Fun at the Fair

The Vintage Paper Fair rolled around again this past weekend here in San Francisco.
I debated going. After all, I do not need any more STUFF in my studio.
Trust me.

OK, I couldn't resist. I just love to get in there and look at all that
PAPER.
It is such a pleasure to see all those old postcards and photos and stamps and envelopes --
and to run into my friends too.

I can look, can't I?

Saturday was an incredible 85' here in San Francisco -- a perfect day to go over to Golden Gate Park and go to the Paper Fair.....

These old postcards are sure a lot more fun than the new ones. In fact, I picked up a supply
of beautiful vintage black & white New York City postcards
so I am all set for my next NYC visit.

My Stash -- I was really good. I only spent $10 and stuck to buying only the 25-cent postcards.
I am going to have a whole lot of fun playing with these.

OUTGOING
(to Karen & Corrine)
A couple of collaged postcards....

OUTGOING

OUTGOING
French handmade envelope to Vanessa -- mais oui!

OUTGOING
Handmade envelopes

OUTGOING
I am still loving using that old Atlas to make envelopes - love the muted
blues and mauves. And the Cherry Blossom stamps go with those envelopes beautifully.

OUTGOING
(in an envelope)
Kelly P asked me to do something -- whatever I wanted - with this 30 day calendar page
so this is what I did.

LUNCH
(of course)

OUTGOING
More outgoing postcards -- I am just having a good time.

Have YOU fallen out with your pen?
I certainly hope not!
Just remember - if you send good mail, you'll get good mail.
Have fun.

Send Someone A Letter Today!

                                                                                   

Busy! Busy!

OUTGOING MAIL   - handmade envelope for Shelita
You may wonder if I actually use all the stuff I seem to pick up in my travels around San Francisco...
I assure you -- I do....I like putting everything to use.

OUTGOING (to Jon)
Handmade envelope from the book of Essential Architectual Plans --
a $1 find at the library book sale...

OUTGOING
Envelopes with the book that inspired them... some added ephemera and washi tape and
stamps and they are in the mail.

OUTGOING MAIL
These map envelopes were made using the $1 Atlas also from the Library Book Sale...
trying to match the green and blue theme of the maps using green and blue stamps and washi tape.

OUTGOING MAIL
Handmade envelopes for The Elevated Envelope swap -- had to be in the mail
by May 1st -- nailed it!
Hope the recipients like the typewriter theme.

OUTGOING
The typewriter I love and the typing manual were the inspiration for these..
too bad I didn't have enough of the typewriter postage stamps to go on all of them.

OUTGOING CARDS
Made a bunch of cards using the ever-inspiring joss paper and lunar calendar pages.
Love the red and gold.

OUTGOING POSTCARDS
Here are the backs of some postcards using washing tape rubber stamps and vintage stamps.

I just love playing with various tools and ideas and seeing what happens.....

I decided to make a design grid on a postcard ..... Casey's rubber stamps coming into play...

Kind of fun....don't you think?

Here's the back -- who wants to get this one in the mail?

Playing with art supplies and stuff picked up cheap or free makes me feel like a kid again.
So much fun -- the more I play the more ideas I have..

See you in the mail!

                                                                                 

A Real Beauty in Rose City

The Beautiful Pasadena Post Office
Visiting Pasadena last week, out on a walk in the 82' sunshine, I spied this old beauty
and went inside to take a look.

A marble entry hall and a lovely decorative ceiling...

                                                                                     

Now THIS is the way a post office should look -- balcony? Check. Gold paint? Check.
Vintage tables? Check. Old wood? Check.
I think I'll move right in.

They must be busy because they had to add a bunch of new PO Boxes
that just don't have the same charm as the old ones.

I rest my case -- here are the charmers.

This post office is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
I'd like to vist every PO on that list.

Stamps? Sure!

Mail your letters? Don't mind if I do....

They kept the beautiful vintage tables if you want to jot a postcard right on the spot.

I'd like to take this home...make a good desk for my typewriter.

PO Boxes
I think I'd like a Pasadena PO Box......but not this one...

Look at these beautiful brass eagles!

THIS is the one I want!

Mailing letters out front....

Highway 5
It's a long drive down Hwy 5 from SF to LA but totally worth it
to check out that beautiful PO. Just hop on 5 and......

.....take the Pasadena freeway to Colorado Blvd.....
Pasadena is also known as Rose City

IN & OUT Burger
And of course you can go to the drive-thru at the In & Out on your way...

I took quite a few more photos of this old beauty and I am posting some
on the Cappuccino and Art Facebook page.


Working on lots of various projects and will show some mail art photos in my next post.
Hope you enjoyed the walk thru this post office.

Greetings from the Golden State

Send Good Mail -- Get Good Mail

                                                                               

You Say It's Your Birthday?

Incoming Birthday Mail
What a generous and thoughtful group all my mail art friends are!

INCOMING
Surprises kept rolling in all week. Look at how beautifully wrapped this is.
Thank you J.U.

INCOMING
A surprise from GinaVisione in a great old Kodak Paper box, a cup with a
snail in it from the infamous Kelly P and a great handmade photo with rubber stamped
greetings from S.W.

Even my son decorated an envelope for me!

INCOMING
So many creative people out there -- I am always amazed. I am saving this box.

                                                                               

INCOMING
Annejo sent me this fantastic typewriter card -- with typed greetings in Dutch!

INCOMING -- Present!
And, speaking of typewriters, my sweet and long suffering husband gave me this old beauty--
An Olympia SCRIPT typewriter!
I guess he got tired of hearing me talk about how much I wanted one.
Isn't she a beauty?

Now my beloved old Royal Quiet deLuxe has a companion!

While in NYC, I read an interesting article in USA Today about the boom in
typewriter collecting -- and in using.
These are not just decorative items even though they are lovely to look at.

OUTGOING MAIL
I have been very busy since returning from NYC catching up on my correspondence.

OUTGOING
Some San Francisco stamps supplied by the lovely GinaVisione for me.

OUTGOING
Putting some of those Casey Rubber Stamps to work. And a letter off to a
coffee-loving correspondent in a Chock Full of Nuts Coffee Bag.

OUTGOING
The other side....I am always looking out for what I can re-purpose and put in the mail.
Aren't you?

Many heartfelt thanks to ALL of you who did so much to make my birthday special.


And Cappuccino and Art has been pinned on
Pinterest

Nice photos...if I do say so myself.


Happy Birthday to all you Aries out there!