Business (Almost) As Usual

Back to normal?
Whatever normal actually is. Back to making mail art.......one of my favorite things to do.

OUTGOING

And making a few more Stamp Heads....you can never have too many....

This never gets old....
Miss Millicent sent me some stamps for Xmas and I am back in business making Stamp Heads..

Still working on these....painting and stamping these vintage photos is a lot of fun. I keep wondering about the people in the photos...what were their lives like?

You can't have all play and no work -- time to write some thank you cards to all the elves and mail art pals who made/sent me Xmas presents.
I bought a new, bright red fountain pen which really helps me write all those thank-you notes.

Yes, I am just a letter writing fool!
And, my pals know it -- thanks Miss JH for the gift!

Another amazing gift from my incredibly talented pal Dori Singh.....she saw on my Letter to Santa I love Mr Zip and she made me some Mr Zip surprises....

Mother Russian-San Francisco collage postcard set made to send to my mail art pal Virgo in Russia.
I love trading mail with people all over the world.

I was thinking January would be a lovely, empty blank slate after the craziness of the last few months (with holiday after holiday, NYC and LA back-to-back trips etc) but
I see some things are filled in already. But they are GOOD things.

The January SF Correspondence Co-Op meeting is set for January 11 -- a great way to kick off the new year! And The SF Film Noir Festive is on for a week in January -- we love the constant feel of dread....
And my most favorite -- The Vintage Paper Fair is in January. You'll find me at the .25-cent table pouring over old postcards....
Oh! And my son's birthday is in January too. That's pretty sweet. How can be so grown up?
So it looks like January is a good month to look forward to.

Wishing you all a terrific 2015
filled with GOOD MAIL (of course) and good friends and good food and good health.
Enjoy the simple pleasures.

Happy New Year to all!

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A Small Pause......

Ahhhhh......
This time of year can just be so busy, can't it? I think we all need to try to slow down and smell the
evergreens...I am really good at not getting too wrapped up (ha!) in Xmas but even I have to admit that there is just more going on....

There are presents to be wrapped and then a trip - or two - to the post office to mail them out...

Happily I DO enjoy wrapping gifts and making them look pretty but this does take time away from other things -- like making art..

There are cookies to be made (and eaten) and delivered (to the neighbors and to my favorite postal clerks).

Cards to be written and addressed and stamped and walked to the postbox.

It is always fun to get the box of Holiday Rubber Stamps out to play with -- and it is always nice to put the box away till the next year too.

Vintage Santa Stickers

I made some origami folders.....

A little watercoloring on envelopes...

Whew!
I think I am done! Fini! Time to do some serious hanging out by the fireplace with a good book.
Oh yeah -- no tree this year either. I am happy with my garland and white lights.
Just keeping things simple.

I hope you are all close to the peaceful pause and ready to relax and enjoy the rest of 2014.
I figure what I haven't finished by now is just not going to happen -- and you can think that too.
Go to a movie or a museum or a nice, long walk or sit by the fire -- a present for yourself!
Happy Holidays, my friends.

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Dear Santa

Dear Santa,
I have been very good this year.
Really.
Well, I tried anyway...
And I would really like this Mr Zip comic book.
I didn't even know that there were Mr Zip comic books but I'd really like one now that I know.

...and the Zip Code family game would be very nice too.
My friends could come over and drink wine....I mean...milk...and play by the fireplace.

and, of course a Mr Zip lunch box would come in very handy too. I wouldn't put anything messy like lunch in it.
Maybe art supplies....

Since you brought me a real typewriter last Xmas, Santa, a Junior Typewriter  would make a very nice gift for me this year.

The Typewriter -- a new book FINALLY coming out from UpperCase in January 2015
I chipped in to get this baby in print way back when....and have eagerly been waiting for it to be published so I am very excited.
Santa--I am getting my copy but I bet some other folks would love a copy of
The Typewriter
You can click the link, Santa, and send copies to all the typewriter lovers you know out there.

Hum........there were postal nerds back in the day too......someone stuck all the Mr Zippy stuff they found on pages in a notebook....

