August from Riley -- matherizing colors

These are both from Riley. The top one has no postmark. The way *EMPTY* is scrawled on the top - it looks like the person who slashed the stamp wrote that - which makes no sense at all. Maybe Riley will email and let us know if the envelope was mailed with EMPTY written on it.

The other envelope's design is nicely coordinated with the stamp.

Riley just started college. We had a little email conversation back and forth and my memory is foggy - but I have a notion that Riley's major is math or math-tangential. I like that work tangential. It's mathy. Both Riley and Hadley have started college this fall. I'm impressed that they are both intending to stick with the exchange. I told both of them how the blog pretty much grew out of my teaching combined with the fact that I had sent so much mail to my daughter when she was in college. I also made a ton of envelopes for my niece and gave them to her mom to send to her while she was in college. My niece told me about sticking all her mail on the wall in her dorm room and how it attracted a lot attention. Dorm mates were always stopping in to see the new envelopes.

I've always wanted to have a wall where I featured my favorite envelopes. Maybe I can figure something out..... 

***

I am a closet math nerd. The serious math nerds would probably not consider me one of them. If you are on the end of the math spectrum that wants to see how mathematicians have matherized color - here's a fun video. I did not make it all the way through - but, I started it late in the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KYwi2F5Ce4&t=219s

Hipster 4 - August to JeanR, Patty, Susan, Kate and Nancy

This is not a Hipster. It was done a couple months ago - and it's another idea from Rachael that I might revisit.  The two below are when I went back to the simplicity that I preferred. They might have too much overlapping. I clearly had forgotten that overlapping was optional. Patty has an A in each name - so her's would have been perfect to only overlap the As.

I'm not sure where these two came in the sequence of thicks and thins. I do know there was an *ooops* on Kate's which is why I started adding little extra lines and some dots - and once again, an oops inspired some added details that I like. I used the bolder marker on the initials of Kate Riley - and I'd do that again.

I didn't have an ooops to fix on Nancy's - but I added the little bobcat markings which I like.

 

August from Susan - blackout poetry

 

August had a bumper crop of ideas that I would like to appropriate. Susan makes me wish I had not been so thorough in the hoard reduction of my vintage stamps. But - PLEASE, dear readers - do not take that comment as an invitation to send me vintage stamps. It was a very slippery slope and I am determined to stay in the world of Forever stamps. Current Jean is very disciplined.  Maybe there is a way to do this with just one Forever stamp. Maybe this idea only works because they are flowers.

***

Back in mid-August - I noticed that Leslie had a new post on her blog - featuring blackout poetry. This link takes you to the blog - I'm not sure how often she posts. Scroll back to Aug 9th to see the post that described her first blackout poems.

https://foldedpenfan.blogspot.com

Back in 2015-2019 - Finnbadger started a new blog for blackout poetry. I submitted a couple.

finnbadger's blackout poetry blog

This is one I did -- it's lame as a poem - but, it was fun to do.

I think some people use the term *found poetry* or *erasure poetry*  - it's a very deep rabbit hole - just Google any (or all) of the terms

Hipster 3 - Aug to Kristine, Nanski, Sharen and Riley

After I ditched the bold markers, I decided this was better. It was fun to use details from the stamp as letters. Kristine and Nanski have I's in their names.

Sharen does not have an I so she has a little leaf on a twig.

I chickened out on Riley's - on the O - because I wasn't sure I could make a smooth O. 

I followed Tim's R pretty closely and I have mixed feelings about it. I think I'd make the bowl smaller and the angled leg a little bigger.

I tried several ways of making bees. I think this was my first try and I think they got better.

Is anyone going to try this style? I like it so much - I want to do more. I spend too much time pondering how important it is to *please my audience.* I fret over getting in a rut. Perhaps I can cultivate a different frame of mind. It's possible that the readers are just here to kill time....  or perhaps it is chore avoidance. 

Caffeinated comment: My obituary might refer to my passing as *Jean has taken the ultimate step in chore avoidance.* My readers are the only ones who will get the joke.

