Japanese postcards tend to be awesome

I've gotten some truly delightful Postcrossing postcards from Japan lately! The postcard above is JP-383733, and the sender had noticed that I'd marked this design as a favorite but hadn't yet received it. I love the clean lines showing the evolution of Japanese mailboxes through the years, and the deep red color is rich and elegant.



Perhaps just as charming, though, is the fabulous collection of postage stamps! Some look vintage and some look more modern, but they're all different and all gorgeous. I wish I could read Japanese - that green one in the middle with the little icon that looks sort of like Mr. Zip must be mail-related, yes?



Here's another fine mail-related postcard, JP-382166, which is an illustration of various scenes of letter-writing. It has a vintage look and feel, but I think it's new.



However, the stamps the sender used look mighty vintage to me! I honestly don't know much about Japanese philately, and I can't tell by "look" whether or not a stamp is vintage, but I've seen more current Japanese stamps and they don't look like this. I love the variety and old scenes! Are there any Japanese stamp enthusiasts out there that can share some knowledge?

I know I spend a lot of characters praising Postcrossing on this blog, but it is joyous surprises like this that sustain my mail delight. It's so exciting to know that such lovely things may await me in my mailbox, who knows when!

I made the Letter Writers Alliance blog!

Well, color me tickled - I just happened to be bopping around to my favorite letter writing blogs, and saw a big old photo of me heading off a recent post on the fabulous Letter Writers Alliance (LWA) website. The post, Photos in front of mailboxes, came out yesterday, and touts a "call to arms" for LWA members to take photos of themselves in front of mailboxes. I love that idea. They used the photo of myself on my recent Postcards from Amsterdam post, which of course is not my favorite photo of myself, per se (I swear, my smile doesn't always look quite that cheesy), but I love that I'm wearing the LWA member bag.

I would certainly be tickled to see photos of other letter writers in front of mailboxes - who doesn't love a good mailbox photo? - and this is a great time for me to plug the Letter Writers Alliance as a fabulous organization. I didn't know they featured me on the post, so this is not one of those you-blog-me-and-I'll-blog-you tradeoffs that I find somewhat tiresome, though in the interest of full disclosure, I will say that I am a proud member of the LWA and have been for years.

Membership in the Letter Writers Alliance is very reasonably priced (I recommend getting the fine member stationery which comes with a free membership), and it is good for a lifetime so you never have to renew. The have all kinds of great little perks, like free goodies and downloads, and I just love the idea of supporting an official letter-writing organization of such quality and style.

Best mail pin-up ever!

I was just looking at some postcards on Postcrossing, and I came across this one - RU-863545 - which I think must be the BEST PINUP EVER. Sexy lady, mailbox, a skirt full of mail? Whew! My temperature's rising...

You can see by the signature on the envelope in the bottom right corner that this is the work of the famous and classic pin-up artist Gil Elvgren. Here's what I want to know: why is there no reprint postcard book of great pin-ups like this? I've searched and searched, and I can't find one. Anyone? Suggestions?

It puts me in the mood for some fine pin-up postcards, and I'm thinking about hosting a Pin-up postcard swap on Swap-bot... stay tuned for developing news!

And for full disclosure: I did not send or receive this postcard, alas, I just saw the postcard image on Postcrossing. I WISH I'd received it, or knew where to find one!

(In case you are a Pinterest fan, I also pinned it on Pinterest.)

EDIT/UPDATE: Thanks to a tip from Julie (O-kami), I've just discovered this very postcard is available on Zazzle.com. While I'm not a huge fan of the coated paper stock that Zazzle uses for their postcards, I think I am going to have to pick up a few of these! Thanks so much for the tip, Julie!

Mailbox postcard swap on Swap-bot

Yay! There's another Mailbox postcard swap up on Swap-bot. I just adore postcards featuring mailboxes (um, not postcards that have a little tiny mailbox that maybe if you were told it was there and you squint, you might sort of see it, which is what I received in the last mailbox postcard swap - but that's another story) and was happy to sign up for this swap the second that I saw it. Granted, it helps that I have more time for swapping this month, but anyhoo - if you like mailbox postcards, too, do check out Mailbox postcard swap and join the fun.

The postcard pictured here features a mailbox photo by Catwrangler. For more about that fine postcard, check out my original blog post about it from Feb 2010.

Japanese spring postbox postcard

The lovely mail goddess Catwrangler recently took a trip to Japan, and I just got this wonderful spring postbox postcard from her. I love any postcards that have postal themes and/or show mailboxes, and I've been enamored of these Japanese postbox seasons postcards since I first saw them on Postcrossing. I have a summer one hanging above my writing desk already, and I was just thrilled to get this spring postcard, which will soon hang right next to it.



Of course she used a gorgeous stamp, and it got a really fine postmark. I had to take photos of both the postmark, and...