100 PROOF PRESS
And I would really like every single fabulous rubber stamp from the
100 Proof Press catalog. My copy of the catalog is completely marked up with stickers of what I want that I think I want them ALL!
In fact, I know I want them all.

who would want this? A mail artist? A postal nerd?
I would like to give it a good home.

Maybe if you are feeling flush, Santa, you could get me this real, official, vintage US Post Box that is on eBay for only (only?) $795.00.
(I notice is hasn't sold in months -- price might be a little steep)

And, not only is it super-cool, but there is a Mr Zip sticker on the side!
I could store my mail in it....or maybe wine bottles for a wet bar? I'm sure I could think of something wonderful to do with it.
Please, Santa?

Actually, Santa, when you come right down to it, I would like anything that has Mr Zip on it.
That makes it easy for you.

Mr Zip Rocks!

Maybe this will give you a few ideas for some of the mail art nerds on YOUR list!

What I'd really like, Santa, is lots and lots of mail art all year long from my wonderful mail art friends.
What a terrific community the mail art community is!
I am so happy to be included.
And, I think Santa gets a lot of mail too -- and he doesn't do e-mail. Trust me, kids -- you've got to write a letter to Santa if you want him to read it.
Have you sent Santa your letter?

What's on you wish list?

Send Good Mail -- Maybe Santa will deliver?

Hoping you all have a very Happy Holiday and lots of great mail in 2015!

Where Santa (& I) Go To Shop (Part Two)

Vintage, wood-blocked Christmas cards from Japan -- just another wonderful afternoon at Scrap!

I can think of some fun things to do with these...and it's fun to play with paint too...

Cookie tin with stamps on it?
Perfect for my cookie delivery to my favorite clerks at the Post Office...I have a big bag filled with Holiday mail and packages going out this week and I am going to bake some cookies for the postal workers before I head out to the PO.

Notecards with stamp ephemera

Curated a few collections for friends....this one likes birds.

Cards at Scrap - the best place to buy em!

Some vintage papers to write on...

Inter-office envelopes are always fun for mailing.

Score!
This was quite a fun find at Scarp....now I just have to actually try to carve some stamps.

Red RUSH labels -- these I need!

Brayers -- the more the merrier!

The rubber stamps are not usually great but I hit it one really good day and scored all these....

YEARBOOKS
This is all from SCRAP -- my favorite spot for shopping all year round. Some of my gift giving this year is from SCRAP. I curated a few collections for my pals.
Scored a few treasures.
Of course, being me, I also found quite a few things for myself. Ahem.
You never know what you will find at places like Scrap. You've got to go with a sense of adventure and open mind and sometimes...well...you don't find anything.
But I usually do.
You sure won't find me at a mall shopping but you might find me at Scrap or a thrift shop...
Gift giving from me -- handmade, curated and vintage treasures/ephemera.

Don't get too jealous though -- this was from about three trips to Scrap not all from one. And sometimes Scrap is pretty bad -- like today -- when you get some idiot checker who wants to totally overcharge you for everything.
There is nothing you can do since things are not marked with prices but I hate that people make up prices on a whim -- some folks there are totally realistic and others are definitely not.
It is like those nuts holding garages sales who want to charge antique store prices.
I have to carefully pick the days I go to avoid the over-chargers.


And where do you all like to shop? What do you like to make?
What do you like to receive?

We are getting ready for a great big storm here in the Bay Area -- so if you don't hear anything fro me you'll know why....
I have candles, wine, a gas stove and I've fully charged everything I can....so wish us luck here...

US National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey California added 2 new photos.

3 PM Storm Update: Everything on track for a significant winter storm to impact the Bay Area later this week. Rainfall amounts will be heavy, and will fall in short periods of time in bursts of heavy rain that will produce roadway and urban flooding, create flooding of small creeks and streams, and localized mudslides and rock falls. In addition to the rain and flooding - strong winds will accompany this storm. This will result in a considerable amount of power outages across the area as gusts to 80 MPH are possible on the ridges and up to 60 MPH on the coastline. As currently forecast, a storm this strong hasn't occurred in the Bay Area for several years. The time to prepare and be aware is now - Thursday will bring the worst conditions including significant commute impacts and travel difficulties due to high winds, heavy rain, roadway flooding, and downed trees. Stay tuned to the National Weather Service and on twitter @nwsbayarea

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