Envelope Watercolors...Autumn

The air is cold and crisp.  The trees are losing their leaves faster than I can rake them up, and I find myself drinking hot tea by the gallons... It's time to get out the paints and start dabbling away.  First, I must caution you.  I am a complete amateur, I really don't know what I am doing...but hey!  Watercolor is a friend to all.  I must warn you also, that trying to do any blending on regular paper is next to impossible.  If you try your hand at watercolor (and I completely urge you to do so...) you might find yourself a bit frustrated because if you work on anything but watercolor  paper you will have a big puddle of wavy paper.  So, this is about the best I could do with the paper envelopes I had.  I did find a link to watercolor envelopes, but they were outside of my budget for now.  If anyone wants to go in halvsies let me know!  :-)  

Here is one going out to Sheryl!  The nice thing about pumpkins...they are so naturally irregular that they are very forgiving to budding artists. :) I love the postage on this letter!

 

 

 This particular study.... I'm pretty sure that I overworked it a bit.  Ah...there is always next time!

I love this sweet little watercolor birdie with its cauliflower bloom  on it's breast!  haha.  Oh the joys of watercolor!  I think that the postage on the birdie envelope is my favorite!

Here is some of my top pics of  washi tape that I am using right now on outgoing snailmail!

 

 I do almost all of my work at my desk.  It's not usually so neat and clean, I think I dumped everything onto the floor for this picture  so you wouldn't see how messy I really am.  

Well, I think that wraps up the autumn themed snail mail that I sent out this week.   What are you sending out?

Happy Snail Mailing,

Pam

P.S.

Free Shipping on all my letter writing kits through December!!!

Pen Pal Kit

Add Some Quick Mail Box Happiness With PostCrossing!

Is your mailbox sad these days?  You peer into the metal box....only to find, ugh, junk mail? Well, one way to quickly make that sad little mail box happy again is to sign on to postcrossing.com. 

Be sure to have your international postage on hand.  I have been a member for awhile, although, with long dry spells.  It doesn't matter, you can pick right back up again, anytime.  I have 8 going out right now, all heading to Germany, Russia, and the good ol' USA.  

I had to go online (Amazon.com) to purchase some postcards as my stash is still somewhere in my moving boxes...I still have not found them, but these will do for now.  So get busy and turn that sad little mailbox into a happy one!


Happy Snailmailing,

Pam

Pen Pal Kit

This Little Mail Man...Snail Mail Postal Theme

Who Wouldn't Like to receive this cutie in the mail? 

I absolutely LOVED receiving this super creative , vintage postal themed envelope and long, chatty letter. This was from a pal  I met at the DC Postal Meet Up, organized by Global Pen Pal!  Carrie is a great creative talent in the snail mail community.  You can follow her work on Instagram:  

Carriejojo212. She pumps out mail like no one's business, and ALL of it good mail!

Urgent!!!  I needed to get something out to Carrie...and I decided to  continue the vintage postal theme!  I grabbed one of my vintage children's readers and  was thrilled to find a picture of "Mr. Postman"!!   Then I had to get out my post office stamps, and vintage stamps...and here you have it!

And this cute photo  as a pair!  Yay!  We LOVE our post women AND men!

Happy Snail Mailing,

Pam

*Available In My Shop*

Pen Pal Kit

Pen Pal Letter Set

Incoming Stationery Haul....

Parcels are so much fun to receive, right?  

This nice big envelope arrived in the mail from Global Pen Pal.  (And I have NO idea why her cute envelope is upside down in each picture!) She was so thoughtful to send me her nice de-stash of stationery.  

For those of you not familiar...this stationery comes from the Victorian Trading Post.

I try to send "global" themed mail to Global Pen pal whenever I can.

And of course...a letter also!  Speaking of which...If you have written me, I am attacking my pile as quickly as possible.  More posts coming on YOUR beautiful snail mail!

Happy Snail Mailing!

Pam

*Available in My Esty Store*

Pen Pal Letter Set Kit

Outgoing And Incoming Mail.....

A little of this and that....

A couple of outgoing Flip Books....I make sure to enclose them in a cello bag so that they will not get damaged along the postal route.

Some fun out going postal philately!  

