PDG Visits the PDXCC

It took a while, but I finally made it to a PDXCC (Portland Correspondence Co-Op) meeting -- our sister mail art group started a bit more than two years ago by Niko Courtelis.
On all those shelves you see? Zines! Imagine that.

Here are Miss Polly and Niko giving some highlights of the evening's meeting...

Typewriters!
They have typewriters at every meeting....how cool is that? (And, BTW, I noticed that there are A LOT of typewriters in Portland).

JJAlltheWay is giving this one a workout.

Really.....what can I say about this beauty? Except I really wanted to take it home with me.

I brought a few things along for show-and-tell....

...including all six of my SFCC artistamp passports...

And -- lucky me -- Niko had a Will Call passport waiting for  me to finally pick it up.
Passport dated January 2015
Picked up April 2017

Artistamps by Niko
Check out his artwork here
Philatelic Atrocities

Of course, if you read my blog, you now I cannot leave things alone so I had to do a bit of altering in my new PDXCC passport....I added photos I took at the meeting and some of the artistamps Niko made...

That's a photo of me and Sugene, wonderful maker of zines, who I was happy to finally get to meet.

The AFTERPARTY!
Nostrama in PDX has a happy hour starting at 9PM. My kind of happy hour. So, after the PDXCC meeting we trooped over for cocktails and some pizza and salad....

Things up there in PDX are really just too much fun....I'm thinking that I have to go back. Soon. Very soon.
You are all forewarned PDX Peeps!

One of Niko's Philatelic Atrocities -- If you want to see more, you can buy his book
right here at Kat Ran Press
I'm lucky enough to have a collage and the book and recommend both.
And now -- I am off to a San Francisco Correspondence Meeting -- yup, two mail art meetings within  two weeks. Not bad.
If you don't have a mail art group where you are I suggest starting one up.....
you won't be sorry.

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL

Two Mail Art Gatherings in One Weekend?

My last post was about the LWA Mail Art Social on Friday -- and on Sunday we had a meeting of the SF Correspondence Co-Op. I know, you hate me. two mail art meetings in one weekend.
Well, that's the way we roll around here.
We had a guest appearance of this cursive beauty -- and it was for sale!
Imagine that.

There's always show-and-tell. SallyW brought that book in the lower right corner and it was really interesting. Maybe your library has it?

Our "theme" this meeting was sketchbooks of whatever interests/inspires you. And we saw some real beauties.

These are Gregg's and you can check out his blog
The Junk Thief
right here. 

Wonderful old stamp album turned into a book filled with collages by Scooter.

Two of mine.....that vintage telephone book is filled with collages....and, inspired by seeing all those other books I just started a new one....

Of course we had an artistamp for our passports! (And we had three new members of the co-op checking in and buying passports and adding stamps).

And another artistamp by James Cline, Burning Man Postmaster and -- I  just found out -- retired USPS letter carrier. How did I not know that?

Passports and artistamps...
(Can you see the little bumps on the artistamps? That is Braille!)

And what have we here?

One of our new members brought in a book she made using a Priority Mail Envelope she received.
Isn't that a great book?
I know you'all are going to be asking me -- YES there is a tutorial and you can find it
Right Here

And, I highly suggest you check out her wonderful blog with LOTS of tutorials and books she's made
The Mellow Miller
And I'd appreciate it if you leave a comment, tell her I sent you over. 

I can't just sit there -- I made a little collage postcard...

And, I brought some of the wonderful incoming mail I've received for show-and-tell.....

This little party-goer was so excited she had to take a little rest on her typewriter........

And here is a link to my pal Ryan's Flickr photos of the same mail art meeting -
PHOTOS BY RYAN
Check 'em out

AND
Remember my fabulous Rolodex Art Cards? Well, now you can have some too, Mail Me Some Art is hosting 
ROLODEX ART CARD SWAP
It looks like a good one to me -- I'm doing it! 
And, I added Mail Me Some Art on my blog roll -- there are a number of interesting swaps happening right now.
If you're looking for more folks to trade mail art with, this is a good way to go.

