Mailbox Monday #8 (on Tardy Tuesday...apparently...)

A little grace, folks--a little grace...I bookended last week with ridiculous headaches both on Monday and Friday, so blogging was simply not a priority for me. But, here we are back again--a day late but nonetheless, still here. And the mail continues to trickle in little by little...

 

Last week's highlights--letters from England, Tasmania, and here in the states: PA, TX, and a super cool postcard from Florida--which has a funny story to it that I'll share in a minute...

But first--a couple more letters that arrived yesterday from CA and OK--I love Tracy's

gelli plate envies, beautiful!

Okay--postcard story. Last month I posted a Month of Letters challenge and had a nice response of people who wanted to play along, left me their addresses and I mailed out postcards to them during the month long challenge. The first postcard I'd sent out came back to me two weeks later. I hesitate to put my return address on postcards for this very reason--the brilliant post office employees are easily confused. But, being as these were new friends, I wanted to let them know where the cards had traveled from, and so wrote clearly "FROM:" with my address, tiny, at the bottom of the card by my signature hoping this would clue the postal peeps into NOT returning the cards to me. All of the other cards I sent last month managed to be delivered (at least, I haven't gotten any of those back...I suppose they could be floating in Post Office Purgatory somewhere...) So, I scribbled out my return address, jotted a quick apology for the delivery delay, slapped another stamp on this card (which was already above the regular postcard rate since it was heavy cardboard, too stiff for what's considered 'machinable' mail--increasing the rate from the thirty-four postage card rate to the standard first class rate of forty-nine cents, and now costing ninety eight cents for this second attempt at delivery:

Return addy scribbled out

A quick apology, double stamped

And....the post office RETURNED it to me AGAIN!!! Even WITHOUT my return address on it...for realz. So...at this point, I had come across Roc in a faith journaling group I belong to, messaged her quickly to let her know I hadn't forgotten she had signed up for the Month of Letters challenge and that I did indeed mail her a postcard, yadda yadda yadda....and that I would try one more time to send it out to her--in an envelope!!! Which, also non-machinable because of the thick postcard inside would cost an extra twenty-one cent surcharge--AND another first class stamp...this postcard that should've cost thirty-four cents to mail, now cost $1.68--but it finally made it!! And that super cool postcard in the pic above is from Ms. Roc--and I love it!

 

Finally the post office managed to get it right!!

The life and times of mail today...

Mailbox Monday #7

I had another quiet but very inspirational mail week. Monday, of course, was a holiday, and Tuesday we were still recuperating from the latest snow storm, so that was three days in a row of no mail--gah!! Alas, Wednesday made up for it when I found this bonus stash filling my mailbox:

Sweet Mail Delight!!

First, a belated Christmas giftie from my friend, Dawn! An adorable journal, cute, cute cards of the family and a super fabulous Sharpie pen (I had to include the box knife in the pic since Dawn super taped the box shut! Haha!)

 

A stash of Valentine goodness from Eileen:

 

And this beautiful geniusness:

 

I love mail art. Seriously and truly. I've been piddling around with pretty handmade envies and fussy lettering, but it's not all out mail art. Brian's work totally inspired me to knuckle down and MAKE ART again. Brian is @sirlapsley on Twitter and Instagram if you want to give him a follow--great stuff!

So, I made a couple art cards over the weekend:

 

 

One is winging its way to Brian...

Hmmmm.....

And in other mail this week, an outgoing envie to my friend Beth:

 

Who in turn sent me this lovely envie and letter:

 And so I replied with this Animalia envie:

Oooo--a Harry stamp!!

 

 And a couple watercolor and resist cards I made during Sunday's bout of insomnia:

Super fun to do!

 

Now I'm all caught up on mail but have a few lettering projects to work on today--yay! But first it's time to get the Bug up and ready for school, scrounge up a little breakfast and visit the treadmill for a quick run--gotta get the day under way!

 

Happy Monday!!

Mailbox Monday #6 and Neptune

If you know anything about me, you know I love snow and a good blizzard is just my thing--everything completely blanketed in snow, the world covered in white as far as the eye can see. But Neptune has been one vicious storm. I don't know how much snow it dumped on us--I do know I've been shoveling over four foot drifts, trying to toss snow on banks above my head. The wind chill is killer cold. Just listening to it whipping around the house and through the trees feels ominous and honestly a bit worrisome at times. A few pics from shoveling yesterday--and I haven't even made it to the street...

 

 

Their previous path had been obliterated, Tuck couldn't find his way off the patio.

Abort mission.

Maybe a tag team effort is a better ploy...

Pea almost couldn't turn herself around....minor pile up on the way back in...

Our fence is just about gone--and that's not from the snow plow--the bank from the plows is beyond the fence--and they haven't even gotten close to our street yet

 

That's a whole lotta snow...

I don't know what this guy was thinking--he was tearing the nesting stuffings out and chewing on the holes--like, you're still not gonna fit yourself in there, dude! Leave my sparrow babies alone!!

 

But, it is Mailbox Monday today! I wouldn't be getting any mail again today even if it weren't a holiday...I've not gotten mail on a Monday for over a month now because of the repeated snow storms!

 

Outgoing:



 

One little incoming from my friend, Beth. I've gotten more than that this week, this just happened to be the only pretty decorated envie:

 

Beth is the washi queen!

