Coming and Going

These first two postcards are ones I made for Postcrossing. The first one has text from a vintage book, and the second one is a vintage Mexican postcard, so I used text from a vintage book in Spanish:
I rescued a large clear vinyl envelope from the charity donation pile in my sister's garage, knowing that it would make an excellent mailer. I sent this package, with an Italian theme to Julie in New Mexico. It has vintage Italian postcards, Italian opera sheet music, Italian newspaper, La Cucina Italiana cooking magazine, and some stationery. Ciao, Bella!

On Saturday, we took a day trip on the motorcycle up North to Prescott. As I posted on my Facebook, it was a day of: Wildflowers. Snow. Tumbleweeds. Antelope. It is perfect riding weather. We really did see wild antelope NE of Prescott.

This picture below overlooks the town of Sedona with the red rocks and on the left you can see Mt. Humphrey, the tallest peak in Arizona (12,633 ft), with a lot of snow. (click on it to enlarge)
This is a view into the valley before you arrive in Jerome, Arizona. I supported the local economy with some shopping downtown.
I have received some excellent incoming mail. This is an envelope from Elvira in Russia. Click on the picture to see the stamps. She included a lovely postcard of Princess Alexandra Pavlovna and a catalog of rugs and scarves -- all in Russian, which is so fascinating. I've studied German and Spanish and have seen lots of French and Italian but I can't make out a single word of Russian.
These are four handmade envelopes I've received: Clockwise from top L is from Megan in Australia, my Japanese friend used a floral calendar to make her envelope, the kitty is from Julie in New Mexico and the pink envelope is from a French postcrosser that is a children's book writer!
Here are the front of all the envelopes, as well as postcards I've received and a small parcel from Japan. Click on it to see the detail of the drawings on the pink envelope -- truly gorgeous!
I have a busy travel month for April. I am going to Texas for a quick trip this week; a work party to celebrate our successful project. Then I have a week in the twin cities (Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota) and a week in Brownsville, Texas. Ciao, Bella!

Every Day is a Good Mail Day

I recently purchased these two books: Envelopes is about some wildly addressed letters mailed (and received) in the U.K., and Good Mail Day is becoming our mail-art bible in the pen-paling community.I received my packet in the Stationery Swap, from Julie in New Mexico. First I opened this nifty file folder and discovered all kinds of miscellaneous stationery, postcards, envelopes, stickers and small-denomination vintage stamps! Wow! Thank you Miss Megan in Australia for hosting this! Here's an overview of everything:And here's my favorites (large airmail envelopes, Frida notecard,green glassine envelopes, stamps/stickers, sushi stationery, thin Japanese paper stationery, and long flowery vintage):

I also received the packet from Bianca in Australia -- I won her 100th follower giveaway on her blog, and she sent a bonanza of stationery, small journal, postcards, stampers, and lots of her handmade envelopes. Some have hand stitching! She even created a mix CD for me of some of her favorite singers! Thank you so much, Miss B!

Here are some of the handmade envelopes and cool animal postcards:

For some reason, the Australian post thinks her and I are sending contraband to one another. My last packet to her (USA to Australia) was opened/inspected and they enclosed pamphlets on what can and can not be sent to Australia (now this info was received by the recipient of the package, not the sender...). This package she sent to me was also opened by Australian post and they prominently placed this sticker on the front: "ID RECORDED." I don't know if that means she or I or both of us are "recorded" and are on some sh** list! That "ID RECORDED" sticker will be recycled and reused, of course.

Finally, here is some outgoing mail. I ran out of padded envelopes, so I made one from an outdated Audrey Hepburn calendar; this one went to Japan. I've been reusing envelopes that my Japanese friend sends me because they are typically loaded with glorious stamps; I simply obscure her address and my address and use the other side for the new recipient's address. This one pictured with all the green stamps went to New Mexico to my stationery swap partner. A mail art envelope on the left.

Here's the second envelope I fashioned from an old record album -- this one didn't have to travel far. My friend Natalie also lives in Chandler. She needs a bit of a pick-me-up so she's getting some goodies, including scratch lottery tickets! One of my favorite bits of trivia about Nat is that she is from the same hometown in New Jersey as Martha Stewart: Nutley, New Jersey! Love it!

Colorado Trip Pictures

Abigail Grace, the daughter of my friends, sporting her pink cowboy boots!

Here's a sight you don't see everyday: A herd of 300-400 sheep being moved down the road. Stops traffic and everything. This actually happened to me a second time on Highway 50 near Olathe, when I was driving back to Grand Junction for my flight. Another enormous herd of sheep crossed the highway, which stopped traffic in both directions!


In Ouray, we went to the "Ice Park," which are waterfalls called Box Canyon Falls in the summer and when the waterfalls freeze in the winter, it becomes an ice-climbing park. It is popular for mountain climbers to climb the frozen ice.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep near Ouray, Colorado. Must be a herd of ewes and yearlings because the horns aren't real big.

President's Day Holiday

Today was President's Day, a U.S. holiday to celebrate our nation's leaders, past and present. Here is a cute picture of President Obama and family:





Ernesto was off today (government, city, state employees are off) so he worked on the garden. The radishes and basil are flourishing, and we've got tomato, chile and onions growing as well. He put a fence to keep the ducks who live in the pond out back, from eating the garden! You can see my crazy lavender thriving in the background.
Although we have no mail service today, I have five postcrossing postcards ready to go, a get-well postcard (the vintage motorcycle), and two letters -- one in another Tuscany-themed envie, and the decorated back of the letter bound for Australia:The cupcake-zombie postcard (green face) is by the talented Texas artist, at Illustrated Ink. She does a lot of "Day of the Dead" and tattoo-inspired art. The postcard says, "Trust Me....It's Delicious." (I believe I have said that to Ernesto before). I love cupcakes, so I had to get these postcards! This one is going to Talia, in Florida. So I hope you had a nice day off, or at least a Happy Monday.

I sent five letters in the last few days (to California, Japan, England, Finland and Australia). Here are a couple of envies I made: A page from a calendar featuring Tuscany. I sealed it with an unused vintage stamp and my return address labels are Tuscan-themed, too.

























Here is the first envie I made from an old record cover (about 50 cents at a thrift shop); I like how you can see the glass slipper on the back.

Sandy Floorboards Blog Giveaway!

One of my new penpals is having a giveaway!
She is an artist, poet, jewelry-maker (see her on etsy), a true romantic and
has the sweet name of Gemma. Check out her blog when you have a moment.

(I am just a pebble by Gemma)

Pen Pal of the Week!

I was recently featured as Pen Pal of the Week on the blog,
We've Got Paper

http://wevegotpaper.blogspot.com/2010/01/penpal-of-week-31.html