Erin Go Bragh, Part 2

I made this ATC for a "St. Paddy's Day ATC Swap" and sent it off this morning in a handmade envelope. I made the envelope from a page from an old LIFE Magazine and glued a few things on the cover. A problem I had with the envelope was that the glue was not adhering to the glossy magazine page. Hopefully it won't fall apart in the postal machinery.

 

My daughter-in-law's aunt fell a week ago and broke her shoulder. It was a bad break, and they had to replace her shoulder. I sent her a get well card in this envelope.

 

I sent out another decorated envelope last week for a "Make It Pretty" envelope swap.

Erin Go Bragh, Part 1

I just sent out an ATC swap with a handmade envelope. It is an early St. Patrick's Day ATC. The background is layered tissue paper using a glue wash to adhere the tissue to poster board. The envelope is made from a magazine page with some stuff glued on. I never know if I have too much or too little.

While composing this tiny post, I am listening to Virtual Choir. It is hard to concentrate with 5000 voices singing at me, so it is taking longer than I planned to post this. Oh, well. Erin Go Bragh!

Postal Art for St. Partick's Day 2013

They tell me that everyone is Irish on St Patrick's Day, so I sent out twelve greeting cards to help celebrate. My family plans to attend the St Patrick's Day parade at the Gateway Plaza in Salt Lake City on Saturday as we do every year. My daughter Emma dances in the parade, and we go up to cheer her on. Last year it was so windy that our camp chairs almost blew away. At least it wasn't raining along with the wind as in other years.

I was sitting on the side of the street that runs through the Gateway holding everything in place while the family went shopping. During a break in the gusts of bitter wind one of the television news reporters crossed the street and asked if he could interview me. I suppose I looked a little Irish with my tam and shillelagh and quilt around my shoulders. He just asked me why I was there, why I come to the parade, and a few other questions. I never saw the clip, but a neighbor said he saw it, and that it was quite long for a news clip. We will see what happens this year. We will probably have lunch again at the California Pizza Kitchen, a yearly tradition.

Here are some examples of my postal art for St. Patrick's day:

 

This is the envelope I made to send the Swap-bot "Make and Envelope #11." I created five handmade envelopes to send to my partner in Tallahassee, Florida.

 

(I am repeating this pattern style and variation too much-I need to expand my thinking.)

 

These are some of the other eleven cards I sent out.

 

 

 

 

The Salt Lake City St. Patrick's Day parade was a very wet and cold morning experience. We go every year to see Emma and her lifelong friend, Sarah, dancing down the street with the Crawford Irish Dance School. Alex loves the day, and he has gone with us for several years. His mother was able to go with us this year.  Alex brings a sack with him, holds it open at the side of the street, and the paraders drop candy and treats into his sack. It is easier than Halloween.  Here is our little leprechaun, Alex, before the parade and the rain. We usually stand at the northeast corner of the Gateway across the street from Old Navy. A few years ago, we were about the only people who stood along that street. Now several more families have found this area, which is the least crowded, best view, and most candy.  Most of the Irish danced schools either march/dance along the parade route or have a truck pulling a platform for the dancers to perform on as they move down the line. Crawford School dances down the street, and they always have a huge group. To me, it looks like they have the most dancers of all the schools, at least in the parade. We were happy that the dance schools were performing after the parade in the Union Pacific Building. We always eat lunch at the California Pizza Kitchen. We had only a twenty minute wait this year. The rain sent a lot of people home early, and Gateway was the least crowded I have ever seen it on St. Patrick's Day.

Here is Emma in middle of the second row with a big smile.

One of the many Pipe and Drum Bands pumping up the crowds!

Emma in the middle and Sarah on the left in the Union Pacific Building after the parade.

We caught another leprechaun!