tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61428585614796567682024-03-05T03:54:05.946-05:00The Missive MavenA letter-writing blog extolling the virtues of snail mail:<br>
old-fashioned postal paper mail and all of its varied accessories.The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comBlogger1053125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-69668230212887734212018-03-09T16:17:00.001-05:002018-03-09T16:17:06.555-05:00Interview with the U.S. Postal Service about Postcrossing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wow, it's been a shockingly long time since I last shared a post with you! I'll update you on some of the exciting news in my life in a forthcoming post (SPOILER: I've got a solo album of original songs coming out soon, from my other life as a musician!), but I wanted to check in and let you know of a very special conversation I just had.
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I was just interviewed for an article about <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> in the U.S. Postal Service employee newsletter! Be proud of me, U.S. Postcrossers: I put in a big plug for an official <A href=https://www.postcrossing.com/blog/tag/postcrossing-stamp target=blank>Postcrossing stamp</a> here in the USA! I don't know if it will happen or not, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to make the pitch to an official representative of the US Postal service.
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The gentleman with whom I spoke was also very interested in my personal history with the Postal Service, about my <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/search/label/grandpa target=blank>grandpa</a>, a career postal worker, and how much he influenced my life and my love of snail mail.
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The article is still a work in progress, but once it's online, I'll be sure to share it with you.
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Because of the demands of work and career, I completely missed out on participating in <a href=https://incowrimo.org/ target=blank>InCoWriMo</a> during the month of February, but things are a little less crazy for me now and I'm picking my snail-mail habits back up.
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Hmmm, all this talk of <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> makes me want to shuffle off and send a postcard...
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-22519044737305991322017-08-29T10:01:00.002-04:002017-08-29T10:01:57.510-04:00Eclipse postmarks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqeIcZZXzoMelhk1ffSUaEKNvHxld8ky1xLwODuaHIfPNrd_kjO03Q8WEp_TFCddAStv1tWsks1is8amJD1lxAdy8xUqkj-GaXdXnPOJ1KfOBy3PDeqK2bU9KjKQ5jXQ6rug4NpvOjccc/s1600/solar_eclipse_stamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqeIcZZXzoMelhk1ffSUaEKNvHxld8ky1xLwODuaHIfPNrd_kjO03Q8WEp_TFCddAStv1tWsks1is8amJD1lxAdy8xUqkj-GaXdXnPOJ1KfOBy3PDeqK2bU9KjKQ5jXQ6rug4NpvOjccc/s1600/solar_eclipse_stamp.jpg" width=567 /></a>
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For those of you in the USA or nearby regions - did you get to see the eclipse? It was amazing! I was up in Maine, far from the "path of totality," where we only got a 56% eclipse, but it was still fantastic. My favorite part was how it got cooler, the light got weird, and all the birds and crickets started singing their evening songs. Coooool!
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And even cooler, from a postal perspective, you can still get a special eclipse postmark! Of course I learned about this from the fabulous <a href=http://16sparrows.typepad.com/letterwritersalliance/ target=blank>Letter Writers Alliance</a>. I haven't gotten one myself yet but I'm going to send off for one of these babies ASAP. Here are the details, via the LWA:
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<h2><a href=http://16sparrows.typepad.com/letterwritersalliance/2017/08/total-eclipse-postmarks.html target=blank>Total Eclipse Postmarks</a></h2>
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Don't wait too long, though, it's only good for a few more weeks.
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-17187274990125789912017-07-31T11:28:00.002-04:002017-07-31T11:28:16.951-04:00Garden news, or, How is July almost over?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/35895362080/in/dateposted-public/" title="2017-07-23 08.07.30"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4321/35895362080_caa3e6b972_z.jpg" width="567" alt="2017-07-23 08.07.30"></a>
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The summer is flying by! I have definitely been writing lots of mail, but admittedly I have been spending more time in my garden. I can only garden in the summer, so I try to live it up and maximize my outdoor gardening time during every available moment.
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/35483535213/in/dateposted-public/" title="2017-07-29 18.24.50-2"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4321/35483535213_fe956c6d15_z.jpg" width="567" alt="2017-07-29 18.24.50-2"></a>
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The weather has been truly gorgeous, and I have had many available moments to have my hands in the dirt! Since I haven't posted in a while (again), I wanted to share with you photos of where and how I've been spending most of my time.
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/35483541293/in/dateposted-public/" title="2017-07-29 12.49.08"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4294/35483541293_bbf0929661_z.jpg" width="567" alt="2017-07-29 12.49.08"></a>
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I am a sucker for color, and I'm all about the flowers! (Alex does the veggies, and I do the flowers. Though he does a few flowers here and there, and I do no veggies. But we have a nice little team thing going.)
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I've also been posting to <a href=https://www.instagram.com/missivemaven/>instagram</a> a lot lately, so if you want to have a look at my photos there, <a href=https://www.instagram.com/missivemaven/ target=blank>have a look at my MissiveMaven instagram pix</a>.
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/35895482420/in/dateposted-public/" title="Outgoing postcards, June 2017"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4303/35895482420_08c224ccb0_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Outgoing postcards, June 2017"></a>
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I've been writing a lot more mail but not photographing much of it, but here's a nice picture I arranged earlier in the summer.
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How is your summer going? Are you having a good mail summer?
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-6730804023374172892017-07-11T09:27:00.000-04:002017-07-11T09:28:58.887-04:00Fine Finnish stamps: Miau mail! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BWP1nb-F0IX/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Gorgeous stamps from #Finland on a recent #postcrossing #postcard #Suomi #swan #reindeer #cat #received #showandmail #snailmail #gold #metallicgold #foreignpostage #postagestamp @postcrossinghq</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Missive Maven (ilona) (@missivemaven) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-07-07T13:44:02+00:00">Jul 7, 2017 at 6:44am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>
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I received a <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> postcard recently with these fine stamps - I had to take a video of the swan stamp to show off the metallic gold. It also included the adorable "miau mail" priority sticker, and a marvelous reindeer stamp, too.
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<a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/static2.postcrossing.com/postcard/medium/22cc39538701220f47353f41d72c4b6c.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/static2.postcrossing.com/postcard/medium/22cc39538701220f47353f41d72c4b6c.jpg" width="447" height="640" data-original-width="349" data-original-height="500" /></a>
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Here's the front of the postcard, a lovely image of a Siberian cat. Thank you, Tiina, for this wonderful Postcrossing treat!
