Big Fun at the Library Book Sale

Things have been busy around San Francisco this week. Tuesday was the annual
Library Big Book Sale.
I went with a mail art pal and we had fun wading through all the books.
Score!
That is most of my loot above (not including all those foreign language flash cards I
posted in the last blog post).

The Library sale is  at Fort Mason in SF, set right on the water. It is in a great spot especially if you have to stand in a long line to get in.

I scored an old Atlas to tear up for mail art (if I can bring myself to actually tear it up),
old stationary, typewriter book plates......

California
from the old Atlas

Scored an old how-to-type book and a book of paint samples that are
perforated like stamps -- oh joy.

I have been out running around a lot all week. The Correspondence Co-Op met on Wednesday night
and that was great fun, as usual.
But I stayed home on Sunday and got busy on mail art -- thirteen pieces went
out today. Here's a stack of outgoing.

OUTGOING
On my desk with my new favorite pens.

OUTGOING
The airmail set, vintage envelopes from Chinatown (More about that in another post)
and vintage air mail stamps.

OUTGOING
This envelope came to my husband and when I saw that "Warning" on the
bottom on the envelope I just had to re-use it. And I knew exactly who to send it to.

OUTGOING
A see-thru envelope of stamps went out to Annie.

OUTGOING
The "Menu" envelope is out-going AGAIN -- I sent it at least a week earlier to a
friend in Australia and imagine my surprise to see it back in my mail box.
For some it got returned to me. The address seemed totally clear so I added a couple of "TO"'s and the pointing finger and tried again.
Let's hope it gets to Australia this time around.

OUTGOING
To my bike riding pal, GinaBella.

Also went and visited the beautiful Dahlia Garden in Golden Gate Park, got some great incoming mail
and had a few lunches to share but this is long enough for today.

That's it for now folks. Remember to write those letters and help save the USPS.
Cappuccino And Art is on Facebook
and I add extra links about mail and events on the page.
Welcome to the new "followers" on the blog.

Who will be number 150?

Send Good Mail to Get Good Mail
and Help Save the US Postal Service!

Stacks

Stacks of papers for mail art making.

OK, so this morning I was reading a few of my favorite blogs
when I came across this
Stack Attack
A call for entries (of sorts) for photos of the stacks in our art studios.
Well, I DO have stacks.

The Altered Page
is a really interesting blog -- I just signed up! (Hello Seth)

Stack of my handmade envelopes all ready to fill up and mail.

Stack of (only a very few) of my journals. Top one has French muslin (used)
tea bags attached.
I have kind an an indoor/outdoor studio space.
After a chilly, foggy cold SF summer, we are having a lovely heatwave.
(80" in SF is considered a heat wave and the locals are swooning).

Stack of Chinese Boxes in my studio.

Stack of out-going mail.

Stack of incoming mail (collected over the years).

Stack of vintage books on studio work table.

Stack of vintage language flash cards. I love these things. I keep thinking if I sleep with the cards under my pillow I might absorb the languages. It hasn't worked yet.

Stack of inspiration books.

Check out my pal Corrine's blog for some cool stacks
dosfishes
I was reading dosfishes this morning with my coffee and found out about the Stacks!

More stacks on here
I am Rushmore

So, thanks to Seth and The Altered Page for thinking this fun project up.
Now that I see all the stacks I have sitting around I wonder if I should have gone to the Library Big Book Sale yesterday to get more?

Next post will be outgoing mail, results of the Big Book Sale, a score in Chinatown and some shots of the Correspondence Co-Op meeting happening here in San Francisco tonight.

Keep sending mail, people.

A Beautiful Post Office

Walking around Palo Alto, California over the weekend my husband spotted this beautiful old post office. Of course, I had to go check it out. (He may have been sorry he mentioned it because once I was inside I didn't want to leave).

I wish my PO in San Francisco looked like this.

The windows even open. I think I'd like to set up shop here and settle in and write some letters.

Fill 'em up!
I want the BIG PO Box.

Ok, these little ones are pretty sweet too. But with all the mail I get I still say I need the big one.

Cool and dark and loads of post boxes. My kind of place.

There are always rules.

Happy to see this -- protected by the Register of Historic Places.
A great example of California/Spanish architecture.

OoooOOooo and right outside I saw these babies.........

Drive-Thru Mailboxes? Three of them? Too cool.
I don't see anything like this in San Francisco.

I think the editorial comment is mis-spelled. 


A nice sunny California day with good mail.


