rubber stamp | kimberly ah

Mar 06 2015

Final Thoughts on Letter Month 2015

It felt weird not to write a letter on Sunday and not to have anything to mail on Monday. On Saturday when I checked my mailbox, I only found junk mail, so my inbox is officially empty, my letter ledger is turned to a fresh new page and my stationery is all organized and ready for action. I’m not feeling the same burn-out I’ve felt after previous Letter Month attempts. I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe because I sent more postcards than usual, maybe because I didn’t write much in January, maybe because it’s been snowy and cold and letter writing is the perfect indoor activity and a much-needed break from technology. Whatever reason, it feels good to be done but it feels sad to have an empty mailbox. I hope I can continue responding in a timely manner–it feels good to have a nice flow of new mail on my desk instead of the same letters languishing for weeks.

My totals for the month:

36 letters/cards
8 postcards
4 international letters/postcards
3 packages
51 total mailings

I also visited seven blue boxes, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s six more than I normally visit. Mostly, I drop my letters into our lobby box or into the blue box near work. I visited six other mailboxes, and four of those were mailboxes I’d never used before. Now that spring is on the horizon, I hope I’ll get out more to mail from some more blue boxes around Forest Park. I’m also making up a rubber stamp that says FEED YOUR MAILBOX as a good reminder to frequent those blue boxes.

How did your Letter Month go? Did you achieve your personal goals?

Tagged forest park, mail art, office supplies, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Mar 02 2015

5 Comments

Letter Month, snail mail

Letter Month 2015 Week 4

Letter Month is OVER! Week four started out pretty weak, but I finished strong–replying to every letter I’ve received during the month (and some lingering in my inbox from January!) I relied on my lobby box, but also visited the mailbox by work, the River Forest snorkel box, a new-to-me box by Penny’s Noodles in Oak Park and one in Chicago’s Wicker Park on a ramen date with Donovan. She and I walked for blocks looking for a mailbox…it’s nice to hang out with someone who is willing to hunt for a blue box with me.

My totals for the week:

12 letters/cards
1 postcards
1 international postcard
0 packages
14 Total mailings

It feels good to finish strong and not burnt out…but more on that later this week!

Tagged crafts, forest park, mail art, office supplies, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Feb 23 2015

3 Comments

Letter Month, snail mail

Letter Month 2015 Week 3

During week three, I definitely slowed down a bit, but I don’t have that “burnt out” feeling that I’ve experienced in previous years. Something was written and sent every day (except Saturday’s package–I missed the drop off time because I had book club and didn’t get my act together in time!) The top picture shows Sunday, Monday and Tuesday’s mailings–Monday was a holiday so everything got sent on Tuesday. I found myself relying on postcards again, and I sent a thank you note, a note to a friend and a birthday gift. This week–the last week of Letter Month–I am planning to finish strong. I want to end on a high note and be all caught up in my letter ledger for March. I also want to visit two of my neighborhood blue boxes that I haven’t used yet. It has been incredibly cold, so I found myself relying on our lobby mailbox and using the ones that are near work and the grocery store (the only two reasons I’ve been leaving the house.)

My totals for the week:

2 cards
4 postcards
0 international
1 package
7 total mailings

How are you feeling about Letter Month?

Tagged crafts, mail art, office supplies, rubber stamp, snail mail

Feb 16 2015

2 Comments

Letter Month, snail mail

Letter Month 2015 Week 2

We are at the halfway point in Letter Month! Last week’s mailings were all about Valentine’s Day. And, as much as I love sending out Valentines, I’m a little relieved that they are mostly sent out (I have a couple to send in this week’s mail) and I can go back to returning letters and sending postcards.

I didn’t do as well last week with visiting new mailboxes, only mailing out of the blue box in our neighborhood once, and the box by work once…the rest of the time, I relied on the box in our lobby. (What can I say, I hate the cold weather!) Today is a mail holiday (Presidents Day) so tomorrow, my goal is to send my Sunday, Monday & Tuesday mailings out of another box in our neighborhood. It will be good to get out of the house, right?

My totals for the week:

19 cards
0 postcards
1 international
0 packages
20 Total mailings

This week, my goal is to put away all of the pink and red stuff and respond to all of the letters I’ve received this month.

Cheers to more letters!

Tagged crafts, mail art, office supplies, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Feb 10 2015

8 Comments

Letter Month, Office Supplies, snail mail

Traveling Postcard Kit

I knew if I was going to keep up with Letter Month, I would have to keep a little mail kit in my bag. I decided to make things simple for myself: I would return proper letters at home but I would write quick, fun postcards when I was out and about. So far it’s working, as I’ve been able to write postcards while waiting for Naoto at the doctor, while waiting to meet friends for coffee, and while waiting for our food to come at a restaurant. If I didn’t carry a little kit, those postcards would have never happened. Inside the kit (which is really just the box that held my New Year cards) I have a handful of postcards, pens, stamps, my travel address book, my return address stamp and ink. I could probably drop some stickers or some washi tape in the box, too, but I really just want these postcards to be simple. Write a postcard, stamp it, and drop it in a blue box. Done!

