Remember Griffin and Sabine?

I think I discovered Nick Bantock in college or shortly after, which was many moons ago.

I LOVED Griffin and Sabine, with all the beautiful envelopes and artifacts tucked into the books, the mail art, and the strange and mysterious story of their correspondence. After I read the books, I bought the Nick Bantock rubber stamps, and used to actually create mail art that was MUCH better than what I was doing in the way of cardmaking back then!

But then, as my cardmaking got better, my envelopes got more and more boring, and now they're just plain white envelopes with terrible handwriting on them. That has to stop. I'm hereby issuing myself (and you if you like) to STOP sending completely boring envelopes.

In my defense, I do handmake a lot of envelopes out of retired DSP, but that's not really the same as the mail art of days of old. My friend Gary - and the best penpal in my life, really - used to do amazing mail art. Stamps and collage and drawing.

I remember Rubber Stamp Madness' mail art features and the ones in the Stampington magazines. I am going to get back to that level of awesomeness if it kills me. I STINK at hand lettering, which you will see soon. Like in just a few seconds. :)

But I came up with a technique to at LEAST create pretty labels for my envelopes that are 100% handmade, and I hope you like it. First - enjoy what I did with half of the label paper that I used on a matching card - it's the background for the beautiful climbing orchid.

When I do this technique, I can cut each sheet in half - half of the sheet makes TWO pretty envelope labels, because I die cut an oval out of the center of half the sheet and can use both the oval and the frame for envelopes as you can see here.

Here's a closeup of what the frame label looks like.


Here's card #2 where I used half the label paper for a different background.

Here's what the label looks like that matches that card.

Now how did I do that, you ask?

Well let me show you! I'm a contributing artist over at Gel Press today, and so I made a video of this fun technique using just ink, a Gel Press, your MISTI and some label paper. You will get addicted, I promise. In 10 minutes you will throw down your mouse and run for your desk. Promise.

So send some PRETTY mail today, won't you? These two are already in the mail and I plan to make lots more over the weekend.

I'll be back soon with something completely different.

Loveyameanitbye.