I decided to share some books from my own personal library with you! I have 100s of books in all genres, so it may take a while to pick and chose and to review them again, so I will probably surprise you in the process.

So….yesterday was a good mail day as I got Good Mail Day by Jennie Hinchcliff and Carolee Gilligan Wheeler in the mail.

I tend to really enjoy the big books of craft or the ones like this that are more specific to certain art. I have also participated in and have received some awesome mail art. I will have to locate them to share.

My dear friend Greta  from CA. has made most of these including the clever squirrel on a broomstick. : )

One from Finland

And a few more from Kelley out of CA

The authors first remarks are basically about how getting mail is a dying art. They state that no one gets mail as no one sends it anymore. It’s true isn’t it? This is one reason why I did the challenges with pals and strangers a like over the last five years as I have always loved to get mail! I can think of another friend who is the same way, correct Ms. Carole?

As a collage artist, I think this is a super fun book to browse and get ideas from. The authors share tons of ideas. They make cool rubbings from items like mail slots and find discarded business cards in a park to use. One suggestion is to make an envelope out of candy wrappers. I have a big box of ‘scraps’ and I will surely start making more art envelopes. I remember one year I did a neat fold for a Christmas newsletter, like an Origami piece. I couldn’t decorate 30+ envelopes for the Christmas cards, but I can decorate them with a few stickers. I guess you could make a master envelope cover and copy it too! (Did I tell you again how much I like having a copy machine)? : )

The authors give you templates for envelopes and some really cute postage related stickers.

And don’t forget postcards and doing some cool calligraphy or block printing (even with rubber stamp letters).

I don’t want letters to go by the boards. Letters are cool. My maternal cousin Ann is the best letter writer (thinking about her now, I need to give her a call if I can find her phone number-two years have gone by now). She wrote long handed and also would include things she cut out like intricate snowflakes, photocopied art work and handmade ornaments. A now deceased pal Sandy would write personal letters to me with her Christmas cards and most times I would send her a letter back.

Let’s all sit down and write a note to someone, maybe even use a postcard or better yet, make your own postal art!