I added various things to the blog -- there is a brand new "contact me" form -- I still love comments but if you can't comment, try contacting me. 
And I added two new blogs on the sidebar - Mellow Miller and MMSA. 
Also a link to my INSTAGRAM photos. (click the Instagram logo after you click a photo to see them on IG)
So, I hope you all enjoy the changes. Say hello.

So, it is another Friday here....no mail art events planned this weekend but lots of fun is coming right up -- The Zine Fest, The Library Book Sale, The Vintage Paper Fair....
I might need to rest up and get ready for all the upcoming fun...

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL

Well, that was sure fun.....LWA Social in the Secret Alley

I saw THIS on The Letter Writers Alliance blog and of course I had to go....
(I am sure you all know about the LWA but on the remote chance you don't be sure to click the link and check it out).

We met outside....an unmarked door....and up the stairs and through this door....

....to The Secret Alley.....

This must be the place!!!!

Oh yes -- I spy Donovan up in a tree house -- so, I know I'm in the right place.
She's writing a letter, of course....

There were typewriters....

...and, invisible ink.....

......and LWA stationery and postcards....

And, there was lots of letter writing  and mail art lovers....

There was me.....
(thanks @DovBee for the Instagram photo)

Lots of friendly people, some from the SF Correspondence Co-op mail art group and others new people for me to meet...
(Hello @librarymail)

I'm quite sure a good time was had by all. Thank you, Donovan (@DovBee) and Carolee for such an entertaining afternoon.
What a fabulous place The Secret Alley is to make mail.
Yes, I know, we are so lucky to have such amazing mail art events here in SF. And thanks to Donovan and the Letter Writers Alliance for making this happen.
Some day I hope to make it to one of the LWA socials in Chicago.

And, no.....I didn't get too much letter writing done because...well...I had to meet people and take pictures and wander around and look at everything..but I did start a bunch of postcards and I promise to finish writing them tonight.

SEND GOOD MAIL --  GET GOOD MAIL
(and have fun doing it)

I Like My Messy Work Table

No matter how many times I clean up my work table and studio, it ends up a mess by the end of the day. And, you know what?, I like it that way.
I love the random connections I make when I am sifting through all the ephemera I have cluttering up my table.
Random Connections....a good title for a book....

Sometimes just seeing two things near each other gives me a great idea....an idea I wouldn't think of if I were neat.
(OK, sometimes I can't find things in all the mess but that's just a part of the whole process).

A good frined of mine gave me a big bag of cancelled, old stamps and they are sitting in piles all over my studio....They have been giving me hours of pleasure and so many ideas for projects...

Another friend sent this little ad (because she knows I have a thing for typewriters) . I've been wanting to make some more series of ACT's and seeing this little typewriter ad gave me an idea to use all the various little ads I have collected on the ATC's along with corresponding rubber stamp images and bits of paper....(I do wish there were more postage stamps with typewriters on them).

Right now I would give anything to have some of those plastic boxes with the small compartments so I could organize my stamps...but it is pouring rain and I am too cozy at home to go out and try to buy them...plus there are too many holiday shoppers out there.....the organizing will have to wait.

I added some stamps (rubber & postage) to my outgoing mail........

Put a Bird on it!

See what I mean? Back to messy again....

Ok, I found pages from a bird book and bird stamps in the mess on my desk so what do you get? ACT's with a bird theme. These are still in progress but they are coming along...

I did have more to show you but this is one of those crazy times that Blogger is NUTS and not working right so I think I will give up and go back to sorting stamps.....much more relaxing than having my photos disappear from the post....

Playing in my studio all day for two very rainy days has been my reward for getting all my shopping/making/wrapping/baking all done.
I have had paint and glue all over my hands and it has been so wonderful.
I hope you guys are seeing the calm at the end of the (seasonal) storm and you are all going to enjoy the rest of this week.....

Merry Christmas (to those who celebrate).
and
HAPPY MAIL to all and to all a good night!