Say it with a card

A word to all my mail friends-

And with this I am off on another adventure.  This is the July 4th weekend which is Independence Day in the USA, and my itinerary includes a long drive back to Ohio.  I will try to have some photos of any misadventures.  I hope all of you have a safe holiday or at least a good weekend! 
My Best,
-b

A mail art site I Like

Sometimes I like to see what others are doing in this world.  I stumbled on this mail art site while I was researching ATC's and every now and again I go back just to take a look around.
Frip's Mail Art
It's a nice site if you are looking for avant garde. And with our natural voyeuristic tendencies- it's just plain fun. I think if I were to really get into mail art, I'd probably be more on the whimisical side.  Oh well, I will continue to suffer with my art form and try to make something less elementary and more high school : )
I always try to remember that the worst I can do is dump it in the recycling bin!
My Best,
-b

Overboard- no literally!

Hello folks!
How is everybody doing? A big thanks to everybody for the bountiful week in mail.  I'm going to do something a bit different this time.  I think its hard to appreciate the individual mail items from a distance on the board so I am going to catalog them in smaller batches.  I will still pin them to the board for me.  They are a nice rotating art display and allow me to enjoy my mail longer and better!
First are from postcrossing taken amid my lettuce and basil plants.

Then there are some birthday wishes!

and a letter from a true pen pal with my cactus

then we have the fabulous Mrs. Fakefish sending me my second zine!

And some of the SendSomething crew with various creations.  Tara and Speck probably belong to the blogger group more- but got tossed in here.

And another Pennsylvania mailer - Marguerite who makes beautiful cards.  This one is in a Denver map envelope with a cowboy theme!

Then there is the blogger crew

from the fabulous Pamela at Cappuchino and Art Blog - look right

We have the Missive Maven in skulls, Rachel B in stamps, Misty in Pinocchio, and a new contributor Juanita from South Africa.

Let me know what you all thought of this format versus the board format. This is a little more labor intensive, but I'm willing if its wht you all prefer.  As always, I hope this finds you all giving and receiving lots of mail love!
My Best,
-b

Some Presents to Me

Hello all!
I shamelessly published that my birthday was this weekend on sendsomething just to see if anything came through for me.  I did get a few cards which is better than I had hoped.  My family and friends are NOT good about sending birthday wishes and in this day and age of texting and Facebook - most people start and stop with a text or FB post.  It's better than nothing, but a bit of a cop out.
Anyway, I have long since realized all of this and no longer leave my birthday happiness to the stars!  Here are a few mail presents I bought for myself : )

the bunny suicides postcards- "when cute fluffy little bunnies just don't want to live anymore"

art postcards

And the trip to Colorado was also a present to me as well : )  I just had to time it a few weekends before because that's when my friend's schedule and mine best worked.  Here is a few images of the fantastic food we ate.  I gave my mostly vegetarian ways up to try buffalo (yum!) and elk (yum!) and quail (yuck!).

for dessert: tamarind creme brulee and prosecco gelee with white chocolate rose mousse and huckleberry compote!

the night view from the restaraunt balcony

Finally proof that I am evovling at another year older.  Today I let myself go into Marshall's with the intent of buying myself a birthday present.  Well I liked the Vera Wang stationery alot, but it was $8 a box on sale.  SO I opted for supplies instead- Something I never would have done a year ago!  Now I have to try to make something fun!

Anyway, I hope this all finds you creating your own brand of happiness!
My fondest wishes,
-Becky

Retro Stamps

The post office continues to turn out beautiful retro inspired stamps.  These are quite nice and depict the American Scientist that blazed the trail for modern science.  Believe it or not, I've already used a page of them!
My Best,
-b

Amazing Finds Around the World

Hello all!
When I started my journey into mailing people around the world about a year ago- (yes! really! same time as I started the blog! ) I was just looking for an outlet to my stationery obsession and a way to fight boredom with my recent move and new found spare time.  I didn't really love stamps or postcards at the time or knew anything about half the stationery I owned or the world of mail art.  But I liked to send and receive and I saw some value in both- but now!  My eyes are more open to the beauty of the mailer world and all the little things that make it unique and special.
Mail art was a new and eye opening experience  It is very personal and has been a very fun way to get to know other people!



From Mail art 365

Postcrossing has been a great way to see the stamps and world through postcards.  From ad cards to homemade- they have been a wonderful way to look through others eyes.

From Postcrossing

I have to say some of my favorite stamps have been from China, Finland, and the United Kingdom.

Just a few of the Finns- I passed the coolest on to a stamp collector

another amazing Chinese postcard from postcrossing and stamps

The Brit Mailboxes and Shakespeare

The other thing that amazes me is the connectivity.  Just one example:  I have 2 pen pals about my age from Finland and Spain who aren't into the postcrossing and blogging.  Well I became social networking friends with one to track our mail after a lost letter and low and behold she was friends with the other!  We apparently all write to each other.  What a find! 
Send something has been a good catch too:

Just some recent mail art from the site!

It's been an interesting year and I'm more than humbled by the folks who like what I have to say enough to read and follow this blog.  I'd like to think I'd write it no matter what, but truly you guys keep me going.  A blogger with no audience is like a flower with no water, it probably won't last long.
I'm done with my rambles.  Thanks again for reading and Happy Mailing to you!
-b

Why Create Mail Art?

