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TJ
An foreign artist celebrating creativity while working with mixed media in Germany.
Recent Activity
TJ is now following Tonia
Dec 19, 2014
Roman numeral pattern loveliness! So clever and cool as always. May your holiday season be as fun and inspiring as you Michelle...
xxx Lots of love from old TJ
HOLD THIS SPOT
I missed posting this at 12:12 AM so I scheduled it for 12:12 PM. I was going to call it "hold this space" but opted for "hold this spot"....the difference? The latter is twelve letters, of course! As I was preparing the graphic this morning I observed that 12.12.12, 12:12 PM is also twelve c...
Thanks for dropping by gals, welcome Meg! Hah I love the idea of "back blocks." In reality a person could get away stamping the back of postcards with one straight line, used over and over. Yet when you send out as much mail art as I do, it's fun to be able to crank them out with one quick impression!
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 coo...
Thanks for the lovely comments ladies!
Rushmore, you send out so much mail art I think you most certainly need your own custom carved card...
Candace, what a small world... thanks so much for stopping by, now I'm hoping I get one of your postcards through Kat's swap!!
Hope you all have a fantastically creative week. xx tj
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 coo...
700 cheers for you and your site Michelle!
Thanks for all you've shared with us here. Your stencils rock, fingers crossed!!
Arty hugs
xx tj
700th post! Giveway time!
Just today I discovered that this post is my 700th! So as I was playing out in the yard with my just-arrived-new-stencils I thought it would be the perfect thing to share for a giveaway. Leave a comment at the bottom of the post and you'll be entered in the drawing to win all three of these 6"...
Janet, of course you're "THE" Janet and yes I have your address. Watch your mailbox... post is on it's way from MN.
xx tj
Winners Announced
I'm so pleased with all the comments and facebook visits for my little give-away! I wasn't expecting so much enthusiasm since I haven't been blogging recently. It means a lot. There's nothing worse than hosting a give-away and then nobody enters to win. Worst. Feeling. Ever. (Not that I'd k...
For those of you who don't know my email is:
tj(at)studiomailbox.com
Be sure and send me your addresses!
Winners Announced
I'm so pleased with all the comments and facebook visits for my little give-away! I wasn't expecting so much enthusiasm since I haven't been blogging recently. It means a lot. There's nothing worse than hosting a give-away and then nobody enters to win. Worst. Feeling. Ever. (Not that I'd k...
This one had me sniffing too.
What a beautiful post about Grandma. Thank you for sharing this amazing woman with us Michelle.
I cannot believe she wears Uggs...I am in awe of her and want to be this cool when I'm 99!!
nearly ninety-nine and a half
I'm back from the north woods of Minnesota, where you can lean back on your chair around the bonfire and see satellites move through the clear black sky with your naked eye, but you can barely get cell service, and certainly not wi-fi. But it's good to be unplugged...that's when you get to tu...
Hi Chris, that press is called a Platen Press or sometimes a "clam-shell." They don't have the largest format printing capability. Postcards are about the max. They can hold a lino block, but it's a little tricky to get it tightened up in the chase. MCBA holds classes on the Platen Press, so be sure to check their workshops on their website!!
Happy printing, xx tj
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 insp...
Thanks ladies for the lovely comments. I am grateful however that he was accepted to a school before the year was out. It went right to the wire. It would have been a long summer wondering where he was going to go & when a spot would open up for him.
Really appreciate all your kind words... xx tj
Kindergarten Journal Page
My son's road to kindergarten has been an absolute horror. I don't have a lot of energy to even write about it. Let's just say it's brought up a whole interesting slew of stuff that's not fun to discuss. My journal page pretty much sums it up. I made this months ago, and the quest didn't end ...
Thanks Janet! I think lots of people collage them but this is faster...
Sometimes people don't "make" a gift because they don't have a week to sew or crochet a blanket or baby clothes.
This is something equally meaningful, but easier to fit into our busy lives!!
Quickest Baby Gift in the Midwest
I thought I'd pop in and share the quickest and easiest baby gift I've made in a long time. You know those MDF letters they sell in the craft store? Well with a few stencils and some fast drying alcohol inks, you can whip up something in only a few hours. And those drips and runs down the edg...
Thank you Hanai! So nice to see you here... xxtj
Quickest Baby Gift in the Midwest
I thought I'd pop in and share the quickest and easiest baby gift I've made in a long time. You know those MDF letters they sell in the craft store? Well with a few stencils and some fast drying alcohol inks, you can whip up something in only a few hours. And those drips and runs down the edg...
The more I think of this, I want to "re"surrect the old Crusades...
TJ's Restraining Order
Michelle Ward's 61st Crusade is about restraint. It was sad for me to discover that there's going to be a Crusade hiatus, despite the fact that I haven't been very active since moving from Germany. There was no way I was going to let this one slide, so I went into my closet and found my chipbo...
