mail art | kimberly ah

Feb 28 2013

crafty adventures, Letter Month, snail mail

So Long, Letter Month…

Today is the end of February, which means the end of the Month of Letters.

The sad news is I missed one day–the day Naoto had his surgery, February 19th. I wrote a letter that day at the hospital, but I was unorganized and didn’t bring my stamp and envelope and didn’t get it sent out in time…I am super-bummed about not having a perfect record, but I’m going to try to let it go because I sent a total of 41 letters!! I’m pretty excited about that number and I hope it means I will keep on keeping on with my mail habit.

At one point in the middle of the month, my mailbox had been empty for a few days. I started panicking that I wouldn’t have someone to write to during my daily writing time. It also didn’t help that my life was particularly unexciting this month, aside from Naoto’s surgery. During the mail drought, I took time to write notes to my grandparents and to a couple of friends who are going through difficult times. Any other month, I probably would have put off sending these notes because I didn’t know what to say, or didn’t have the perfect card, or just because I let it slip my mind. This month, since letter writing was at the forefront of my mind, I made the time and I made the effort. In the end, hearing from me was more important than perfection… It was a good reminder: Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good!

One thing that kept me ahead of the game was Valentine’s Day. It helped that this sweet little holiday gave me an excuse to churn out a few easy notes (along with buntings and decorated envelopes!) I felt so good on the days when more than one letter was going out the door…most days (19 of them to be exact) it was just one letter. Some days, I wasn’t into decorating the envelope, but other days I was really into it. During Valentine week, I was really into it. I was able to use up some papers and bits that have been hanging out in my stash for a long time (like those pink “Be Heart Smart” hearts on the envelopes above that have been around since, oh, maybe second grade…)

I got some really amazing mail from my always-reliable pen friends throughout the month, too. I returned every letter I received this month (except for one I received yesterday which I plan to devote some time to tomorrow night). I also gained three new pen pals–yay for more merry mail making!

I am so glad I participated again this year, and that I beat my goal of sending 28 pieces…it’s not often I beat a goal (ahem…guest room clean-out). It’s really thanks to my regular pen friends that I was able to send out more mail…because even my grandparents (among other non-letter writers) didn’t reply to my letters or Valentines…(cue the violins!) A huge postman-sized hug for those of you who filled my mailbox this month!

I’m ready to move onto another project (after the spare room is done!) Today I’m going to put my red and pink mail things away, tidy up my desk and bring out some fresh supplies for March. Because the mail making doesn’t end with Letter Month, but there’s room for something new, too!

These were some of my favorite envelopes this month. To see the rest, you can take a peek here on Instagram.

Tagged crafts, holidays, mail art, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Feb 15 2013

Over the Moon

I like to send silly greeting cards to Naoto at his office (the translation office, not Trader Joe’s). I do it because he mostly gets the boring mail at home and because I have a compulsive habit of falling in love with the perfect greeting cards for him and buying them too often. I love going to visit Naoto and seeing them all displayed on the ledge behind his desk.

When I saw this card with “Presley” flying over the moon, I fell in love (as I do with all Rifle cards!). I decided to send it to Naoto as a little pre-Valentine. I also made him a special blue washi tape bunting (because blue is his favorite and all of the pink ones just seemed too girly!) and tucked in inside the envelope.

I decorated the envelope with some blue washi tape and a vintage paper heart from this set by K is for Calligraphy and I used one of our leftover wedding invitation stamps for the postage (because who else wants to see that stamp!).

When I went to Naoto’s office on Wednesday night, he had the bunting all strung up by his desk. You can see his little card collection in the background (along with the all-business bulletin board information!)

For his “real” Valentine, I bought him a box of Choco Tacos (mentioned recently here)…I’m pretty sure he appreciated those more that the washi bunting!

Tagged celebrations, crafts, decorating, diy, holidays, mail art, snail mail, washi tape

Feb 14 2013

9 Comments

celebrations, crafty adventures, snail mail

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I know some of my Valentine’s are still en route, being lovingly handled by the post offices in a few countries, but I wanted to share them before red and pink become as stale as Christmas cookies in February.

I had the little gold foil heart cards in my stash from last year. They are from the Paper Source (and are apparently out of stock). I also bought these postcards from Rifle Paper Company. I am pretty much in love with anything Rifle and once I saw the little flying cupid postman and the postage stamp edging, I knew I wanted these in my stationery stash.

Last week I pulled out my washi tape stash and some twine and started making some simple washi tape buntings. I got kind of addicted to playing with different colors and patterns and ended up with more than a dozen of them so I tucked the tiny buntings into little glassine envelopes and sent them off with some of my cards.

I miss the Valentine’s of my school days when my classmates used to add little stickers or candy hearts in the tiny, thin white paper envelopes of their store-bought Valentines, so this seemed like a good way to bring that back.

I hope you have a super Valentine’s Day! Whether you are spending it with your significant other, your family (both human & furry!), I hope your day is full of love and good mail!