Or maybe *Jean recently took chore avoidance to a new level.*

  

 

August from Leslie - microwave raku

 

So pretty - from Leslie. I keep admiring her work and wishing I had more time to restore some better calligraphic skills. <sigh> It's OK - I have plenty of good stuff going on. So, I'll just be happy at where I am on the bell curve. Notice how I didn't say *where I am on the spectrum*? It seems like the word spectrum has changed - and that the non-typical-neuro camp has cornered-the-market on the word  *spectrum.* I understand how it happened - and the more I read - the more I find myself with a ton of characteristics that are on non-typical-neuro spectrums.  My *thing* about mail is a bit of a flag. Let's call it a gray flag. It's 10:21 am - you'd think the caffeine would have worn off by now - but apparently not.

Leslie tucked this inside - appropriate message for these days.

***

I spent about a year in the late 70s working part time with a potter, doing the decorative glaze designs on her thrown stoneware. I loved that part and was somewhat interested in learning to throw - but, I could tell that my hands were not on board with that level of gritty materials that fight back. I needed to stay in the world of delicate, fine motor skills. Later, when I had kids, I kept thinking we could build a raku kiln in our back yard. But none of my kids were interested. 

Then....I ran across this - and if I were a youngster, I'm pretty sure I'd be tempted to try this.

micro raku firing in the microwave

And for all the potters out there who know that the solution to gritty clay is to work in porcelain - yes - I was very interested in working in porcelain - but - that would have required a much more disciplined approach. Also - it would have required schlepping to the only studio in town where porcelain was available - and that wasn't going to happen.

Hipster 2 - Aug to Janet, Alex and Juliana

These stamps have wonderful little details to add some sparkle to the envelopes and were among the very first that I did. Rachael had used one weight and alternated red and blue - so I decided to vary the line weights. Janet's T is another variation - and to me it's a fun variation. Tim's font did not have any curves. I did a lot of experimenting on the S.

Rachael's J is a little different from Tim's - and definitely better. It has a tiny bit of curve. Juliana's is a good example of how choosing a pattern of thick and thin - and then alternating the thicks might seem like a good idea - but the result was off. I ditched that idea for the time being.

I didn't add a detail from the stamp - which I regret - although not deeply. I guess it's a shallow regret.... the worst envelope of all had a fish on it - and it remains to be seen if I can make something adorable with a fish and seal stamp. I don't remember who got the fish that I didn't even photograph. Maybe Maggie. Someone with an *I* in their name.

 

JANET, with 5 letters - works fine with varying the weight. It also has that one gray letter...so that was something I should have noted - and put to good use.

From Nancy Hills and more USPS stats

 

This one, from Nancy Hills, is delightful and I now I have another idea to appropriate. The small words at the bottom say, "I'm the smarter, skinnier brother." Smarter because the eyes are turned into glasses. I would have added commentary from the monster that said, "I am also the brother in the movie Moonstruck who lost his hand in the bread slicing accident," because that right hand is a little skimpy. 

I'm so happy to have this idea - but - I'm going to be really sad when I use up all my monster stamps.

***

More postal information.

My son and I were talking about something that made him recall that when he mentioned switching from being a mail carrier (commonly known as a mailman) - more than one of his friends said, "What are you doing? I didn't know they did anything other than deliver mail."

We both rolled our eyes --- at how clueless some of his friends are. Later, I started wondering what percent of the postal workers are carriers. This is what I found:

As of 2023, the total workforce of postal service workers is approximately 640,000. This includes various roles within the United States Postal Service (USPS).

 The workforce of postal service mail carriers is about 342,010.

• Gender Distribution:
  • 38.6% are women
  • 61.4% are men
  • 
    

Employment Trends

• Projected Employment Change: The overall employment of postal service workers is expected to decline by 4% from 2023 to 2033. However, about 35,800 openings for postal service workers are projected each year due to retirements and transfers.

This data highlights the significant role of mail carriers within the USPS workforce.

Hipster - Aug to Amy

 

I sent Rachael a group photo of all 20+ envelopes that I did using her style. She responded that it was a style she found on Pinterest. I ended up doing a Google image search and found what I believe is the source of this particular version of a style that has endless variations. The concept is to reduce each letter to a cookie cutter shape.

This was posted by Tim Degner. He is a designer who seems to be living in Portland. If you Google his name there are several places to see more of his work. In one place, this style is named Hipster. At the end, I will post my own variation. I think his G needs some work. I also think that several letters need some options.

His inconsistencies make for more visual interest - but - that's where I think it's better to ponder how the letters fit together - and allow for more than one way to make some of the letters. I think his G needs work.

This looks like he cut up a piece of fabric. That reminded me that I have a cut paper alphabet tutorial that starts with a square or rectangle and then you remove only as much as necessary to create each letter.

