CPS 239 Holiday Season Joy

Today I broke my own rule that I made a few years back about no Christmas music before Halloween. I figured maybe it didn't count if no one else was around to hear it!

I wanted to try this week's sketch from CPS, and I wanted to try using some of the holiday card-making goodies I collected recently. Not a rubber stamp inked for this one, but I went a little crazy with the die cuts and textures! That music paper rosette adds quite a bit of dimension; it will require a larger envelope (and extra postage) if it travels by mail.

The ribbons with the little banner-cut ends are vintage, recently cleared out of my mom's basement. The ribbon is fairly stiff, so I used one corner of my 3/4-inch-square paper punch to make those V-cuts--so quick and easy! I cut the rosette from old sheet music with a Tim Holtz Sizzix die and spritzed it with walnut stain. The glittered flourish and "Joy" are also Sizzix die cuts. The main image is a small re-purposed card front with Cuttlebug embossing folder swirl texture added and layered on a paper doily and circle of DCWV Christmas paper. The finished card is 5x7 inches, larger than my usual A2 sized cards.

No matter what you might be making or mailing today, I wish you joy!

My Cereal Box Came with MAIL!

My Tuesday or Wednesday morning is usually spent at the grocery store. Cheerios wasn't on the list today, but when I saw this box, I had to buy it!
(OK, it was also on sale, and we all like Cheerios.)

But look at this! A postcard to cut out and send through the postal system to support our nation's military families! The USO will distribute the postcards, and Cheerios will make a donation (based on the number of postcards received) to the USO to support several important programs. You can read more at Cheerios.com. Hooray for Real Mail; now in your cereal aisle!

If you prefer to make your own cards, try Operation Write Home, recommended to me by Becky thesnailmailer. I have yet to ship some of my handmade cards, but I hope to get some Christmas cards sent off this week to beat the October 31 deadline.
Happy mailing!

Mail Art Project: October

"Surely two could play at this game,
if only someone would explain the rules."
Sent to Danny via Jaime B's Mail Art Project

Jaime B contacted me through IUOMA to participate in this project. A senior in college, Jaime is creating a mail-art network of participants as part of a final project. If I had known about mail art in college, I would have done the same! (I was sending it then, I just didn't know it had a name, and others were doing it too!) A little Anne Taintor flavor to this one, using some fun vintage supplies, mailed off in a popcorn bag envelope.

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 Outgoing International

Vintage Lancaster County "Bountiful Harvest"
(A request for a multiview card and this was the only one in my collection!)
Sent to Korea

The month of May from my Papersource postcard calendar
A request for swans by a new member
Sent to Germany

Lancaster Country Amish farm harvest scene
Sent to Germany

Vintage line card of the Lancaster Post Office
(on the Retail Access Optimization Initiative list for possible closure)
Sent to Belgium

Anne Taintor card for a funny card request
(I hope she shares my sense of humor!)
Sent to Russia

I wrote about my love of autumn on most of these cards. The cooler weather gives me the energy to do some serious cleaning and some real cooking, two things I really dislike doing over the summer! I also like to be cozy and drink hot tea, both much more enjoyable in the fall.
Snuggle in and send some mail!

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!

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!