The Traveling Journal

I signed up to be a part of a "traveling journal" hosted by Miss Bianca in November 2009 and have been patiently awaiting my turn to receive it, view it and add to it. Journal #4038 will ultimately travel around the world to about a dozen people. I'm the sixth person to receive it and it was started in Australia, traveled to the Philippines, New Jersey, Canada, with a wasted stop in Pennsylvania (the person kept the journal for a long time and finally decided not to participate) and then finally to me. The theme is LETTER WRITING, and I've been saving bits of ephemera and stamps and stuff to create my pages. Now for the reveal:My first page features an "I LOVE Post" postcard designed by the talented graphic art student in Britain, who goes by Postcard Jim. I have mail-themed postage stamps from Maldives and Ghana (who just knocked the USA out the World Cup competition). At the top R, I pasted a page from an old book of postage stamps, which illustrates where to use a zip code.
Page two has some illustrated envelopes and a paragraph written by a talented American artist named Susan Branch. I couldn't have said it better! There are three postmarked blue bird stamps from China; I just really liked the postmark. There is Tweety Bird and Sylvester the Cat in the bottom R corner, which are two of our well-known American cartoon characters, perched on top of a mailbox. I have several of my favorite U.S. postage stamps on this page, all featuring a mail theme, and an applicable statement from a fortune cookie.
The large envelope on the top was from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, sent to a Nebraskan farmer in 1923. Directly underneath it is the great postmark from the last Christmas holiday season ~ the Phoenix postmark (2009) was cartoon character Kermit the Frog, wearing a holiday cap! I love it! I saved it from the envelope that my mom sent our Christmas card in. The postage stamp on the L is from Maldives and features the chipmunk cartoon characters Chip and Dale, carrying a letter.
My final page features a "First Day of Issue" envelope with United Nations stamps, postmarked 1964 (A significant year for me). Inside are three surprises for all the future recipients of the journal to see! I have decorated the rest of the page with miscellaneous postage stamps and stickers. So much fun to participate in this! The journal is going to Virginia, USA next.

The Envelope Project

The envelope project is being conducted by a store in Victoria, Australia and they are posting all the envelopes they are receiving up until July 24th. You can view it on their blog or in their storefront window. When you participate in this mailing, you are to put something inside, like stickers or a card, or anything really, and one lucky person will get the contents of ALL THE ENVELOPES sent in! Click on the envie below for the link:



Here's my contribution: I used a "window" envelope so you could see some of the items from the outside. I went with a Latino art theme, and sent some stickers, postcards, used stamps, a page from a vintage book in Spanish and a cigar band label. You were to put your name on the back of the envelope, and I actually used over 30 different address labels to decorate the back of the envie! It was covered. I used old school label tape for the address.

Things I am digging

I love World Cup soccer! Every match is pretty exciting.

A very clean and dust-free house!

The Jacaranda trees just finished their annual blooming (I love the purple flowers). That's the tree in our backyard.



Walking with Mum in our lovely local parks (Tumbleweed and Veteran's Oasis), usually with the borrowed dog (Gizmo).













A perfect omelet with basil from the garden and vidalia onion.

Ernesto's bronze stag (a birthday gift).













Currently harvesting/eating from the garden: Basil, tomatoes and cucumber.














Ducklings in the pond out back.









Things from this morning's walk: A mama and her four baby quail (no photo ~ seriously, those guys move way too fast to snap a pic), really neat cacti, woodpeckers at work, some tacky patio decor.


















Lemonade with mint. It tastes like summer in a glass.

Estate sale finds: Tons of stamps (used and unused), vintage metal deer marked "Germany" for E's Christmas stocking, label maker tape (old school kind), large amber vase from Italy.

Three fans blowing in our bedroom at night.

Taking the niece to a Phoenix Mercury game (professional women's basketball) and Mum saw us on TV (we were in the second row). Look for Emmi's yellow shirt to the right of the basket.

Currently

Current Books: My Life in Paris, by Julia Child and If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name by Heather Lende
Current Playlist: Sade, “Soldier of Love”
Current Guilty Pleasure: eBay and watching movies on my iTouch when I travel
Current Color: Bronze
Current Drink: Really cold iced tea
Current Food: Grilled chicken breast, salad with some ingredients from our garden
Current Favorite Show: Hoarders and cake shows
Current Wishlist: Italy
Current Needs: Vacation and new lamp for livingroom
Current Triumphs: Finished watching season 15 of ER and our garden
Current Bane of my Existence: Weather is not nice anywhere (heat, humidity or rain)
Current Celebrity Crush: John Stamos and Goran Visjnic
Current Indulgence: Fresh watermelon
Current Blessing: Home at last
Current Slang: “Good Night, Irene!” Note: I have no idea why I say this; it just sounds better than “Oh my goodness!”
Current Outfit: Boxers and a tank top
Current Excitement: Motorcycle trip to Colorado is coming up
Current Mood: Mellow and content
Current Link: http://www.regretsy.com/

Thanks for this idea, Julie!

Italy + Letters + Romantic Comedy = Sweet!

I saw a sweet movie tonight called "Letters to Juliet." It is set in Italy, which is one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited, and seeing Tuscany like that makes me want to go right now. I loved the soundtrack that features some Italian pop music and Taylor Swift. Cute love story! Here's the story from the movie's Facebook page:

Letters To Juliet is an enchanting story about love—of encountering new sparks and rekindling old flames. When a young American, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), travels to Verona, Italy—the romantic city where Romeo first met Juliet—she meets a group of volunteers who responds to letters written to Juliet seeking advice about love. Sophie finds and responds to a letter that has been lost for 50 years, which inspires its author Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) to travel to Italy to find her her long-lost soul mate. Together, the two women embark on an adventure that will change their lives forever—a journey filled with laughter and companionship, discoveries about themselves and the meaning of true love.