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-13480955219366899922017-07-10T11:53:00.001-04:002017-07-10T15:24:21.702-04:00Response from Postcard United<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A few days ago I wrote <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/07/postcard-united-postcrossing-imitator.html target=blank>a blog post about Postcrossing United</a>, with some observations about its similarity to <A href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> and a request for information from anyone who had tried it.
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While I haven't heard directly from any of the users of the site, I did get a response from <a href=https://www.postcardunited.com/ target=blank>Postcard United</a> that I would like to share here for anyone who, like me, is curious about the site and wants more information.
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On June 24, I signed up for the site out of curiosity, and on that day I used their contact form to ask the following question:
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<blockquote>"Hi there,<br>
I am an active Postcrosser and just saw this website mentioned in someone's profile there. I am very curious and did not see this in the FAQ - how is this different from Postcrossing? (Postcrossing.com) And what country is this project based in? Thank you! Ilona / Missive Maven"</blockquote>
On July 6, I <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/07/postcard-united-postcrossing-imitator.html target=blank>wrote my original blog post about it</a>.
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Last night (July 9), I received the following response to my June 24 Postcard United contact form inquiry:
<blockquote>"Dear Ilona,
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Thank you for contacting us, it seems that you have joined the bandwagon of people who seems to have hatred for us,
the reason we are saying so it seems to a lot of people that there's nothing good about PostcardUnited.com you mentioned that the blog is not updated, and we have issues with English maybe you can help us, by pointing out those to us for us to fix.
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also you should advise your reader from the UK not to generate fake accounts at your website.
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when PostcardUnited.com was created it was created with love and to united people trough Postcard Exchange, and even the website that you love so much is guilty of interfering with PostcardUnited.Com
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Thank You<br>
Admin (3)"</blockquote>
The email came as a no-reply address so I am not able to respond to the email. I certainly didn't intend to sow any "hatred" and was merely curious about the website, so it saddens me that the creators took my search for additional information in a negative light. My two original questions - how is this different from Postcrossing, and in what country is the website based - remain unanswered.
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I share this information as an update for any of my blog readers who, like me, are curious.
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-5535262423948368612017-07-06T11:28:00.000-04:002017-07-10T11:59:54.031-04:00Postcard United - a Postcrossing imitator?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwOoD_nL8ZWcESFqCtW_5ySWgYp79m3_LFYXPE1DbiUt-CzZsLOWRWsTKJvDqhDKxWbIyQADh8yFCHrR3i-lIM9hkXG3uv0T9p1r9y3kawh1QPX3Hruk63ayBSv_0qODhE78zEzZnuRG6/s1600/PostcardUnited.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwOoD_nL8ZWcESFqCtW_5ySWgYp79m3_LFYXPE1DbiUt-CzZsLOWRWsTKJvDqhDKxWbIyQADh8yFCHrR3i-lIM9hkXG3uv0T9p1r9y3kawh1QPX3Hruk63ayBSv_0qODhE78zEzZnuRG6/s640/PostcardUnited.JPG" width="567"/></a>
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From the profile of another user on <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a>, I came across a new(ish - or just new to me perhaps) postcard exchange website called <a href=https://www.postcardunited.com/ target=blank><b>Postcard United</b></a>. Is anyone else familiar with it? It seems to be an absolute <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> imitator, with very little difference in the two sites. There's nothing wrong with that, and sometimes imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and all that, but it just makes me really curious. I signed up for it but haven't sent any postcards through <a href=https://www.postcardunited.com/ target=blank>Postcard United</a>, since I am very devoted to (and very happy with) <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a>. But for anyone who has tried it, I'm very curious about the differences.
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For example, I cannot find in what country it's based. The site is written in English but there are a number of phrases that make it appear that the creators are not regular English speakers (or perhaps not used to writing in English). Again, nothing wrong with that - we English speakers are very privileged and we need to get off our high horses regarding our native language and how lucky we are that it is so commonly spoken throughout the world - but it makes me realize I do appreciate the transparency with which the <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> founders communicate their history and their whereabouts, and their use of the (optional) support funds.
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They never mention <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> on the <a href=https://www.postcardunited.com/ target=blank>Postcard United</a> website, but in a handy differentiation, the latter uses 3-letter country codes as opposed to <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a>'s 2-letter country codes, so users of both sites should be able to differentiate immediately from which website the received postcard originated.
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Like <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a>, <a href=https://www.postcardunited.com/ target=blank>Postcard United</a> is free, and uses a similar setup with profiles (though unlike Postcrossing, you cannot view a user profile or get much information on the site <i>without</i> signing up for it), and of course I have no idea how the coding and algorithms work behind the scenes. But if you've already tried it, I'd love to hear more, and if you're itching to send postcards (and maybe you're new to <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> and have reached your send limit there), here's a new experiment for you.
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Also, <a href=https://www.postcardunited.com/ target=blank>Postcard United</a> does not seem to have a Twitter presence (on their site they have a Twitter icon, but it just takes you to <a href=https://twitter.com/ target=blank>Twitter.com</a>), so I can't do any sleuthing there. I did find a profile for <a href=https://twitter.com/PostcardUnited target=blank>@PostcardUnited</a>, but it hasn't ever tweeted. Hmm.... They do have a <a href=https://www.facebook.com/PostcardUnited target=blank>Facebook page</a> but it isn't very active, and the blog on their own site isn't terribly updated either (ooooh... that's like the pot calling the kettle, right folks? I've not terribly active on this blog lately, either, but I'm not set up as a postcard-sending website).
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So! If you have any thoughts or opinions to share, please do!
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<b>UPDATE on July 10: <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/07/response-from-postcard-united.html target=blank>I received a response from Postcard United, see the new blog post for more info</a></b>
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In other news, I've been meaning to post a happy summer update... I've been in my garden a lot, and writing many postcards and a few letters, and I have some lovely photos to share - coming soon!
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-15697329502840352492017-06-06T11:45:00.002-04:002017-06-06T11:45:56.453-04:00Here is my music for you<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/35098267296/in/dateposted-public/" title="06 God Bless The Child"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4280/35098267296_013fe0e82d_z.jpg" width="567" alt="06 God Bless The Child"></a>
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I have mentioned a number of times that <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/search/label/grad%20school target=blank>grad school</a> has kept me from my letter-writing habits... and at last, I am finished with grad school. I am looking forward to a return to letter-writing, especially over my summer vacation - more on that later! - but now I would like to take a moment to share with you an accomplishment of which I'm very proud. Did you know that I'm a professional musician and voice teacher?
