incoming mail: final catch up

As I mentioned in my mail art post yesterday and also in the taking the plunge post, my focus in life right now is to be healthy, clean and organized (all while, of course, being uber creative). This weekend saw not only some intense clearing out of the house (seriously, 2 bags of clothes and 2 boxes of STUFF are headed to the thrift shop), but it also meant getting organized in ways that weren’t just physical… Digitally, I started sorting through my absolute mess of an e-mail inbox, plus filing and deleting months worth of info and photographs. I have also become well acquainted with my blog again: drafting potential posts, fishing up overdue ones, doodling in my sketchbook and getting outside with my camera again. So for the sake of continuing to cross off items on my to-do list, here is the end of my unchronicled incoming snail mail sent by my beloved pen pals. It’s exciting to let these postal beauties out of the box that they have been living in for the past couple months…with ♥ from Barbara Wanhill with ♥ from Charlotte Vallance with ♥ from Crystal Plett with ♥ from Sarah Churchill with ♥ from Kathy Dahl with ♥ from Marcus Jackson with ♥ from Paula Fullerton with ♥ from my parents during a trip to Spain with ♥ from Jaime Madalenna with ♥ from Jane Murray

paper exports – part 1

Packing boxes and traveling in the past couple weeks has really made me long for some creative time. I can not wait until early July, once I have my new studio space set up, so I can get some serious drawing and printmaking on the go, as I have a lot of ideas running wild in my head. Right now the only creative thing I have to cling to (apart from my sketchbook of course) are some of the glorious outgoing letters I sent before John signed his contract. I have plenty of postal treats to share with you, so prepare for a 3 day “paper export” extravaganza.sent with ♥ to:  Barbara Wanhill (@2catsandapencil)

sent with ♥ to:  Robert Sae-Heng (@mrrubbertoes)

sent with ♥ to:  Heather Stump

 sent with ♥ to:  Peter and Joyelle Komierowski (@peterkstudio)

sent with ♥ to:  Jessica Mayne

sent with ♥ to:  Sarah Churchill (@scjammycustard)

sent with ♥ to:  Jillian Hermansen (@jillianailsa)  PLUS  the bestest video ever of her opening all these postal treats too!

sent with ♥ to:  Kristine Hajas

sent with ♥ to:  Beverly Ealdama (@beverly_e)

sent with ♥ to:  Marissa Falco (@czarcastic)

I hope all of my amazing pen pals were super happy with the above packages! These special piles of ephemera were complied in my studio and all of the letters were written here. As I mentioned above, there’s a nice pile of creative envelopes left to share with you, so make sure you come visit me again tomorrow!

sending and opening special snail mail

As always, I have some lovely snail mail treats to share with you this week: 5 outgoing packages and 6 incoming envelopes. I must say, now that it’s finally spring, I’ve really been enjoying the short bike rides in the sunshine to the postbox and back to drop off and pick up letters… my neighbours should be jealous when they see me riding back with the loveliest postal loot!

sent with love to: Nick Oostyen and Olivia Delorme (@o_delorme)

sent with love to: Justice Bicycle (@justicebicycle)

sent with love to: Jane Murray

sent with love to: Jenny Cutnam

sent with love to: Jeannine Saylor (@saylor_made)

with love from: Jillian Griffin (@jillgriffinart)

with love from: Charlotte Vallance (@charlsvallance)

with love from: Beverly Ealdama (@beverly_e)

with love from: Julia Webb

with love from: Pagrum Boom aka Miss Lemon

with love from: Sarah Churchill (@scjammycustard)