...a closeup of the gorgeous cherry blossoms stamp.

Thanks, Anna - you made my day!

Happy time handmade postcard

I got assigned a rare Postcrosser who likes handmade postcards, conveniently at a time when I could actually make a postcard - so I broke out some rubber stamps and stickers for US-1248400 to Australia. I got a kick out of making this one. The mangled English stamp reads "Happy Time: flowing of waited interval is itself time." Deep.

Orange printed "Save the Postal Service" postcard

So this is one of those awesome free printable "Save America's Postal Service" postcards that I blogged about a couple of days ago. The savvy designer recommends cream card stock, but I don't have cream card stock. I do have glaring bright orange card stock! So, I printed on that, jazzed it up with some washi tape, and taped it to some paperboard, as my card stock felt a bit flimsy for the mail processing machines. It makes me smile to think of any postal worker than handles this, and notices it.



I made this little doodle of appreciation on the back.

Post office tour patch

Have you done a post office tour? I wish I had! At least you can pretend with this fabulous patch. Perhaps it was a girl scouts merit badge? Perhaps it just the best sort of bonus for a mad mail enthusiast.

Just listed in my etsy shop.

Unpick to open

I warn you this is going to be a photo-heavy post - quite possibly my most photo-heavy post ever, but I must share all the details with you, as this is quite possibly the most amazing piece of mail I've ever received.



This came from a woman who is clearly a talented seamstress, as the entire envelope was hand-sewn. I picture it being hand-delivered gingerly and with reverence from one postman to the next, because it arrived in absolutely pristine condition; had I packed this in my luggage in an international flight, it would not have arrived any more perfectly. (In fact, it probably would have been considerably more smooshed!)



I have to zoom in on all these little details, because they just blow me away. Embroidered air mail! Multiple different kinds of stamp fabric! Meta mail to make me swoon!



Check out those vintage stamps! Shillings, people! (I am one of those Anglophile Americans who can get a thrill just by whispering "shilling" to myself. Don't ask.)



And postbox stamps! Glorious red postbox stamps! Does it get any better than this? I don't think so.



I don't sew myself, not anything, not ever, not even a button - so I am even more impressed by this. Does this sort of hand-embroidering of every single letter not take a ridiculous amount of time? It seems to me it must.



Now, on to the back. It had that "Unpick to open" embroidery with which I started this post, plus a hand-embroidered return address. And opened - there's even DIFFERENT liner fabric! You can see a bit of the letter peeking out here.



Now check out the fabric of the envelope lining: old letters and postcards! Gaaaa! (Clearly I am at a loss for words now, just making sounds and happy mail drool.)



Also, because two is better than one - another hand-embroidered air mail label, this one complete with hearts.



Lest you think it couldn't get any better - as I did, after I'd unpicked the stitching on this envelope (which I did very, very carefully, having no idea of the proper unpicking technique) - here's what was inside the envelope. This is like the "stationery," the fabric with all the vintage-esque cursive writing on it.



And last but certainly not least, the entire embroidered letter! What handiwork! I seriously cannot even imagine the hours this took her. I suggested to her that people would pay big bucks for this sort of thing if she sold it on etsy or the like, so if she opens a shop, I will refresh this post and link it here for sure.

Aside from all this kvelling, I must say this letter really touched my heart. It is now hanging over my writing desk, where I look at it every single day and smile. I don't even think I deserve a gift this wonderful, but I knew I had to share it with you all, my mail-loving readers, who could share my joy in such an incredible creation.

Finnish mailbox postcard from Postcrossing

This is FI-1026669, sent to me via Postcrossing from Finland.



Here's a closer look at that stamp, on the front of the postcard with the mailbox... yay mailboxes! I say in my Postcrossing profile that I love images of mailboxes or mail-related themes.



And here's the pre-printed stamp on the back of the postcard.

Some Postcrossers DO read profiles and choose something the sender will especially like - and it's such a joy when that happens.

Postal Amsterdam

I took quite a few postal and letter-writing related photos while in Amsterdam, of course, and I can't resist sharing them with you because I got such a kick out of them. I love anything mail-related, and it's always interesting to see how it works in different countries.



Here's the desk where I sent postcards. I sent out 20; that's all I could afford on my trip budget!



And here's a bright red mailbox, similar to the one where my postcards went out. This shiny one didn't have any graffiti, but a lot of the mailboxes did.



I came across this more antique-style mailbox in the Vondelpark.



Can any of my Dutch readers translate this? It was on a lot of mail slots. Some said Nee / Nee. I know yes and no, but I'm not sure what the rest refers to. Flyers and junk mail, perhaps?

UPDATE: Thank you to Henderica, for her translation!

