Tales from Studio Mailbox

Swaps & Cool Stuff Happening Now

Like all of you I'm sure, summer is flying by.  But I thought I'd take a moment to drop in and update you with what I've been up to...

Just yesterday I mailed my postcards to  my friend Kat over at The Kat Eye View of the World who is hosting her Liberate your Art swap again this year.  The cool thing I did this time was carve a block for the backsides of my postcards.  Those of you trading mail art with me in the future will be getting an impression of this for sure!

In other crafty news Cath Sheard is hosting an envelope trade off!  I have never swapped envies before and I think Cath is cool so I'm sending mine off to her shortly.  While making those I realized I could use the very same block I carved for the postcards!  Versatility -- three cheers!!  (and the crowd goes wild)...

Karen from I am Rushmore has a site for mail art swaps that I just discovered.  Check out Mail Me Some Art if you need some postal inspiration.

And the coolest thing I've seen in a long time is an altered book by Pat over at Lost and Found.  She worked over an old German text to create her Optomist's Creed.  When I came across it the other week, it was exactly what I needed to see and read.  She is really one of the most talented journalers I've ever seen.  It was so awesome I felt compelled to share.  Pat, you rock my socks.  For real.

I hope you're all squeezing some creativity into your busy seasons too.  I'm looking forward to the day that I'm back on a more regular basis!!   xx tj

My postcards for Kat's swap, "Freiheit and Befreien" is German for "freedom and liberation."  I used an altered and sewn photograph, written text and played with India Ink.  Weird and not my usual style, yet fun. Exactly the whole point of mail art (to explore, experiment and send away).

Publishing Party

My friend Tammy over at Daisy Yellow invited me to contribute an article to her latest Zine.  I was so flattered that despite my hiatus I could hardly say no.

What did I write about?

My article talks about what happens when you stop blogging!  I hope you enjoy it as well as the rest of the inspiring content that Tammy works so hard to put together.  I'm excited to be a small part of it.

Interested in winning a copy of the zine? 

Well you're in luck, because I have two copies up for grabs.  And if you win, you'll also be the recipient of one of the limited edition prints I recently made.  They're from a lino cut block printed in a clam shell press on beautiful heavy weight paper and then further altered.  (The TJ version of free-styling). 

I have quite a few of these so for those of you who tweet or have your FB pages running on a mainline into your veins, then it's your lucky day.  I'm giving extra prints away for helping me out.

Here are some ways to get yourself entered repeatedly:

• Leave a comment here.
• Like the Studio Mailbox facebook page
• Drop by the Studio Maibox facebook page and post something
• Share the Studio Mailbox facebook page on your wall and beg your friends to like me
• Tweet me.
• Pin me.
• Paint a pretzel on your body and post a photo on my facebook wall
• Spray paint your car with pretzels and my site name
• Name your new baby or pet 'Studio Mailbox' (by doing this you are agreeing that they become the mascot as well)

Whatever you decide to do, just make sure and tell me in the comments how many times I need to enter you in the drawing.  Or just make a bunch of crap up why you couldn't do a damn thing for me and I'll probably feel sorry for you and send you something anyway.  The deadline to enter is Friday, June 15.  If you come across this post after the deadline, just let me know and maybe we can swap some mail art.

I'm going to be SO excited if I get done with my move and have a bunch of new fans and friends, but let's go slow ok?  Like comes first, then love. 

The block locked up in the chase, inked and ready to print.  (That's a little ATC)

Action shot of me printing.  Not the most normal expression but hey my tongue was sticking out on the other one.  Seriously.

A finished print laying on top of a pile of unfinished prints.

PS - a note to my old readers, this was fun.  I miss you guys!

Hanna's 2012 Postcard Swap

Those of you who've been with me for years know that iLove iHanna.

So I had to pop in here to announce that I just discovered that she's come out with a 2012 handmade postcard swap!

I participated in 2010 and in 2011, (remember those cards?) so even though I've stopped my interatctions with nearly everything out in the blog-o-sphere, I'm not passing on this one.

This year Hanna has decided to ask for a small fee to participate, and I nearly sat up and cheered when I read it.  This girl has put in so much organizational administration over the years to bring the community a high quality swap, connecting artists throughout the world.  I'm so happy to see that it's grown into something this big.  As artists we all struggle with just how much work we can be expected to do for free, and I'm happy for her.

If you love handmade postcards, pop on over to Hanna's and sign up.  Maybe you'll get one of mine, or one from many of the other talented artists out there who are sure to be making amazing mail art!  This one is a fun one, so c'mon and join in!

