You Have Got to See This

Do yourself a favor, if you like mail art and live in the SF Bay Area...go see this show.
Amazing. Delightful. Wonderful.

Letters to Myself
The Calligraphic First Day Covers of Alan A.Blackman. The show is an the Main Branch of our fabulous SF Public Library until Sunday, October 11.
Here is the link to click to check it out.

And, just in case you can't get over there, I am going to take you along for a little visit with me.
I will mostly leave it to the photos to show you this amazing collection.
There were a lot of squeals and cries of "Oh my God" yesterday when I saw the show...all coming from me....

OK, I just have to say -- look at that address he wrote like TRAIN TRACKS. Oh my God.
Can you imagine that getting delivered now?

(I can only keep quiet for so long....) Don't these look like artistamps???? Or is it just me?

Be Still My Heart....

OH! -- and this address written in the triangle like the stamp......

Yes, do -- here is the link for his website-- you only have to click --
Alan Blackman
And here is what really kills me -- I recognized him immediately from the video that is playing at the show -- and yes, he lived two blocks from my house. And I work for the neighborhood newspaper. WHY didn't we know about him and do a story?

The final envelope

I wish he had a book (let's all email him through his website and ask for one!). I couldn't photograph all the fabulous covers  and calligraphy in the show but I think you'll get the idea.
We have our mail art meeting right across the hall from this on Sunday so you know I'll be going back.
If you can visit I know you will enjoy it but if not, I hope you like seeing the show thru my blog and being introduced to Alan Blackman.

Why didn't I think of doing anything like this?

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Can You Really Have Too Much Fun?

Can you ever really have too much fun?
I'm researching this very question.
Lately I have been having such a good time around San Francisco I haven't had time to to upload my photos (1,500 of them) for the blog or work on any of the pending posts I've got going....
There's a collage post and a visit to a friend's studio post and a post about two really charming postal books and one about some of the projects I've been working on...and....well...let's say I'm behind.

We have been having some nice weather here in San Francisco. Warmer than our usual freezing summer weather and I've been out and about taking some lovely long walks. Always watching for a nice mailbox or two.

And then this weekend was my personal favorite The Vintage Paper Fair.
WARNING:
Stop reading now if you feel faint at the sight of piles of wonderful vintage paper...

I love to be surrounded by so much vintage paper ephemera.There are postcards, posters, vintage stamps, tin types and snapshots, maps and pages torn from old books, First Day Covers and old envelopes.....lots of friendly vendors...

What makes it so great to me (besides being around all that vintage paper ephemera) is that  whatever your budget is, you can find treasure.
All those boxes of b&w snapshots in the photo are .25-cents each. And the postcards on the table are also .25-cents.
There are some expensive items for real collectors but I always find lots of wonderful, affordable treasures to bring home.

Real Photo postcards -- three for a dollar -- the price is right and I think "Stamp Heads" -- don't you?
(Yes, I'm still obsessed)

One friendly vendor has loads of face value vintage stamps -- quite a popular item.

Some of my treasures....I can't resist those beautiful flower postcards (25-cents)...

A Steal!!
I got a very large paper that is a mortgage from Great Britain  and all personally hand-writeen in calligraphy!
Can you believe this? The photo does not do it justice. It is a truly amazing piece,
($5.00)

With three wax seals on it too.......swoon.....

Another hand written beauty -- Japanese, I believe, and an entire book of hand-written calligraphy by a student with corrections in red by the teacher.....

And, no, I don't work for the Vintage Paper Fair. You'd almost think so, wouldn't you? I just love it and never want to miss going when it is happening.
I really don't think it would be a bad idea to plan a visit to SF around the same time the Paper Fair is happening, do you?
Happily, I live here!
Look here to see the VPF's schedule and other locations
and after all that, I got to have a terrific Thai lunch with two great pals...

As if Saturday's event wasn't enough, Sunday night was our July SF Correspondence co-op's meeting at the SF Center for the Book.
Socializing, food, a little wine, an artistamp for our passports....what's not to like?

We had a demo of bee's wax collage.....very interesting..

A little food, of course and show-and-tell and sharing supplies and catching up...a terrific end to the weekend.

I kinda needed to go home and have a martini and calm down after all the excitement...
(good excuse, anyway)

So, here's my stash. Now I get to play with it and make things.  I am going to pull about the Japanese calligraphy book and use the papers in collages.
Maybe hang the calligraphy mortgage on the wall since it is so beautiful.
And I'll send out some of those postcards with vintage stamps.
If you are feeling faint, don't say I didn't warn you.

I have loads more to show you - 1500 photos, after all -- so stay tuned to the blog to see.
(Remember, there is a FaceBook page too with more photos).

So, that was MY weekend, what did you do on yours?

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