Snail Mail

I've ordered some Save the Post Office Cinderella stamps from The Perforated Post!  Aren't they cool!  Perforated and gummed like real stamps.  :) Can't wait for them to arrive.  

I love both versions,

and I will, of course, continue to buy real stamps

and to send letters and postcards--

adding the faux postage from The Perforated Post.

Incoming Mail

What a delightful postcard from Zoe!

Made my day!

 delightful

and from Carol

Outgoing Mail

postcards to the grands

to Bryce Eleanor

 to Mila

More play with water colors and cartoon-y characters.

to Max

I was looking at images of art deco/art nouveau stained glass

and drew some less than perfect lines, then added some stamps.  

I think I'll try this again.

My friend Penne shared this: Put a Woman In Charge; Keb' Mo" with Roseanne Cash

Dedicated to his mother. "My mother just recently passed at the age of 91. She was smart. She was strong. She was a leader. This video is dedicated to her and amazing women everywhere that are getting the job done." -Keb' Mo'

Postcards

A recent post from Annie (Annie's Musings) reminds us that postcards are celebrating their 150th anniversary on Oct. 1.   You can click on the above link above to see the postcards Annie has sent to celebrate 150 years of postcards.  (one of my favorite postcards is one of Annie's fabric postcards!)

Show Postcards Some Love  is the site about the anniversary celebration.

Postcards are fun and quick, just a note to tell someone they are on your mind.

Incoming

My friend Carla loves Klimt and sent me two Klimt postcards. :)

  
Outgoing

I especially love including a pun (from my ever lengthening collection) for Max. :)

to Mila

to Teresa & Ricky 

 to Carla

I find this charming--certainly thinking outside the box!  
Definitely alphabetical order :)

National Letter Writing Month and Fairy Rings

April is National Card and Letter Writing Month 

I like to send and receive personal mail and have participated in several challenges in the past, but now my goal is simply to send as much mail as I feel like--no more, no less.  The "feel like" varies from week to week and month to month.  :)   April may see more mail making its journey, although I won't participate in a challenge.

If you don't usually send personal mail and want to get involved with snail mail in April, 

here are a few things you can do to prepare:

*Create a stash of new stationery, cards, postcards to make things easier.  So much beautiful stationery is available in stores or online, so many funny cards.  You can buy or DIY.  Over the years, I have collected many cards and postcards I couldn't resist.  Sometimes, I couldn't commit to sending them because I liked them so much. 

*Check out pretty stamps and purchase enough to send a few letters or a lot of letters.

*Make a list of who you might write--with their addresses.  Parents, children, siblings, friends.  A niece or nephew or friend's kid.  Someone who has a birthday, graduation, or new baby.  Teacher, co-worker.  Senator, Congressman.  And you can always write me!

*Letters don't have to be long; a note that lets someone know you are thinking about them will be appreciated.  Include a cartoon or a joke, a quote, a funny list if you like.  Suggest a recent movie or book you enjoyed.  Sometimes all I do on a postcard is include a quote or a stamped image on the address side and a "Hi!"

One of my favorite sources of mail art inspiration, Jacki Long, sends "thank you" postcards with a collage on the back to folks who take her classes, which eliminates having to think of anything to say!  I've done this several times with postcards to the grands.  (A picture, a stamped image, or a cartoon or a joke work as well.)

I owe some mail to folks and have been working on some postcards, just to let them know I haven't forgotten them and to have some extras for later.

I like DIY.  I have a kindergarten mentality.  

Here are some postcard backs I played with yesterday.  I cut cardstock to postcard size or use index cards and then tear up junk mail, those catalogs that keep arriving each month before making their way into the trash, and other bits and bobs of pretty paper, maps, etc.  I apply some stamps and leave room for the address.

DIY postcard backs

 

I'd like to say this is quick and easy.  And it is, if you don't count the time cleaning sticky fingers!  How so much of my glue stick ends up on me is a curious thing.

And look what I found in the garden this morning:  a fairy ring!

Going Postal

Incoming Mail

I still have some of the above to respond to, 

and I'm working on it.

Outgoing

I made this postcard months ago, 

but recently Erin bought a new car,

and it was time for it to find a home.

I was in a rush to get things in the mail
and forgot to take a pic of the one I sent to Bryce Eleanor.

But at least I remembered to take pics of the postcards
to Mila and Max.  
One more inspired by Jackie Long.

 :) Yep, these are such fun!

Yep, this postcard is over-stamped,

but I love the dinosaurs. :)

More Whatevers.
I still have lots of 
scrappy felt pieces to play with.
Of course, I also have quite a few
full sheets of wool felt,
but right now the small scraps are more fun.