back to the post – part 2

Now for the incoming treats: it feels nice to be greeted by a pile of mail after a vacation – it makes coming home something to get excited about! My #1 penpal justice bicycle (@justice_bicycle) just moved to the UK and so this was the last package from her that would be sent with a Canadian stamp! Inside were things almost too glorious to explain: animal spirit fortune cards, a postcard with her new address & the most glorious yellow triplicate copy of an ‘incident’ that took place in Calgary a few months ago. And the best item hands down, was an intricate story all about the promiscuous nature of the T-Rex. Prior to leaving for OOAK  Miss Jaime Madellena (@sendmoremail) has the quickest fingers in the East and replied almost instantly to the typed letter I had just sent. She wrote on the sweetest winter sweater patterned paper and sent it in an envelope/paper bag that is lined like note paper and was sealed with patterned scotch tape. Rhya Tamasauskas (@rhyat) seems to always spoil me with the sweetest wee postal surprises. This week I was greeted by a lovely monster factory postcard inscribed with encouragement for the One of a Kind Show. I also discovered an envelope containing yet another clever “diorama” of hers; this time hidden in a small envelope sealed with washi was a snuggly patterened bear looking up towards a sky of flurries. SO CUTE. Nick Oostyen and Olivia Delorme (@o_delorme) allowed a letter to swim to me with the power of many sea creatures. Inside were cute little foam silhouettes and 3-D stickers of fish and mammals, some fantastic cut-outs from a pamphlet about sea-life/sea-adventures and two lovely notes written in separate months. Lisa Grabenstetter (@MagneticCrow) gifted me some wonderful treats: two of her beautiful bird bookmarks, prints and cards, as well as a handmade mini-sketchbook. She also wrote the sweetest letter in the tiniest script I’ve ever seen written by hand! She also sent along Valeria Poropat’s collaborative traveling journal which I will soon add to, and I will also, of course, later blog about this particular sketchbook project and my progress. Next week’s mail art post will be mostly holiday themed, as I will be chronicling all of the Christmas cards I’ve recently received  from family, friends and pen pals.