It's a Sign!

So, this very evening as I sat browsing the plethora of mail art online I was reminded of my love for typewriters.



My grandmother had one and if my memory is correct it was one of those old models that was a pale green and was "portable" though it took up an entire suitcase and you needed a pack mule and a cowboy to haul it for you.




I always admired this typewriter. My favorite game was to play office. My grandmother had this big old heavy desk that I would spend hours at reorganizing my desk tools, paper, pens, etc. Little did I know that this game would turn into a mail/stationery obsession. I loved the way the typewriter sounded, so loud and mechanical, almost foreboding but strangely relaxing. I also liked the quirky little errors that were special to just that machine. I loved that when you made errors you could fix them but they were never really gone, they always made their "once upon a time" presence known.



Sorry. I almost forgot my point! So this evening I decided that with all my "one dollar bill hoarding riches" I would purchase myself a portable typewriter. I mentioned my grand plan to my dear husband and let's just say he wasn't enthusiastic. He thinks I'll tire of it quickly and that it can't do anything my laptop can. Except, print on the go. And it can because it is portable and ways a mere ten pounds (sadly no cowboy needed) which is less than the laptop I bought after high school. Back to the sign. I was putting a letter together and pulled a random sheet of ephemera ads to use as decoration. I started to cut apart said ads and realize that the page I grabbed from the 200 page stack was an advertisement for vintage typewriters!!! What are the odds???



Therefore I am currently not so patiently waiting for the arrival of my "fancy schmancy oh so portable" typewriter which should arrive on my doorstep this very next Wednesday!!! Can you tell I am excited? It isn't vintage like I would have loved but I just didn't want to deal with the heartbreak of finding one that ended up not working or one that you could no longer fix or find supplies for. So it is a shiny modern one instead. I wont hold it against it though...

Yesterdays Mailings Todays Arrivals

So, recently I have been sending quite a lot of mail. And while I haven't received as much back as I have sent I have received more than ever before! Yesterday I sent out two postcrossing postcards. One to the Netherlands and one to Finland. I also sent out my request to the LWA for an aerogramme. An aerogramme is an airmail letter written on a single sheet of lightweight paper that folds up to form an envelope. It was originally used because it was cheaper to send overseas during the war. It is basically what we call fold and mail these days which is still a little rare. I myself am the very proud owner of Star Trek fold and mail stationery!



I have also recently mailed out my very first letter to my very first pen pal! We shall see how that goes. I requested the pen pal through the LWA so I am very excited to hear back. I basically just chatted a bit about myself. What else would you write about to a stranger? The letter is very neat looking. I lifted this passport book from the Chumash Casino that had little advertisements in it. I removed the adds and replaced them with the writing paper for my letter. I wonder what she will think when she opens the envelope? She doesn't know I have been given her address for a pen pal and I am sure she isn't expecting a letter like the one I have sent!



Today to my pleasant surprise I received not one but two cards from my Twilight Mom's card exchange. Both were very well done and I was very happy to have received them! Gosh... Sadly I am not expecting too much more via snail mail in these next few days. I suppose I will have to be even more proactive with mailing to others because I recently read that you have to send mail to receive mail!!!



P.S. I have also "started" getting my Christmas cards together. Yes it is still August but you see every year I have grand visions of sending out these amazing cards filled with "sugarplums" and what happens? Well, just ask the good people in my life if they have ever received a Christmas greeting from me in the mail... Shameful, I know.

Ramblings about my new iPhone 4, Bass Lake and MAIL!!!

First of all I love my new phone. If anyone is considering buying one I highly recommend it!!! The camera is amazing, the screen a thing of beauty.



Bass Lake was beautiful as usual though a lot more work and less relaxation this time around with the little one. I wouldn't trade it for anything though.





Well I have officially kept the postcard business booming in the Sierra National Forrest. I purchased thirty-eight standard cards, three panoramic and five wooden ones. I have to say that I am very excited about sending wooden postcards!!! I have also been very diligent with my Post-crossing endeavor. I have once again reached my allotment for now and currently have five postcards travelling the world in search of their recipient.





My TM card exchange for August is also going well. Three out of my four recipients have already messaged back with many thanks and Twilight love. I have received one so far and am eagerly awaiting my other three! Whose ever idea it was to start a card exchange was a genius. It is now something I eagerly await for.



I officially became a member of the LWA (Letter writers Alliance). Upon my arrival home from vacation I found my membership card in the mail. And what a cute package!!! I also received an official LWA badge.

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I feel empty, and raw... I have just wiped my iPhone 3G clean in preparation for the arrival of my iPhone 4 tomorrow. My husband will be inheriting my "old" phone. Here it sits next to me, empty and impersonal. I feel a strange loss.

Todays Mailings!

Today was a very productive mail day. I have just sent off four TM card exchange packages and a letter to Kathy. Hope they reach their destinations! I have so many other ideas for mail later this week... Can't wait to get started!

Good Day Mail

Searching for Epherma about a week ago I stumbled across an amazing book called "Good Day Mail". Other people love weird and beautiful mail as much or possibly even more than I do!!! It had so many highly interesting and unique ideas that I have since collected many more addresses to be my experimental recipients. I have also created an on the go mail art kit. It's full of some of my favorite stationery and supplies to make found treasures into post while I am out and about. Happy mailing!

I Love Mail

You see the post truck down the street. You get a little happy increase to your heart rate. "Does he have my package?" "Did someone reply to one of my many weird and wonderful mailings?" This is how I feel everyday that I am home.

I love to track packages. I love being able to see the exact time stamped journey that my much awaited package is taking. I like to guess how quickly I will receive it. I find joy in the fact that I can watch it creep closer and closer to it's final destination, my mailbox.