Mail Art Here

 I've been traveling a lot for work this year, usually gone five days a week, so it's fun to get home to a big pile of mail.  I received long-awaited letters from Julie and Ann-Catrin.  Julie always sends me postal goodness, and this time she included vintage Italian postcards.  I love.  She also sent me a zine about postal mail in France, which I was delighted to get since I am never able to get in on one of the coveted RSVP mailings from the Letter Writer's Alliance, and this was one of the items from one of the mailings.  Thanks, Julie!

Ann-Catrin always decorates her envies and I think she is really ready for Spring since it's a long winter in Finland.  Her envelope has the flowers on it.

 

Ann-Catrin sent me some wintery pictures from Finland and Sweden, and sent me two LOVELY postcards:

I was de-light-ed to see Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth, in my mailbox!  The lovely Ilona (The Missive Maven) sent her to me.

 Although I'm not participating in the MailArt365, I've been pretty busy creating:

  

The stamp collage postcards are very popular with postcrossers!  I've sent the two blue cards on the right already.  One to a Lithuanian postcrosser and one to Postcard Jim.  This next postcard is made entirely of stamps of Queen Elizabeth from the U.K., Canada and Hong Kong.  I would have to say it's a personal favorite.

 

I made these envelopes from old record album covers -- Barbra Streisand, a "mail" themed record album and Future Farmers of America (FFA), which is a school organization dedicated to teaching and developing farming/ranching skills.  The "Good Luck" cat envelopes were made from flyers from the annual Japanese Matsuri Festival in downtown Phoenix.

 I made some collage envelopes:

 And some outgoing mailart to California (the movie ticket stub is "The King's Speech"):

To Idaho (The movie ticket stub is "Red" and one of my gambling vouchers from Las Vegas!):

 

 I sent a large envelope of ephemera to Mary, to help keep her Mailart365 project going.  This was a large 9" by 11" envelope -- definitely the largest one I've done:

Things That Make Me Happy At The Moment

1. Valentine's decorations, especially vintage valentines.

2.  Big salads.

3.  Being the winner of a giveaway.
4.  Receiving cool mail art.
5.  Wearing snow boots when necessary (i.e., when in Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois).
6.  Upgrades to first class.
7.  Locally grown (and free!) citrus.
8.  The glow of one string of LED Christmas lights that are still hanging in the living room.
9.  Caudalie skincare and body products.
10.  Fountain pens.

Blogging for Choice

I am proud to be pro-choice and I support a woman's right to choose.  I believe in sex education in our schools and the right to accessible and affordable birth control.  At the same time, I respect that others may not agree with me.  

I was raised by a single mother who was conservatively raised in the 1950's, was a registered Republican, and yet she was acutely aware of woman's rights.  She taught me to be independent, empathetic, and never be a second class citizen because I am a female.  I think she has lovingly raised two awesome daughters (and plays a huge role in her granddaughter's life), and today, coincidentally, is her birthday.  

Happy Birthday, Mummy!

(Sorry I posted this a day late; I'm working this weekend)

Our Adventures in Japan -- blog

One of the blogs I follow, Our Adventures in Japan, is about Kat & Satoshi's eating and traveling adventures around Japan (and sometimes Hawaii).  Kat is from Hawaii and now living in Japan with her husband.  She is a foodie and posts often about the unusual foods found there.  I am very interested in Japanese culture, so this is a good resource for me.  Kat is having a giveaway via her blog and you can find out about it here.

Mailings

I was the lucky recipient of #8 of Mailart 365 by Pamela of Cappuccino and Art Journal.   

Next time I'm in San Francisco, I am eating at the Tamale Parlor Restaurant!

I may be old fashioned but I like to write thank you cards/letters when I receive a gift.  It's a pity how younger generations do not do this (unless their parents make them).  I barely get a verbal thank you when I give a gift most of the time!  However, I have got a thank you via text.  Does that count?  

Anyway, this thank you letter went to my pal in Canada.  The airmail sticker is artwork by Leila of Tattoo Tales.  On the back of the letter, I put a silver glittery letter "g" since we are Garci and Gayle.  And by the way, I did not win the Mega Millions lottery.

 A decorated letter with a travel theme: 

Legendary Latin Artists Become Postal Stamps

From the website, Blogamole:

By Michael Lopez
Take a closer look the next time you get a letter in the mail, it may have the face of a famous estrella stuck in the top right corner. Yup, the U.S. Postal Service recently announced that five Latin music icons will be getting the stamp treatment in the coming year.
And why not? Snoopy, Hello Kitty, and the Liberty Bell have been gracing envelopes for more than enough time now. Wouldn’t you rather have Selena or Celia Cruz plastered on that Hawaii postcard? And there are plenty more where that came from. Tito Puente, Carmen Miranda, and Carlos Gardel will also be part of the collection.

We know what you’re thinking. Why aren’t there any current Latin artists included in the set? According to the U.S. Postal Service, only people who have been deceased ten years or longer are eligible for the honor. With that rule in mind, each of the five choices makes perfect sense.
Carlos Gardel passed away back in 1935 and is often-times forgotten for his contributions to modern Latin music. Born in Argentina in 1887, his distinctive voice shaped dozens of classic tango songs, including the legendary “Mi Buenos Aires Querido.”
Carmen Miranda died in the 1950’s, but any fan of classic movies (or vintage cartoons) will never forget her memorable “fruit hat” and sexy dance moves. Tito Puente also rose to fame in the same era, but continued his success all the way into the 1990’s. His bossa nova bandleading skills can still be felt in virtually every modern salsa club.
Celia Cruz passed away in the early 2000’s, but her musical influence spanned over six decades. Billboard named her “the most influential female figure in the history of Cuban music” and we most certainly agree! Plus her winning smile looks great on that stamp.
Sadly, the most recent deceased star on the list is Selena Quintanilla. Though she should be well into her Tejano music career at this point, her 1995 murder cut everything short. We think it’s great that the Postal Service is honoring her brief moment in the spotlight and you can bet she will be a permanent part of the Blogamole stamp collection.
We highly recommend picking up some Latino stamps on your next trip to the post office. Each one features a gorgeous illustration of their respective star and will be a great treat for any music fan’s mailbox.
 

2011 is here!

Here's a lovely vintage Italian postcard to wish you a very Happy New Year!  I can't quite make out the message, except for "Sempre" means "Always."  Isn't the cursive handwriting so gorgeous?  And the "Stati Uniti" means "United States."

 

We had a small get-together last night for New Year's Eve.  Played some card games, scratched lottery tickets, had some hors d'oeuvres and beverages.  So far, I have not been able to master the game, Five Crowns.  Oh well, someone has to come in last!  Thank you to our friend, Heidi, who makes the most delicious platter of holiday cookies!

Here is an envelope I doctored up this week, using mostly blues and pinks.  Much more mail art to do this year!