BOO!

Wishing you a magical,

fun,

and safe Halloween!

More Happy Halloween Mail!

From the fiery Kerosene

From the lovely Emma

My mailbox and I were happy yesterday! Two fabulous handmade Halloween greetings and two Postcrossing cards were delivered. Many thanks!

Today, a trip to the post office to mail an overseas package to Tangledom and a little something to Pamela for her "What's In Your Mailart Kit?" roundup, though I missed the deadline. A stop at Goodwill yielded some great office supplies, stationery, and craft odds-n-ends. I'm off to sort and create!

Trick or Treat!

No tricks here--just Real Mail treats!

If you are celebrating, have a spook-tacular time!

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!

'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 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. . .

Bewitching #9

"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?"

Fresh off my desk this afternoon, a fashionable card for Halloween. I had not done any vintage pattern book page cutouts or typewriter captions for awhile. I found a different kind of glitter paper, the DCWV Glitter Cardstock Stack, and of course, had to try it out with the flourish die. I finally, FINALLY found a witch hat paper punch, at a local warehouse clearance center of all places! It is a huge punch and includes a bat, ghost, and pumpkin as well. The houndstooth background paper is from the DCWV Mod-Retro Stack. The clock face is die cut from a Tim Holtz paper pad. The jewels, felt flowers, and buttons are from my stash of tiny things.

Card #6 CPS Sketch #234

I just made this Halloween Bingo card yesterday afternoon. I figured since I'm working mostly from other designers' sketches right now, I might as well work on a current sketch and share it. I'm currently obsessed with Halloween cards. I have black and orange bits and pieces all over my work area. I made a set of cards and a bunch of tags, and I'm still going strong.

I couldn't wait to use that glittery swirl on a card. I don't consider myself a glitter girl, but I was drawn to the flourish die and the glitter paper. I am really pleased with the results, and I'm looking forward to adding some glittery swirls to Christmas cards in the near future.

The sketch is vertical, but I created my card horizontal. Now that it is finished, I think it works either way.

This is a postcard, but I just found an almost-perfect sized glassine envelope to protect it for mailing!

The Girls Paperie Toil & Trouble printed papers,
DCWV solid paper,
Tim Holtz Elegant Flourishes die and paper tape,
Recollections glitter paper and spider punch,
Inkadinkado spider web stamp,
Cavallini & Co. Vintage Number stamps,
my vintage bingo card.