Mail Out!

OUTGOING MAIL

OUTGOING
I didn't get to make Halloween cards this year because of the LA & NYC travel but this was
 close -- Cinderella in a pumpkin!

OUTGOING
A peek-a-boo envelope -- a bit hard to see but there is a big cut-out there under the mailing label and a map of Canada tucked inside (to show through) - going off to Canada, of course!

OUTGOING

OUTGOING
Gotta do something with those college yearbooks. I was inspired to make a rather naughty zine for a certain someone in Australia.

OUTGOING
Some guys from Japan peeking through the vellum envelope.....going on a long trip....Japan to San Francisco to Australia?

OUTGOING

OUTGOING

OUTGOING
I love a nice batch of good mail, don't you?

OUTGOING
Another little project -- a little NYC booklet make from paper ephemera picked up in the Big Apple.
And why do they call it the Big Apple? I have no idea.

Some stickers added to add notes or lists....

A little treat for a pal going off to NYC herself...

OUTGOING
Tucked inside a vellum envelope and off to the UK.
I have noticed the old vellum envelopes I got at SCRAP are a little brittle and sometimes crack at the seams so I have been reenforcing them with clear tape.
We want the mail to go through!

OUTGOING
I should have stamped a little harder but I still like it.

OUTGOING
I guess you could say I am into vellum this week! I just love how you can see through to what is inside. I bought a pad of cool see-thru tracing paper at the art store this week. It will be fun to play with that.
And I had a major haul at SCRAP this week -- big fun! Did I mention I am doing my Xmas shopping at Scrap? And the Cavallini sale?

STATIONERY SHOP
(photo by Fred Lyon -- vintage San Francisco)

What a beauty! Wouldn't you just love to step back in time and go inside that shop? I know I would. For a little while there actually was a shop on Grant Avenue in Chinatown that was the oldest stationery shop and the owner was cleaning out the basement and putting the most amazing paper goods out on the sidewalk for sale. I made a lot of major  scores there -- onion skin paper, vintage cards and postcards, old erasers and rulers, boxes of vintage stationery, old Xmas tags......it was heaven while it lasted but the basement is now emptied and the shop sells scarves from China, not stationery.But I have a stash of stuff to sell on ETSY if I ever get my act together and open up an ETSY shop.

Things are busy around my studio -- working on a Thanksgiving card, finishing up the NYC collages and books, doing some painting and I signed up for a collage workshop next Saturday.
I'll keep you all posted.

Anybody making Thanksgiving cards?
Working on Xmas projects?
I have a few tricks up my sleeve.  

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Big Bad City

OK, you asked for it -- just some NYC photos to tempt you into a visit. Hope you enjoy the tour.
I am busy in my studio finishing up the NYC travel journals and working on mail art -- all of which I'll share in my next post.

Little Italy

We just don't have guys on the streets in San Francisco giving away free pickle samples -- so cool! And those pickles were really good too.
And the guys were a riot.

The High Line
I suggest a walk on the High Line -- what a terrific idea that is to put a city park on the old subway tracks. I have walked the whole thing now, including the newly opened section. Very fun.

MOMA
The courtyard of MOMA -- a wonderful place to sit and relax or write some postcards. I've been going to MOMA since I was a teenager and I still love that Picasso goat sculpture.
Getting into the museum is crazy -- long, long lines -- a real mess but once you're in it is completely worth it. I saw the Matisse Cut-Outs show -- such an inspiration.
And there is a small mail art show in the basement.

Murry's Cheese
In the Village -- and right nearby is the Cornelia Street Cafe-- which I highly recommend for lunch (we ate outside!) and also a fabulous Italian bakery/cafe with cappuccino and sweets.
You won't be sorry.

The Ink Pad
Need I say any more?

A Shrine in DUMBO

Love all the street art....

Here is the lunch at Cornelia Street cafe now....yum

Yellow cabs are absolutely everywhere!

Hummm.....filming a Japanese motorcycle commercial?

Little Italy

Take the subway all over -- if you are there for any length of time -- I suggest the $30-7 Day  Unlimited subway pass. We burn through the tickets like crazy. They don't have transfers like we do here in SF and if you are covering a lot of ground you will be using the subway a lot.

See what I mean about yellow cabs?

