Interesting Mail

Although I'm a little behind on some of my correspondence, I have had some interesting mail come in/out lately:

Mail art surprise from Texas with pin-ups girls.  Isn't this a great handmade illustration?

 

Elvis (in the Army) postage stamp from a postcard from Guyana.  Pretty rare to get a postcard from that country, and what a super awesome stamp!!

Pink/turquoise postcard I made.  The clipping of Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie) is the 
best part.

Outgoing Halloween-themed envelope to San Francisco.  Some of the paper is glittery and the (used) postage stamp has a rather peculiar cancellation mark that is a little creepy.

Anything red postcard swap (front and back).  Had to use red ink and red postage stamps!

Snowglobe within the envelope with glitter (but no water) inside.  This one is traveling south to Tucson, AZ.

Outgoing envelope for an Autumn-themed swap I participated in.  As much as I enjoy doing mail art, the puffier the envelopes are (i.e., padded envelopes), the more challenging the artwork is.  Much easier when the envelope is FLAT.

 

Opening and Mailing

Hello -- still so hot here in Arizona.  I am soooo over it.  We've had heat advisory warnings, which is basically a way to tell you to drink water and stay inside if at all possible!  It will be worth it when we wear shorts and flip-flops on New Year's Day, while much of the U.S. is under snow.  If I can just be patient enough for the weather to cool.  

Here is some of my incoming mail:



Gorgeous summer collaged envelope from Ann-Catrin Finland.  Love those mailboxes!  

Finnish stamps are great:  The Aurora Borealis and Heart Fairy.

I'm exchanging a handmade card with Erika, who lives less than a couple of hours from me, in Tucson (one of my favorite cities, I might add), and I received hers first.  Isn't this handstiched, felt fishy incredible?  I had to cut it open to read the message inside -- white ink on black paper!  Very cool.

Awesomeness from a Postcrosser in Finland!  Wedding theme and retro -- two themes on my wishlist.

I ordered a sticker set from K is for Calligraphy, and when I pulled the envelope out of the mailbox, I did a little dance!  How gorgeous is her writing?

I spend more more than I should on etsy, enjoying the handmade goods from talented folks, and I also like finding cool vintage pieces.  I got this huge vintage sewing book from 1964, printed in Russian.  Did I mention that I don't sew and I'm not exactly a fashionista, and of course I do not speak Russian (nyet).  But I really dig this book!  The illustrations are great.

And mailed out:

Emilie, AKA Winnie's Girl, who was the winner of my blog giveaway, sent me a cute postcard of thanks.  I went with a ROSE theme when mailing her the package:

 

On Swap-Bot, I participated in the "Chunk O Cardboard" swap and here are the three chunks I sent out as a postcard:  Fatboy icecream sandwiches (love the name!), Icee frozen treats and cheese fondue.

Here are other Chunks O Cardboard I sent out to postcrossers.  Skull vodka bottle and Orale beer.  We can't get this beer here in Arizona as it's only sold in Colorado.  "Orale" is slang in Spanish and means something "Right on!" or "Alright" or "OK, man."  This is the ultimate in recycling when you mail out your trash.

Here are some postcards I made:

Sports theme -- used a Playboy playing card (5 of spades) -- but nothing risque' here.

Ca$h theme!

 Asian theme went to North Carolina to visit Elle.

The Dutch postcrosser is an art teacher and she requested a self-portrait sketch and I included my engagement ring.  I am SO not an artist!

Musical themed envelope art.  I sometimes worry that people who have English as a second language won't understand American humor, but I used this comic strip anyway.  

Last but not least, true BLUE mailed to Japan.  The paper in the center is origami.  Starting clockwise at 3:00, the deer is from the butter package (trash pick!).  The sparrow is a design from an "old school" tattoo calendar.  The bride is from a vintage wedding dress pattern.  I think maybe July 01, 2012 would be a good wedding date since it's our five-year anniversary.

Borders is a good source for postcards but hurry!

Shoppers in the U.S. should hurry in to Border's bookstore, which is going out of business.  I was surprised to see so much inventory is left.  Discounts were 30% and 50% on some items.  Best of all, I picked up a lot of postcards...paid .62 apiece for them! 

New Household Items

Many of you know I'm an avid thrifter and recycler.  That means fearlessly going into thrift stores and shopping at garage/yard/tag sales and estate sales.  I am following a couple of blogs that are all about thrifting and garage-saling and they post some of their best finds.  There's a blog from Seattle called Yard Sale Bloodbath, and it not only has an awesome title, but the bloggers take a lot of photos at sales of items they'll never buy (possibly items that NO ONE would ever buy) and unique photos of the "garage sale" signs.  Here in the Phoenix area, signage is pretty pathetic and it's a huge pet peeve to follow signs...from last weekend's sale and they were too lazy to take down the signs!  What I'm always looking for:

Postcards

Stamps

Vintage ephemera

Cooking equipment

Books

Anyhoo, here are some of my recent best finds:

Found this painting at an estate sale.  It's huge and is now hanging in my guest bedroom.  I recently redid the color scheme from lavender/purple to ocean blue.  I think the colors are just dreamy.

My beau trash-picked this at culinary school because he knew I'd like the saffron tin from Spain!

We went out garage saling this morning very early because it starts getting hot at, like, 7AM.  Seriously!  We were hunting for camping gear because Nesto will be going hunting this fall. He did find two new fishing rods for $5 and two ice coolers.  We found a chef's table with a stainless steel work surface to add to the kitchen so he has more work space.  One side can be flipped up and it came with two stools, so he can visit with people while he's cooking!

