south of the loop

Mail Art

As anybody who’s ever gotten mail from me knows, I love to send fun mail. What I lack in artistic talent, I make up for in stickers and colored markers and fun stamps.

Recently inspired by some activity on Twitter (blatantly stolen from the brilliant @leahjones, let’s be honest) as well as some newly discovered blogs devoted to mail art, I’m stepping it up. (See especially Time After Tea and Stationery Addicted for inspiration). I am going to try to send one letter a week, and you, my readership of ten, are the lucky recipients. I’ll post pictures here of the mail a week after I send it, so as not to spoil the mailbox surprise for anybody.

If you want in on the action, please add your name and address to this form. I will do my very best to include strangers and international recipients. I promise neither the profound nor magnificent, but I will try to brighten your day with something addressed just to you.

To kick things off, I’m posting pictures of a little note I wrote to a friend who I’m pretty sure doesn’t check this blog regularly. I made the envelope from an ad in a magazine, which I folded using Angry Chicken’s guidance. That’s a Peanuts Valentine’s sticker on the back.

UPDATE: Yes, even if I know you personally and you are positive I have your address, please still use the form. It’ll help me keep track of everything.

Posted 27 January 2010

6 Comments

  1. Comment by jaq on 28 January 2010 8:23 am

    oh! i used to do this in college…so many years ago. might i suggest using double sided tape on the inside so you don’t end up with all that tapey shiny-ness on your lovely envelope?

    emmit & jasper look forward to mail art from aunt laura.

  2. Comment by Lezlie Laxton on 29 January 2010 10:27 am

    If you have a sewing machine, I’ve seen some nicely sewn paper envelopes too.

    This is right up your alley since you have a love affair with fun postcards and letters.

  3. Comment by ellembee on 29 January 2010 3:15 pm

    @jaq – good idea. Will have to pick some up soon.

    @Lezlie – sadly, I can barely fix a loose button. I LOVE the idea though!

  4. Comment by Joe Drogos on 29 January 2010 7:44 pm

    Laura, you monkey, expect my address.

    And expect a return parcel, since this sort of activity is a hobby of mine, too.

    Great to find this site, by the way….

  5. Comment by Katie on 1 February 2010 7:56 pm

    Ohhhh pretty! those wouldnt happen to be paper source printable labels would they? perhaps in eco or soft white? I spend wayyyyyyy tooo much time there :-) miss you lady! looking forward to the pretty mail. may steal that sewing idea from my momma though

  6. Comment by ellembee on 1 February 2010 11:58 pm

    @Katie – of course they are P.S. labels :) My favorites are the oval ones in pool.

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