Below is a link to 4 posts on my nibs.and.ink.blogspot.com blog.

In 2015 I was going to post all the different things I taught in my lettering/calligraphy/penmanship classes. I didn't get very far. It's a sad little hodgepodge of information.

The link takes you to what I posted in Jan of 2015.

There are 34 posts - I should probably delete the blog....

https://nibsandink.blogspot.com/2015/01/

Aug from Janet --- Cute post office

 

Janet chose a perfect font to go with the stamp. The eagle cancel looks great. Once again, since I have every letter I need to write JANET - except the T - I am tempted to do something inspired by this for Janet. I think the Goodnight Moon stamps would be very different - and I could replace the flowers with socks.

***

This is being written on Aug 17 while I fill up blog posts. All the odd days for the month are full of the Hipster envelopes - which is the name of the font that Rachael used. Now I will fill the even days with the mail that arrived in August. Here's a photo my daughter sent from Glen Arbor, MI. It's not like her to pay attention to cute post offices much less send me a photo. Of course I had to Google the little town and look at the map.

At Google maps - someone posted another photo and this one has a very fun *sign* in the window. Someone spelled out a greeting - by printing one large letter per sheet of copy paper. It's a very good idea if you are not comfortable with hand lettering.

Here it is up close. It says: Let's All Thank Cindi for 20 Years of Service

Here's a serious rabbit hole with photos of many more interesting/quaint/adorable/unusual post offices from all over the country.

https://www.fuzzygalore.com/2018/02/photos-2017-post-office-pit-stops/

The blog is by someone named Rachael (not OUR Rachael) who has been riding around on her motorcycle for 30 years and blogging photos for 20 years.

Aug to Rachael (red and black cancel)

 

After Rachael provided the inspiration for all of the August envelopes which were also fun to do and mostly pleasing to my eyes - hers is little ho-him. She sent me a photo of what it looked like when it arrived.

There is a very mysterious double cancel - both red and black - slightly offset from one another. I need to check in with Davonte and see if he honored my request to collaborate on the envelopes.....

***

Yes - he did. 

And there will be future collaborations.....now that I know Davonte has his own black klonker. I have to ask him if they still call them klonkers.

I also noticed that I only overlapped the A's - so maybe I did notice that at the very beginning. But Rachael has 3 A's - which is not going to happen in most names - so I had to create overlaps in different ways.

Meg's August envelope - the line of infinite beauty

 When I checked the blog posts on Monday, I realized that this one was empty - so I will put in a real time post. This is the most recent envelope to show up at my house. It is from Meg in Australia.

Meg is a graphic designer, so she puts together a file that she can print. She can choose any kind of color or texture for the envelope - add her design leaving white space wherever she wants it - and then she colors them in by hand. She prints her art and then constructs the envelope by hand. I study them to try to pick up tips on alcohol markers since I can tell that's what she uses. They bleed through. I used alcohol markers on my Sept envelopes and had mixed results. 

Here is an add-on that is on-topic. It discuses the line of infinite beauty or the line of universal beauty. At the very beginning it has some disturbing flashing images - which might cause you to be very annoyed - but they are only for a few seconds to illustrate a point. Then it gets interesting. I have not even finished it but I have been enjoying it because that *line* that he talks about comes up in calligraphy frequently. 

As with everything - you don't have to agree with the guy - but it's one of those topics that you might want to consider. 

LINK to video on why some things just look beautiful

Yes, I know this is a subjective topic - and beauty is in the eye of the beholder - and I like a lot of weird stuff that flies in the face of that *line* - but - that's the fun of delving into this topic.

After you watch the video - go back and look at the curves in Meg's design.

June from Rachael - inspiration for August

Rachael's June envelope didn't pop up with all the other June arrivals because I set it aside and forgot to photograph it. The note inside this one mentioned that Rachael thought it might be too simple - but she resisted the temptation to add something. I believe that was the right call. I decided to use the style for my August exchange envelopes and use the baby animal stamps. I've already posted a couple from this series. I went overboard with additions and none of them are better than this very straightforward design.

I glanced at Rachael's envelope and then wandered off making variations. When I got to the end, I went back and looked at Rachael's and to be honest - I don't think any of my variations improved upon the simplicity of hers. However, I know that Davonte liked the one that was the most wild. 

I will not post all of them in a row - I'll alternate them - in groups - with the August envelopes that arrived.