The Nee/Nee or Ja/Nee stickers are :
first bit just No if you don't want advertising folders or non addressed mail
The second bit Yes or No is usually for if you want local free newspapers

Just a cute silver snail I had to photograph...



This is the very cool 2-story stationery store where I bought the Eclat D'Ors paper I blogged about yesterday. I should have taken a picture of the stairs - sooo narrow! Such is Amsterdam.



The stationery store also had an awesome display on writing...



...with all kinds of vintage paper stuff.

Hope you enjoy!

Mini mailbox stamp dispenser

Here's a new item in my etsy shop: a Mini mailbox stamp dispenser. How cute is this??



Originally sold as a stamp dispenser, it has a spongy stamp moistener tray on the inside.



Not sure if anyone still uses stamp rolls - this would certainly fulfill that function, but it can also be used to store stickers, vintage airmail labels, or any other small items.



It's a little less than 3x2x2 inches, and the little flag can be put up and down.



Perfect for the mail enthusiast!

Mini mailbox stamp dispenser

New item in shop: mailbox patch

Squee! How adorable is this secret pal mailbox patch? It's a vintage girl scout patch, and the newest item I just added to my etsy shop.

Just some shameless promotion. I always enjoy it when favorite bloggers mention they've added items to their shops, even if I have no intention of buying them, so I'm just following suit. Tell me if you think it's skeezy.

Have you ever wanted to mail a letter from an airport?

I know I have. I am often eager to mail things from airports, be they postcards or letters... either because I want that area's postmark, or because I've been writing letters and postcards in airports and on airplanes while traveling.

But airport mailboxes can be really hard to find! And sometimes the airport personnel don't even know where the mailbox is, or even that there is one on the premises.

Now, letter-writing friends, we have a new resource to aid us in our travels! Meet airportmailboxes.com.

I just learned about airportmailboxes.com from today's post on The Letter Writers Alliance website (where, for mysterious typepad reasons I don't understand, I am somehow unable to comment today). Isn't this fabulous??

I just looked up mailbox locations for two airports through which I've traveled before, where airport staff have told me there is no mailbox - HA! Now I know there is! I also just submitted the airport information for my local airport. Traveling letter-writers and postcard-senders, rejoice! (And, if you can, submit info for any airports with which you're familiar, to aid other postal travelers.)

Here's to 21st century air mail...

Japanese pillar postbox

What a great read postbox from Japan! This postcard came to me from a swap-bot exchange that turned into a longer exchange. Thanks, Danielle!

Magda the pug

This is Magda the pug. I am kind of in love with her. She even has her own website. How cute is that little vintage ski jacket on her?? I think I used to have something very similar to that when I was a tot.

Y'all know I am a cat person... but I have a weird little thing for pugs. I wouldn't want to own one, but I do love to see them.

Magda's mom runs the fabulous Catwrangler blog, and she sends awesome, awesome mail.



She takes great photos, too - this postcard features a mailbox AND a pug. Squee!

Meta-mail post stamps

Just a closer look at the fabulous hand-carved stamps from DumpsterDiver, included on the card in this previously-blogged-about Tin of Wonders. I think the red and blue ink make a nice touch.

I love the mailbox so much!!

Just a little something

I sent a little something to Jennie of Red Letter Day Zine, and of course I had to decorate the envelope.

I used a bit o vintage postage, a few rubber stamps, and some accents with Stickles glitter glue.

Good mail day from PodPost maven

I'd love any card from Carolee of Make Every Day a Good Mail Day and PodPost (as in, one of the amazing authoresses of Good Mail Day itself), but this one is particularly meta-mail-alicious.



As if the envelope isn't cool enough already, dig that rubber stamp of a chicken on a nest of letters!



I am predisposed to like any card with a mailbox on it, and not only did this one have a little slot where you could put in various included sayings, it's also edged to look like a stamp.



AND, the back is edged with the postally perfect red and blue airmail border. *sigh of contentment*



I took a close-up photo of the card info, but don't be thinking you can just whip on that website and find out whatever you want to, because it's a #$^@#%$ division of Random House and deeply ridiculous to navigate. I couldn't find a damn card set, and I know they make a ton. So pooh on you, Clarkson Potter / PotterStyle printed in China / Division of Random House publishing, if your website made more sense (hello, I search for stationery and I get two books and no writing products?) perhaps I would make a purchase. Is this why the publishing industry is in so much trouble?

Sorry, rant there... just really hate bad websites. But back to the cardly goodness - this was such a treat!

{Edit: I do understand how to get around the Random House / Potter Style website, dear readers, and I can find the cards I need to... I was just complaining that the was poorly organized and clunkier than necessary. And so out of spite, I am deliberately not linking them up here. I have received scads and scads of comments telling me how to get to the cards and giving links - I've approved one of them and that's enough. Because it's so much easier to find them on Amazon, though, I'll provide that link for any interested readers.}