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On 23 April 2017, I gave a <a href=http://www.ilonatipp.com/solo-concert-2017/ target=blank>recital</a> for the completion of my Master of Music degree at <a href=http://necmusic.edu/ target=blank>New England Conservatory of Music</a>. I prepared for this recital for over two years, and it was a very big accomplishment for me, in large part because it marked my debut as a songwriter. I sang 14 songs, 5 of which were my own original songs, and accompanied myself on piano on 4 of them. (For the others, I either sang a cappella or had other fine musicians collaborate on piano.) You can see all the videos on my recital page on my professional website: <a href=http://www.ilonatipp.com/solo-concert-2017/ target=blank>http://www.ilonatipp.com/solo-concert-2017</a>. Of, if you'd like to see the songs in the order in which I programmed and performed them, you can see the <a href=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy28ZtC20px1z5OmtPzz3yjbZpiKYyN16 target=blank>the YouTube playlist</a>.
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I'll share with you here one particularly letter-related song I wrote:<br><br>
<iframe width="567" height="319" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i1cKTLVXfOk?list=PLy28ZtC20px1z5OmtPzz3yjbZpiKYyN16" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br><b>© Copyright Ilona Tipp 2017, All Rights Reserved</b>
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This song, "Best of the Real," had its genesis in me staring at a pile of letters to which I needed to respond, and gave birth to the opening song lyric, "all the letters left unwritten..."
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I hope you enjoy my music. You can peruse more of it on my musician website at <a href=http://www.ilonatipp.com/ target=blank>ilonatipp.com</a>. I'm not yet sure <a href=https://youtu.be/z7jqTtdcOYA?list=PLy28ZtC20px1z5OmtPzz3yjbZpiKYyN16 target=blank>Where I May Go</a> next professionally, but I'll be sure to keep you posted. I would love to hear your feedback on my music if you'd like to share!
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And on the letter-writing front, tomorrow we move up to <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/search/label/Maine target=blank>Maine</a> for the summer, and I always joyfully return to much happy mail-making over summer vacation.
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<i>All information, music, lyrics, sound recordings, content, and linked content connected to a third party storage website on this web page is owned by Ilona Tipp. Any attempt or claim of ownership by any other party other than Ilona Tipp is illegal by all copyright laws, and can be pursued with legal action. By downloading content from this web page, the party doing so completely understands the restrictions of privacy outlined above (if applicable) and that all content is the intellectual property of and owned by Ilona Tipp. © Copyright Ilona Tipp 2017, All Rights Reserved</i>
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-10395170103850560372017-05-16T11:57:00.002-04:002017-05-16T12:57:50.316-04:00UPDATE: Etsy changed deadline, my shop open until May 31<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<B>BREAKING NEWS: Etsy pushback has worked.</b> Enough sellers have shown anger and planned to leave over the new Etsy forced payment system that Etsy has pushed back the deadline. My sincere apologies for the <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/05/today-is-last-day-for-my-etsy-store.html target=blank>dire "my shop is closing today" warnings</a>, because I only learned five minutes ago that they have moved the deadline from May 17 to May 31.
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If you want the backstory on all this, please see <A href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/05/etsy-shop-closing-on-may-17-possibly.html target=blank>my post about why Etsy's changes are forcing my shop to close</a>. This has all been very sudden, and my very cynical mind is that Etsy is seeing the bump in sales over sellers who are doing "shop-closing" sales just like I am, and has decided that two more weeks of delaying the forced changes will get more money for them. And they're right. And perhaps they are weighing the words of so many people, who just like me have said they will quit spending their money at Etsy over these changes. I can't speak for others, but any small profits I make from my shop (and after the materials, shipping, time, etc, the profits are tiny indeed) go right back into other purchases at Etsy. If you don't want to read <A href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/05/etsy-shop-closing-on-may-17-possibly.html target=blank>my post about why Etsy's changes are forcing my shop to close</a>, let me just say that much of the issue hinges on use of PayPal, and word on the street is that Etsy may be planning to phase out PayPal altogether - for buyers as well as sellers. So from me, they'll lose their profits from my listings and sales, AND the profits from my purchases based on those sales. Sigh. I'll get off my soapbox now, but if anyone has questions or comments, please let me know. I'm happy, and even eager, to have a dialog on this.
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<b>So, this means my shop will stay open for two more weeks.</b> I will continue to work hard to get the word out. To those of you who have already placed orders thinking they're the last, I cannot thank you enough for your support (and hey, if your items arrive and you love them and decide to order more, there's still time).
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-63934674898974087482017-05-16T08:13:00.001-04:002017-05-16T12:03:34.657-04:00Today is the LAST DAY for my Etsy store!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/7051772937/" title="Postman sticker by Missive Maven, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7080/7051772937_2c5bfea93e.jpg" width="567" alt="Postman sticker"></a>
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<h1>UPDATE: I learned at 11:45am on May 16 that <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/05/update-etsy-buying-time-my-shop-open.html target=blank>Etsy has pushed back the deadline</a> so my shop stays open until May 31. <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/05/update-etsy-buying-time-my-shop-open.html target=blank><b>Learn more here</a></b></h1>
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Today is the very last day to buy anything from <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven target=blank> my etsy shop, Missive Maven on etsy</a>. After today, it closes forever. It is a long and complicated story involving policy changes at etsy that relate to payment, which affect the buyer somewhat and the seller dramatically. You can <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/05/etsy-shop-closing-on-may-17-possibly.html target=blank>read the whole story in my prior post</a> if you're interested.
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/7520931542/" title="Letterbird by Missive Maven, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7115/7520931542_ed552f6f50.jpg" width="567" alt="Letterbird"></a>
<a href=https://www.etsy.com/listing/103766861/letterbird-postcard-set-pack-of-5 target=blank><b>Letterbird postcard set</b></a>
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The quantities of <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven?section_id=11270106 target=blank>stickers</a> are somewhat limited and what is listed on the site is what is accurate. When they're gone, they're gone. There are more <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven?section_id=7828463 target=blank>cards and postcards</a> available, but that point is moot since the shop closes at the end of the day today, so buy now if you want anything! (I do not know exactly what time the shop will close. That is up to etsy.)
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/7447633864/" title="IMG_0217crop3 by Missive Maven, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7447633864_96ef2747c2.jpg" width="567" alt="IMG_0217crop3"></a>
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I'm very sad and upset about this, but there's nothing I can do except exit as gracefully and gratefully as I can. I may look to re-open another online store elsewhere next fall (suggestions and opinions are welcome!), but nothing will be sold online before then... and I may decide not to reopen. I thank you for your great support of my shop over the years, and to everyone who's bought more items in the last few days and shown a lot of love. It's been a lovely time.