And now I need to head back out into the bitter cold to try to make some headway to the actual road if Bill's gonna make it to work today...I hope everyone is keeping warm and toasty!! Have a great week! Thanks for stopping by!

Mailbox Monday #5

 It's not been a bad week for mail here. I've had several pretty envies coming and going:

Incoming from Tracy and Beth--from our Snail Mail Society, and a Postal Society swap from Singapore.

A cute matching card and envie from Denmark

 

Incoming from the Netherlands and outgoing to Sweden

Outgoing to India--not only does this girl have the longest name I've ever heard,
her address was crazy complicated!
A street next to a hotel...?? Seriously--that's how her addy reads...
We'll see if it makes it there!

 

Front and back of Alex's envie heading to the UK--we both love Frenchies!
Playing with her name is always fun!

 

And outgoing responses to Beth and Tracy--Beth's a pink tie die envie for Valentines and Tracy's, below, a copied page out of Graeme Base's Animalia

 

Last but not least, a lovely lettered envie for a blog contest winner at my friend, Dawn's blog.
I have a few of my own entry winners to mail out this week as well!

 

February's Month of Mail is well under way! I've sent out one or two letters and cards each day so far and I hope if you're playing along, you're keeping up with the challenge as well! Everybody loves happy mail! Have a great week! School is cancelled again as another 6-12" of snow is heading our way...looks like I'll be shoveling today! Cocoa, jammies, and the Walking Dead! After mail of course!

Mailbox Monday #4

It's been a much better mail week, in spite of our blizzard Juno, who left us digging for days under three feet of snow:

Gorgeous blue sky and mountains of snow!

Our street is under there somewhere....

We have a fresh 8-12" coming today and into tomorrow. It's good to know winter has finally fully arrived--a little late, but not holding back one bit of what we've been missing through our earlier portion of the season!

So--incoming goodness!

At long last--this finally appeared in my mailbox yesterday after we'd given up hope thinking it'd gotten lost as it had been mailed out more than two weeks ago. Which gives me hope that a missing letter I'd sent to the Netherlands may still find its way there! But! This joyous arrival is from my dear friend, Alex, from the UK--envie made from a map of where she and her sweet hubby stayed this Christmas in Maine! (So very jealous!! But so very happy to see this safe into my hot little hands!)

A bright happy envie and letter from new penpal Bea in Spain

And another awesome friendship folder from Cynthia here in MA
and a beautifully hand decorated envie from Elizabeth in the UK!

And outgoing this week (in no particular order...):

A letter back to Bea--so happy it's February and I can use my new super cute Valentine washi!
So sad to have to use a Christmas stamp but the post office is still waiting for the new 2015 international design to be released, so gotta use what we can get for now!

A happy package of the most adorable washi tape that Beth and I split for a double order from
Aimee over at Artsyville! She hosted a super clearance on her tape designs, Beth and I couldn't resist!

Pretty in Pink letter back to Cyn

Not a great pic but the paper I used for a label has issues with marker adherence?
Playing with pretty border doodles...

And last but not least, a birthday card for my sweet friend Missy!
Love and miss you!! Hope you had a super great day!

And today begins our Month of Letters! I hope everyone has their pen, paper, and stamps all set and ready to get writing! I've got a nice little stack of cards all addressed and ready to go--if you signed up, watch those mailboxes!

All right--have a super great week! I'll be playing in the snow again! And sending out lots of happy mail love! Thanks for stopping by--hope to see you all again soon!

Mailbox Monday #3

Well, I don't know what happened to the pics of the rest of my mail this week--unless I simply brain farted and forgot to take pics? Uhr-duhr....it's been known to happen. I did have a lot on my mind last week with getting (mentally) prepared for our NYC trip (me? worry? NAH! Okay...yuh....) Nonetheless, I do have a few pics (thank goodness for saving grace...)

Tada!

 

This lovely creation is a friendship folder from new penpal Ina from the Netherlands. I've seen so many of these on Instagram lately so I was quite tickled to receive my first one! Now I have to return the favor and make one to send back (and of course others to share with my other beloved penfriends!)

A panic picture taken yesterday when I thought I had zero pics to share...yikes! Again, Ina's folder, a super cute thank you card from new friend, Eileen (adorbs!) and a pair of tie die envelope experiments I made this week that turned out so super cool I'll have to make MORE!!

Outgoing advertisement envie

The two original tie die envies. I started with a pink/red palette for Valentine's day.
Loved it so much I had to break out some purple....

 Okay, the next two have absolutely nothing to do with mail, just my heart....

Look at this giant lump! He's crushed all the cushions to our (er, his!) sofa!

Words simply do not exist for how much I love this dog

A gianormous blizzard is en route for later today, tomorrow, and parts of Wednesday. I've waited all winter for some snow--I didn't think they'd save it all up for one blow out event! And, Bug is off school today for a professional development day, not likely to be going to school Tuesday, Wednesday or even possibly Thursday from the looks of what's about to hit the coast this week...Pajama-rama Week!!

 

Stay safe! Stay warm! Happy Mailing!!

 

 

PS! It is not too late to join me for a Month of Letters! Official mailing begins next Monday! I was asked to clarify: I am NOT assigning pen pals. This is simply an open individual challenge to create and mail 23 pieces of mail love (mailing one piece every day through the month of February-excluding, of course, Sundays and Presidents Day--hence the remaining 23 days...) Zip me a line with your address if you would like to be included on my mailing list!