A Lovely Day For Mail

Happy New Year Postcrossing from Russia

Corgi Feet Postcard from IUOMA Friend Snooky & Angie

Handmade Envelope, Letter, Art Call, and Mail Art Zine from Red Letter Day

Today was definitely a good mail day! I better get moving on my "get to know you" project I'm working on to send to all the mail art folks I've met in this fabulous Network. Thank you for all the mail box cheer!

Posting Postcards

Postcrossing to Taiwan 7 December 2010

Postcrossing to Tennessee USA 7 December 2010

I have been busy posting postcards, and I even wrote a two page letter to a penfriend this weekend! A real letter! I couldn't tell you the last time I did that! I mailed out five postcards yesterday: three Postcrossing, one Orphaned Postcard, and one to a friend. (And I'm still getting the housework done.) Today, three more went in the box: one Postcrossing, my final Orphaned Postcard, and another for a pen friend. Now that I feel I'm "caught up" on that mail for the moment, I'm going to try to get some mail art out to IUOMA friends. Send more Real Mail!

Sadly Neglected...

Oh, this poor blog. So lonely. Wishing for a new post to call its own. Finally, a bit of type to fill some of its empty space.

On the bright side, no new blog posts mean I've been busy with other things! Some arts and crafts, some just life, the days and weeks filling up with kids and cooking and cleaning. I have joined IUOMA, the International Union of Mail-Artists, and I feel quite snazzy. (That's one of the reasons I'm here typing away, so embarrassed at my lack of recent posts.) Most of the Real Mail I have sent out lately was birthday or anniversary cards, all handmade of course. I finally wrote a long-overdue thank you to Su at TangleCrafts for her fabulous mail goodies available on Etsy. I still have a few notes on my pile to answer.

I am keeping up well with Postcrossing cards and decided to use the postcards I create and mail off as images on my first attempt at artistamps. I feel that Postcrossers' listed interests/requests are like sketchbook assignments back in high school. I try to take what information they provide on their profile and run with it to create a postcard as unique as they are. Sometimes it is harder than others, but I like the challenge.

I also requested some postcards from the Orphaned Postcard Project, and they arrived in my mailbox this week. I will spend some time mulling them over before writing, embellishing, and returning them.

OK, time's up! Back to work! Hopefully I will be back to share more before November disappears. I wish you a happy mail day!

Picture Postcards!

Postcrossing postcard to Portugal mailed 16 August 2010

Postcrossing postcard to U.S.A. (Virginia) mailed 17 August 2010

Postcrossing postcard to Singapore mailed 19 August 2010

Hooray! I joined Postcrossing! I am working on my tenth card, and I have already received two cards. I am beginning to think world peace may begin with postcards. We should all think about someone we've never met half-way around the world for a few moments each day, smile, and send them a note. When they find Real Mail in their post box, they will smile as well. Hey, it's worth a try!

Sending More Real Mail

I haven't been able to carve out the time to make many cards lately, but I have sent more cards in the recent weeks. They haven't just been hope-you're-well-sign-my-name kind of cards either. I've actually written some decent notes. I wouldn't go so far as to call them letters, but definitely notes.

Here's a quote I wrote down while reading "Good Mail Day":
"A letter is evidence of our existence on this planet, and a tangible record of our relationship with another person."
An excellent reason to send more real mail.

As for my Etsy venture, I am making progress. I have sold a few extra supplies I listed, but when I sell my first handmade card, I will feel like I've made a sale.

I must recommend you check out The Olathe Poste. I found them through "Good Mail Day" and ordered a custom rubber stamp from them as well as some of their pre-perfed white stamp stock to try my hand at making artistamps. They have unique, high-quality goods and excellent service. I will be a return customer.

Good Mail Day

Good grief! I forgot to share Good Mail Day! The book, that is, written by Jennie Hinchcliff and Carolee Gilligan Wheeler, it is "a primer for making eye-popping postal art." It is a fabulously fun book, a quick read with lots of photos showing off interesting mail art. It is inspiring me to send notes more often, and not just make them. What good are they if they're not shared? Check out Carolee's blog Good Mail Day, and Jennie's blog Red Letter Day.

I also found a "real mail" project. I was, of course, drawn to it because of the name. You can print out a postcard template already addressed, and write or design whatever you heart desires and mail it off. Check out www.realmail.nl

Send more real mail!

Making Progress

Well, I was hoping to keep a better log of my progress here, but life happens. This week, I finally got in gear and took steps to get cards listed for sale in my Etsy shop.

First, I needed some good photos of my cards, but to get good photos, I needed a box. After tripping over my box for several weeks, I cut off a flap, lined the rest with white paper, and tested it out. I set it on the table in front of a big bay window, popped in a card, and took some pictures. I'm so impressed with how well they turned out. I just needed a box!

I managed to download and upload my photos without tech support. I typed a description of my card one-handed while bouncing a baby on my knee. (Drum roll please.) My first card is for sale on Etsy! I listed a second later that evening, when I had two hands for typing.

Today I took a few more photos and hope to list those cards as well. Right now, it feels tedious, but I'm sure as I do more, it will become second nature. I want to spend more time actually making cards than listing them!

I got some REAL MAIL this week in the form of supplies I purchased on ebay (old photos and postage stamps) and Etsy (Nick Bantock rubber stamps). I can't wait to play!

Starting Somewhere

Welcome to Piccadilly Post! I hope this will be the beginning of a beautiful blog experience. I am hoping to reach a wider audience with my handmade cards and other crafts, so I am in the process of setting up an Etsy store. I hope this blog will allow me to share my creative successes and failures with like-minded folks as well as my incredibly supportive family and friends. Thanks for helping me get this far. Join me as I embark on a new adventure in this journey called life.