Another with cutting random papers and washi tapes and then glue them randomly just for fun.
Front :
Back side :
Another with cutting random papers and washi tapes and then glue them randomly just for fun.
Front :
Back side :
Has anyone else here had the experience that beautiful mailart envelope have a higher chance of not arriving than boring brown/white undecorated ones?
I have had some people tell and do so that they send the decorated envelope in a plain envelope. But, from their envelope I have noticed, when they use address label, it does not stick well on decorated surface, even when it has been inside the protective envelope. I suspect some have maybe label fallen off, if itâs lost.
I have noticed that myself too, trying to put a label, meant for mailing, it doesnât stick well. So I use glue or some other deocration partly on top of it. Sometimes even stamps donât stick well.
But I have not noticed such happening, that mail art would be more lost than other mails (not mail to me, nor not from me). Still, I do recognise the fear, or urban legend, some even say itâs fake reason why swap was late
I think it depends on what kind of art. If you draw it doesnât really change the envelop much. But a collage can be a problem in the sortingmachines. Also wax seals can cause issues.
@xxxyyy I wouldnât call it an urban legend because it has happended to me quite a few times since I started sending mailart envelopes. And almost all of those went out to trustworthy forum friends or penpals of whom I wouldnât suspect that they might give me wrong information about not having received my mail.
And it has happened to all sorts of envelopes - paper ones with drawings or ink stamp decorations, colourful ones, envelopes made from old calendar or magazine pages⌠I always use extra strong glue for the address labels (including my return address) and even the stamps, so there really is no reason why these envelopes shouldnât arrive. Sending to the US is worst, but itâs happened to other countries, too, even sending within Germany.
Itâs just so disheartening when you spend hours making a beautiful envelope and then it just disappearsâŚ
Yes, of course it happens, I donât mean to belittle if someone experiences this I apologise!
Maybe ask your mail office what is the best way to send such?
I meant Iâve been swapping most my life, even my father did mail art to my mum , this story has appeared all this time, still I also have received many mail art envelopes from Germany (and of course many other countries), so it canât be a general German info/rule to not do mail art (?). (Or that someone would steal it.)
Of course itâs sad when mail disappeares, especially such you spend so much time and someone is waiting for it. I understand.
Nowadays one swapper in USA send the decorated envelope in plastic, she says it arrives better, but still it is the same looking, if someone likes to steal pretty envelopes. So in such cases I think itâs likely the loose labels, decorations etc. that make the travel not succeeded.
Did someone here tell, in Germany you are not allowed to put glue to stamps, the sticker version styles? Can this be reason? (But how would they see itâŚ)
Also, I nowadays put the customs label form to USA mail, in general to mail outside of EU. We had this change some time ago, if you send goods, this is needed. I put it just in case, and write âhand crafted card inside hand crafted envelopeâ or similar. I donât like this, and sometimes take a risk not using it.
This seems the problem could be in your mail office, or near it. Have you made complaints?
As far as I know the âno additional adhesive under stampsâ rule is from those days when it was still technically possible to use uncancelled stamps again (although this was always forbidden), but nowadays Deutsche Post can tell if a stamp has been used before. And even some of those self-adhesive stamps donât stick properly anymore, apparently the quality of the glue has gone down, too, so thereâs no way around using extra glue if you want the stamps to stay in place!
Actually I donât think itâs a problem of my mail office - I have studied all the rules and abide by them, where the stamps and addresses have to go, blue or black ink on white background etc. As I said, some envelopes arrive and some donât and I canât see any pattern except that it feels like itâs always the most beautiful ones that disappearâŚ
I recently did a few pieces of mail art and left the bottom half inch of the envelope clear after reading guidelines for bulk mailing through the US Postoffice. This is recommended so that a barcode can be clearly printed and read. I started keeping the bottom half inch of my PostCrossing cards clear to see if that helps with delivery. I havenât sent enough cards that way to tell if it really makes a difference.
Beautiful
So⌠I just sealed this envelope with kind of a love letter to a friend. Even if everithing goes wrong , at least I can be proud of the envelope.
Love these! You are very talented.
I finally made some envelopes again today,Iâve been hoarding magazine pages for ages!
After making the basic envelope from the magazine page, I collage things on, use stickers and gel markers.
Great envelopes
That is very creative!