I drew the mailbox a year ago and just let it sit on the page until this week when I pulled out my newest copic marker and colored it in. I was happy that the blue B95 (Light Grayish Cobalt) actually looked like the color of a mailbox because as you may or may not know copic markers cost a mint so I buy them slowly. In 2 years I have built my collection to 25 markers and it's a rather limited pallet. I originally bought a few to write on photographs but when I tried it I hated the results. When using copic markers on photos you have to work fast and avoid covering your own marks because it will puddle and make harsh lines.
The second step was to add the stamped words and I have a love hate relationship with stamps too. I end up pressing too hard and getting stray marks where I don't want them but they are much faster than bubble writing so I may attempt it again. The last step was colored pencils and I love Dewent Colorsoft and Drawing pencils. I bought a 12 pencil set 3 years ago but lucked out this January when a large set of 36 that normally sells for $50 was on sale for $14 because it was a gift set. I did figure out that you can blend them with copic markers or add a bit of water and get a nice smudge.
Paper envelopes lined with mini photographs and hearts that were cut from labels. I wanted something to seal the plain envelopes and kept adding the hearts.
The mailbox does have a story. Last year when I went home to send some mail I realized they took out the mailbox that had been in our neighborhood for 50 years. The Washington Post had a cover story about it the next day and mailboxes that aren't being used enough are being pulled to save money. Of course it had a heart breaking story about an old couple who went to the mailbox every day for 20 years until the box was removed.
The opposite page is made with a scrap of linen , removable paper doll on water color paper, cloud is made from acrylic paint that I slid off a shiny surface (it comes out like a skin) and flowers (color copied).