Sometimes it is nice to go to the quieter part of town and look back....

When in doubt, have a cupcake! There seems to be quite a few cupcake bakeries around NYC.

If you are going, here are some of my favorite places -- you can just Google them to check them out (I can't do all the work!)

The Ink Pad
Casey's Rubber Stamps
Cornelia Street Cafe
Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
The Neue Gallery (have lunch there!)
Junior's (for a deli sandwich or a piece of cheesecake)
Mee Noodle (if you are closeby a nice stop for lunch)
The High Line
EATERY
Magnolia Bakery
The Shake Shack
Pigalle Restaurant
Zabar's
The Public Library and Bryant Park
Katz Deli

Just a few of the places I like to go. Now I need to go back into my studio and get to work. I seem to have one too many projects going on here but that really isn't such a bad thing. Finishing up the NYC books, catching up on mail art, working on a couple of zines, trying to think of what to make for holiday gifts, working on Turkey mail......the list goes on.....so stay tuned.
If you have a fabulous NYC suggestion to share with everyone, please leave a comment. I know I have only scratched the surface of great things to do in NYC.

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I Love Hotel Room Art (making)

NYC
Nothing beats settling into a good hotel room with your art supplies and  starting every morning with making some mail art and working in a travel journal and drinking your morning coffee (or, in this photo, an afternoon tea).

Roam around all day and night collecting paper ephemera and then getting to play with it.....that's my idea of a good time.

When I found a NYC pretzel in a bread basket at dinner I just knew it would make a good prop.
You might even be seeing it again.
And when I'm done with it, I could actually mail it.

And, my sweetie went downstairs every morning and braved the hoards in the breakfast room to bring my breakfast up to me.
What a guy!

Of course, I had to photograph it all all before eating anything....but he's used to that.

The (Fabulous) Ink Pad
Click the link! You won't be sorry. The Ink Pad has about a million rubber stamps, including Jennie Hinchcliff's fabulous Red Handed Rubber stamps (and yes, I did buy another of her stamps), stencils, books, washi tape, cards and more -- plus very lovely and friendly people working there!
If you are in NYC -- get yourself over there.
(They have classes too, if you get your timing right, maybe you can go to one.)

Be still my heart -- two shelves of MAIL stamps?
Now where else do you see that?

I rest my case.

Get your New York City stamps here!
(I bought a Yellow Cab stamp)

I took a bunch more photos of the Ink Pad so let me know in the comments if you want to see them.
or, maybe I'll post them on the blog's FB page.
Just to torture you. It is almost Halloween, you know.
Trick or treat?

The subway walls and poles are interesting too....I liked this sticker...

In fact, I liked it so much it seems to have found the way into my travel journal.......see it?

Altered NYC postcards
I just cannot send them plain.
Why send 'em plain if you can send 'em fancy?

These are my two favorites -- fuhgettaboudit!

OUTGOING FROM NYC

Another altered postcard -- bring on the tourist brochures! Lots to cut & paste.

Another morning -- another coffee and more mail art

Outgoing NYC postcards

Junior's
Of course, a person cannot live on mail art alone -- and I always make a visit  to Junior's!
Wouldn't miss it.
SF cannot hold a candle to the NYC deli!

There's that NYC taxi stamp now......

Just a little loot from The Ink Pad....(Red Handed Rubber stamp on lower left -- love that one!)

Brought along a little eye candy from Dori Singh (envelope by Dori).

What can I say? I like to take pictures of breakfast/mail/art tabletops?

Hummmm......a mailbox that had a hard night?

This looks like a nice little spot to sit down and write some postcards.

Loved this sign!

PM
In the city that never sleeps,  I have to sleep -- at least a little -- but before bedtime, there is time for some Junior's cheesecake and a glass of wine.
So (sadly) now I'm home. I miss NYC but san Francisco isn't such a bad place to be either.
I owe everybody mail and I am a teeny bit stressed.
But, letter by letter, I will get the mail out.
And--I am working on finishing up the travel collage journal. Will be showing those to you soon.
Never a dull moment around here. Thank God.

Now, what about you guys?
What's everyone working on? I have a Thanksgiving mail art card in the works. Planning some gelli printing. 
Anybody out here planning a trip to NYC?
Should I do a post of NYC photos?

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