12 Cards of Christmas, Day 11

Peace
Altered postcards of Bethlehem

Merry
Altered postcards of Lancaster and Pennsylvania attractions

Treasure: FDOI Ceremony Program

While I usually feature vintage or antique treasures here, today I have a newly-minted treasure. On Saturday, June 23rd, I attended my very first First Day of Issue Ceremony right here in Lancaster. The second set of stamped postcards featuring the Scenic American Landscapes was released at the National Topical Stamp Show. The ceremony was fairly low-key, but for a newbie, the stamp show was overwhelming.

This set includes the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania photograph featured on the international rate stamp released in January sans FDOI Ceremony.

After the ceremony, the speakers remained at the front of the presentation room to autograph programs. Once the stamp show opened, I purchased my booklet of postcards at the USPS booth and had the two Lancaster County postcards stamped with the First Day of Issue cancel. (I plan to mail the rest.) The gentleman in line before me was a pro, so I followed his lead and added postage to my program and had a special cancel applied to that as well. (I always carry a few spare stamps in my wallet.)

I learned two interesting things about postal cancels while waiting in line: an item must have postage in order to receive a cancel, and a stamp may only receive one cancellation. You may add additional stamps to an item to receive additional cancellations.

I am grateful I had the opportunity to attend!

Big Postal Love

Six--yes, six--beautiful pieces of personal and artistic mail in my postbox today, from as near as my home state of PA and as far as Argentina. Thank you, my friends, for your postal love! All is quiet here now, so I will carefully open them and savor each Real Mail moment! Truly, the mailbox is the museum. Thank you for sending the world to my door.

Lancaster Sunday News Article

The Lancaster County, Pennsylvania stamp and I made the front page of the Lancaster Sunday News today, with a photo on page four. You can read the full article here:

She puts her stamp on this first day issue

Last week was crazy busy and a lot of work, but it was worth it to be able to commemorate the new stamp and share my love of Real Mail with others in my community. Thank you all for your encouragement and support!

The Official Unofficial Stamp Ceremony

Here's the deal: I will be at the Rohrerstown Branch Post Office, 153 Rohrerstown Rd.
Lancaster, PA 17603, tomorrow, Friday, January 20, 2012 when they open at 8am to purchase my first sheet Lancaster County postage stamps and to mail some extra-special first day of issue postcards. I will have postal goodies for those who purchase the new international rate stamps, and all attendees can sign up for the chance to a win a Deluxe Mail Art Travel Kit. The friendly clerks will happily hand-cancel upon request with their Lancaster Pennsylvania designation date stamper, and Lancaster Newspapers promised to send a photographer to the celebration.

Later that afternoon, I will present the stamp before a lecture given by LancasterHistory.org at the Manheim Township Library. Lancaster Creative Reuse will extend their Make Mail Art program through February First Friday, and LancasterHistory.org will feature "Love Letters" at their February First Friday event, giving me another opportunity to promote the Lancaster County stamp and my love of letters.

Three cheers for Real Mail!

Hurry Up and Wait

Well, I have contacted everyone in Lancaster I can think of concerning the Lancaster County postage stamp release. Now, it's just a waiting game I guess. While I wait, I'm hanging up flyers wherever I go. I also made up some goodie bags to share with anyone who joins me at the Rohrerstown Post Office to purchase the stamps this Friday morning.

My girls and I enjoyed a two-hour visit to Lancaster Creative Reuse yesterday morning. They are very excited about Mail Art Week. (Me too!) I just spoke with an employee of the Lancaster County Library, and while it's not feasible to hold a letter-writing social this week, there is interest in crafting a program for a future date.

I appreciate all the encouragement and support I've received on this project. Special thank yous to Donovan of the Letter Writers Alliance for her contributions, and to Su of TangleCrafts for sharing her creativity across the pond.

The postage stamp is such a small thing, but I believe it has the potential to make a big difference. If I don't stand up for what I believe, who will? And how can I expect others to care? If I don't do it now, it might be too late. I know I'm not going to save the world, but I can make it a little better, one stamp at a time.

Mail Art at Lancaster Creative Reuse!

I am excited to announce Lancaster Creative Reuse will promote making mail art this week in honor of the Lancaster County stamp release! This is the perfect place for mail art creation. I encourage everyone to join in the fun! A big thank you to Andrea for her exuberant support. I hope this will be a great week for Real Mail in Lancaster!

The swift death of letter writing

The swift death of letter writing
from Lancaster Sunday News 4 December 2011

Another Real Mail article shared with me by my parents.
My mom plans to make photo copies of the article
and mail it to everyone she knows.

Ironic for it to appear in print news and online?
Stop lamenting and start writing!

Trees Galore!

34 Trees
Die cut trees on paper
33 different security envelope patterns
and one glittered tree (lower right corner)
Donated to Lancaster Museum of Art's Trees Galore fundraiser
celebrating its 34th year (just like me)

I had the pleasure of attending the Trees Galore! opening on 3 December 2011, First Friday in Downtown Lancaster with my dad, who donated on of his photographs of a tree in winter. He snapped a photo of my piece hanging in the museum, since the photos I took at home were terribly lit. We enjoyed viewing all the other contributions, but we didn't have a chance to visit any other galleries this year like we did last year. I guess we will just have to plan another First Friday outing together! Thanks Dad!

Hooray, snail mail!

My parents saved this for me from the 24 November 2011 Lancaster PA newspaper. Shortest editorial I have ever seen and probably my favorite! (I certainly hope it was mailed to the newspaper office.) Snail mail is way cool. Let's all send some more!

'Tis the Season?

