Thriftacular Thursday!

I collect postcards, so I was over the moon when my honey recently surprised me with a stack of super old ones.  They're amazing!  Most of them feature brightly colored images on linen paper.  I just about lost it when I saw these cards.  Yes, I'm a giant nerdy person.

They're just such gorgeous examples of a bygone era.  Sadly, most people don't even send mail anymore.  So not only is the art of letter writing slowly dying, but all the amazing little items and processes that go along with it.  There are still a few people dedicated to preserving this form of communication, however, most people just appreciate these types of things.

These are a few of my favorites from my surprise stack.

I love the old cars in the front one.  That one is of an Inn located on the campus of Dartmoth, in New Hampshire.

Old NY ones!!  Nothing like what you'd pick up in The Big Apple today.

These ones are crazy!  Originally a book of twelve, they feature various areas of a Cabaret in Paris.  More specifically Le Lido des Champ-Elyees.  We have numbers 2-12, and I haven't been able to find much information online.  We may never see what number 1 was.

Oddly enough,  I did find a site selling one of the cards I have.  It shows the marble bridge that spans one of the pools.  Something looked a little funny about it though, so I took a closer look at ours.  It features a ladder, probably used for diving, that the one for sale doesn't have.  Crazy, huh?  Maybe we have some super rare prototypes, the photographers originals?!  Ok, maybe I watch too much Antiques Roadshow, but I just love thinking about the history of things.  Like who did all these cards belong too?

So, have you come across any treasures lately?  Do you like writing letters? How often do you write?  I try to write a few letters every week.  I also belong to Postcrossing and that's a lot of fun, too.  Most of these cards will stay in my collection, but I'm certainly enjoying sending some of these oldies out into the world.  I like surprising people and I'm sure most people don't find a 65 year old postcard in their mailbox very often!  Back to work, I've spent far too much time on the computer already today.  See you later, gators!

Posty Post.

Some cards I've received lately through Postcrossing.

I finally got a handmade one!  She really nailed it on this one with the pin-up.

I had never seen a tall, skinny card like this before.  I love it!

Lucky me!  Mail is the greatest!

Postcrossing Update.

I've received a few more pieces of correspondence from Postcrossing.

From Cheng in China.

From Yvonne in Florida.

From Nina in Italy.

(This lady officially had the most beautiful handwriting I have ever seen!)

And since I am officially addicted, I sent out a few too.

 

(This one isn't from around here but the guy wanted a lighthouse.)

More mail posts to come because I've been spoiled rotten lately!

Postcard

So, I was thrilled when I received an address from Postcrossing for a person who actually liked handmade postcards.  (Most members don't, as they've had a bad experience with them in the past.)

I opted against my store bought cards and whipped up something especially for my new friend in Taiwan.  She specifically wanted "cute" handmade cards, so that's what I aimed for.

I started with this.

I stitched this onto card stock using the Inside a Black Apple pattern from Sublime Stitching.  Before I stitched it, I painted the card stock with watercolors.

Then it went to this.

I used a 4x6 piece of Bristol paper and painted it with watercolors.  Then I added some lovely scrapbook paper.  To attach the little guy I used E6000, he shouldn't be going anywhere!  Then I sealed the whole thing with outdoor Mod-Podge.  Then, because I was paranoid about the distance he'd be traveling, I sealed it off with a coat of clear acrylic.  This card should definitely be able to make the trip.

Somehow it turned into this.

Not only had I recently bought some paint pens (for ol' Bessie's tattoo) but I don't when to stop.  Therefore, along came flowers, clouds and a word bubble.  Cheesy, I know.  Anyways, I'm happy with it and I hope the recipient, BingBing, will be too.  It's the first postcard I've ever made and I have a feeling that there will be many more!

Thanks for looking!  Have a great weekend.  Planning on making anything?

It really works!

Some of you guys may have noticed the button that I added recently.

I joined Postcrossing a few weeks ago because I am a huge mail enthusiast.  (I have a stamp habit that some would say is worse than crack, lol.)  Well, I'm pleased to announce that it really works!  I received my first card this past week, just in time for a holiday surprise.  I thought it was super ironic my first card came from New York State, as that is where I'm from. 

The following ones are the ones I've sent out so far.

 To the Netherlands.

To Finland.

 

To Portugal.

 

To Germany.

 

This last one is from one of my favorite places in the whole world- Bodie, California.  It's a ghost town located outside of Yosmite, near Mono Lake and Mammoth, CA.  Dillon and I have been there so many times, but as soon as we leave I just can't wait to go back.  For some reason I feel a huge connection to the place, I would love to live closer so I could go all of the time.  I read every book about it I can get my hands on!  I'll have many more posts about Bodie to come, as I am starting a painting series based on some photos Dillon took.  A few stitched pieces too!