My mail ran away with the circus (mail art part 2)

Hello it's me Tera again here with a super fun 2 part Circus Mail Art series. 

you can view part 1 HERE

I really really love this awesome plate of rubber, It is super awesome with the new USPS Vintage Circus postage. (Also how cute would these be in a MINI album!?!)

Also I apologize ahead of time but my scanner wouldn't work so its hard to see the amazing details of these stamps... you'll just have to buy some and try them!! you'll love them!

Stamps used: 

Admit One Ticket 1 1/4 x 2 1/2, Striped Border Arrow 1 1/4 x 2 3/4, Strong Man 3/4 x 2 1/2, Zoltar Machine 2 1/4 x 4, Circus Lady 1 1/4 x 3 1/2, Bearded Lady 2 1/4 x 2 1/2, Shoes Hanging From Wire 1 1/2 x 5, Circus Strongman 3 3/4 x 3 1/4, Spinning Swing Ride 3 1/4 x 4 1/2, Under The Big Top 1 1/4 x 3, Bulls Eye Target Solid 1 x 1, Be True 3/4 x 1 1/2, Bulls Eye Target Open 1 1/4 x 1 1/4, The Greatest Show 3/4 x 1 3/4

I started by stamping out my envelopes and a set of "masks" to mask off the areas i don't want covered by sprays. (Below you can see I used scarp paper to create my masks)

I even love how these envelopes look even with out color, the detail in these stamps is just unbeatable! 

Next I masked of the parts is wanted to stay white, and sprayed the envelopes with "kiwi" tattered angels ink spray then removed the masks and allowed to dry

(in the 1st two below I decided to leave them at this step so a friend could color them to match her art journal... they are still really cool though and the stamps seam to pop off the page!)

To finish off my piece I added my postage stamps and tried to match the colors in them by using my distress markers and a water brush for a fun vintage feel.

 

I hope you are feeling inspired to send some at through the mail now!!
Happy stamping!

Circus Mail Art Part One

Hello it's me Tera again here with a super fun 2 part Circus Mail Art series. 

I love this awesome plate of rubber, It is super awesome with the new USPS Vintage Circus postage.

Stamps used: 

Admit One Ticket 1 1/4 x 2 1/2, Striped Border Arrow 1 1/4 x 2 3/4, Strong Man 3/4 x 2 1/2, Zoltar Machine 2 1/4 x 4, Circus Lady 1 1/4 x 3 1/2, Bearded Lady 2 1/4 x 2 1/2, Shoes Hanging From Wire 1 1/2 x 5, Circus Strongman 3 3/4 x 3 1/4, Spinning Swing Ride 3 1/4 x 4 1/2, Under The Big Top 1 1/4 x 3, Bulls Eye Target Solid 1 x 1, Be True 3/4 x 1 1/2, Bulls Eye Target Open 1 1/4 x 1 1/4, The Greatest Show 3/4 x 1 3/4

I started by stamping out my envelopes and a set of "masks" to mask off the areas i don't want covered by sprays. (Below you can see I used scarp paper to create my masks)

Look how awesome these envelopes look even with out color! 

Below you can see the parts I masked off

Next I sprayed the envelopes with a homemade ink spray then removed the masks and allowed to dry

To finish of my pieces I added my postage stamps and tried to match the colors in them by using my distress markers and a water brush for a fun vintage feel. 

I hope you all enjoy these and have fun creating some of your own! 

Come to the Greatest Show On Earth!

An indexed journal book is a great substrate for VLVS circus images!  Remove "Under The Big Top," or elephant and add a personal pic from when your family attended the circus.  Makes a wonderful scrapbook page.

VLVS Images:
19190 - Admit One Ticket
19193 - Bulls Eye Target Open
19196 - Bulls Eye Target Solid
19195- Circus Lady
19199- Greatest Show On Earth
19200 - Under The Big Top
19219 - Whimsical Elephant
979 - Design solid Circles

VLVS Partners:
Sakura of America - Cray Pas Expressionist Oil Pastels, Moonglow Gelly Roll Pens
UMWow Studios - Chipboard Banners

The first thing I did was create the background.  There is a subliminal orange and creamy orange jacquard-like background.  I stamped the dots and the bulls eye images.   For the dots, do not ink up the whole stamp, just part to give a more natural look.  Edges distressed slightly.

The picture above is my playing with how I might want the finished layout to look.  Things usually change as I work on my art.  Notice, I changed the "Big Top" word placement with "The Greatest Show" word placement.

Each image is colored using oil pastels colored on plastic (An old CD works well for this) and use odorless mineral spirits to create a more watercolor look.  The Gelly Roll pens add pops of color for contrast.  A couple colors of Copic pens also used to finish off the design.

Here is a close up of how I colored the Chipboard banner pieces.  Instead of picking up color from the CD, I colored full strength with the oil pastel on the chipboard and softened with mineral spirits brushed on top.  It would be fun to go further and layer maybe another patterned chipboard shape over the solid - i.e. the orange striped piece over the solid blue.

This is how the page looks standing up in the journal.  The left side could be where you scrapbook or journal words about your memories of going to the circus as a child or with your children.

We all love the Big Top, afterall; it is The Greatest Show On Earth!!!


Cre8tivelea Yours - Lea