We can't lose our post offices and our mail boxes.
Send out as much mail as you can!
We need to help keep the USPS in business.


SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL

Spread the Word

I went to the SF Zine Fest over the weekend, ran into a bunch of friends there. Some were
buying and some were selling. And some were buying and selling.
I came home with lots to read and enjoy. Lots of creative people out here.
I highly recommend a visit next time, if you missed the Zine Fest this year.

Zines, zines and more zines. These are the archived ones from the zines library.
And for those who live in the Bay Area -- did you know you can visit the
Book Arts & Special Collections
room at the SF Public Library (main branch on Larkin Street) and sit down and look at
the zines they have in their collection.
It is a terrific resource and a great way to spend a few hours.

Red Letter Day Zine Table
You can get into some serious trouble here.

Incoming Mail
I am having a good mail week too. Maybe because we had "No Mail Monday" I was
extra lucky on Tuesday.
A LIFE magazine from Tallie J -- with a letter tucked inside. This was really
fun to see in my mailbox. And a red inter-office envelope from the
fabulous Kelly P and a great envelope and letter from Stephanie R in NYC.

Kelly P does it again - strikes one out of the ballpark with a letter  booklet
made inside a coffee cup. (She is doing better than the SF Giants but don't tell anyone).
She knows I like a good cappuccino but one with a letter inside is even better.

Inside the cup....

Incoming Mail
And even more good stuff the next day -- I could get rather spoiled.
(But sadly today I just got one lovely but lonely postcard)
I guess you can't score every day.

A little break with a special friend on Tuesday afternoon
(you know who you are)
before working on some outgoing.

Outgoing Mail
A group of out-going from me. I spent a lazy (but productive) Sunday mostly working on mail.

Outgoing
On the hallway table ready for a walk to the post box.
We have to send mail to help save the USPS and also our corner post boxes.
Did you read on that link I posted last time - a corner letter box must have at
least 25 items mailed from it or it will be removed?
Get mailing people!

Take a nice neighborhood walk and drop some letters in the box.

This is what we don't want to be seeing (in downtown San Francisco).

Now this is just sad -- an old battered post box covered in green moss!
I may have to go give this one some TLC.

Send some letters -- save a Post Box!
You've got to give good mail to get good mail.
Spread the word.

Mail Artists can save the Postal Service
(or at least we can try).

A Week in Mail

 

This week's mail 

Outgoing Monday

A lobster for a friend who just returned from a week on Cape Cod  eating lobster!
She had the real thing -- now she got a paper lobster in the mail.
And, I didn't get any lobster so I am a bit crabby.

OUTGOING MONDAY

Some giant forks, some washi tape, handmade envelopes....

OUTGOING TUESDAY

Love those old Life magazines for cutting up and collaging.

I didn't get one single incoming piece of mail on Tuesday -- I couldn't believe it!
That hasn't happened to me in years.
We were not amused.

OUTGOING FRIDAY

Some handmade postcards and envelopes, Chinese red envelopes and one for SuperHero.

OUTGOING WEDNESDAY

A typewritten letter went out -- among other things.

OUTGOING THURSDAY

More handmade postcards (including one for Maureen who has chickens).

INCOMING THURSDAY

A nice recovery from a pathetic lack of incoming on Tuesday.
Thanks, everyone.

INCOMING

Burning Man Postmarks by James Cline, postmaster extraordinaire  of Burning man.
(Thanks Alice and Phyllis)

INCOMING

More of the wonderful food stamps from  La Poste in France.
I can never get enough of these.
Merci beaucoup, Isabelle!

A Mail Artist must always take time for lunch -- garlic noodles, imperial rolls and five spice chicken at Perilla here in San Francisco.
No, I didn't eat it all.

FRIDAY
An afternoon walk today and a lovely letter box.

POST BOX -- Read this and weep --
Mailboxes Disappear

                    I posted this link already on the Facebook page for Cappuccino and Art but think it is important to post it on the blog too. Use them or lose them, people! Get out there and mail some letters. I am doing my part. We may lose our post boxes and six day delivery one of these days and that is just sad. I am wondering if the postal services in other countries are having the same problems as ours (anyone know?).

                              This is a long holiday weekend in the US. Things are hoppin' in San Francisco.
We have the SF Zine Fest this weekend in Golden Gate park and the farmers markets are fully loaded. And there is a party with my namer on it on Monday so things are looking good. You all have a festive and safe weekend and SEND OUT SOME MAIL ART!

                            SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL