Incoming for January 12th - a day of firsts

My post office box had just two items in it today and both gave me smiles and giggles.

I received a letter from my social network hating, phone call eschewing nephew in Dallas and a New Year's Bunny from TMC at Return to Rural!

I noticed that my nephew put the stamp on the opposite side of the envelope than most folks. I don't recall ever getting mail with that sort of stamp placement so that's a first for me. I'll sit down this evening and write a nice reply to him and might even attempt a somewhat creative envelope for the letter.

I also don't recall ever getting a bunny mailed to me. No envelope, just the bunny addressed to me with a note attached to it. How cute and another first! Hmm, I didn't even know one could send a bunny via USPS. ;-) The best part of the bunny is that Mr. Zip is on the postage label! I've had a thing for Mr. Zip, also called Zippy, since I was a kid. He's pretty darned awesome.

I need to think of something creative to send TMC in appreciation for the adorable bunny.

Yep, today is a good mail day!

My first attempt at decorating an envelope!

It's not too bad considering I haven't attempted to decorate an envelope since I was 8 or 9 and that was by drawing a princess, in crayon, on the back of a letter I sent to my grandparents.

I feel like it's unfinished but don't know what else to do with it. I can see already that my obsession with straight lines and even edges needs to go but I'm not sure how to squelch that part of myself.

I'll look at it again later tonight or tomorrow and perhaps I'll have inspiration to add more to it. In the meantime, I'm okay with it.

I think.

Please Mr. Postman, Night Mail, and outgoing for January 10th

This morning I looked through my stack of mail from yesterday and "Please Read the Letter" by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss started going through my head. I like that song because those two seem an unlikely duo but make magic together. From there I started thinking of other songs about things postal and spent a little time Googling and watching videos/reading lyrics.

There are actually more than I realized and some have nothing to do with letters or mail. Go figure. ;)

Here are a few I thought of or found:

Strawberry Letter 23, by The Brothers Johnson

Box Full of Letters, by Wilco

The Letter, by The Box Tops. Have you heard Joe Cocker sing this song? His rendition is quite different than that of the Box Tops and my favorite.

Please Mr. Postman, by The Marvelettes

The Daily Mail, by Radiohead

and one of my favorite newer tunes, The Night Mail, by New Jackson.

Do you have a favorite song about letters or mail?

I finished my morning relaxation time by watching the documentary "Night Mail", produced in 1936 by the GPO Film Unit. This short film is about the mail train from London to Scotland and satisfied my need for a mail fix, a train fix, and a British fix. I was particularly fascinated by how the mail bags were "grabbed" by a netting assembly without the train stopping or slowing. The efficiency of the men loading and unloading the train and sorting letters was also remarkable.

I sent 6 letters out today and have more to send tomorrow. Thank you to all of you have written me! Each letter, notecard, and postcard brings a genuine smile to my face and we can't have enough of those. I hope my replies bring smiles, also. 

Incoming for January 9th

I haven't checked my PO box since Saturday and am glad I went by after work, even though I was exhausted from getting little sleep last night and a long work shift today and just wanted to come home, put on my PJs, and collapse on the couch.

I received a postcard from one of the mail artists I hear from occasionally, a letter from Jan over at Of Bibles, books, and letters..., a postcard from Joe Geronimo, who is participating in LetterMo, a postcard from Pamela, a member of a letter writing Yahoo group I'm in, and a letter from LR McArthur. LR found my address on a reply to a post at Make Every Day a Good Mail Day and in her words, "felt inspired to write". The letter she sent me is great and I'm looking forward to writing my reply.

I also got a letter from someone in New York and am not sure where she got my address but the envelope is adorable. I love the shades of blue and the taxis!

Thanks for the incoming love, y'all. You've made today a great mail day, indeed. 

Outgoing for January 7th

My first More Love Letters drop!

So I stopped in at a Starbucks tonight and left some love.

The picture isn't very good because it was taken with my phone but I really wanted to record the moment for posterity's sake. ;)

I hope whoever finds the letter smiles a bit! And I hope you smile tomorrow because your mailbox is full of love!

Jumping in with both feet but I need some input

I've decided that I really must try my hand at mail art. Two things have held me back from trying it. One, I couldn't come up with any kind of "theme" that really appealed to me and two, I'm not the most artistic or creative person. The first obstacle I've managed to overcome but the second one has me feeling pretty shaky.

I was the kid who got glue in her hair in Kindergarten. And I was the kid with marker all over her face, hands and arms because grace certainly isn't my middle name! Alas, I was also the kid whose eyelid got glued shut when she turned in her seat to say something to a friend and bumped into said friend's raised rubber cement brush. I haven't forgotten those incidents though the traumatic aspects have faded. Ha!

Paper, pens, pencils, stickers, crayons, wax, markers, tape, and yes, even glue, have been lifelong loves of mine but only in a sit down, write a letter, glue or tape the flap of the envelope if needed, seal it prettily, and mail it sort of way. I've never taken it further though I've felt a strong desire to do so. Finding all the wonderfully creative mail art bloggers out there has deepened that desire and I've been torn between wanting to dabble and wanting to tear my eyes out so I can't see all the pretties! The pretties won.

This morning, as I worked with a faded, smudged, printed census record, eyes squinted, magnifying glass over a very hard to read name - it hit me. Why not use my love of genealogy in my attempt to create some kind of mail art? 

I like that idea, I really like it! I even have a picture in my mind's eye of an envelope I want to create. The problem is I'm not sure just where to start. 

I know how to make collages and used the concept to cover the counters in a business I co-owned a few years ago. The result was lovely and received many compliments. I have a nice collection of pens, markers, and other writing instruments and I have more paper than the local library, I think. What I lack is basic knowledge on how to pull those things together to create something from nothing. 

For example, if I want to make an envelope, can I/should I use an existing envelope or is it best to start from scratch and make one? I've collected some information on how to make envelopes but don't know if an existing one would work. 

Okay, so for you mail art and creative folks out there, how should a newbie like me start? I really need input. Thank you!