Snail mail ~ Mail art ~ Pen friends

Since joining twitter a couple of years ago, I was once again introduced to the joys of post from far afield. Now, I love post and I actually think that Royal Mail does a great job (their online service is getting there too).  I've always had pen-friends, ever since I was about 5/6 I think.  I have boxes and boxes of letters I received from friends in America over the years.  There was a lull - probably when I joined secondary school - but gradually and especially since University, I have got back into the joys of sending post.

(This particularly cute card is from my friend Alex and you can read her blog here and here.)

I like how it's a bit unpredictable, it's always a surprise and it's nice to use the service for something other than bills and online shopping!  My first experience of something along the mail art lines was actually from Rob Jelinski, who's work is amazing by-the-by and I won a t-shirt of his in a twitter competition.  Shortly after I found Jessica Gowling and am hooked to her lovely arty blog which is full of mail art, art, crafts, and daily life - it's an excellent mix.  I then won another competition, with Jessica Mack aka 'Brown Paper Bunny' or 'Illustratuer', a year of snail mail!  And it is safe to say I've been hooked ever since.

I have recently started exchanging post/mail with Jessica Gowling (Nature's my Friend) and have adored what I have received so far from her.    I love how even the envelopes are so thought out.  As soon as I see it lying on my desk I get excited!  Full of cute cards, stickers and lovely notes, it's just what I need at the end of a day or on my train journey into work.

I think that post/mail is important.  I love to let friends and family know I'm thinking of them whether I'm at home or on holiday somewhere new.  A moment to write and send a card or postcard is hardly anything at all.  I seem to spend a lot of time designing and illustrating cards, I think that this is a need that stems from my love of receiving post! 

Now to put together a response!

X

Mail Art for a YEAR!

The lovely Jessica Mack has been a very busy bunny over the last couple of months with this & that, what-not and life.  But, bless her.  If this is the outcome...I LOVE IT!  I am now the proud owner of a Jessica Mack ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATION :-D, she's stocked me up with gift tags (just in time for Christmas present wrapping), a cute notebook + matching pen, a sweet origami bunny and a lovely christmas card.

I had begun to worry that something had gotten lost in the post so was really happy to come home to this package on friday evening after work.  It was a lovely end to my week and start to the weekend - my first weekend after a week at my new job :-D

Most of this I shall be keeping, using, treasuring...but the illustration, I feel deserves a home.  So, it has been framed up and is going under the tree for my sister...I can't give too many details incase she reads the post - I have two sisters so they will be mystified as to which one of them is getting it!  But I know she will love it and it won't be too far away for me to appreciate it still.

Thanks for reading,

X

Post every month for a year! Yippeeee

The lovely Jessica Mack (@BrowanPaperBunny) decided to do a RT random pic competition and the lucky winner was to get post every month for a year.  I was pretty happy when the search engine randomly picked me!  This is the first post I've received :-D it's so lovely, I've been showing everyone I know! My particular favourite is the rhino notecard, I have admired these since she created them, and the 'Peri' Penguin zine was such a bonus - so cute! And if you open him out, theres a Peri dressed as an Indian! AMAZING!

So, thank you Jessica.