Gorgeous new Miles Davis & Edith Piaf stamps

I don't even know why I'm quite so excited about the latest new U.S. stamp release, the Miles Davis & Edith Piaf stamps. I love jazz, and although Miles Davis is not my favorite, he's certainly one of the greats. I've never been a big Edith Piaf fan. But there's something about the design of these stamps, and the theme of putting the two of them together, that has me utterly smitten.



Perhaps I just love it when a stamp release is done jointly with two countries: this one is also released in, of course, France, via their postal service, "La Poste." I am charmed by the idea of international collaboration on stamps.

Also, these stamps are just gorgeous! I love the design, with the highlighted image on black.

Lots more vintage stationery coming...

One of this summer's big themes for me will be listing a lot of vintage stationery for sale in The Missive Maven etsy shop. I've been collecting stationery all year (of course!) but it takes a long time to photograph and list it properly. If you're into vintage stationery, stay tuned to this blog, my twitter feed, and of course the aforementioned etsy shop, because I'll be listing multiple items each week.



One of my most recent listings is for this lovely complete set of Vintage Current Meadow Medly notecards. I've got an awful lot of Current stationery items to list, so if you like vintage Current, you're in luck!



I'll also be listing some lovely older vintage items from the 1940s and 1950s. Literally as I was writing this blog post about a lovely 1940s stationery set I just listed about an hour ago, it sold. So I won't tempt you with more photos. But if you're into some of the older stuff, again, keep an eye out! I guess I'm pricing things well because they're selling really quickly.

I'm off to the post office soon to mail some etsy orders AND pick up the new Miles Davis and Edith Piaf stamps just released today - yippee! I'm as excited about these new stamps as for any released in 2012.

Vintage Current Berry and Jam Notes

I just listed some lovely vintage/new summer stationery in my etsy shop: Vintage Current Berry and Jam Notes. It's a complete pack of 12 vintage Current notecards and envelopes in their original packaging, from the 1970s or 1980s, featuring summer berries on the front and a recipe on the back for how to make jam from that fruit. The pack includes 3 each of 4 designs: strawberry, blueberry, currant, and blackberry.



Do you get hungry looking at these ripe summer berries? I do! They put me in mind for summer letter-writing. I'm not a cook myself, but it seems like a double gift to send a letter and a recipe all in one with these cards.

Edit: oooops. That was fast! They're sold out already.

Pony Express postcard by Rifle Paper Co.

I just received this adorable postcard today, from Carla of 365 letters blog. Squee! Love the cute pony express postman riding through a forest. Probably not terribly historically accurate to what the pony express was really like, but hey, it's so CUTE! The postcard is made by the Rifle Paper Co. but I've just been all over their website and can't spot it anywhere on the site. Can you?

Edit: Thanks to blog reader and letter blogger Anne of Letter Love for spotting these postcards on the Paper Source website.

Good mail day - thanks, Carla!

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.

Feline Postal Brigadier with a tiny letter

Behold Sebastian, essential member of the Feline Postal Brigade, with a teensy tiny letter. Photo by intrepid postal goddess, Donovan.

Are you on Flickr? You, too, can add photos of postal kitties to the Feline Postal Brigade group - please do! The world needs more postal kitties.

Par avion, or par avian? Letterbird seals

I've just listed a brand-new item in my etsy shop:

Letterbird sticker seals.

Via airmail, via letterbird - par avian, anyone? This vintage-style swallow brings a new twist to airmail as it carries an envelope in its beak - and the envelope in its beak is sealed with red sealing wax and a sprig of flowers.



The swallow is swishing through a blue sky with clouds, as I sometimes fancifully imagine my letters flying on their journeys... the bird presenting the envelope in its beak captures the excitement of the letter it seals.



The letterbirds are sold in packs of eight (8) self-adhesive glossy round circle sticker seals. They are 1.5" square, full color printing of a vintage-style bird with an envelope in its beak. You can use them to seal envelopes, spice up mail, or decorate letters - an excellent mail art tool!



If you like mail-related envelope seals, you can check out all 3 designs I currently offer.



Happy mailing, and write on!

Summer is here!

I have to apologize once again for my absence. May was busier than expected (why does that always happen?!?), but summer is here and I have a lot more freedom. Stay tuned for a lot more blog posts in June than you saw from me in April or May... and as always, I often send little tidbits, links, and mail photos over Twitter, so do come say hi to me there if you are into that sort of thing.

Happy June!!!