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!

Thrift: Cereal Box Postcards

 I know many mail artists repurpose cardboard packaging in their mail art, so this is not a monumental revelation. For some reason, I am not often inspired to immediately reuse food packaging; perhaps it's too new for my vintage tastes? But this past week, two cereal boxes in particular caught my eye as having great mail art potential.

Snoopy ponders mailart, making life better with a stamp.

(Sent off in a packet to Angie & Snooky)

 

The back of the Life box had a scavenger hunt of sorts and after reading #9 "Where non-email goes," I knew had to make it mail art. The "zap" and "blam" came from a party invitation, and thank you to Alice for the "stampe" and "this is urgent" etiquettes. She is first-class.

I've cut the word "Cheer" from Cheerios boxes before; Cheerios even encouraged me to do it! As an added bonus, Honey Nut Cheerios boxes also say "Naturally Flavored." Yes, tasty mail art. Sometimes it helps to have a specific recipient in mind.

 Naturally Flavored Mail Art Cheer. Yum.

(Sent off in a packet to Eat Art/Mike Dyar)

 Apparently, Honey Nut Cheerios is currently America's favorite cereal, but that was easily edited. I can't resist any comics with a mailbox, and Snoopy appears to be patiently awaiting his daily delivery of mail art.

The public has spoken. We love mail art.

Treasure: Souvenir Folders

 These treasures are on loan to me from my friend Delphine. She told me she recently inherited her uncle's postcard collection, and knowing my love of Real Mail and ephemera, she wanted me to take a look at them and hopefully brainstorm some display ideas.

It turns out they are not postcards but multiview souvenir folders, the likes of which I had not seen before. These were collected during her uncle's travels, not mailed, though a few have names penciled on the address lines.

 

Most of the linen-like cover-weight folders contain 16 to 20 images on a double-sided accordion folded text-weight interior panel. Three views of Greater Chicago include New Post Office, Outer Drive, Link Bridge, and Skyline, and Art Institute.

One of the folders, called An Art Folder, from Salt Lake City and Scenic Utah contains 36 views printed on two separate panels. It weighs just over an ounce.

Those with copyright dates printed on them range from 1934 to 1944, and most state that "postage without message" is 1-1/2 cents. The folder from Venice, Ocean Park and Santa Monica, California appears to be the oldest in the lot but has no copyright noted. The upper right corner reads "Postage without message one cent--with message two cents."

All are from cities, states, or regions in the United States, except for one from Niagara Falls, Canada. It provides an excellent example of an intact folder, showing the top angled flap that tucks into a slit across the lower portion.

Many of the folders have torn at the slit, and a few have lost their top flaps. For a moment, the mail artist in me imagined adding these lovely papers to collages, but the conservator took over, and I enjoyed matching all the detached pieces to the appropriate folders. I then gave each a protective sleeve. I'm still working on (kid-friendly) display ideas, but I'm thinking something with a postal or travel theme. 

The construction of the folders inspired me to make my own, and I think I may use them as my very first mail art add-and-pass project.

Mail Art Answered

Some wonderful mail art I received in December but never posted.
I'm finally getting around to sending proper thank yous!
From Wenchkin, Angie & Snooky, and Mary Has Sound

A few altered postcards I created while cleaning off my desk
and a recycled printing sample collage in a CD envelope.
All will ship out tomorrow!

Trees: Holiday Mailart Sent

"cheer" series of 3
altered USPS advertising postcards

"two trees" series of 4
shaped postcards with security envelope trees

"three trees" series of 8
postcards with security envelope trees

"bright and merry" series of 2
recycled tissue box postcards

Postcrossing Outgoing Handmade

Happy October Birthday
Sent to Turkey

For the love Pink & Girlie + October
Sent to North Carolina, USA

Moon + Halloween
Sent to Japan

The last few handmade postcards from my stash were mailed out via Postcrossing this week, after I jazzed them up a bit. I guess I'll have to make some more! I spent yesterday afternoon trying to clean up my work space, and I finally stored away my die cutting items from small, curious hands. Will I ever have the time and space to use all the supplies I've collected and turn all my ideas into tangible pieces? When I'm not completely exhausted, I dream of storage space and completed projects. . .

Postcrossing: Finland, Russia, Netherlands

From Finland via Postcrossing 26 September 2011

A first day of issue mailbox card and stamp? Yes, it's true postal love!

From Russia via Postcrossing 28 September 2011
My middle daughter is enamored with Matryoshka dolls.

From Netherlands via Postcrossing 29 September 2011
I hope this is not an official card, as there is no ID number and only a scribble of a name, but I will try to register it, just in case.
(It was an official card, and thanks to the Postcrossing system, I was able to register it.)

Thank you to all who sent Real Mail this week!
And thank you to the USPS for delivering the world to my doorstep!
Send the Love!