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<h1><a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven target=blank>Last chance to buy Missive Maven etsy goods!!</a></h1>
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-9462909227576960782017-05-11T17:42:00.001-04:002017-05-16T12:21:31.891-04:00Etsy shop closing on May 17, possibly forever!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/7520930686/" title="As long as there are postmen, life will have zest"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7140/7520930686_20d99ea82f_z.jpg" width=567 alt="As long as there are postmen, life will have zest"></a>
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<h1>UPDATE: I learned at 11:45am on May 16 that <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/05/update-etsy-buying-time-my-shop-open.html target=blank>Etsy has pushed back the deadline</a> so my shop stays open until May 31. <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2017/05/update-etsy-buying-time-my-shop-open.html target=blank><b>Learn more here</a></b></h1>
<hr><br>
I have sad news. My <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven target=blank>etsy shop, Missive Maven on etsy</a>, will be closing on May 17 - indefinitely. Possibly forever.
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<h2><a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven target=blank>Last chance to buy Missive Maven etsy goods!!</a></h2>
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The short info: if you want any items from my shop - like my very popular <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissiveMaven?section_id=7828463 target=blank>mail-themed postcards</a> or <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven?section_id=11270106 target=blank>stickers</a>, <b>BUY THEM NOW</b>. You may not have another chance after May 17. (It's also unclear to me whether the final ending will be May 17 or May 18, so the sooner the better, if you want to be careful.)
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The longer story: for a huge host of business reasons, etsy is now requiring all its sellers to use their own "checkout" and payment system instead of PayPal. You can still use PayPal (though they are phasing it out) but sellers must opt in to using the Etsy payment system, which requires linking a bank account and sharing all kinds of personal information like forms of ID with etsy - things I wouldn't share with most people. I do not run my business as my living, it's very much a hobby shop, so I guess I can afford to stand on principles here... but it leaves a very bad taste in my mouth that etsy will effectively close down shops that do not comply with their new payment system (which has a whole host of other glitches, including witholding money from sellers, that I won't even get into).
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I am researching other online selling venues including Amazon marketplace, Zibbet, and more - I would love your feedback! Do you have any suggestions for a great online marketplace? (I would prefer a marketplace that has its own traffic, like etsy or Amazon, to a standalone checkout system, but I am open.) Do you have strong feelings about any of this? I want to know!
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It is possible that etsy is getting enough pushback on this issue - many, many sellers say they're leaving and taking their wares elsewhere - that they will change their minds. So I'm not saying I'm closing "forever," but that is certainly a possibility. The timing is good for me as I'm about to move to Maine for the summer, and this takes away my decision of whether or not to move my etsy stock with me: I won't. I may or may not reopen elsewhere, but if I do, it likely won't be until the fall. And I may not reopen at all... this may be the end of <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/search/label/etsy%20shop target=blank>all the things I sell in my shop</a>, Missive Maven original goods as well as vintage items. (That's another thing: I need a sales platform that allows selling of both new and vintage goods.)
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/7520931300/" title="Unanswered correspondence: Do it now! by Missive Maven, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7279/7520931300_604940a3ed_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Unanswered correspondence: Do it now!"></a>
<a href=https://www.etsy.com/listing/103770157/unanswered-correspondence-do-it-now target=blank><b>Unanswered correspondence: Do it Now! postcard</b></a>
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So again, the big takeaway: if you want something, buy it now before it may be gone forever!
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<h1><a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven target=blank>Last chance to buy Missive Maven etsy goods!!</a></h1>
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-59530908452613468632017-01-24T11:11:00.000-05:002017-01-24T11:11:17.817-05:00Video of cats and mail<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe width="567" height="319" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SM82u69lF5c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Not a lot of substance in this post, folks, but I present to you a video of cats getting, playing with, or attacking the mail.
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-41674458266233605842017-01-02T16:13:00.000-05:002017-01-02T16:13:34.107-05:00Happy New Year! I'm still here!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello dear blog readers,<br>
I'm sorry to have been so absent from this blog. I've been busy with grad school, to the point of where it's overtaken all my time for hobbies like letters and postcards. (I haven't even sent a <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> postcard in months!) I'd like to say I'll be better about it now, but realistically... until I get through my graduation in May, I'll probably lay low. But I'm still out here, writing mail when I can, and dreaming about the day when I can return to mail (and my garden!) in the future. Rest assured I am loving my grad program, and if you're curious about what I've been up to professionally, please check out my music website at <a href=http://www.ilonatipp.com/ target=blank>ilonatipp.com</a>.
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Happy New Year, and Happy Mailing!
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-10166004945722781482016-09-29T13:36:00.002-04:002016-09-29T13:36:50.226-04:00Lovely mention on Anchored Scraps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I recently got an <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven target=blank>etsy order</a> from Helen, who blogs about at <A href=http://www.anchoredscraps.com/ target=blank>AnchoredScraps.com</a>. Here's her angle:
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<blockquote> "Through her website and blog, Helen is looking to connect with kindred storytellers who are likewise looking for insights on how to balance our 21st Century technological lifestyles with the joy of traditional communication methods."</blockquote>
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Sounds pretty great to me! Helen was pleased enough with her recent order from me to write a lovely, photo-rich blog post about <a href=http://www.anchoredscraps.com/2016/09/missive-maven-original-mail-themed-stationery/ target=blank>Missive Maven original mail-themed stationery</a>. Thanks, Helen! Go check out <a href=http://www.anchoredscraps.com/category/blog-post/ target=blank>Anchored Scraps</a>: it's full of great mail- and writing-related goodness.
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-44246005003058010122016-08-22T13:32:00.003-04:002016-08-22T13:35:30.047-04:00Postcards from Taiwan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/28538007114/in/dateposted-public/" title="Postcards from Taiwan"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8355/28538007114_77e4cb5c3b_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Postcards from Taiwan"></a>
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I just got back from a trip to Taiwan! Of course the first thing I bought there was a big pile of postcards. These are cards in the <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/blog/2012/10/15/gotochi-cards target=blank>Gotochi style</a>, though they are from Taiwan and not Japan. They're thick and with unusual shapes all featuring local attractions or culture, done in a cartoon illustration style. I sent one to myself from Taipei on August 16, and it was waiting for me when I got my mail today! Hats off to you, Taiwan postal service. Also, holy cheap, Batman! Just about everything in Taiwan was reasonably priced or even inexpensive, coming from the USA, and the postage for this international postcard cost 11 NTD (New Taiwan Dollars). Guess how much that is in USD? As of this posting, 35 cents! Wow. I was able to send off a few postcards from Taipei, but it was mostly a work trip and I was busy most of the time, so I didn't get a whole lot of mail written or sent there. Also, mailboxes were a little hard to find in my area, so I carried a few postcards around for a number of days until I could finally mail them on Friday.
