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Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Gone Postal Art Journal Spread

 Hello again. Hope you're all okay.

I wanted to title this post "We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Card Viewing...". 😊 I've been making so many of them and it never seems to stop. So to keep from burning out on them, I took an afternoon to art journal. I always try to play over at Art Journal Journey and the theme for April is Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose, hosted by Bleubeard and Elizabeth. I'm also trying to finish my 2009-2012 journal, so I looked on the list of topics I've yet to do in it and found a couple this theme would work with. My spread today is about how in 2010, I began doing all my postal biz on their website instead of always physically going to the Post Office. 

I actually had a LOT of good collage fodder already collected for this spread because of years of receiving promotional mail back when I owned an accounting business. 

The pages of this spread were already lightly gesso'd and it being a composition journal, the lines on the paper still showed through. I thought that instead of painting on an opaque layer, I'd use a large sheet of TH Idealogy Postale tissue wrap that I'd received with an art supply order. My products were wrapped in it and I'd saved it of course. So, that became the base of this page. Then to messily spread a little color on it, I got my spatula and some blue Paper Artsy Fresco paint and scraped some on the left side, spraying it with a bit of water, moving it around and then closing the right side down on it to get some on it. Then I took some red and blue Inktense Blocks and made messy marks, then did the same with some Stabilo Woody pencils. I took a damp paper towel and smudged them in. The title was made with some very old stickers and a piece of scrap card that had blue paint circles on it. I scribbled some red on it before sticking on the letters, which I outlined with a white paint pen (except for the white e, that was outlined with a blue Posca).

To journal, I used a really old USPS return receipt request card I somehow ended up with. The truck was on a thank you postcard from a former mail carrier for her retirement gift. Pretty much everything on the spread is from real USPS stuff. The Lady Bird stamp is real. The upside down Jenny stamp was on the literature that came with my purchase of a sheet of them. I used postal washi tape bits that I found stuck in my sticker book among all the fruit stickers I've saved, and the other stamps I cut out from the USPS Philatelic stamp catalog I periodically receive. 

At any rate, I was able to recycle, reuse, and repurpose most of the stuff on this spread. It amazes me I've been buying stamps online for 13 years! I will also say their official electronic scale I bought for $25 is still working fabulously and was a very good investment. My paternal grandfather was a postmaster and my dad always kept a P.O. Box, just so he'd have a reason to go to the post office, lol. He grew up there, I guess. And to honor his dad. So I've also always felt a connection to it. I just wish that first class package rates weren't so dang expensive, but I guess we are lucky to still have first class and residential mail.
πŸ˜žπŸ˜•
Take care and thanks for the visit!
XXO

MY CHALLENGE PLAYLIST:

13 comments:

sirkkis said...

So many clever ideas to recycle and create a new impressive art journal spread.

Valerie-Jael said...

Fabulous journal page, Aimeslee, post is always a good subject. I do my stamps etc digitally, too, there is always ssuch a long line at the post office. Thanks for linking your lovely spread to Elizabeth's recycle challenge at AJJ, much appreciated. Have a fun day, hugs, Valerie

My name is Erika. said...

This is a fun spread Aimeslee. I love getting fun mail, and so the post office works as a good theme in my mind. You had some great images to add too. I save images I get in the mail that I like, but I haven't thought of using them for Elizabeth's challenge, so that was a great idea. Hope your week is going well. hugs-Erika

Anonymous said...

Its beautiful and the way you did it very interesting! Thanks for all these explanations

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Nothing says recycling better than old postage stamps. And I love the idea of using postal things that we get free there. I also remember having a few of those green return receipt requests. Quite clever way to journal and a wonderful way to give a nod to the post office. Whether real or faux, those stamps were awesome. What a great way to honor both your father and grandfather, too. Thanks for this incredible spread you have shared with us at Art Journal journey using Bleubeard's and my theme, dear Aimeslee.

Creaine said...

So glad you’ve joined our challenge at Mixed Media Lovers! I just love what you’ve made. Hope to see you again next time.
Blogowner: Ine http://creaine-cards.blogspot.nl/

Alyson Mayo said...

Art journalling isn't something I have ever tried but I sure respect the details and consideration that goes into each spread. It must be neat looking back at your creative journey!

Bonnie Lynn said...

I LOVE your art journal page Aimeslee!!! How awesome to have all of those bits and pieces around to use. I agree, buying the stamps online is a whole lot better than going to the post office.

Judy McKay said...

Stunning art journal page. Love the colour scheme and the layering. Thank you for joining us at Creative Artiste this month. Hope to see you back here again soon. Judy DT

Em Louise Fairley said...

Great layout, Aimeslee! Thanks for joining us at 613 Avenue Create. I hope we see you on the front porch again soon!

Hugs, Em
613 Avenue Create DT
Creative Em my blog

marlies said...

Leuk wat je gemaakt hebt! Fijn dat je meedoet bij de Mixed Media Lovers! Marlies, DT

ahlers5 said...

I really love the colors you used in these postal art pages. They really catch my eye. Beautiful.

Polkadoodles said...

This is GORGEOUS! You used my favourite colours and it's beautiful! Thanks for joining the challenge at We Love 2 Create challenge We Love 2 Create challenge this month!