trimmingthesails

A sketchy post ...

... in more ways than one :). There's something about October that signals a settling-in for autumn, a wanting to hunker down with paper and pen before an evening fire, with early evening light and misty rain beyond the window - I can feel some sketching coming on. Not that I can actually draw, you understand: I'm a doodler, as you'll see from the mail art that went from here to the wonderful Ginger (arriving successfully, this time!). And I do love a browse through freebie magazines for some layout ideas: the ones below are making my pen twitch with anticipation. A mini-booklet like the one from the museum, variations on a theme based on the Lufthansa check-in article, and a scrapbook page with lots of room for journalling plus a single bright photo ... It's time for some more templates. Bear with me while I sort the unpacking, the washing and the catching-up-on-post: I will be back!

 

Mail Art for May

There's something lovely about the sound of 'slow mail' gently plopping through the door. There's the anticipation of going down stairs or opening doors to see the shapes of it lying on the mat. Then there's the reaching down to pick it up and turn it over ... And this is what I saw. These lovely textures ...

 Turning it over to the front with a quickening pulse, here's what greeted and delighted my eyes ...

And then, opening it gently, I found this lovely card inside. And the author, designer and maker of all this textured prettiness? Thank-you so much, Susanne! 

Susanne, of Snaps and Snippets way across the Atlantic, is part of a group of us who are experimenting with Mail Art, thanks to Ginger who organised it over at Ginger's Life of Spice and to Sian of From High in the Sky fame who enthused and inspired us in her monthly Pass The Book choice of Good Mail Art. You may well see our offerings to each other on your travels around the blogosphere. Just who'd have thought that:

• making and decorating an envelope was such fun?
• you could go wild and experiment because, well, you can? No expectations! No rules! Anything goes!
• taking mail art to the Post Office to send and watching the assistant's face could make a long wait in a queue worth while?
• an electronic means of communication, like blogging, could lead to the revival of handmade letters and cards?
• it could connect people all across the world, who have never met each other, by invisible threads of kindness, artistry, caring ... and give such pleasure?

So thank-you again, Susanne: I was thrilled. :) And to all of you reading along, if you have never tried it: why not give it a go? You will not regret it!