I don't want the daily posts to be too redundant.

I need to make a card like this to send to my baseball-fanatic grandson.

***

I finally figured out why I like Rachael's original better. She only overlapped in 3 places - with the letter A. I did not notice that until today (Sept 4th) when I am checking posts right before they pop up - and I have not looked at anything for a month. New things pop out after a break.

 

July from Nanski - Letter carrier costume

I do not keep track of the exact count - but I feel like half the envelopes with washi tape arrive like this. I can see how, from a design standpoint, Nanski liked it better with something along the left side. I think it's fine with white space. My favorite part of this is that she did red and green and it did not turn into a Christmas theme. Why? Because there is an equal amount of black --- I hope I remember this recipe.

Nanski included a very nice card - inspired by the stamp. She repeated the design element of the green vertical stripe - in marker. The note inside recommended a book, Bright Stars: Great Artists Who Died Too Young by Kate Bryan.

***

I can't remember if I already posted this -- an adorable idea for a Halloween costume. You would not have to be a postal worker to wear it - but it's probably a lot funnier if you are.

 

July from Leslie No 2 + Patty - B&W from the USPS

Here is a second envelope from Leslie - for July. The colors in this stamp are soooo pretty. It's too bad they don't do full sheets of this stamp. I might have to go through the whole set of round stamps and rank them. That would be an absurd use of my time. Or maybe it's wise to take time to do frivolous things. Maybe that's what keeps the creativity alive. Or maybe I have too much creativity and that impairs the practical/necessity side of things. Perhaps the coffee was too strong. Perhaps I should just rein it in and post something that is in my email this morning. 

As you probably know, you can sign up to receive a black and white scan of your daily mail. It's called Informed Delivery and anyone can sign up for it. For me, it is always startling to see the images - they often look muddy. If I don't recognize the stamp, I can't even imagine what the colors will be. 

This looks like it's from Patty --- there is a beach ball and a couple inner tubes - maybe the background is shades of blue to look like water.... A+ on making it clear for the USPS scanners.

I was going to add the color version - but - you'll just have to wait because I'm consumed with the massive ofrenda project.

 

July from Mia - public.work

This lovely painting is from Mia - and the stamps are from Canada. They are lovely stamps. Mia also did another pretty painting of the same type of flower. It looks a bit like a magnolia - or maybe one of those trees that we call tulip trees. Magnolias seem like they would not tolerate the climate in Canada. Maybe I am imagining that they are life sized paintings. Maybe they are apple blossoms.  

You are on your own with this add-on. It's a new place with thousands of public domaine images. I have no idea how it works. It is called: public.work

I chose a topic - envelopes - and found some - but they were mixed in with many other things. It seems like a fun rabbit hole - and I have to stay out of rabbit holes until my ofrenda is finished. I'm writing this on Aug 10 - so I'll be curious to find out how we're doing - when this pops up.

https://public.work/envelopes

July from Leslie + September exchange sign-up

 This is so pretty. Once again - a beautifully written name + a coordinating address - with a lovely stamp and then one perfect detail - is a recipe for success.

***

It's time to sign up for the September exchange. 

Today through Sept 4th is the window to sign-up. Lists are sent on the 5th.

If you participated in the AUGUST exchange - just shoot me an email that says: SIGN ME UP - you do not need to retype your address and info.

Send your sign-up to:    PTEnvelopes-at-aol-dot-com

Let me know if it is your [Birthday] month or if you are willing to be on [2 Lists].

If you were not on a August list - or if you only sign up occasionally - or are a new exchanger - please send your information in the following format:

Jane Doe

123 Oak Street

Ames, IA 50010

janedoe@aol.com

[Birthday]  [2 Lists]  -- if those items apply

If you are new to the exchange - here are some helpful details:https://pushingtheenvelopes.blogspot.com/p/rules-of-exchangement.html

July from Christy and Carol - pranks part 2

 

Above from Christy, below from Carol. Once again - my stack of mail and postings and scans did some jumping around. Hopefully they are not repeats. They are happy, sunny designs - appropriate for the last day of August.

The postmark that's been on several envelopes, observing the 250th anniversary of the USPS has been fun to watch. It often looks like the eagle is clutching or trying to catch the stamp

***

Well, I feel like a real amateur. There are a gazillion epic pranks online. So many - I don't even know what to choose as an example.....

HERE is one LINK to a bunch of pranks  they are pretty elaborate

From Riley in July -- Xmas prank

 

Here is one of Riley's envelopes that I consider recognizable. Since I had so much fun with my August envelopes - using inspiration from Rachael for all 20+ maybe this will be my inspiration for my September envelopes. I could use up orphan stamps as well as orphan envelopes....

***

I was jabbered out - and then I found this blurb that I had written and did not post - and it's a *July* theme - so I'll tuck it in here with a July envelope.

My daughter and her family are not overly into pranking - but they do like an appropriate one from time to time. Once in a while I'll do something that is just the right amount of silliness. When I was visiting in early July, I had my all-time favorite idea. As previously mentioned, my daughter and son in law are very tidy. My son in law and I are on the same wavelength when it comes to Christmas. If I am at their house for Christmas, I'm always up earliest - and on the 26th, I tend to have all the ornaments off the tree before anyone wakes up. Then he and I have everything put away by about 10 am.

So, on my trip in July, as the family was loading up the car - for their 4 day out-of-town little league  tournament - I ended up in the kitchen with only my daughter. I asked her if she was worried what I was going to do while I was home alone for 4 days - since I had already been reorganizing things in the kitchen. She shrugged and said, "No."

I said -- "What if I get out all the Christmas decorations and set up the tree and put a big *Merry Christmas in July* sign on the door - for when you get home." We both started laughing so hard - agreeing that it would be an epic prank on her husband. We had tears rolling down our cheeks. The look on her husband's face would have been soooo good. Or not.

I thought about it the whole time they were gong -- but it was just too much. I wonder if there are websites on line that feature epic pranks.... I'll go look - and maybe there will be one more post to fill up August before I take my break.

July from Liz and Juliana - to Chuck

From Liz (above) and Juliana (below)

And this one is a continued effort to get those alcohol markers to blend.

I wonder if the type of paper makes a difference - I bet it does.

I was going to fill up the last two days in August - but I think I'll go experiment with markers. 

I'm jabbered out.

It's 97° as I write this so there is no temptation to go anywhere.

***

I'm doing my final edit -3 days before this posts - and I am happy to report that we have been having the most beautiful weather. Day after day of sunshine. People are giddy. I wonder what catastrophe is lurking.....

 

July from Kate - and cool *number* video

 

Kate has a large collection of hand carved rubber stamps. She used one of them for the border. The cancel looks like it was intentionally positioned - but I'm sure it's machine done. I especially like the way the border is a bit to the left and the way the stamp overlaps. This one get's the steal worthy label - although I'm not sure if I'll get around to carving stamps. I have the supplies - just not sure about the time. I'm writing this a month ahead - and have no idea how far along I will be on my ofrenda project.

***

As I recall, there are some readers who like number things. The first 40 seconds of this video shows a book that was hand written by someone who loved both penmanship as well as numbers. I'm intrigued with the book and maybe when I am done with the Day of the Dead - I'll comeback and watch a bit more and see if there is anything that inspires fun envelope designs.

LINK to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhSlqIe1CRQ

The title of the book - The Holey Monster -with 934 faces  - sounds interesting..... reminds me of the giant skull. I wonder how many *faces* there are on that 3D shape.

This example, from the video will either draw you in - or send you screaming in the other direction.

That is an interesting font to pair with complicated math. I think it's a lovely *break* from all the precision and technicality. Or maybe they just wanted something that looked like an old fashioned chalk board.

July from Rachael - Goodnight Moon to Davonte

I often appropriate ideas off Rachael's envelopes. She agrees with me that these stamps are a little tricky. Rachael's designs often exhibit precision that is more than what I am willing to launch on an envelope. Of course, when I try to do something similar - but a little looser - it loses a lot in the translation. I always examine the envelope closely to see what the steps were. Anything where you *color in* can be tricky. I tend to color first and then outline. 

It was time to send something to Davonte, my postal worker friend. I liked the idea of lifting the lettering style from the stamp. Rachael's looks better with the yellow background. And mine needed a little darker green - but, it's OK. I did not enjoy doing the scalloped border and doubt that I'll do it again - and yet - I think I liked some of the ones where I put the frame as a border on the whole envelope.

I thought I had already posted Rachael's but now I can't find it - so -- here it is -- on its own - in case anyone is keeping a folder of images that they can use for inspiration. Grrr at myself that I have not been doing that.....