12 Cards of Christmas, Day 12

I enjoyed sharing my Christmas card creations these past few days.

I'll use this last installment to share the two handmade cards I received this holiday season.

 I wish you all peace, joy, and mail art. Cheers!

 Stitched snowman card from penfriend Carolyn

(with wondrous, magical blue stars inside!)

Notched, wrapped thread tree card from my cousin's eldest daughter

(she also made beautiful decoupaged coasters as gifts!)

A Frightfully Good Mail Day

A spooky mail art card from Angie & Snooky via IUOMA

Happy Hauntings from Luna in Japan via Postcrossing reply

Fun and fabulous mail in my box yesterday! Now I am curious about how Halloween is celebrated in Japan.

I am behind in answering letters. I am constantly being distracted these days (though sometimes I have only myself to blame.) I think I need to try a new system. I must not allow myself to open and read a received letters until I make time to sit down and respond immediately. The few times I have done this, I feel my response was more heartfelt and interesting to the recipient. Otherwise, it is all too easy to put an opened letter on my pile until I have time to reply, and then my writing feels stale when I finally write back. I think the suspense will be a great motivator!

Gone Missing?

Ah well, I'm back now, but without #21, 22, and 23. I had a feeling if I missed one post I might miss more. I've been feeling bit scattered recently.

I began this card-a-day challenge to help me learn what I want my blog to be and how much I can handle. So I am learning, and this is what I'm thinking (in a Bianca-style list!)

+ I am not a post-a-day sort of person; perhaps I'll aim for three a week.
+ I do not want to post the same sort of thing every time.
+ I want to focus on mail I make, mail I send, and mail I receive, but it's OK if other bits and pieces seep in sometimes.
+ I might need to make myself a posting schedule to actually accomplish any of this.

So, perhaps I'll call off this card-a-day business and get on to some other interesting items. Thank you for joining me in this experiment. Now I need to send more Real Mail.

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!

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.