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This Taiwan trip took up a lot of my mental energy this summer, preparing and planning for the trip (work trip - I did some guest teaching and gave a concert, so it was a lot more than just travel adventure!), and I guess I can offer that as an excuse for being so absent from this blog. We also spent the first couple months of the summer at our <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/search/label/Maine target=blank>new house in Maine</a>, which was idyllic but also busy. I did spend a lot of time actually *writing* mail instead of blogging about it, but we also did a lot of work on the house and I spent a ton of time in the gardens.
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/29082325251/in/dateposted-public/" title="Garden in the mountains"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8020/29082325251_5408ffe492_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Garden in the mountains"></a>
<br><br>YES! I have gardens again! I'm super excited about that, though it's challenging to be away from them for weeks or months at a time. The summer days flew by, as I spent hours in the garden with my hands in the dirt.
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So right now I'm in a bit of location limbo... a week in Maine, a few days in NH, a week in Taiwan, a few days in NH, nearly a week in Maine, a few days in NH, a weekend in Maine... you get the picture. (Because I'm so back-and-forth, <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven target=blank>my etsy store</a> will remain closed for a couple more weeks.) And then summer is over and I'm back to school crazy-ness. I've had all kinds of postal adventures in addition to travel adventures, and I'll try to catch up and get them blogged as best I can, but in the meantime... I hope everyone is having a fantastic, mail-filled summer!
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-42538623144406506162016-06-14T09:36:00.000-04:002016-06-14T09:36:28.454-04:00Good mail place<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/27667267835/in/dateposted-public/" title="Mountain Postcrossing view"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7627/27667267835_b5f76758b4_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Mountain Postcrossing view"></a>
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I'm settling into summer mode, and getting back into the mail groove! I don't have an actual writing desk here, but I brought a stash of stationery, stamps, and postcards, and I did a lot of <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> cards at this table recently. I think this is going to be my prime mail location ... except I keep getting distracted by the view! This Midwestern gal has become entranced by mountain-watching.
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Yesterday I walked the 2 miles (and back) to our new PO Box to get the mail. It was a lovely walk, and it's nice to slow life down so that I can take the time to do this. You notice so much more on foot than you do in a car, and you get a much more intimate feel for the neighborhood. Sometime soon I'll have to take some photos of this sweet little post office.
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The cats are settling in nicely to our new place as well, and Oberon also enjoys the light:
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/27388826130/in/dateposted-public/" title="Evening garden with Oberon"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7468/27388826130_fca40cd981_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Evening garden with Oberon"></a>
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And in other news, <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven target=blank>Missive Maven on Etsy</a> has reopened, selling just <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/missivemaven?section_id=7828463 target=blank>postcards</a> for the summer.
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Happy Summer Mail Days!
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The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-10612324768334067402016-06-04T10:08:00.000-04:002016-06-04T10:08:25.603-04:00Summer vacation: off to Maine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/27356131832/in/dateposted-public/" title="Maine mountain sunset"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7046/27356131832_a004af6be3_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Maine mountain sunset"></a>
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Here's the news I've been hinting at, and why <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2016/06/summer-update-for-etsy-store-postcards.html target=blank>I'm only selling postcards in my etsy shop for a while</a>: we're heading up to Maine for the summer.
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It's a quiet setting on a lake in Western Maine, near the White Mountains. (We can see them from the house, as shown in the photo!) I hope to have a lot of quiet, time, and space for practicing and mail-writing, bird-watching and swimming. It's been a crazy busy year, and I've neglected mail and many other aspects of life in order to give my best effort at grad school... but it's time for a break! We *do* have internet, so I should be able to blog and do <a HREF=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Posctrossing</a> and all my other favorite internet-based mail activities... but one of the things to which I'm looking most forward is writing letters while gazing at those mountains, and hearing the birds chirp.
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Our mail will be forwarded, and we have a PO box in town. Speaking of that... we'll be in a very small town, not a populous area... and they know me at the PO already! It's a wonderful little post office and I predict some fun stories will come from my mail adventures there.
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We're in the process of moving up there now (and taking the cats! Big changes for them!), so I may be laying low for a few days, but there are great things on the horizon.
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What about you, blog readers? What do you do in the summertime, and do your mail habits change in the summer?
<br /></div>The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-13130223187052635752016-06-01T09:22:00.002-04:002016-06-01T09:22:41.877-04:00Summer update for etsy store: postcards only<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/7051772937/" title="Postman sticker by Missive Maven, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7080/7051772937_2c5bfea93e.jpg" width="567" alt="Postman sticker"></a>
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Happy June! I know it's not officially summer until the solstice, but June pretty much means summer to me. I've hinted at some changes afoot for summer... I will save the big reveal for a post coming in the next week or so, but for now, note the heads up:
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<h1><b>Over the summer, I will be selling only <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissiveMaven?search_query=postcard target=blank>original postcards</a> in <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissiveMaven?ref=hdr_shop_menu target=blank>my etsy shop</a></b>.</h1>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/6969819825/" title="WWII V-mail stationery by Missive Maven, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7193/6969819825_af45d00797.jpg" alt="WWII V-mail stationery" width="567" /></a>
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If you want anything else - such as <a href=https://www.etsy.com/listing/94952387/v-mail-set-vintage-original-wwii-v-mail?ref=shop_home_feat_2 target=blank>vintage V-mails</a>, <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissiveMaven?section_id=11270106 target=blank>stickers</a>, or <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissiveMaven?section_id=10566614 target=blank>vintage postage</a>, buy it now or wait until late August...
<br><br>I will be removing all options except the <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissiveMaven?search_query=postcard target=blank>original postcards</a> on <b>this Saturday, June 4</b> - so make sure to buy them before then if you want them! Also on June 4, my etsy store will close briefly while we take care of some personal house business and I'll be unable to access my stock. It will reopen by the middle of next week.
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More big news about summer fun coming soon...
<br /></div>The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-70151751232495853762016-05-16T12:45:00.000-04:002016-05-16T12:45:05.249-04:00Feline inspiration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/26934973062/in/dateposted-public/" title="Wise words from a #postcrossing #postcard #cat #motivation #lapcat"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7236/26934973062_f944a3969d_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Wise words from a #postcrossing #postcard #cat #motivation #lapcat"></a>
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Wise words from a recent <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/NL-3363159 target=blank>Postcrossing</a> postcard: Be the person your cat thinks you are.
