Saturday, March 31, 2012

Postcards Part 2!

I know, I know I come back and then I manage to not come around for a couple days. The good news is that I managed to get a good handful of letters out in my short term absence! Okay, okay, I'll stop yammering on about me and get to the postcards. Here you are, my past due postcards--which doesn't include all the cool ones I got in today! :)


First up a fun, touristy map from Elizabeth showing off all of the fun things California has to offer. Just a little bit North of The Golden State, Renee in Olympia, WA sends a view of the damage caused by the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. 

Caroline sends a different taste of California in the form of the beautiful and dangerous black bear--the largest mammal that lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Leslie in Northern Minnesota sends me a card showing off her state flower (Showy Ladyslipper) and bird (Common Loon); she also numbers her postcards as they come in....I don't think I would be able to keep track! 

 Angelique sends a wonderful night view of Amsterdam and from Birgit comes a view from St. Katherine of children in traditional Austrian dress. Thank you both for the wonderful cards! :)

From Maiko comes a card featuring two dancing girls from the elegant red light district in Kyoto, the former capital of Japan! