Tag Archives: craft

iHanna’s fall postcard swap

We all want to get mail. The right kind of mail. Forget e-mail, bills and surveys. MAIL as in postcards. Lovely handwritten postcards. Wouldn’t you like this? I made a small challenge earlier this fall – I suggested to a few twitter peeps that we all would send five postcards to friends that particular weekend. I guess we all sent store bought ones. Well, actually I sent one DIY card.

I’ve just been presented with another opportunity to craft and send my very own postcards. This time to people I have never met. How exciting isn’t that? Another bonus is that I get DIY cards in return!

Handcrafted mail! Do I have your attention? Yes? Thought so! Move over to iHanna’s web to read more. Hanna is one of these lovely creative ladies that inspire folks to do stuff like this. Twice a year she hosts a Do it Yourself Postcard Swap. All you need to do is sign up, pay 6 bucks for administration and drag out your stash of creative treasures. Or grab a magazine from the paper recycling box and start tearing pics out for collages. It can all be made simple as long as you are having fun with it! Create ten handmade postcards in any style, mail them and start enjoying that walk to your mailbox.

Create, connect & share – that’s the swap slogan!

I started on a few postcards the other day, while doing other creative work. This is how it looked. Base is red but I am sure that will change!

 

DIY postcard swap
DIY postcard swap

I am looking forward to not only creating and receiving DIY postcards but also to discover and follow the progress of participants in the postcard swap!

Are you in?

Postcard in Swedish is vykort. Vy means “view” and kort means “card”.

 

Top reads this week

These are the books I’m enjoying this week! I deliberately choose the word ‘enjoy’ since actually reading a book is not always the only way to love and savor books! Looking at photos in gorgeous coffee table size volumes is an obvious way, but I also use books for art journaling; altering books by giving them a second life. 🙂

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From top left:

Journal Spilling by Diana Trout -wonderful to just let your mind flow away; colors and creativity. Love the pictures.

My project: preparing a rescued and unwanted book with gesso (whitening the pages to make it a base for art journaling)

Nina av en slump (Nina par hasard) by Michele Lesbre

Collage workbook by Randel Plowman – a library order; like a bag of candy! Collages were big as I grew up but it is still fun!

Välkommen till virkligheten by Annika Messing – I’ve done lots from this crochet pattern book and a robot has to be finished tomorrow 🙂

Cracks in my foundation by Marian Keyes – I love Marian’s short stories. What can I say. Also perfect in lenght before bedtime when there’s also twitter …

Third Culture Kids by David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken – TCK gurus. Use it in life and work; always something to come back to every now and then; hence always out on the desk.

Så gör jag. Konsten att skriva by Bodil Malmsten – This is a book I like. Phenomenal and very modern visual content; anecdotes about writing and lots of related material. Creatively done. Not just text.

Allt om trädgård by Marie & Björn Hansson et al. – one of my best books on all things garden. Colors and info!

 

Hello mailbox – where have all the postcards gone?

Don’t you just love getting proper mail? I’m not talking about the data filling up your e-mail inbox. I’m talking about crisp letters you can actually feel in your hands; slowly tear open to reveal its content. Proper letters and postcards are special. Magazines are fine too. Bills and flyers are what mostly greet me when I peak into my mail box though. Sad. But I have to admit I don’t send many cards myself by postal service (unless it’s Christmas). And letters – almost never. Most of my postal mail exchange is with expat friends, or friends I got to know during my expatriate adventures. Sometimes I also send letters to my Swedish conversation students, containing articles from magazines and newspapers to read and work with.

The other day I stumbled upon a cool project on swapping postcards. You send 10 DIY postcards and get 10 back. Problem solved :). Follow the link here to read more on iHanna’s blog! Hurry to sign up and get crafting! Be sure to visit the blog to see Hanna’s wonderfully colorful creations!

Falling for fall

Fall is here. The beautiful, rich colors and the crispy air. And, oh yes, the rain. But let´s just forget about the rain for now.  It doesn´t go with the picture. The leaves are turning my garden into an explosion of nuances. It´s like a firework leaving confetti to nurture eye and soul, as well as the lawn. The last brave rosebuds stand strong in the wind, and the blueberries … well, why haven´t they been picked by now?!

Indoors the colors tend to follow the nature´s. Summery shades and patterns are replaced with warm orange and deep reds. Burgundy. Candles, textiles and decorative items add to the luxury of warming up in front of the fire place after a forest walk. A glass of red. Memories from expatriate postings come to life with tiny crafted hedgehogs, autumnal recipe books from overseas and … ahem; the inflatable pumpkin.