<br /></div>The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-37233671166126467882016-05-03T13:36:00.000-04:002016-05-03T13:37:04.019-04:00Practice room vs. writing desk<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/26796241435/in/dateposted-public/" title="Practice room combo"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/26796241435_d84eb838a1_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Practice room combo"></a>
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I haven't written any letters in weeks. I haven't even sent any postcards. I've been in a practice room, often times the one pictured above. (No, I don't play the drum, but I wish I did!) It's been great work, lots of fruitful musical progress, but only music-related (and school-related) writing.
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My semester is wrapping up, and I hope to put pen to paper - and new posts to blog! - later in May. I've got some exciting news to share about summer projects...
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</div>The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-88502812687630582032016-04-03T10:16:00.000-04:002016-04-03T10:16:38.520-04:00Of postcards, music, and blog neglect<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/25607409543/in/album-72157663761684771/" title="Cats and mail, recently sent postcards"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1702/25607409543_3185e06c10_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Cats and mail, recently sent postcards"></a>
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Nothing new here: grad school is still taking up most of my time and energy. I love it. I spent 5 hours straight yesterday transcribing Miles Davis and Eric Dolphy solos (and was happy as a clam, despite - or perhaps because of - the extremely challenging nature of the work) for a class assignment. That would have been letter time, but... work first.
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I have been sending a lot of postcards, though, both to friends and pen pals, and via <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a>. My <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2016/02/my-10-year-postcrossing-anniversary-and.html target=blank>10 year anniversary with Postcrossing</a> came and went last month (how is it April already??). I feel like a real old hand now.
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I've got some other big things I'm juggling in my personal life right now, both joyful and very difficult, that are taking up a lot of time and emotional energy. I feel awful that I've neglected my beloved blog, but I thank the longtime readers for hanging in there and understanding. April is gonna be all kinds of crazy. Come mid-May, things will open up in my life again... and I hope for a summer of much letter-writing and blogging.
<br /></div>The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-62416676408008984392016-02-15T11:44:00.000-05:002016-02-15T18:42:39.184-05:00My 10-year Postcrossing Anniversary, and an etsy bargain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/24929137502/in/dateposted-public/" title="DE-4784491"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1622/24929137502_b070c40234_z.jpg" width="567" alt="DE-4784491"></a>
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I write about <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> a lot on this blog. (I recently received the lovely colorful cat illustration postcard shown above, <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/DE-4784491 target=blank>DE-4784491</a>, from Germany.) It's one of my favorite mail pastimes, and I've been <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> far longer than I've had this blog. For a look through the years, you can check out all my posts <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/search/label/postcrossing target=blank>tagged with Postcrossing</a>. There are a ton of them.
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I am really excited for an upcoming milestone: next month (March 2016) I will celebrate 10 years with <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a>. Wow! I wasn't active all the time -- there were definitely a few dormant years in there, and sometimes I send more than others -- but it is really fun to think about how long it's been in my life, and how many thousands of postcards I've exchanged. (As of this post, I've received <s>1599</s>*, sent 1605, and have 16 traveling -- but those numbers are constantly changing!) I have lived in, and sent postcards from, 4 different states throughout my 10 years of <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> participation.
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To celebrate my 10-year anniversary, I'd like to offer a little unofficial discount in <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissiveMaven target=blank>my etsy shop</a>, where I sell, among other things, <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissiveMaven?section_id=7828463&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1 target=blank>original designs of mail-themed postcards</a>. If you order postcards in my shop, mention "Postcrossing" in the notes to seller section when you place your order, and I'll throw in an extra postcard . That's 6 postcards instead of 5, and I will do that for every postcard pack ordered (up to 5 postcard packs / extra postcards total). This offer is good from now through March 31, 2016.
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Happy mailing, and happy <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a>!
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*Update: a few hours after I originally wrote this post, I received <a href=https://www.postcrossing.com/ target=blank>Postcrossing</a> postcard #1600. Woo-hoo!
<br /></div>The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-26786889742480102312016-02-08T11:09:00.002-05:002016-02-08T11:09:58.940-05:002016: a year of great (space) stamps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-EvvJg21gX4E6Q19hf4zdISVQDf2AIWkNtd21v6pgA1K3Ro2BpRXMKEXjaU2yjILfhJSUYB335XAyVEdE9QmHb2fMTFsW7pM0eBf4z_u1wo1SeABFdH2JCb5vjLcBQEiHNpdeCY_cNKo/s1600/views-of-our-planets.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" width=567 src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-EvvJg21gX4E6Q19hf4zdISVQDf2AIWkNtd21v6pgA1K3Ro2BpRXMKEXjaU2yjILfhJSUYB335XAyVEdE9QmHb2fMTFsW7pM0eBf4z_u1wo1SeABFdH2JCb5vjLcBQEiHNpdeCY_cNKo/s400/views-of-our-planets.jpg" /></a>
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I am extremely excited for the <a href=https://www.usps.com/ target=blank>U.S. Postal Service</a> stamp releases this year. There are some great stamps coming! Space and planets are a major theme, and there are three planetary releases: Views of our Planets, Pluto--Explored!, and The Moon global forever stamp. <a href=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-123015a-pluto-planets-2016-stamps.html target=blank>This article</a> has more info about all three issues. I think the "Views of our Planets" stamps look particularly gorgeous and I can't wait to get my hands on them. Word on the street is that these will be released at the World Stamp Show in NYC somewhere between late May and early June.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1d3_y3i69ZoKHc4cdzmUFX79x8OQ6QpvzAr0m4-VhmvP8jBMBRIUFPWgVW7qJflWDEeCNZQYkUsIn5NCyBE1EKi-XPCe3kHGoBh84uUBtOx8qEKYEP01Sqwf7Jlspmbj2UZ4r5xSNvnok/s1600/star-trek-postage-stamps-2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" width=567 src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1d3_y3i69ZoKHc4cdzmUFX79x8OQ6QpvzAr0m4-VhmvP8jBMBRIUFPWgVW7qJflWDEeCNZQYkUsIn5NCyBE1EKi-XPCe3kHGoBh84uUBtOx8qEKYEP01Sqwf7Jlspmbj2UZ4r5xSNvnok/s1600/star-trek-postage-stamps-2016.jpg" /></a>
