a blog can do so I will be continuing with my blog as I have so many blog friends that will never join Instagram. Hugs, Chrisx
I just go to my blog to see comments and am grateful to have them. You seem overwhelmed at present and frustrated. You have such talent and creativity. People and connections for their own sake still the most precious gift. xoxo
Astrid, I'm with you on loving Instagram! What fun! I saw your call for pen pals and hope to take you up on the offer some day soon. I'm terrible at mailing anything, hence the hoards of handmade cards I have in boxes in my art room. :( I have to do better! Or else, the room may cave in - ha ha ha! I'm totally in love with your envelopes and the bits you included in this awesome mail! Your post was just perfect for our challenge. Thanks so much for sharing it with us at Frilly and Funkie. Big hugs, Autumn
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