Sunday, February 20, 2011

Paola Baldassini, Milano, ITALY

This is a beautiful pencil rendering of a tea pot and drapery. I like that it shows up very well in this post so that you can really appreciate it.  Thanks, Paola, for sending this in to the Tea Shop.

Val Mark Herman, Sigean, FRANCE

 Val's card is an altered card from Budapest, with Hungarian text. Val added a little Magyar stamp and three tea choices for us. Hmm, I think I'll try the The Mandarine. What about you?

This image shows some of the cool things that Val sent to Patricia. Items from a Viennese Tea shop, with a  menu and lots of information about tea, and also a flyer for a local theatre production (Mr. Tea pot head.) Let's meet at Betty's, the menu looks terrific.

Simon Warren, Trng, U.K.

Simon sent in 4 pen drawings, which appear to be about the tea shop engulfed in smoke! The drawings came just as you see them, with the image, stamp, and the address all on the same side. One was on a thin layer of paper. All made it through the post just fine, I'm happy to say. Thanks, Simon.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Annie M, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA

Look at this fabulous shaped mail art. Patricia passed this along to me today when I stopped in to say hello. She was so taken by how it was a tea pot. It made it all the way from Australia with no trouble, and the stamp wasn't canceled. Great job, Annie M. Thanks.

Hester Wright, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

This lovely tea collage came in an envelope with a butterfly stamp. I think it's perfect for this mail art call, butterflies signifying re-birth, which is what will happen for Carytown Tea once the old place is renovated. When they move back into their space, the gold frame will be filled with fabulous mail art like this piece. Thanks, Hester.

Keith A. Buchholz, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Don't you love the headline? Good thing Fluxus West artist Keith Buchholz circled the article related to tea. We might have really gotten interested in the Trophies. Thanks, Keith. As always, your contributions are a good addition to mail art shows.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Rani Solhaug, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

 I wanted to show you both sides of this card. Rani used a Celestial Seasonings tea box to make her card.

 How fun and lively it feels. Like a perky cup of tea!

Thanks, Rani.

Carlo Maria Guidici, Lecco, ITALY

 This card is really unique. The upper half is the tea art/collage and the lower part is an authentication certificate. I love that. It came folded over with the address on the reverse, sealed with tape and little drawn images of scissors, showing where to cut it open. How neat. Thanks Carlo Maria. 
a fold over card

Giovanni StraDa Da, Ravenna, ITALY

The ever prolific Giovanni StraDa Da sent three cards. The cards are commercial cards that had had tea images added to them and have been altered both front and back in many ways. Very interesting, as always. The envelope in which they arrived is also creatively presented. Thanks StraDa Da.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Jaromir Svozilik, Oslo, NORWAY

Line drawings from Jaromir Svozilik are always delightful.  Notice the whimsical skull feet on the tea cup.

Kemal Ozyurt, Istanbul, TURKEY

This is the piece sent from Turkey, along with the envelope, which had collage elements and a nice stamp.

PSmith, Kentucky, USA

Neon Tea
A nice note from PSmith on the reverse of this card.  Thanks.

JJalltheway, NSW, AUSTRALIA

JJ's card is on silver foam core. There are lots of collaged elements on both sides and it came all the way from Australia with nary a snag. The stamp shows a koala, of course.

FMeyer, Aubagne, FRANCE

Wow, this is a photograph of a photo within a photograph (I think.) Francois Meyer of France sent this card with all of the information on one side of the card. The reverse is blank. In like that it shows the cup of tea next to the computer.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Karen, Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Karen sent this card with sparkly dolphins and a glass of iced tea. She's happy to celebrate her favorite drink with us. "Cheers" she writes. Thanks, Karen. And on a personal note, many years ago, my older sister and her family took me up to Big Bear Lake when I visited them in California.

Fleur Helsingor, Oakland, California, USA

Fleur, with her flower name and mail art with the 1887 Koehler's Medicinal-Plants book image of a tea plant (I assume.) Thanks, Fleur.

Marie, Manalapan, New Jersey, USA

This lovely photograph postcard came with a nice note.  Marie was so sorry to hear about the fire and hopes that the tea shop will get tons of mail art to refill the gold frame. I'm happy to report that much mail has come in and I'm in the process of scanning and posting it. Thanks, Marie.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Nikolai Lukin, Odessa Ukraine

 Two beautiful pen and ink sketches by Nikolai Lukin.

This is the envelope that the two drawings arrived in, with a wonderful drawing on it. The stamp is very nice, also.