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Continuing the "space" theme, shown above are the stamps that so many of us are really geeking out about: <a href=http://www.space.com/31521-star-trek-postal-stamps-50th-anniversary.html target=blank>Star Trek stamps</a>! These stamps commemorate the 50th anniversary of the iconic TV show's premiere, and though I don't know the exact release date, it looks to be somewhere in the second half of the year. I'll have to get my eyes on them in person before I pass judgment, but I admit I have reservations about the design. What's with the grainy look? Oh well. I shouldn't quibble about Star Trek stamps, because it is a very fabulous idea.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKItbTdXhkhIaGO8j0MafJGVwtWvIKpVPawqG6k81V5N0ugzMxxNanrl61Xjq7BR7WmC2XET_ZK2AEMDGriCovT3Tj1o2Fh1VLgjXRRJNyOKSNiiWQsfjoC2t97qFpWYxAdbvtgzODb3N/s1600/vaughnpanefront.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" width=567 src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKItbTdXhkhIaGO8j0MafJGVwtWvIKpVPawqG6k81V5N0ugzMxxNanrl61Xjq7BR7WmC2XET_ZK2AEMDGriCovT3Tj1o2Fh1VLgjXRRJNyOKSNiiWQsfjoC2t97qFpWYxAdbvtgzODb3N/s1600/vaughnpanefront.png" /></a>
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I'm also a big fan of all the stamp releases that feature musicians... but I'm over the moon (ha! Space pun!) about the upcoming <a href=http://jazztimes.com/articles/166825-sarah-vaughan-to-appear-on-u-s-postage-stamp-in-2016 target=blank>Sarah Vaughan</a> stamps. Jazz singers are always close to my heart - I sing a lot of jazz myself, and there's so much to learn from any singer's individual style - but "Sassy" is in a class by herself.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS7z454qoc6P_PKsBlyripxo_hqChrCAqxQek0yETC1sLBgzGl0aySceNrAFv41JYv9uaT0o9TL7vD_Sxj5dgTZAZ-gek8fPk-QKiLT7mZxxzQ4Fd6P2Z18DePbK0ymyY4qRUCX_AYjsi/s1600/united-states-sarah-vaughan-stamp-jazz-pop-singer-2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" width=567 src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS7z454qoc6P_PKsBlyripxo_hqChrCAqxQek0yETC1sLBgzGl0aySceNrAFv41JYv9uaT0o9TL7vD_Sxj5dgTZAZ-gek8fPk-QKiLT7mZxxzQ4Fd6P2Z18DePbK0ymyY4qRUCX_AYjsi/s1600/united-states-sarah-vaughan-stamp-jazz-pop-singer-2016.jpg" /></a>
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Sarah Vaughan is not only one of my favorite jazz singers, but she's the one who made me first fall in love with jazz vocals back when I was in high school (and, at the time, singing only classical music). Her style, technique, and artistry are unparalleled, and I can't wait to buy up a TON of these gorgeous stamps to use on my letters. They'll be released on Mach 29, so we don't have <i>too</i> much longer to wait. Design thoughts: again, I'll wait to hold the inked paper in my hands, but this design idea gets a thumbs up from me. I think the artwork is lovely, and I appreciate the decision to use an illustration (a painting?) instead of a photograph. This really captures the mood of her style and her immersion in the music. I love that her eyes are closed, though I know not everyone will agree on that point.
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There are more great stamps than I could even share here, and <b>I highly recommend a look at the <a href=https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2015/pr15_069.htm target=blank>2016 stamp release preview</a></b> to see them all... but I'll just mention that the Pets and Jack-O-Lanterns also look very promising.
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And I haven't forgotten about my promise to do a blog post about my new stamp organization system, which is working quite well so far. I have an unexpected snow day today (blizzard in Boston! the first flakes just started falling here in NH at about 11am) so maybe I'll manage some photos and some work on that. But for now, enjoy the stamp preview!
<br /></div>The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-34513903461838913882016-01-24T17:10:00.000-05:002016-01-24T17:10:00.924-05:002016 sticker organization system<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/23956426684/in/dateposted-public/" title="Large sticker books"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1563/23956426684_8e46d1828f_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Large sticker books"></a>
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In my previous post about my <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2016/01/new-study-and-writing-desk-setup.html target=blank>newly organized writing desk and study</a>, I mentioned I had a new organization system for stickers and stamps, and that I was considering separate blog posts about said organizational systems. Blog readers were so enthusiastic about that prospect that I must deliver! So here's a look at my new organization system for stickers.
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A little background: I have a lot of stickers. You will see that in this post. I use them almost exclusively for mail and mail art, decorating envelopes, letters, postcards, etc. Previously they were fairly loose and unorganized, floating through desk drawers and scattered on my desk in piles and mis-matched envelopes... they were a mess. I could never find anything. I would say, "hey, this person loves owls, I know I have some adorable tiny owl stickers <i>somewhere</i>," and then I would root through desk drawers searching for them. It was a waste of time. I always meant to organize my stickers, but it was a pretty huge project. As I was setting up my writing desk, I had both energy and inspiration, and decided to do it. I should have taken photos of all the piles of my stickers as they were spread out across the entire study floor, but I didn't. Oh well.
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So, my current system involves the following components, all of which I will show and explain:
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<li>Large sticker books
<li>Small sticker books / boxes of stickers
<li>Loose stickers sorted by theme in pocket dividers in a 3-ring binder
<li>Loose stickers sorted by theme in drawers
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Above we have the large sticker books, all together at last. They are all the same size, mostly but not exclusively from Dover. I am particularly fond of the <a href=http://www.amazon.com/Edward-Gorey/dp/0764963430/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453654518&sr=8-1&keywords=edward+gorey+stickers target=blank>Edward Gorey</a> and <a href=http://www.amazon.com/Kliban-Cat-Stickers-Sticker-Book/dp/0764963457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453654495&sr=8-1&keywords=kliban+cat+sticker+book target=blank>Kliban cat</a> sticker books. These live on top of my stationery shelves, normally tucked in next to my mail organizer. (If you want to see the whole setup in contect, see my previous post about my <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2016/01/new-study-and-writing-desk-setup.html target=blank>newly organized writing desk and study</a>.)
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/24502292491/in/dateposted-public/" title="Small sticker books and label boxes"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1711/24502292491_d366330b5f_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Small sticker books and label boxes"></a>
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Small sticker books and sticker boxes, which fortunately are all about the same size, are stacked in a pile on top of the stationery shelves, right next to my writing desk. This seems haphazard and isn't completely ideal, but I have in my head a fairly accurate idea of which stickers live there. The small books are almost all Dover, and include essentials like the <a href=http://www.amazon.com/Glitter-Old-Time-Kittens-Stickers-Dover/dp/0486449270/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453672184&sr=8-1&keywords=glitter+cat+stickers+dover target=blank>Glitter old-time cats and kittens stickers</a> (kitty kitsch!) and the <a href=http://www.amazon.com/Cavallini-Decorative-Stickers-Avion-Assorted/dp/1574897683/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1453672172&sr=8-3&keywords=air+mail+stickers target=blank>Cavallini Par Avion Tin</a>. There are also a couple of random notebooks and journals in there. Ooops. Nothing's perfect, folks!
