Making

Happy 2020!!!
Ok, a little bit late but it is still early in the year. And, a long time since I've posted. But I do post regularly on Instagram....
Of course I am busy making things.....like these fun gusseted folders made from old legal files I picked up at ScrapSF and covered with pretty paper.

They are very handy to pack up with letter writing supplies to take to a SF Correspondence Co-op Meeting or to a cafe on the chance you might want to make some mail....

I put a bunch of velum packets inside to organize things.....and they look good too. I find these folders really useful -- I had a Christmas one with all my Christmas supplies supplies (cards, stickers, stamps etc) so when I had a few minutes I could grab it and write a card. And I have some for putting travel ephemera in for each country I may visit on an upcoming trip. All ready and waiting when I want to make a travel journal.
Speaking of travel, I have plane tickets to Beijing.....and, given the circumstances, it sure doesn't look like I will be going....

Made some little pocket folders from the Cavallini Sale postcards I had sitting around...

...and I gave them to the pals I stood in line at Cavallini with as a little souvenir.....

I collect pressed souvenir pennies. Any of you want to trade pressed pennies with me???
Just let me know. I'd especially like some from New York City but anywhere would do...

Of course there is cappuccino.....and Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate. The BIG Lunar NY Parade is this Saturday here in San Francisco and if you are looking for
fire cracker wrappers to collage that is where you want to look (down)....

Made my 2020 datebooks. Old school. I like pen and paper.....I had a Japanese theme going on but I'm not sure I will be going to Japan this spring with all the chaos going on....we'll see...

That didn't stop me from working on an altered passport from Japan....
work in process....

Here's one of those gusseted file folders at a SF Correspondent  Co-Op meeting in action....and Italian pouches with mail art supplies made my my pal Dori.

I've been making ephemera packs too....

I'm not sure what I will do with them...trade them? Sell them? 

I'm having a love affair with fabric scraps......These beauties and that gorgeous pin cushion came from ScrapSF. No, I really can't sew but I am determined to hand stitch a fabric book or two so stay tuned...

See? There is a seat at my table just waiting for you. Who is coming over? We could have tea....or coffee.....and I almost always have something around that I baked. And, we could make things....
I was happy to have the holidays over with and a brand new year but it is zipping by so incredibly quickly.....How can it be February already?
And, what are you all doing and making?
Let me know...and also let me know if you want to trade pressed pennies....or ephemera?
HAPPY 2020!!!!!
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And They Said It Couldn't Be Done.....

I wondered if I'd ever see the top of my work table again......

Things have been pretty messy here in my studio. Trips to the $1 library book sales and to Scrap have left me with stacks of books piled up on the floor and boxes of rubber stamps...
but really, enough was enough...
This is where the books were stacked up on the floor...

And look at them now! I sorted and tossed,  put boxes of books out front on the sidewalk where they were scooped by by passers-by. And I still have all these beauties -- loads of French dictionaries, lots of Atlases, typing manuals, Chinese and Japanese dictionaries and books, medical books, books in Russian and all kinds of other languages....
I think I still have plenty to play with -- and now they are all lovely and organized.

Finally got a nice spot to put my beautiful Japanese boxes. They are filled with paper treasures.

Vintage Japanese calligraphy

I am really enjoying being in my studio more now that I've picked it up and organized things.
And, my friends can come over now too.
You know who you are.
You're all invited to come and play. Type on the typewriters, stamp with rubber stamps....
I love company.

I even found things I forgot I had - like this old, blue metal box - perfect for my collection of vintage daters and some paints.

I still have some stacks of things...

The Rolodex Files

Two of the (Five) Typewriters

I even tackled the big closet! It is looking pretty good, don't you think?
I have been thinking of opening my own Esty shop but I see a lot of folks sell directly on Instagram and I am thinking that might be a lot easier..

My foreign language flasg card collection from all those library book sales...

Come on over and I'll make you a cappuccino and you can read....

The other room....yup...my studio is big! This is the room in the back and I cleaned that one up too.
How good am I?

Cappuccino Break
I think I deserved a cappuccino break after all that cleaning. I'm not even finished but I have the worst of it over with. Unfortunately I did fill up a cardboard box with STUFF I didn't know what to do with and now I have to figure that out. And I have two giant shopping bags filled up with free stuff for the SF Correspondence Co-Op swap table this coming Sunday.

Now I can get back to the art business -- I have so many projects going on -- altered books, travel journal prep, altered passports...on and on....and mail art....
is it any wonder things can get messy?

The Vintage Paper Fair is coming right up. Need I say more? You KNOW there will be vintage paper showing up here in the studio.....the only question is how much?

So, I'm back to work and I'd love to hear from all of you out there. Hope you enjoyed the cyber-visit and I also hope some of you will come over for a real visit soon.
We can make things and have show-and-tell and drink cappuccino. It's only 61' in SF and if you want to cool off, come over!

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL
&
MAKE THINGS!

Just Hangin' Out in the Studio

I love to travel the world and to go all over San Francisco but I also love hanging out in my studio.
Want to come over?

(Little Add & Pass Stamp Head zine started by Miss Millicent and sent back in a wonderful hand sewn case)

Picked up at the Vintage Paper Fair. I am always looking for anything postal.

Milagro with eyes.....

More eyes.....this time it is Saint Lucy....don't even ask....

Playing with those French vocabulary cards....

A Dori Singh treasure....

Vintage nun postcard from France...

Cut-outs for collage...

Stack of Gelli papers (and a vintage P)

Tail of the Yak Calendar

I finally sorted my "to be answered" mail and my address book into a pretty box

a little incoming mail...

YES!
I spent yesterday cleaning and I can actually see the top of my desk.  My husband's comment was "How long do you think it will stay like that?".
WELL!
But I won't show you the top of my work table. Now, that's a whole other story.
But I've gotta work!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes and mail.
I had a really great mail week this week and loved everything everyone mailed me.
I want to do some show-and-tell of what my fabulous creative pals sent to me and another of what I made and sent to my Aries friends.
Stay tuned.

MYSTERY SHOPPER
I got a lovely email from a woman who has a boutique in Point Reyes Station, CA. She said she enjoys the blog and it inspired her to send out some mail art.
Someone came into her shop and told her about my blog  and now I am wondering who was that
masked mystery shopper?
Do tell if it was you!
It is driving me crazy wondering who the nice person is who is spreading the word about my blog...)

So, how long do you think my desk will stay like that?

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