Some may find it inconsequential to go so far as to decorate their entries with envelope art. Others find it difficult to send out a naked envelope and generally will only do so if the official rules state it necessary, or if travel or other time constraints happen to come into play. I must admit that I fall into the latter group, and even when I am pressed for time I will occasionally put on a coat of lipstick and seal the envelope with a kiss for good luck.
For the most part, I like to take the time.
I find the art of the envelope to be quite a relaxing way to spend an evening, and find that making this time a regular part of my sweepstaking helps to keep my spirits up and avoid the "sweepstakes burnout" that some can fall into. It's like sending sending a dose of good cheer out into the world. I sometimes think about all the hands it may pass through on it's journey, and it's a happy feeling to share these little mini works of art with postal people and others I most likely will never meet. Strange, but true.
Generally, though I don't care to spend an inordinant amount of time on each envelope, I do, at times, like to create a theme of sorts. I prefer to have each envelope be unique so it is its own work of art. Sometimes a theme can be arranged around the postage stamp itself. It may be colors, using purple ink for a stamped design, along with a purple return address label, and purple postage stamps. When the Hershey's Kisses stamps came out I did some work in red, with hearts drawn in colored pencils or mini "love" stamps. Springtime brings flowers and butterflies, summer heat prods bright oranges and yellows, fall starts to cool things down a bit with more muted tones, and winter is a whole story in itself.
Occasionally a particular sweepstakes will warrant its own personal design. Hot chili pepper postage stamps with a sombrero etched on the back for a trip to Cancun, for example. It sets the mood for a winning moment, even if there is no prize immediately involved... Because in the end, as we all know, it's all about the journey.
