Christmas ATC Swap

After making my first ATC, I felt a little bit more sure and joined the 'Christmas ATC' swap on Swap-bot.  This time I had 2 partners.  I think they turned out ok, but I still feel like such a beginner.  Since, I can't draw at all (just stick people lol),  I have been just cutting, gluing and embellishing.

Somehow, after all these years, I'm trying to bring my creative side out, if I have one, lol.

My very first ATC

After a long time looking at and admiring the ATC's (Artist Trading Cards), that I've seen all over the internet, I finally decided to give it a try, even though I'm not very creative.  I joined a swap on Swap-bot, called 'Embellish those ATC's.  I really had fun making it.

Here is my very first ATC.  I made a butterfly theme, since my swap partner likes them.

The title is "Carefree"

What do you think of it?

Letter Writers Alliance

Yeah, I received my membership for the Letter Writers Alliance.

The official membership card and a button with the 'Welcome' letter

Outgoing Mail Art

Here is a piece of mail art I made for a Beginner's Mail Art swap at Swap-bot.

My swap partner likes giraffes and plays music.

It didn't quite turn out like I wanted, but I hope the receiver will like it! 

back

This is an envelope from recycled material.  

Some of my very faves.

Diet Dr Pepper Cherry Vanilla 

and a Cookies & Cream Hershey candy bar!

I didn't align the back paper right.

Need more practice at this mail art thing, lol!

Incoming mail from last week

Had a really good mail week last week.  It was fun finding all this great mail in my mail box, besides just bills.

These are postcards I received for the North America Round Robin for October on Postcrossing.

Love those cards!!!

This awesome envelope came with these 6 awesome postcards from the Quick Post Card swap on Swap-bot.

My swap partner picked all the cards I really love.

Thank you so much for all the lovely cards.

A lovely pen pal letter from South Africa.

She included an awesome key chain with the South African Flag and Currency.  

I love the bills, they each feature a different animal.

She also enclosed 2 beautiful postcards for me.

Thank you so much Antoinette for all the goodies and your lovely letter.

Two more great pen pal letters.  

It's my first letter from both of them.

One is from Heidi in Atlanta.  You can find her blog here

And the other with the beautiful Australia map card is from a pen pal 

I met through Postcrossing.

Thank you both for the lovely letters.

Mail Art Received

Received these 2 awesome mail art letters from a pen pal in Virginia and a pen pal swap at Swap-bot, from California. 

Love them!!!

The Mail Art I Made

Outgoing

This is the envelope I made for the 'Beginner Mail Art' swap at Swap-bot.

It took me quite a bit of time, but I thought it turned out alright for my first try.

What do you think?

I was a bit worried about it maybe coming apart in transit, but I'm happy to say, that it was well received.

Already signed up for the  'Beginner Mail Art 2' swap, since I had so much fun making this one.

Front of envelope.

Back of envelope.

My first received mail art

This is my first mail art I have received.  I was so excited to find these in my mail box.

I think decorated envelopes like these make it even more special to receive, since I know how much more time and creativity was put into them, besides the written letter, which of course is always special. 

This was one came from a participant from Swap-bot for the Beginning Mail Art swap.  I really love it and I was so happy to receive it.

I love the stamps too and it's my first Owney stamp.  So cuuute!!!

That's the back of the envelope.  I really like the notes and butterfly.

And inside I found a nice note and this very cool magnet, which I love, since I'm a big fan of the classic movies like this one showing Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. 

This cool envelope came from a nice lady right here in Virginia, who contacted me to be pen pals.

It's great isn't it?  Her stationery was really neat too, with a typewriter on the writing paper.  (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of it.)

And as a bonus she included a bunch of little goodies, like tags, tickets, stamps etc. I can use for mail art projects.

Thank you again to both ladies for sending such great mail!