Hello All!
I found this video over on Gurney Journey blog.  I was following up on the mail art call he sent out.  But was ecstatic to find this gem.  Link goes to a YouTube Video about what art does to people!
http://youtu.be/D_5twGr9l_0
Apply this to mail art and you have a convincing argument to make and send beautiful things.  Could we help create enough love to encourage world peace?   hhhhmmm . . . .
An interesting thought!

Also here is today's board pic- several unique postcards have made their way to the board and only a few letters (I'm a little behind in my letter writing).  With the sendsomething ladies being creative and sending unique collages and artwork!
Hope this finds you well! Happy Father's Day to those celebrating!
-b

What does a dollar buy?

I'm about to let you in on a secret, my secret.  Although it's not much of a secret here in the USA.  I shop at the Dollar Tree.  The Dollar tree is a store that many in the USA make fun of for it's cheap crap.  The idea is that everything in the store is $1 or 2 for $1.  I use this to my advantage all the time and buy lots of things from there to use in my mail.
Stickers - limited in supply but very cute and a good deal.

Stationery- a rare purchase here, but occasionally they have something

Die-Cuts for labels

Envies

Post-its (great for labels)

Cards- (actually 2 for a $1)

There are also children's books, stamps, seasonal cards and paper goods, pens, markers, glue, and large padded mailing envelopes.  Some are a good deal, others may be too cheaply made for $1 even.  But all in all they are a nice deal! And a nice source for cheap mailing components.
Your Friend Who's Mailing on a budget,
-b

A Find

Hello all!
I just wanted to let you all in on a find I had.  I was at a book sale last month and came across these freebees!

Who gives away old maps?  My only regret is that I didn't take them all, but I was taught to share, so I left half.  Now what to do with them  !?!
Wishing you Happy Finds my Friends,
-b

Send a Postcard- Make History

Hello all!
I had a good visit with my friend BreezieKay and am back to the grind in PA.  She and I have been good friends for awhile.  I can't believe its been almost 7 years already since we met! 
While visiting, one of the side trips Bree and I made was to the Manitou Spring Cliff Dwellings.  This is a privately owned tourist attraction, founded in the late 1800's.  The dwellings were built by the Anasazi (meaning ancient ones). They were a race of Native Americans that built dwellings into the cliffs but disappeared into history and nobody knows where or why they left.

While there, the gift shop had a little museum display of postcards throughout the the years of operation.   Which I thought was very cool and it made me realize that at this second you and I are making postal history by sending bits of our daily lives into the world.

There are several in the series and a little overlap

Some more pics of the site.

From inside the ruins

It's a mystery why the Anasazi abandoned their homes and where they went, but it's no mystery why we send mail.  It's also no mystery that we are leaving a legacy with every stamp and pen stroke.  So hats off to you all, my fellow mailers!
Keep it going!
-b

over a mile (~2km) above sea level

Have Art Supplies, Will Travel

Hello Folks!I'm on vacation in Denver, Colorado!  A beautiful place to visit and the gateway to the Colorado Rockies!  So why am I posting this?  Well my wonderful good buddy had to work today.  She JUST got a job after living and going to school here for a year and this is not do to lack of trying.  So there was no way I could ask her to take the day off.  We'll have the other days to be together.
But I don't mind- I brought things to do

And isn't it great when you can do what you love!  That's a vacation in itself.
Here's some of the outgoing from Colorado.

I had some help responding to the letters.

And here's a beautiful pic of the downtown.

This is the twilight sky- love the clouds and moon.

Happy travels, my friends!
-Becky

Send a Drawing Project

Hello Folks,
I have to admit something.  I am just as curious about who read my blog as you all are about next post.  Thus when a new person "follows", I tend to look back at their profile to see if they also have a blog.  I have found a few good sites this way and it gives me some context on the person if they write me.
Well recently I saw that Creatively Marie had added on and I back tracked to her main blog and saw a side project she was working on called Send a Drawing Project.  So I emailed her for more info. 
Marie is looking for drawings to help inspire her daughter who has physically disabled but mentally very creative!   Art is one of those amazing medias that allow people to communicate emotions and ideas without words. 
Now I am not very blessed in the drawing department, but I do like to think that I am creative.  I hope to create something special and send it along.  The project very much reminds me of one of my favorite movies My Left Foot.  The movie is about Christy Brown who had cerebral palsy.  In a time when those children were hidden away, he became a celebrated artist, poet, and author breaking all kinds of barriers! Here's a recent article about him for some more details.
So if you want to inspire, but some ink to paper and show Marie's daughter your artwork.  Maybe we can inspire her to create her own!
Hope this finds you all creating something special!  And with this I'm off to Colorado!
-Becky

Overwhelmed

Dear friends,
So summer seems to be here in more way than one.  I have a job that is a bit seasonal and so the craziness at work has started.  Plus the summer travel is in full swing.  I am packing tonight for a long weekend trip to Denver, Colorado to see Breeziekay and a few other old friends.  So my posts may be sparse the next few weeks, but I hope to have some pics of my travels!

Some garden cards from Iota also usher in the growing season and my patio garden which is growing like weeds- well I guess catnip technically is.  
Anyway, I hope this finds you all happy and busy making memories or at least writing about them!
My Best,
-b

The Cuteness

SO I have been trying a to be very good about using stationery and have polished off a few sets but I was in the store the other day and  . . . . well stationery happens.
Some of my warn and fuzzy new items.

Bunnies

Cats in Hats

And finally puppies with cute quotes!  Sorry they are obscured by the flash, but maybe they will land in a mailbox near you : )
Hope this finds you all sending and receiving lots of mail!
-Becky