Gel Pens and Postcards: A Modern Tragedy

I sigh with anticipation when I open my post office box.  I love to peer in and see all the pretty mail and postcards that people send.  I finger them and absorb both sides with my eyes rapidly moving from left to right.  Then I spy tragedy
A gel pen that has encountered moisture in transit!
My dear friends, gel pens bleed with any moisture and can smear on most glossy papers.    I love them as much as the next gal, but I try to use the pretty pens on the interior only.  A lesson learned the hard way.

 So remember, friends do not let friends use gel pens on postcards and address labels.

This public service announcement brought to you by B.

Halloween Fest - I'm Going as a Busy Beaver!

Hello all,
As many of you have probably hear, the East coast got nailed by a freak snow storm that took out trees and left many without power.  I on the other hand was fine.  I was spared power but lost cable, Internet, and phone service - oh no!  How to communicate with the outside world????
How about a few letters?

Here's most of my catch up pile from yesterday!  One more letter and I will have September replied to (good thing since November is knocking and the October stack awaits!)
And while I have no grand illusions of these letters being there before Halloween - Here are a few to celebrate the holiday!

Recycled Dunkin Donuts box - 2 postcards and an envie

just some fun envelopes!

Still behind in the letter department, but feeling a lot better about it!  Good that I lacked distractions and could just "make it happen" this weekend. 
Now for a gorgeous mail art card from Piccadilly Post (link)!  She' s a member of the IUOMA and makes terrific cards.

Front

Back - Hopefully you can click on it to read it better!

SO thoughtful to put in the Bethlehem connection!  I learned something about a story that I already knew and loved. 
I hope this finds all my mail friends doing well and celebrating a fun, safe Halloween!
-b

How Does the Blog Look on Your Computer?

I just checked the blog from a different computer and it is bright orange - not muted over with the white wash effect I had wanted.  Also it appears hard to read.  Could be that this comeputer is not loading properly,
but I pose the question to all of you.  Is it okay?  Can you read the content and links fine?

Thanks for the input!
-b

The Weather Outside is Frightful, But Stationery is so Delightful

Hello all,
I'm sure a few of you have heard of the bad weather that is traveling the lower Eastern coast.  Some may wonder what's the fuss?  Well like many folks, I am a transplant.  I hail from somewhere that has a lot of snow, South of Lake Michigan!  That usually means I do not mind a lot of snow - with the exception of when the trees are fully leafed!  All the weight of the leaves and snow are breaking branches at an alarming rate and cutting off power. 
  I'm not always a quick learner, that means I had to see it first hand.  So I decided to go to Goodwill today and see what I could find, and find I did!

Naughty Betty stationery

Apparently Target could not get rid of their Naughty Betty stash (there were probably 10 of these total)  There were also tons of Christmas and Baby Shower cards - none of which spoke to me.  Perhaps I am getting picky with my stationery hoarding? 
But not picky enough to stay away from the TJ Maxx next door.  I shamefully say that I truly lacked the ability to say no there.  But look at what I found!

Potter style - Origami

Potter Style - Crossword cards

A wonderful date calendar for me!

And to be fair I found the following at Marshall's 2 weekends ago.  Just now posting them

Liberty Fabrics Cards

Tenues - Love Birds

Some note paper - with map graphics

Punch Card Studios French Butterflies

Sock Monkeys by Tenue

Back to the slow learning part:  After some shopping, the lights began to blink in the Marshall's and I thought "Crap, what if I lose heat?"  So I started the trek home, only to pass tree after tree that had dropped major branches on the roadway!  I had to turn from my course, 2 -3 times and take alternate routes.  

Branches touch the ground with green leaves that had yet to change color

A bit blurry but notice the limbs laying around the base of this tree and how bowed its limbs are

Guess Mother Nature knows best, but would have suggested to wait a few more weeks before the first big snow.  I would like to write her and express my opinions, but I don't suppose anybody has her mailing address?

Hope this finds you all warm and safe and celebrating a happy Halloween!
-b

Fun Recycled Materials!

Hello all,
It's been a bit in the making but here it is folks - the winner of the recycling blogoversary challenge!  First I'd like to say that I tend to like advertising and the re-use of daily household items.  I also like a challenge and the chance to inspire others through my actions.  I think I achieved all these goals with this competition.
First - Daily items were re-purposed and sent as mail by all who entered!
Second - I am challenged to make items as beautiful as the ones I received
Third - Many of my coworkers were caught ogling and touching the merchandise (which was encouraged!), and I heard them say how much they liked to receive mail but never got any anymore.  My comment back is that to get a letter, somebody needs to send one, so perhaps they should start the chain reaction!  And yesterday, one of my coworkers said "I want to mail this to my daughter"- referring to a piece of mail we had received with an illustration on the front!  Score 1 for me!

On to the contestants!!!!

Add caption

VaGirl sent my this creation of 2 sweet treats.  The back is from a Hershey's cookie and cream white chocolate bar.  The paper is calendar of some sorts.  VaGirl is new to the world of mail art and I hope she continues as this envie is stunning!

This really was not and entrant in the contest, but when Annabell's postcard arrived amidst the early part of the competition, I thought it was a great display of recycling and threw her postcard into the old hat.

Marian is a student and fellow PA'er.  She did an envelope out of a bicycle magazine and paper was from a calendar!

Emily at Winnie's Girl sent a gobstopper candy box with a wonderful booklet made from her favorite beer boxes! 

Kimi sent this nice treat of matching envelope and paper from a Trader Joe's grocery bag.  I have never been to a Trader Joe's but I love the graphics!

Lisa made a whole lot of wonderfulness to send my way!  The envelope and paper were from a clue game and the postcard was a compilation of the a recent bath and body ad and various other recycled pieces.  I too saw the ad and thought cool graphics, but what would I do with it - well now I see!

My dear Malyss sent me 2 postcards that she made from recycling various papers.  I think the ladies really liked them and the stamps.  They were shocked to see the French stamps.  It seemed so rare to them to get mail, let alone from France!  She may have opened some eyes on that one.  Malyss has a pictorial blog.

And finally, one of my favorites just because of it's sheer simplicity, is a recycled stamp postcard from Katherine in Great Britain!  I somehow think its beauty was lost on my coworkers.  I'm not sure they realized the stamps were real!

And the winner is #6 - Emily  from Winnie's Girl Blog!  One of the comments I received was "Beer and Candy, Yummy!"  Everybody will receive a thank you and at least a single piece of stationery for their own use.  Emily will get to choose her own gift package!

I hope this has made you all smile and think, "I could do that!"
Here's to having fun with mail!
-b