Lessology Challenge #57: Snail Mail Revolution

 

Welcome to April's Lessology Challenge.  The challenge is to decorate an envelope.  I'd been thinking about it for a long time.  I think I mentioned I hoard cardboard... but I also hoard envelopes.  Especially padded ones that I think I might be able to re-use either to mail something or as packing inside one of the cardboard boxes I've stowed away.  This is what I started with (the front and back is inset-forgot to take a pic before I started... this is after I began painting it with black gesso):

 

 

IDK ... probably some kind of crafty thing I ordered came in it... the seal was ripped, and I had to tear the label off.  I had bought this cool tissue paper a while ago I think from the Funkie Junkie and knew I wanted to cover the envelope with it and in the beginning I was going to make it in a manner that I could actually mail something in it, but as is usually the case, I got carried away.

 

 

The tissue paper is old timey newspapery.  I chose the black paint instead the white for the base because I wanted it to be dark.  Then I used some of my favorite washi tape all around the edges... in some places for decoration and in others to fix imperfections from me ripping open the envelope to get out whatever wonderful goodies were contained within.  Then I added some white paint (well... I had to because I tried stenciling on a lace pattern and it looked like a blob so....) I added some white paint and then gold paint to lighten it up before I got out the sponge brush and glue again.. and do you see that beautiful napkin that I modge podged on after?  I received that in the mail from none other than Yvonne Yam a few months ago ... I thought it added just the right touch of feminine against the dark vintage mess.

 

 

I got out all of my wonderful postage stamp sets and was going to stamp and emboss the postage on it and then I came across another envelope .. this one I'd saved because it had an important return address on it...but it also had on it these beautiful postage stamps!  Yes!  Stamps... not metered stickers!  So I added them and the modge podge really wasn't working so I had to use some fabric washi tape to be sure it stayed put.  Then I did stamp a little postage marking and do you see who I see ever so lightly in gold embossing?  It's Sassy Owl... I just love her.. of course they made a postage stamp of her! 

 

In the area where you'd normally put the send to address, I decided a doily was in order and when trying to decide what to put there... perhaps the name and address of the person this is going to?  Nah!  That would spoil the surprise.. I thought of this great stamp set from the Cutting Café Shop and knew it was perfect!

 

 

Even the back did not escape my modge podgery!  I created a tie to hold it shut with a couple wood pieces I recently received as part of a prize package.  I knew the buttons needed something on them and then I thought again of those gorgeous napkins.. don't worry... I still have one left... that's for me!

 

Hope you can play along with us this month and I can't wait to see what you create!  Come back tomorrow for more DT awesomeness!