I absolutely adore Yapping Cat Studios!  Cindy is an artist , using acrylics and water colors.  Her work is amazing, and I am  an undying fan!  She recently posted this tiny acrylic book on her instagram feed:  yappingcatstudio. (you won't regret following her for a daily does of inspiration!) I wanted it so badly...and you know....she actually sent it to me!  Pinch me!  Anyway, she of course wrapped it in a beautiful way and I just adore it.  I have placed it on the top of my desk for inspiration!  Thank you again, Cindy!

I can't help myself!!!  When sales happen, I just can't resist!  Look at these beauties!  I can't wait to start putting these to use!  Washi tape just adds that certain little touch to any envelope  or plain piece of paper.  So if you are in a hurry and don't have time to make a flip book, or anything else.  Get your Washi tape stash out and put it to good use!

Happy Snail Mailing

Creative Ideas YOU  Can Use!

Pam

*Available In The Shop*

Complete Children's Letter Writing Kit

Incoming Happy Mail from Patti!

Incoming:Vintage, Postal Themed Mail!

The envelope was only the start to a wonderful what was to come!

Just look at this gorgeous hand made, zippered pouch from the Tim Holtz postal fabric made by my new instagram friend, Patti! Super for keeping a stash of postal goodies , especially good for on the run letter writing! You can find her on instagram as:  pmarti5.  You'll want to check her out, she makes fabulous mail art!

The note card is so amazing!  Made of thick , cotton-y like paper...lovely!  And write back...I did!  You'll see my letter to Patti in a future post.

Coming soon!  A photo tour of my recent trip to the National Postal Museum  (Washington DC) with new friends that I have made on Instagram.    Stay tuned!

Happy Snail Mailing!

Pam

A Holiday Revisit To An American Gem

Post Office Pride

Boo!  It was closed the first time I visited.

About a year and a half ago I happened across this little , and I mean quite literally, little post office in Red Wood, Virginia.  I was on my way home from a retreat in the region.  I fell in love with the quaint post office even though I couldn't go in because it was closed .  You can read about it here in a previous post .    Well, lo and behold, that post was read by the Redwood, Virginia  Postal Clerk, Ben C.  This postal clerk  has  great pride in his little post office and sent me a message recently  informing me of the post office  hours , and inviting me to visit again--especially because this darling post office was decorated for the holidays!  Events occurred that necessitated a trip to the area (3 hour drive for me) to visit my daughter.  When I was leaving my daughter's home she said,  "Mom, are you going to try to go by that cute post office?  If so, would you take my cards?"  And so another trip to the cutest post office ever!  

Entering the tiny post office was just as I thought it would be, quaint and charming, a definite "Americana" experience.  The Christmas greenery and twinkling lights were a perfect touch for the holidays.  And behind the counter was a  postal clerk with a warm, genuine smile, welcoming me to the post office.  This was the savvy, social media  postal clerk who knew how to track down a blogger through her Etsy store!  Haha, thats pretty good!  I asked if he was indeed , "Ben" and shook his hand and told him who I was.  You know, I have never been "invited" to visit a post office...but hey, I think more postal clerks should!  These gems are part of the American fabric of everyday life and need to be celebrated.

Ben probably didn't think I would treat him with such celebrity status (as I am snapping away with photos) , but he was obliging.   Look how nice and neat his tiny space is!  I particularly like the "Charlie Brown Christmas tree " behind his shoulder!  Hey, I want to nominate him for something in the USPS!!!  Postal Clerk of the Year???? After I left yesterday , I noticed I had  a message thanking me for the visit.  Let me share his own words:

"...This little post office is kind of a throwback to times that have passed in much of today's world, where as postman I get a chance to really know and share in the lives of the people who come here, and be part of the community--which is what I love so much about working here. Since it's a half-day post office, I work some afternoons in larger offices; but my heart is really here...

Thanks Ben!  I'm glad I got to share in the life of a tiny little post office.  

So, as you are sending out your cards this year, don't forget to thank these wonderful postal clerks who are the first to actually handle these pieces of correspondence that you are mailing...the first human to touch your letters and send them on their way to their final destinations.  

Have a lovely holiday....Merry Christmas to all of my readers!

And drive safely...we don't want any delays to  our mail!

Have a blessed Christmas,

Pam