Tagged celebrations, crafts, holidays, mail art, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Feb 05 2013

3 Comments

snail mail

Mail That Made Me Squeal

Get it?

I think I should just give in and accept that February is officially going to be Pun Month because of all the Valentine puns out there.

The internet has done amazing things for my mailbox. Before joining the Letter Writers Alliance and Twitter, my postal fun consisted of mailing a bunch of cards and letters out and receiving “Hey, I got your card” emails in return. Being able to connect with other letter writing and mail art lovers on the internet has been not only rewarding for my mailbox, but for my creativity, too. Once I started receiving awesome envelopes from all over the world, I wanted to step up my own game, try to push the envelope (another pun!) and play more and use up my supplies.

I got an envelope full of mail goodness from Mary, a self-described life, mail and street art enthusiast whom I “met” on Twitter. Inside the envelope was a tiny pink plastic pig (pictured above).

It. Made. My. Day!

Right now he is sitting on my desk reminding me to keep it clean and to “live brilliantly” as Mary suggested. Thank you, Mary–a proper postal thank you will be coming your way this week!

Tagged mail art, snail mail

Jan 14 2013

Monday, Monday

Happy Monday! Last week’s work schedule took over and I’ve become a third shift sleeper, hence the lack of blog posts (mostly because there is of a lack of sunlight for taking pictures when you sleep until the afternoon). But the weekend was a good one! Naoto didn’t work on Friday night (a huge rarity around here) so we drove out to Sankyu (for the fourth time in three weeks!) and had dinner together. For once it was me who was begging to eat there…my craving for a tekka roll (tuna & wasabi roll) could not be contained!

On Saturday, I didn’t sleep until the afternoon. Naoto & I both got up pretty early and got juice and coffee from the Juice Joint, out latest neighborhood obsession. I made us breakfast sandwiches on Hippo rolls from the Mitsuwa marketplace. Then we headed into the city so I could attend the latest letter social held by the Letter Writers Alliance. I only wrote one postcard, one note and one letter but I had so much fun talking stamps and mail and typewriters with the other ladies in attendance. My outgoing mail is pictured at the top, including my new flying envelope stamp (an LWA members -only item) & a Month of Letters postcard.

After the social, we sped home so I could make homemade ricotta and tomato jam for my work party later Saturday night. (Isn’t Linda’s fireplace cozy?) And on Sunday, I slept so late that I almost missed a lunch date! In the evening we hosted our neighbor friends for a gin tasting and Golden Globe watching party. Whew! It was a busy weekend for us! Hopefully this week I can get back on a “normal” sleeping schedule–there is a lot to do around here!

Tagged adventures, coffee, food, mail art, rubber stamp, snail mail

Jan 03 2013

14 Comments

Christmas, crafty adventures, holidays, Merry & Bright, snail mail

My Holiday Cards Were Ridden With Guilt

I do believe all of our holiday cards for 2012 have been mailed…finally. A few stragglers are making their way through the mail right now, hopefully to arrive as New Year greetings!

I’ve been making my own Christmas cards for years now…they always start as an elaborate project, then, by the time I sit down to do them, they morph into something simple. It’s harder now because December is my busiest time (with work and holiday hullabaloo) so if I don’t get them done early, they don’t happen in a fantastic way. But it’s hard to get into the mood and find inspiration for your Christmas cards during the dog days of summer… In 2010, I met up with my friend Holly in November and we worked on our Christmas cards together….crafting in that hotel room in the Dells was one of my favorite memories that year! And my cards were simple, yet nice and I lined each and every envelope…sigh…those were the days…

Our cards this year were simple enough. I used a CHEERS stamp (from here) and washi tapes on some 4-bar cards (from here). I like making things, but I detest making the same ol’ thing over and over and over and over again… To alleviate boredom, I used a few different colors of cards and envelopes and mixed in different styles of washi tape (and some Martha Stewart tapes leftover from last year).

I really do think this might be my last year making the holiday cards…it’s just not fun anymore and I think my results show it. At this point in my life, I would rather focus on writing a nice note in each card than making each card. When I sat down to do my cards a couple of weeks ago, I wanted to write more, but the urgency of getting-things-done took over and I just went through the motions. I hate going through the motions…especially when it comes to my letter-writing friends and favorite family members. But I will hopefully alleviate my letter-writing guilt by staying on top of my mail in 2013 (a hint to my favorite 2013 resolution).

So I’m curious…do you write letters with each of your holiday cards? Do you expect letters?

Tagged Christmas, crafts, holidays, mail art, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Oct 30 2012

4 Comments

celebrations, crafty adventures, snail mail

Smart Women Vote

When I was a college freshman, I voted for the first time by absentee ballot. I remember being so excited when the ballot arrived, punching my choices with the little stylus, and dropping the completed ballot in the blue mailbox near my dorm. It was really exciting, but I was so disappointed that I didn’t get to vote in the real voting booth and I didn’t get one of those I VOTED stickers. Upon hearing my disappointment, my grandfather (who always wrote me the most charming letters) sent me his voting sticker. I’d forgotten all about this kind gesture until a few years ago when I was sifting through all of my college mail and I found it folded in a letter written in my grandfather’s beautiful script. Just thinking about it makes me all weepy.

