We are just over a week out from the Liberate Your Art postcard swap deadline of March 12. So exciting! Here are a few more of the wonderful envelopes I’ve been receiving in the mail. Enjoy the mail art!

We’ll kick off with an envelope in my favorite colors, from Terry in Portland. I loved her collage layers! Front…

…and back.

Jacques in Washington created this beautiful envelope, painted and stitched.

Mary Jane in Australia added these mixed media flowers around the envelope. Gorgeous!

This happy envelope is from Debbie in Norfolk, UK. Those flowers wrapped around the back!

This painted scene was on a bubble envelope from Mary in Michigan.

A lovely collage from Michelle in Virginia. I especially love how she integrated the address block!

Sheila in California always paints her envelope. I love getting yours, Sheila!

Gorgeous doodles from Cheryl in California. I saw this one in the Facebook group and knew it would make the blog!

More doodles, from Danielle in California.

And some colorful doodles from Jenny in Nevada. I really like the shimmery envelope Jenny used. It adds a little something to the whole thing! Hard to show in the photo, though.

Keith in the UK (Yes! We do have men participating!) used one of his images printed on paper, and folded into an envelope. I like how intentional it all looks. Well planned out.

And finally, a wonderful cat for Kat, from Renee in Washington. Someone likes calligraphy! She notes she’s a “First Timer” on the back of the envelope. Welcome Renee! So glad to have you!

I wonder how many more great envelopes arrived while I’ve been away on business? I’ll find out tomorrow, and share with you next week!

And they keep coming! Envelopes are arriving daily as we get closer to the Liberate Your Art postcard swap deadline. Just a little over two weeks until swap day! Woohoo!

Last week I shared what you can do with manila or kraft envelopes, but what about plain white? It’s the best canvas out there!

We’ll start with Jacques in the UK, who added a gorgeous drawing to the front of this envelope. Nothing plain about it!

Alison in Nevada added a simple geometric design, which is striking.

Continuing with the geometric theme, Dorothy in Oregon created this piece with pen, marker and little bit of collage. I love how the postmark breaks up the lines…

Some tape and a stencil, and you’ve just created mail art! I love the angle. From Bethany in Florida.

White envelopes are perfect for stamps and watercolor too, as Rinda in California shows us.

Let’s see… tea and letters to friends. Perfect! Imelda in California added this beautiful original piece into the corner of her white envelope.

But you don’t have to start with an envelope… You can use other papers to create your own envelopes too. Kate in Illinois adds some lovely lettering to an envelope made from printed paper. I love it!

Juana in Washington takes a page from the book… literally. It looks like a page from an old yearbook or graduation program that she has used as the envelope, and then painted/collaged from there. One of my favorites!

Finally, Lynne in Pennsylvania created her envelope from scratch. Painted, then folded and finished. Love it!

Bonus detail on the front…

Another week closer to the swap! It make me happy that all of the postcards will be liberated into the world soon. And sad, because I won’t be getting these awesome envelopes too much longer!

Things are picking up in the Liberate Your Art postcard swap! We are a little less than four weeks out from the swap deadline and I’m getting some gorgeous mail art. I thought today I would share a few ideas for decorating a manila or kraft envelope coming from swap participants. You might not think of the yellow-brown surface of these envelopes as a great canvas, but you would be surprised!

Janice in California created the envelope at the top of this post. I love how simple but how perfect it is… Postcards inside!

Mikki in Colorado used colored pencils to create this cute little guy…

Found collages are perfect for these envelopes! Sarah in Georgia decorated this one. Back…

…and front. The front has some nice encouraging messages on it. Mail art as part of the message – nice!

Another collage from Cathy in WA. I loved the little messages she added… like this one: Art makes us come alive.

And I think I recognize Janet from California’s work, making good use of that neutral brown background:

Here we have an extra special “Seal” on the envelope. Love it! From Diane in Australia.

And last, but not least, Jeanne in Washington makes great use of an old Inter-Departmental Envelope with some stamps and watercolors. Remember these envelopes? We actually still have them floating around at work! She resized it by sewing the bottom shut. How cool.

The creativity never ceases! That’s what I love about this swap. It shows you that there is no one way to do anything. We can all bring ideas to the table. Or to the envelope, I should say.

Watch for more next week!

The envelopes have been arriving for the Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap, and there are some beauties in terms of mail art! As I looked at many of these, it got me to thinking what it takes to turn a regular envelope into “mail art.” Let’s explore the range of possiblities…

Mail art can be as simple as a few swirls and a special sentiment sketched in ballpoint pen, like this one from Monica from Michigan.

You can use some of that washi tape you’ve been collecting (yeah, you know I’m talking to you), like this envelope from Sherry in Alaska.

You can gather up your colorful markers, and fill up that white space! From Christine in Arizona.

How about adding a wonderful printed sentiment along with your doodled swirls? I swear, Mary in Missouri’s handwriting looks JUST like my Mom’s. (My Mom likes Elvis too!)

Or, you can use the envelope as a canvas, and create a masterpiece. The rest of these go well beyond “simple” and are just plain gorgeous. I never cease to be in awe of the wonderful art that comes through my hands in this swap!

Jewels in Michigan created this stunner. Front…

…and back! Oh yes, Marie, please let them Liberate their Art! The back is my favorite. That’s definitely going up on my postcard display!

Bright colors, great balance. I admire Gina in California’s ability to compose a beautiful piece with such disparate elements. Wow!

And last but certainly not least, Pat in Oregon creates some eye candy with her mail art. Both front…

…and back. Let’s all make our life a work of heART!

It’s not too late to join the swap if you haven’t already. Sign up here. Lots more mail art to come in the next few weeks. I can’t wait to see what arrives!