Ghost of Pretzels Future

Since I've stopped blogging regularily, I've been thinking a lot about how to move forward with everything I've built up over here. 

And although I know I cannot continue to post as I have in the past, I do hope to do a few fun things in the upcoming year to celebrate the twisted form. 

So for those of you who've stuck with me, thank you!  I suppose it's not easy to change from a committed relationship to an open and undefined one.  I'm feeling like a creepy boyfriend who only calls late at night for some booty.

Rest assured that I'm right here and will let you know where and when and how I'm ready to begin again.

Here's wishing you a fantastic, happy and healthy new year full of creativity.  Wherever you are on your journey, I hope you're twisting!

*An ATC made from one of my last German bakery bags repurposed along with scraps of drawer lining from my German kitchen cupboard!

Photographic Mail-Art Love!

Kat Sloma from the Kat Eye View of the World hosted the amazing "Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap" which was one of the last ones I joined while still in Germany.  Although I missed the blog hop portion of the event, I still wanted to post images of the beautiful postcards I recieved and thank the talented people who created them. 

Each of these cards gave me such a smile when I was right in the middle of total chaos, which just confirms how important creativity and mail art can be.

Top Left - Bright Lights by Kris Freeman

Embrace Your Super Powers by Jenny Shih

Peacock by Claudia Wrightson, Dipity Road

Dandelions by Angie Willis, Palomachaffinch

Vespa by Kat Sloma (the hostess!) Kat Eye Studio

Stitch by Joan Jedesigns

Remember my Glueckwunsch Cards?  Well one landed in Rosie's World and she was kind enough to share it with her readers presenting her postcards pinned on a line!  Check it out. 

Here's a big shout of thanks to Kat who has been a real support and inspiration for me since she just so happens to be transitioning back into live in the US after living in Italy!  I've really enjoyed following her love of scooters while improving my photography with her tips and tricks.

Book and Goodie Winners!

Thank you so much for all the comments on the recent give-away celebrating Quinn McDonald's new book, Raw Art Journaling!  I was totally overwhelmed by the response, 49 comments with lovely, meaningful responses. 

(What a long way from Studio Mailbox's first attempts at give-aways where nobody responded and I sat here looking at my prizes all depressed that I couldn't even entice people to play along...)

I'm not computer savvy enough to do screen shots of the comments or the number generator site, but here are the results of my random number pulling.  If you see your name below, please email me with your full mailing address! 

tj(at)studiomailbox(dot)com

Once I have your details, you'll receive your goodie packs via Air Pretzel except for Ruth who will be getting her copy directly from Quinn since it's going to be signed!

 

First I asked for 9 numbers for the goodie pack winners:

5 (iHanna)
11 (PennyA)
27 (sharon saurini)
34 (Pat)
37 (Linda Born)
42 (s.)
46 (W. Dean)
47 (jill redding)
49 (Carola Bartz)

And then I asked for 1 number for the signed book: (drum roll)

26 (Ruth) *LUCKY GRAND PRIZE WINNER*

Thanks again to everyone for entering, and here's wishing you an meaningful, arty-filled week!

Tuesdays with Pinky

You guys might remember when I started out working with the juvies and I was contemplating the use of carving tools with deliquents.  *(If you haven't read that post, it's one of my best AND has an awesome dialog throughout the comments from my beautiful readers).

Well since then, I've been steadily at it.  Now I'm doing some one-on-one art with a girl I call "Pinky" on Tuesday mornings.

These kids have shown me so much.  It's been fascinating to watch how an hour or two of art can completley decompress hostility, anger, or hyperactivity.  Being the dorky textbook psychologist that I am, I was sort of expecting that they'd make a bunch of stereotypical angry shit like you see in movies.

But you know what they've been making?  They've been making hearts, initials + initials, and postcards for their moms.  Sweet, loving stuff that shows me they need connection.  Not one of them palmed the carving blades and tried to harvest my organs.  Shame on me for even joking.

Instead, one little boy insisted I take a photo from his collection of zoo animals.  This might not sound like any big deal, until you realize this kid doesn't have any other possessions.  And Pinky?  She shyly presented me with a piece of chocolate she had saved just me for. She also writes me little notes in English exclaiming, "I like you!"  These gestures are so grand because they're being generous with the very little that they have.

It has been one of the most rewarding and interesting things I've ever experienced.