Since then, I’ve voted at the polls in every election–and I’ve always proudly sported my I VOTED sticker. And, for the past few Presidential Elections, I’ve sported these Smart Women Vote buttons. This year, I did a mass mailing and sent a bunch out to my friends and pen pals. It’s a “safe” political outreach, because it’s non-partisan…I’m a firm believer in agree-to-disagree…I know I’m not going to change anyone’s mind about their political leanings, just like they are certainly not going to change my mind. (I am very stubborn.) But I do think it’s important to vote–so, no matter which side you are on, or whether you live in a red state, a blue state or a swing state…as they say in Chicago–vote early and vote often!*

*Kidding…just vote once.

Tagged celebrations, crafts, election, mail art, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Oct 15 2012

7 Comments

crafty adventures, Halloween

A Halloween Mail Art Afternoon

Yesterday, after the tornado sirens stopped wailing and alarming apparently only me, I joined Donovan & friends for a Halloween Mail Art afternoon. I wish I had taken a picture of her table filled with large spooky sheets of paper, washi tape, pens, envelopes, rubber stamps and little bits that we picked through for our pieces of postal goodness. I wrote one letter, then decided to focus on envelope-making (& talking) for the rest of our time.

See the little ticket on the orange envelope? Yep, that is E.T…don’t you just want to hug him (while wondering who would make an E.T. rubber stamp?) There is just something so soothing about taping and gluing a bunch of stuff on an envelope. Now, if only I could catch up on my letter writing and fill those envelopes this week!

Donovan made each of us a treat bag filled with vintage and new Halloween ephemera to use on our mail art. I am in love with those vintage apothecary labels!

It was the perfect spooky day to partake in spiced hot cider and create some creepy mail. Thanks for hosting, Donovan!

(The last two pictures were taken as the sirens were going off, alerting us to the tornado that never came. I figured, if the old people in my building were going out for an afternoon walk, I was safe enough cloud watching from the balcony…)

Tagged crafts, Halloween, mail art, snail mail, washi tape

Sep 21 2012

4 Comments

celebrations, crafty adventures, little red toolbox

my little red toolbox | Sakura Stardust Clear Gel Pen

I’m afraid that the fabulousness of this pen is not going to be conveyed in my amateur photographs…

Remember when gel pens were super-popular? I gave them as holiday gifts to my students when I first started working in education…the kids loved them! I personally never saw the draw…until recently…

Sakura’s Stardust Gelly Roll in clear is my favorite tool to use when I want to create a little sparkly accent on cards, envelopes and decorations. It works just like a gel pen, but it leaves a little trail of glittery ink behind. I used it to color in the acorns on the envelope and to outline the acorns on the decorations (which are part of this Acorn Garland Kit from Paper Source).

It is pretty subtle (you can barely see it on the lighter papers of the acorn decorations, but in person it is noticeable), so I wouldn’t really recommend writing a letter with this particular gel pen, but the Stardust line comes in a bunch of colors, if glittery writing is your thing. I personally just love it because it’s a mess-free way to add a little pizzazz to my projects… without the risk of getting glitter in my eye!

*This and all posts about my little red toolbox are not sponsored posts. I just thought it would be fun to share my favorite tools for paper crafting. For more about my little red toolbox, go here.

Tagged celebrations, crafts, decorating, little red toolbox, mail art, snail mail

Sep 14 2012

2 Comments

little red toolbox

my little red toolbox | coccoina glue

This week’s favorite crafting item from the little red toolbox comes from the land of my ancestors. (It is made in Italy for those of you who haven’t read this post.) My Coccoina glue stick is my favorite glue stick, not because of its superior effectiveness compared to other (cheaper) glue sticks I’ve used, but because of its amazing smell. Those of you who make stuff know that good smells and crafting often do not go hand in hand…but the Coccoina glue stick smells deliciously of marzipan. That is the only reason I bought it in the first place, but upon further research, I’ve learned that Coccoina is very eco-friendly–it is made with almond oil and potato starch and is so pure, you could eat it. (I’m kidding…but it does smell good enough to eat!) Coccoina has been making paste since 1927 and they still use their original recipe. I use mine mainly for mail art…it is perfect for paper-to-paper gluing. But it also works with cloth and photographs, making it perfect for collage and scrapbooking.

I know I can buy a box of Elmer’s glue sticks for next to nothing during back-to-school sales, but for me, the $6 I paid for my giant 40-gram Coccoina is well worth the aromatherapy crafting.

*The blue books in my mail art above were drawn by Donovan. They were a part of the stationery she created for the last LWA letter social.

Tagged crafts, little red toolbox, mail art, washi tape