outgoing envelopes – part 2

I just LOVE snail mail; both sending and receiving packages in the post is a true joy. A few more of my creative outgoing envelopes have recently arrived to their lucky recipients’ homes. Life’s about sharing right? So here they are: Sent with ♥ to Barbara Wanhill Sent with ♥ to Carol Whitley  Sent with ♥ to Amanda Mcnair Sent with ♥ to Kimi Kobashi Sent with ♥ to Jessica Mayne Sent with ♥ to Jessica Mack

now it feels like home

Two weeks worth of mail have now arrived here in Castlegar, including letters forwarded from 100 Mile House. Sadly I haven’t had any time to be a proper pen pal who diligently writes back, but yesterday I finally came across the three boxes marked as Mail Art Supplies; I see some snail mail making in my near future. Thank you my pen pals, for making me feel at home with all of these thoughtful letters and parcels!  First to arrive, very Harry Potter-esque, was an owl postcard with ♥ from Marcus Jackson (@luckyjackpress) A lovely house warming gift (written by my secret boyfriend Chuck Hughes) and a silly card with ♥ from my sister Alison Martin (@mrsalimartin) & Andy Martin.Mojito inspired mail art parcel, complete with incredible PAPER straws, with ♥ from Barbara Wanhill (@2catsandapencil) An adorable handmade address change postcard with ♥ from Jessica Mack (@brownpaperbunny) A request that was happily obliged: a giant pile of half full tags so that I can continue my positivity adventures in my new town, with ♥ from Sarah Hutchinson Burke (@thesecondmagpie) The best postcard, which is tottaly quotable by the way, with ♥ from Adea Cheung (@billywould)The most wonderful pile of bird ephemera, including a letter folded into an origami bird, with ♥ from Sumi Senthi (@sumiart) A zine trade with ♥ from Valentina Keslowe  A pile of animal treats, I especially love the vintage birds, with ♥ from Nicole Palmer Indian recipes complete with ziplocked spices, mad libs, payment for a secret order from my etsy shop and other fun follies with ♥ from Jessica Mayne Pretty pink package with fantastic vintage photos and adorable children’s drawings with ♥ from Tessa Brown (@talulabblogger) For the move and the new house, a special Chinese good luck totem with ♥ from Kathy Dahl

a month of mail art – outgoing – part 1

I’m so excited to start sharing the things that I’ve sent around the globe through the postal system this past month and so I might as well start off with an obscure package like the one I sent to Kathy Dahl: a book, 100 games of logic, taped shut. She recently took a trip to the Bahamas and had several plane delays; this book should be able to help save her from boredom next time.Jane Murray is a friend from my second home, the Columbia Valley. I met her while working for several years at a local gallery. I recently recieved an e-mail from her and we both thought we should revive the lines of communication. Another pen pal was born.

Jessica Mayne found her first package from me. A handmade, screenprinted envelope filled with paper ephemera that all reminded me of this creative and eccentric gal.Jessica Mack (@brownpaperbunny) is moving north: to the USA! I found this ‘Aussie Slang’ book at a thrift shop & thought it would be a great gift for Jess – this way if her new friends don’t know what her or her beau are saying, they have a reference book! lol.
I sent miss Jaime Maddalena (@sendmoremail) a wee letter in some fab new stationery. However it’s smaller than minimum mailing size, so I got creative and sent it in a slightly larger glassine envelope. I’m such a postal rebel.I thought of my Grandparents when I saw this romantic card of a young couple kissing in Venice, because they are still so in love. It made me want to write them a little note…The patient and fantastic Tim Conley (@aproposzine) waited far too long for this parcel of treats which included a journal, pocket mirror & some ingredients for his future zines.The pretty Amanda Mcnair (@manderoon) found a wee “congrats on your engagement” card inside a nature’s my friend envelope along with a screenprinted moleskine and her collection of vintage Archies that I had held hostage for far too long.Beverly Ealdama (@beverly_e) creates mostly typographic artworks, using quotes or sayings as imagery. I came across this mini quote book at a local thrift shop and felt it might be the perfect little source of inspiration for her (as well as a few LOLcats).
I spoiled my northern pal Marcus Jackson (@luckyjackpress) with a handbound altered book journal called “The Snare of the Hunter,” a perfect title for a sketchbook of his. I also sent along animal stickers & a bunch of giggles/inside jokes from ACAD days.
Nick Oostyen and Olivia Delorme (@o_delorme) have been out of control with their postal treats lately. I’ve been finding almost an envelope a week from these kids, so I owed them something special. “An Afternoon Walk” an altered book journal Olivia has been eyeing up and an epic thrifted record for Nick’s collection of vinyl.
The fantasmical Jillian Hermansen (@jillianailsa) has a great sense of humor and a quirky style: the perfect candidate for a complete lolcat book & Mike Perry transfers.Although this is the end of the post, don’t fret, the mail art madness continues soon: the other half of my outgoing treats come tomorrow!