Pinky and I made some cool accordion style books to keep the ATCs we're planning on trading.  I constructed the sewn covers at home, but we worked on the inner folded pages together.  I brought hers last week since mine wasn't finished yet.  She doesn't know that I saved the little collage she made of a dog with a rhino horn on it's head saying "cool."  I think she's going to be surprised and happy that my book has her artwork on the cover.  The word "loathe" is also super interesting to me.  I wonder if she knows what it means.  Makes me think of love-hate knuckles.

Saturday I bought her very first Moleskin and am going to bring my journals in and show her the secrets to putting thoughts and ideas and feelings in the pages. I hope she "gets into it."  Wish me luck!

PS - want to meet an artist who is an actual mental health professional?  Check out this amazing interesting podcast with Seth Apter from The Altered Page.  I've just been informed that a submission of mine will be included in the Style File section of his Artist Pulse so lets keep an eye for the 24th when it's coming out.  And since I'm no longer a conscientious facebook objector, I also follow The Altered Page on Facebook!

Glueckwunsch Cards

Germans don't normally say "Gratulation" to congratulate you.  They say "Glückwunsch!"

I like to think of it as the German version of "make a wish" because it seems like they're proclaiming your right to lucky wishes.

You offer it up at birthdays and anniversaries, when you learn of a pregnancy or a new job and even sometimes when you're not sure what to say, - "GLUECKWUNSCH!"

Here's the set of cards I sent off to Kat Sloma who's hosting the Liberate your Art postcard swap.  Check out her stack of mail that's recently come in!  Now that's is some serious arty mail lovin! 

I'm wondering where in the world my cards will end up and most especially who will get my favorite one, which of course is the weird girl standing in the middle of the heart!  (Which one is your fave?)

Because they are authentic German-made lucky cards, the recipients are entitled to a minimum of one free wish per card.  Because I'm in such a good mood, readers may also redeem a wish just by looking at this post...!

Got a hankering for a postcard swap?  Check out Beth's 4th round of the Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap.  All you need is one card with at least one stitch in it, and you're in!

Glueckwunsch = Lucky Wishes! 

Digging Out Old Stuff

Full Steam Ahead!  "Volldampf" is my latest acquisition from Marion.  I love the twinkling gears!  Reminds me of a printing press.  She is so organized, she has a folder of available ATCs for trade on her Flickr stream.  Check her out!

I thought Studio Mailbox was reaching the 500th post mark but sadly upon further investigation, I realize the stats are counting all the old posts I have accumulated that are unfinished and unpublished over the years.

Since I'm about to go on a short trip, I've decided to clean up around here.  I'm deleting the junk that never will be posted and bringing to you some old stuff that's just too funny to delete.  So for the next couple weeks, you'll be getting the written version of spring cleaning.

One of the posts was just a title, Shopping Photos or Photoshopping?  Hmm.  Where was I going with that one?

Here's a taste from something back in 2008:

...I've been developing this world of female gnomes for Studio Mailbox's upcoming Zine.  Each of the troll-inas will have a skill or power.  It's basically the exact opposite of the Smurfs.  Instead of all men and one woman, my Zwerge village will have all women and one man.  Except my women aren't going to compete for the attentions of the male, in fact they might exile him.  I haven't decided.

Folks, I even scare myself.  When I close my eyes, all I see are question marks behind my lids!  Please forgive me in advance for the weirdness I'm about to dump on you in the next days and if I don't answer your comments it's because I have no internet connection or am hopelessly lost in the wilderness. 

Although I'm flying home to Minnesota, I'm joining a group of women somewhere on an island off the shore of Wisconsin in Lake Superior.  And get this:  some of the ladies actually want to propel themselves along the water with some skinny boats using arm strength!  I've already opted out of that excursion but I must admit I am looking forward to this place which is clearly going to need a report of it's own when I return.  Then again, I've heard it's "Biker Days" at the Burnt Down Cafe so you'll know what's up if I never actually return.  Love you guys!

Check it out: Marion's cards also included "Away From Here" -- spooky as I'm frantically trying to pack!!

Before and After: Sprayed Die Cut

My friend Dawn sent me these groovy die-cut heavy paper forms awhile back when my homies and I were doing a postcard swap.

I altered the girl form that's hiding in the middle there under Dawn's beautiful woven cards.

This is just the kind of craft product that Germany is missing.  I could think of a million fun things to do with forms like this.

So I did what any good friend would do. 

I spray painted the heck out of one of them and sent it back!  Thanks Dawn, you rock.