Here is the rest of our finds:  DVD's for $1 apiece, unopened puzzle, fairy book to cut up for mail art, lots of ephemera from the 1930's and 1940's -- much of it travel-related, vintage car owner's manuals, a bundt cake pan, and four placemats for $1 with loteria on them (Mexican bingo). 
Note:  Yes, that's my refrigerator on the left with a couple of Elvis magnets and a child's drawing and other miscellaneous items.  Someone once told me, "You can tell a lot about a person by the front of their refrigerator."  Mine has a LOT of shizzle on it...

 

We also found this elk antler decorated with a wood-etched scene, signed by the artist.  The back of it indicates it was made by Antler Creations in Flagstaff, Arizona.


I received these lovely small prints from my penfriend Gemma, who is an artist that you can find on etsy.  I framed the Four Fair Maidens with a background of scrapbook paper and they are now proudly hanging in my home.  She has many other sweet illustrations in her shop.

 

And the Winner is...

My mum drew the winning name last night -- Winnie's Girl.  Congratulations!  Thanks for participating, everyone.  I think I'll do it again sometime.

Time for a GIVEAWAY

I'm kicking off my first ever giveaway!  There's no specific theme to it, although everything is for letter-writers and perhaps crafty people.  They are just some neat things that I would like to win myself, so I think you'll like them:

 

Two sets of stickers:  On the left is a sticker set designed for pen-pals or letter writers and on the right are postage stamp-inspired stickers by Mary Englebreit.

   

On the left, a set of four, original postcards by Australian artist Lauren Carney (dizzylittledotty on etsy).  In the middle are sparkly, glitter, letter stickers by Martha Stewart.  On the right are postage stamp-inspired Valentine stickers by Martha Stewart.

 

This is a "shag" retro-inspired stationery set.

 

 

On the left is a "Dear John," another retro-inspired stationery set, and on the right is an origami paper packet.

 

Finally, a four-pack of Martha Stewart glitter glue. 

 

To enter:

 

1) Leave a message/comment on this posting.

2) You do not have to be a follower of my blog to win but it would be great if you are.

3) If you are a follower, your name goes in twice!

4) I'm choosing a winner on Thursday evening, August 11, 2011.

 

Good luck!   

 

Mail and Stamps

Hello!  It's been awhile.  I've captured some handmade postcard swaps and outgoing and incoming mail to show you.

This postcard went to a gal that is a physician recruiter, hence the DOCTOR theme.  My favorite part is the game card that says $1400.  Remember the game, "Operation" where you would try to extract pieces from the body without getting buzzed?  I also used bandaids, a movie ticket and the picture of the doctor/patient is by Norman Rockwell.

 

The recipient of this postcard likes retro, and so do I.

I have a friend in Illinois who has FOUR kids, so it's always a flurry of activity at their house.  I honestly don't know how she ever finds time to write me, but she does, at least a couple of times a year.  She attached the letter to her daughter's artwork (her name is Gertrude or Gertie), and here is the funny stationery:

If you have children, please use their artwork to wrap presents or write a letter on the back of it -- it's so endearing!

Next I have some outgoing mail in black & white (note the President Obama signature)  and blue:

 

I received a surprise parcel from the U.K. from lovely Gemma, who sent me magazines about the Royal Couple!  That really made my day.  Check out the "Thomas the Train" stamps.  I remember when my niece was obsessed with those trains.  We all had to pick a favorite and mine was Mavis.  I also recall she left a bunch of them in a water bucket outside (she was cleaning them!) and they were ruined with paint peeling off.  I believe her father was watching her that day, ha ha.  

These next postage stamps are from my pal in Japan.  Have you noticed how colorful the Japanese stamps are?  I love the "Hello Kitty wearing a kimono" stamps.

 

These Japanese postage stamps are of Snoopy, underwater/ocean theme, and airplanes.  Love them!

What's Mailing Me

If you send good mail, you receive good mail!  Here is my incoming:

From Julie.  She always uses lots of vintage stamps and I loved the gold painted border and awesome sticker, "PAR ESCARGOT/VIA SNAIL MAIL."  She always sends me the best vintage postcards!


From Claudia in Italy, some Royal wedding coverage.  The back of the envelope is so clever -- she's drawn her "Zoo" animals in the bottom left, as members of the audience and as hats!
 
I exchanged postcards with Predrag from Serbia, who requested Arizona postcards.  He sent me some of his excellent original collaged postcards. 

Somehow I managed to get in on the Cadeaux par Correspondence mail art subscription series!  This is hosted by Jennie of Everyday Should be a Red Letter Day, who is also one of the authors of the Good Mail Day book.  I used to think Carolee, Jennie, and Donovan and Kathy of the Letter Writer's Alliance were all one person, one entity.  I believe I have everyone straight in my mind now... The Letter Writer's Alliance also does periodic limited edition subscription mailings but I'll be darned if I can ever get in on one before they are sold out.  So I was quite pleased to get in to the Cadeaux par Correspondence (presents or gifts of correspondence).  I just received the first very cool mailing today:

Pascaline in Paris recently she wrote me a lovely letter and included some awesome goodies:

Candies, tea, and check out her handwriting on the envelope!!  Small journal with Paris map for the cover and several groovy postcards.  I LOVE Twiggy!  Plus a package of ephermera, much of it with French writing.  I loved it all, ma belle.



Postcard Jim in England did not forget about me.  He created this great collaged postcard, including the visitor badge from his visit to Parliament.  No word if he had a moment with the Prime Minister.

Outgoing:


To Kazuko in Japan, some snacks crammed in a plastic canister that held juice packets.  I've never mailed anything in this vessel, but I'm sure it will work.  Can you see the Jelly Belly jelly beans packet?


Some envelopes for postcrossers:


Some postcards I created but have not sent out yet:

Bird theme

Bird theme

Sweets/Candy theme and Flower theme