I actually wrote this post over a week ago, but I have been debating whether or not to post it without further editing. I was raised with the motto, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Perhaps this is why I am so quiet/shy? Anyway, I decided that this is my little space on web to share my thoughts, and I should do just that, as long as they are well-written and not posted hastily.

Yes, it's that time again, time to start worrying about who will be offended by the holiday mail you send, or don't send.
My kids' Halloween--I mean Harvest--Parade is coming up and their costumes must be related to a book to be worn on school time. Not too hard with a witch and a zombie, but that's not the point. Oh, we are so fragile these days. In our efforts to not get sued and be all-inclusive, we are afraid to expose our children and ourselves to things outside our beliefs. Wouldn't want to Learn something New, especially at school, you know. Wouldn't want to Think or Question; that only leads to confusion.

I have lived in Pennsylvania my entire life, mainly in this small city, but for a time near Philadelphia, and a few summers in the state capital. Chartered by William Penn, it seems those who yell the loudest here these days have forgotten the state was founded on religious freedom, early democracy, and fair treatment of natives and immigrants. I do not wish to impose my beliefs on anyone, nor do I wish to have others' beliefs imposed on me, but whatever happened to open and honest dialogue and education?

I would love to travel the world and learn about as many different cultures and belief systems as I can. Alas, I am a homebody, with family responsibilities. So if you wish, send me mail, mail that challenges me to think outside these four walls and this sometimes-oppresive town/state/country. Open up new worlds for me, share old and new ideas. In return, please consider any mail I send to you an expression of who I am, a sharing of my ideas and beliefs with you, no strings attached. Thank you to superhero for reminding me that the art we chose to view is not always what we need to see to grow.

I just researched one of my all-time favorite quotes, a perfect conclusion to my editorial. “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Attributed to Voltaire but written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall from The Friends of Voltaire, inspired by a 1770 Voltaire letter to an Abbot le Roche, in which he was reported to have said, “I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write.” Coming full circle, Voltaire, a prolific letter-writer, praised Pennsylvania as the only government in the world responsible to the people and respectful of minority rights.

So, without further rants from yours truly, the post office brings us four lovely new issues with which to post our winter holiday greetings.

Madonna of the Candelabra by Raphael and Holiday Baubles, released 13 October 2011

Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, released 14 October 2011
I love how the colors and designs of these three work together! I will definitely be putting one of each on some of my bulkier mail this holiday season.

Truly, the more I learn, the more I understand there is so much more for me to learn. What did you learn today? What can you teach me?

Postcrossing Outgoing to USA

Vintage linen card of the Lancaster Public Library
Sent to Texas

Lancaster County Amish corn harvest
Sent to Washington

Dining room at Wheatland, home of James Buchanan, with added stamps
Sent to Minnesota

I thought I would have a little more time for making and sending mail since two of the three kiddos are in school, but for some reason it hasn't worked out that way yet. I finally got back to sending some Postcrossing cards. I tend to wait until I can send four or five at a time, and the last batch of addresses I received were all new members. It was fun to choose cards to welcome them to Postcrossing. I hope they continue to send Real Mail and enjoy many happy mail days!

Hooray for Mail Art!

My dad sent me mail art!
He painted this watercolor while taking a short vacation
in Ocean City, New Jersey.

I am replying with this fashionably altered vintage card
showing the Pennsylvania Railroad Horse Shoe Curve.
For more railroad fun, check out this amazing video:
Maple Mountain Sunburst Triolian Orchestra - The Age Of Steam

A beautiful drawing of a Xiamen University building from China
via Postcrossing.

My reply to China. The cool of autumn is beginning to creep in,
and I had my first cup of hot tea today!

Quilt Museum Card #13

Another quilt-themed card headed for the Museum Shoppe.
This is a slight variation on Just Off Centre from Sheetload of Cards.
I incorporated two different vintage trims and some machine stitching.
The focal point is another postage stamp; this time a 34c Amish Quilt.
Time to make more cards!

Quilt Museum Card #12

A good friend introduced me to the buyer at The Quilt Museum at the Old Country Store, and every once in a while she surprises me with an email order for some of my handmade cards. I created a line of quilt-themed cards especially for the Shoppe. I received such an email this weekend, so this week I will be working to fill her order and sharing some of those cards before I ship them off to the store.

This is one of my all-time favorite layouts, the very first sketch (I'm aware of) from Sheetload of Cards. I really like the colors on this one. It features a postally used Gee's Bend Quilt stamp with some more lovely K & Company papers.

Vintage Linen Card Collages

So instead of creating anything new last week, I finally cleaned up my workspace. I would almost call it Spring Cleaning, but I didn't go crazy and scrub the floor or anything. Although I am pleased to say I can now see my floor! So for the moment, supplies are put away, projects are organized, and I am trying to finish some of the things I started who-knows-when.

Here are a few postcards I sent last month but that never made it to the blog. I love Anne Taintor, and these are my mail art tribute. I created them with vintage linen postcards, lovely ladies trimmed from a 1952 pattern book and captions typed on my Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe, a Christmas gift from my husband. He's so kind to put up with my paper habit, sometimes he even encourages it! I'm afraid I lost a few images of others in this vintage card series as we switched to a new computer. (I didn't realize it was a temporary folder--oops.)

Sent to Douglas Galloway of IUOMA 16 April 2011

Sent to Brent of IUOMA 16 April 2011

Sent to Emma of Postcrossing 28 April 2011

Ghee Happy Mail

A sweet "Ghee Happy" letter received 11 May 2011
from Becky "The Snail Mailer"
in reply to my Happy Spring card.
Another lover of Real Mail in Pennsylvania,
she is Leaving a Paper Trail.