Thank you Michelle for this fun challenge! Back in Germany I had a habit of always being the last crusader to roll in across the finish line. I worked all day today to try and pull all my work together to get done on time. I can't help but wonder though if I still managed to be the last of the last. That's kind of funny! xx tj
http://studiomailbox.typepad.com/tales_from_studio_mailbox/2012/03/tjs-restraining-order.html
CRUSADE No. 61 ~ Restraining Order
Thank you crusaders – those of you who came to play last month, and those who have left comments and sent emails about the suspension of the street team activity. I will talk about that later but for now let’s offer a high five to the participants. An additional round of high fives goes to a...
Chrissy Miser is awesome-sauce. I don't know if there's a limitation on votes, but I'd like to slip in another ballot for her too!!!
PLEASE VOTE
Don't you agree that receiving comments from your crusade posts really makes the effort worthwhile? We have a great team of players who share their interpretations of the challenge but then spend alot of time tracking the other crusaders to leave kind words of encouragement. It's nice to know ...
There is one other thought about comments that I'd like to share. The biggest lesson I learned through Crusading was not an art trick or creative tip. I had the best example of a leader who I saw visiting everyone's sites and leaving kind, encouraging and supportive words. Until this time, I am ashamed to say that I wasn't much of a commenter because I was worried about my association with certain sites that weren't necessarily in line with my beliefs or tastes.
Michelle, you were a shining example of reaching out and including EVERYBODY. This was the first time it occurred to me that it's OK to link up with people who are different from myself.
You essentially destroyed the "cool table" in the lunch cafeteria. And that my lady, IS the coolest things I've ever seen anybody do.
xx tj
PLEASE VOTE
Don't you agree that receiving comments from your crusade posts really makes the effort worthwhile? We have a great team of players who share their interpretations of the challenge but then spend alot of time tracking the other crusaders to leave kind words of encouragement. It's nice to know ...
This is a lovely idea Michelle. I'd like to nominate Hanna and Lay Hoon, for all the kind words and support they consistently offered me every time I was able to join the Crusades. As well as Cath Sheard and Sarah (Flo) Harris, friends I met simply because we were crusading together!!
PLEASE VOTE
Don't you agree that receiving comments from your crusade posts really makes the effort worthwhile? We have a great team of players who share their interpretations of the challenge but then spend alot of time tracking the other crusaders to leave kind words of encouragement. It's nice to know ...
Wow, 472 Crusaders? That's amazing.
I'll have to revisit the Girls on Film crusade, that's one I missed during my transition! It's really fun to read these trivia tidbits...
trivia no. 4
So far we have met 472 crusaders as participants on the team. Of these, I have met only 26 in real life. I have made some truly special friends because of this platform. Some I may still meet, and some I may never get to see, but that doesn't diminish the value of the friendship. I have al...
Michelle, you've outdone yourself with these postcards! I haven't experienced a St. Paddy's Day in years and I thought of you every time I saw a lucky clover...
I'm a huge fan of Hanna's postcard swap. I'll never forget that first year where I was one of the lucky ones who got one of your cards. I danced a jig in the German post office and still covet that baby today...!!
lucky day
Happy St. Patrick's Day! I had full intention of making and sending cards this year but I didn't get them completed in time so here is a virtual one I can share with everyone. I have been busy at the studio table making these....but they were for iHanna's annual postcard swap. I was full me...
Wow thank you everybody for the fantastic words of support! My cheeks are red... xx tj
Print Reduction Postcards
A few weeks ago I announced that I was joining in iHanna's 2012 postcard swap. I'll take you through the process I used to make my entries, something fun and completely new to me, linoleum print reduction! Although the finished product looks rather simple, this was a long intensive labor of lo...
Sarah I screamed out loud when I saw YOUR NAME on my list of ten. It's going to arrive late though because you're getting a little tiny bit of extra hockey love tucked into yours...xx tj
Print Reduction Postcards
A few weeks ago I announced that I was joining in iHanna's 2012 postcard swap. I'll take you through the process I used to make my entries, something fun and completely new to me, linoleum print reduction! Although the finished product looks rather simple, this was a long intensive labor of lo...
Seth, so kind of you to stop by though - you're still entered into the drawing just for leaving a comment. Besides, the host SHOULD get a prize for all the work!! Thanks for including me. I'm always happy and proud to be a small portion of your Pulse!!
Guess TJ's Master Mentor for a Prize
I'm popping in to announce that I was lucky enough to be included in Seth Apter's 5th edition of the Artist Pulse! Seth asked artists; 'If you could take a class from one artist from anytime in history, including the present, who would it be and why?' Leave a comment here guessing who I chose t...
WOW Quinn -- all I can say to this is, if your creative coach don't know ya, then nobody know ya!
Guess TJ's Master Mentor for a Prize
I'm popping in to announce that I was lucky enough to be included in Seth Apter's 5th edition of the Artist Pulse! Seth asked artists; 'If you could take a class from one artist from anytime in history, including the present, who would it be and why?' Leave a comment here guessing who I chose t...
Hi ladies, thanks for dropping in - yes Tammy I remember sending you that card. I was so excited to get your name because I love your blog!! Maybe this year I'll get one of yours... (closes eyes and makes a wish)! xx tj
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 nea...
Oh DJ dear, I'll never give up mail art! I'll make an extra postcard just for you taking the time to leave a comment. Love ya! xx
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 nea...
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