Tagged mail art, office supplies, rubber stamp, snail mail

Feb 09 2015

1 Comment

Letter Month, snail mail

Letter Month 2015 Week 1

I’m off to a good start with Letter Month! I’ve written at least one thing each day and I’ve fed four mailboxes in my neighborhood–one by work, the snorkel box at the River Forest Post Office, the one at the corner near my apartment, and the one in the West Suburban Hospital (not really in my neighborhood). Feeding the blue boxes has helped me get out and walk around in the winter wonderland and has kept me on the lookout for more area boxes that I hadn’t noticed before. I’m glad I added that as part of my personal Letter Month challenge!

My totals for the week:

3 letters/cards
3 postcards
2 international
2 packages
10 Total mailings

How are you doing with Letter Month/InCoWriMo? Remember it’s all about the effort and not the perfection! Just send a letter!

P.S. The “Bless the USPS” postcard is from Eggagogo–perfect for Letter Month! (Not sponsored, just a fan!)

Tagged forest park, mail art, rubber stamp, snail mail

Feb 08 2015

2 Comments

Letter Month, Office Supplies, snail mail, Valentine's Day

Happening Today: LWA Virtual Social

Happy Virtual Letter Social Day!! Although I won’t be able to participate in the video portion of the social (I hate it when work commitments get in the way of letter writing!) I will be finishing my Valentines and writing letters throughout the day (or as long as Presley stays off the table.)

Happy letter writing!

Tagged crafts, mail art, office supplies, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Jan 28 2015

14 Comments

crafty adventures, Letter Month, Office Supplies, snail mail

Coming Up: Letter Month 2015

Letter Month* is right around the corner again! I’m dusting off my postal-themed rubber stamps, gathering my stash of postage, and sifting through my stationery. I will be all ready to reply to the stack of letters growing on my desk.

My goals this year are simple: write at least one letter a day for every day in February, respond to each letter I receive in a timely manner, spend out my stationery, sticker and vintage paper stashes, and to visit my neighborhood blue boxes as often as possible (inspired by my postal council work). For the actual goals of Letter Month, go here.

Are you participating in Letter Month?

*Also known as International Correspondence Writing Month or InCoWriMo

P.S. If you want to find the blue box in your neighborhood, go here. And, to see the other Letter Month posts from previous years, go here.

Stamps pictured above are from a variety of shops: Paper Source (all discontinued), Paper Pastries, Wit & Whistle, Kia Hing Fay (shop closed), Well-Appointed Desk and the Letter Writers Alliance. If you have a question about a particular stamp, let me know in the comments.

Tagged crafts, mail art, office supplies, rubber stamp, snail mail

Jan 12 2015

5 Comments

crafty adventures, holidays, Office Supplies, snail mail

New Year’s Cards 2015

On January 1st, I spent the day catching up on all of my mail. I sent out a big stack of seventeen New Year’s cards and thank yous on the second.

For New Year cards, I sent three different versions–two different Japanese postcards and letterpressed greeting cards. We got the Japanese postcards at Mitsuwa again. Roughly translated, the fan one says “We humbly wish you a happy new year” and the bamboo one says “Thank you very much for all assistance rendered the previous year. We ask for your continuous guidance this year as well.” The little bamboo drawing on the bottom is a classic Japanese New Year symbol called a kadomatsu.

The greeting cards are from Saturn Press, a letterpress printing company in Maine. (They don’t have a website, but I found some information about them here, which I think is quite interesting.) The card features two juncos sitting on a branch and the quote by Rainer Maria Rilke, “And now let us welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.” I love everything Saturn Press does, but these are my favorites–from the birds to the simple phrase and the gorgeous paper stock with its deckled edge…these cards are dreamy. I put all of the cards in envelopes (even the postcards) and decorated them with washi tape, metallic stars, and old Japanese Woodblock Cavallini calendars. (I had several in my stash, so I picked out the wintry months to use. Cavallini uses artwork by Hasui Kawase, the same artist who was on our Christmas cards.)And to seal the deal, I got to use my shiny new Letter Writers Alliance member stamp. It feels good to start the year out with a stack of mail…let’s hope I can keep up the postal momentum!

Tagged crafts, holidays, Japan, letterpress, mail art, office supplies, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Jan 03 2015

1 Comment

Christmas, holidays, Office Supplies, snail mail, Zines

Merry Zinemas

I think out of all of my gifts, I liked my stocking gifts the best. (Well, that’s hard to say…but they are awesome!) I mentioned here that I like to ask for zines for Christmas. My stocking was stuffed with zines, socks, postcards and a stamp. Here’s what I got:

Cats in My Neighborhood zine

Collage & Art Journal IDEAS zine

Parcel Ghost Super-Supernatural zine pack

(I’ll talk more about zines in an upcoming post, but until then, I highly recommend all of these zines!)

Donuts socks: These socks are so cozy! I gave Naoto the Beer ones a few years ago. The sock bottoms are lined with terry, giving a little extra cushion. I’ve been padding around the house in these for a few days now. I may never take them off.

Letter Writers Alliance Official Seal Stamp: I love all of my LWA stamps and I’m so excited to have one with my member number on it. I’m ready to send more mail in 2015!

Victory Garden postcards: I’m excited to NOT hoard these!

So that was my stocking. Santa Naoto did a great job, as usual. One more Christmas post…and then we can put the holidays behind us!

P.S. Though some of the makers (of the zines & stamp) are friends and acquaintances, this post wasn’t sponsored by anyone but me. 🙂

Tagged Christmas, gardening, holidays, mail art, office supplies, rubber stamp, shopping, snail mail, zines