4 G's Blog Hop Day One 1st Project Happy Mail

 

Welcome to the first day of our three day hop that will end Sunday. Please visit each blog listed below. Each blogger will post a different project during all three days of the blog hop for you to comment on. Each comment gains you one entry.

Also, for additional entries, please "follow" each blog and "like" each blog. Each member can have up to 5 entries on each blog by the end of the hop.

On Monday, August 17, each blogger will randomly select a winner from all entries for a prize. If you are a winner, the blogger will contact you directly. 

Here is a list of bloggers participating... Check each one out, follow and like each blog... give their project a try and leave a comment for a chance to win... It's that easy! 

Stephanie Collins: http://mamascrapper69.blogspot.com/

Amanda Rhodes: http://salnclts76.blogspot.com/

 
Paula Driver: http://scrapyourworld1.blogspot.com/

Norma Gomez: http://normagomezart.blogspot.com/

Kyla Schrake: www.fwast.blogspot.com

Michele Quam: www.Chelmariescreativecorner.blogspot.com

Steff Munnings: www.EmbellishItAll.blogspot.com

Peg Rounds: www.pegscraftingcorner.blogspot.com

Stephanie Bargelski: http://stephaniebscreativedesigns.blogspot.com/

Here is my first project: 

Happy Mail...

With our electronic age the written word is becoming a lost art... and when I say written, I mean hand wrote, not typed on a keyboard...

Every since I was little I can remember getting decorated envelopes from some of my girlfriends or a card for a birthday in the mail.  

One of my favorites

There was something really fun about getting a letter in the mail hand delivered by Larry (our postman).  It wasn't until I got older when receiving mail was a whole new experience... Bills, more bills and once in a great while I'd get something fun like a magazine, or a letter or postcard from a traveling friend. 

It use to be more frequent back in the old days... but after the internet started to gain interest, and everyone replaced a hand written letter with a typed one sent through the internet into our conveniently located little boxes on our computer screen... leaving us a quaint little voice message saying...
 "You've Got Mail." 

At first, it was soooo exciting to wake up to a box full of messages from far away friends... that is until everyone one on the universe got your email address and started sending you advertisements,  bills on line, nasty grams, and other odds and ends. 

Now I have to admit, seeing the numbers grow of unanswered emails is out of control... it's just as bad as a pile of bills sitting on the corner of my desk... I've realized I'd rather do just about anything rather then deal with all the must do's required in every email.... Where's the fun in getting emails any more... and the cute little ladies voice that use to tell me I've Got Mail... even she got tired of them and retired...lol.

It wasn't until I found out about swapping art on line in an old chat room did reading my emails become fun again... Now I was swapping addresses to mail out Artist Trading Cards (ATC's).

2 1/2 by 3 1/2 ATC's

The first card I mailed out I couldn't help myself... I had to decorate the envelope... Not only did I have fun drawing a smaller version of the card on the envelop... but after the receiver retrieved their mail... I'd normally receive a call saying how beautiful and fun it was to receive such a gift.  They all loved the little mailed treasure... They were almost more excited about the envelop then about the ATC I sent them. Unfortunately... I didn't think to take a picture back then to share with you now.

Making and receiving beautifully decorated envelopes, and how it makes me feel is what inspires me to always try to make what I'm sending whether it's an envelope or a box adorned with something Cheerful... Creative... or a little special surprise for someone that may be having a ruff day...

Can you just imagine how you would feel receiving a little mail art when you least expected? 
That's what I thought... admit it, you'd love a little piece of art in your mail,  making your mundane bills a little brighter.... 

You don't even have to be an artist to do this... anyone can add some decorative tape, draw a stick figure, add some stickers, draw, paint, color; Use different fonts to address your envelop, think out side of the box... Or just spraying a little paint on an envelope... something to brighten up your mail.  Here are a few examples of my mail art..

 

These last few are made from friend's of mine, I just love them. You can see how one was stamped and added some Washi tape.  The other was hand drawn and simply adorable... I would love to get one like it...

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There are so many different ways to make some mail a little more exciting using art... there are even websites all about mail art on Google, Pinterest or Facebook... I've linked you to a few of my projects... so you get a better idea.

Here's my stash of Washi Tape perfect for decorating every size envelope or box.

Now it's your turn... mail a handwritten letter and decorated envelope to someone you love, miss, or would like to get to know more, anyone! I wouldn't be surprised if you get something back... 

Take a picture and email it to me a before Monday...You'll get an additional entry into my prize drawing on Monday Afternoon... 

My email is... katasee (@) gmail.com 

If you really would love some happy mail, send me a letter and a decorated envelope... You're sure to get one back from me in the near future...

Mail to:
Michele Quam(4G'sBloghop2015)
PO Box 2010
Port Townsend, WA 98368
USA

Tomorrow I'll show you what to do with all your collected decorated envelopes and letters... here's a sneak peek =0)

 Thank you for spending some time here on my blog... I look forward to see what you do with this project