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/23957770313/in/dateposted-public/" title="Sticker binder: fauna and mythical creatures"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1662/23957770313_28d5c63da9_c.jpg" width="567" alt="Sticker binder: fauna and mythical creatures"></a>
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And now, the meat of the matter: loose stickers. These were the biggest nightmare. I do not assert that my system is ideal, and I created it on the fly with materials on hand: a 3-ring binder and a few extra <a href=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038EWGHA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage target=blank>plastic 3-pocket postcard holders</a>. Each pocket has a theme, and here we have fauna (glitter and non-glitter) and fantasy/mythical creatures (hello, unicorns!). You can see through to some of the pages behind it. I will spare you each and every one of the sections, but others include glitter/sparkle stars and rainbows, bats/Halloween, flora, objects, etc. This system clearly still has flaws, a major one being that it's very easy for stickers to fall out the top, so I'm careful when I'm handle it. A minor flaw is that I still have to pull them out of the sections to find something, but it is less of a hassle than rooting through entire drawers as it used to be.
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/24584572375/in/dateposted-public/" title="Sticker drawer: cats"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1458/24584572375_e953e9ec5e_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Sticker drawer: cats"></a>
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The drawers still contain loose stickers, but each drawer has its own exclusive theme: the largest themes of the lot. This drawer holds exclusively CAT STICKERS. Ha. 'Nuff said.
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/24502294551/in/dateposted-public/" title="Sticker drawer: mail / writing, snowflakes"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1628/24502294551_409b243069_c.jpg" width="567" alt="Sticker drawer: mail / writing, snowflakes"></a>
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The other drawer has one main theme with a smaller unrelated subset. The main theme is mail / meta / writing (air mail labels, mail-themed stickers, stamp-themed stickers, stickers of pens, etc) and the minor theme is snowflakes, because I tend to use a lot of snowflake stickers, and I like them close at hand.
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So there you have it. My system is highly idiosyncratic and tailored to my own tastes and collections, but so far it is working extremely well for me. I'm curious to see how this system holds up over time; I am sure I will develop some complaints, but it's better than a mess of unorganized stickers!
<br /></div>The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-62862904992928021492016-01-18T12:27:00.003-05:002016-01-18T12:27:51.995-05:00New study and writing desk setup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/24094868049/in/dateposted-public/" title="Oberon explores the stationery shelves"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1556/24094868049_b8614fa61d_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Oberon explores the stationery shelves"></a>
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We moved five months ago, and it has taken me this long (remember how <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2015/10/i-was-worried-this-would-happen.html target=blank>grad school ate my life</a>?) to get my writing desk and workspace set up in my new study. Oberon and Stella were gracious enough (or curious enough) to help me with this little photo shoot, and above you can see Oberon sniffing around near that one empty shelf cubby on my paper and stationery shelves. (How long will it stay empty? Hmmm...)
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/23835856073/in/dateposted-public/" title="New study and writing desk"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1505/23835856073_24f0b9b37d_z.jpg" width="567" alt="New study and writing desk"></a>
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Here's a closer look at the writing desk itself. Yes, that is a towering stack of boxed postcards on the desk, and on the bulletin board above the desk, some of my favorite received mail and mail art.
<br><br>For the first time in many years, I have a room of my own, and I won't go so far as to say I've finished the entire study -- sections of the room are carefully omitted from these photos, because they're still a mess -- but I'm thrilled to have my letter-writing materials all set up and organized.
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In the future, maybe I'll need to do a blog post about how intensely I've organized my stamps and stickers now, in a way they've never been organized before; this deep organization project is something I've long been itching to do. It's really exciting and it took me many hours to achieve, with stamps and stickers spread out all over the floor, but <i>I finally know exactly where to find everything</i>. Not only is it efficient, but after years of having things all jumbled together, it's also very satisfying.
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/23835855213/in/dateposted-public/" title="Stella in my new study"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1523/23835855213_291ee7c3ff_z.jpg" width="567" alt="Stella in my new study"></a>
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I'm thrilled to have natural light nearby. <a href=http://www.missivemaven.com/2015/03/writing-desk-candid-washi-tape-storage.html target=blank>My writing desk in DC</a> was shoved into a dark corner, and not an entirely lovely place to write... but it wasn't an entirely lovely apartment, either. Here, I have my own room, and nice big window right next to the desk. And that's Stella on the floor, walking towards me as I take the photo.
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Best of all, this setup makes me really want to write letters! Today is my last day of winter break (back to school tomorrow), so I'd better carpe diem while I still have the time.
<br /></div>The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142858561479656768.post-10926433671760137052016-01-02T10:54:00.001-05:002016-01-02T10:57:15.107-05:00Missive Maven on Etsy reopened for 2016!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenvelvet/7520930686/" title="As long as there are postmen, life will have zest"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7140/7520930686_20d99ea82f_z.jpg" width=567 alt="As long as there are postmen, life will have zest"></a>
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Happy New Year! I hope everyone is as excited about 2016 as I am. I think it's going to be a wonderful year.
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As one of my first major mail actions of the year, I have FINALLY re-opened <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissiveMaven target=blank>my Etsy shop!</a> I closed it when we moved in August, and while I had every intention of opening it again in September, my first semester schedule in grad school was just too punishing. I have a lighter course load for the second semester, so I'll have time to tend to any etsy orders that come in... and I finally got my shop inventory a little organized in my study at home. So, for anyone who's been waiting, or curious, pop on over to <a href=https://www.etsy.com/shop/MissiveMaven target=blank>Missive Maven on Etsy</a> and have a look around.
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Pictured above is one of my favorite designs, Zesty French Postman, which is available as <a href=https://www.etsy.com/listing/103694436/zesty-french-postman-with-quote-postcard target=blank>pack of 5 postcards</a>, a <a href=https://www.etsy.com/listing/112116805/notecards-zesty-french-postman-with target=blank>set of 3 notecards</a>, or as part of the <a href=https://www.etsy.com/listing/75804466/combination-pack-of-5-postcards-buyers target=blank>Combination postcard pack</a>.
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May 2016 be a year of fabulous mail!
<br /></div>The Missive Mavenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07790938574232320476noreply@blogger.com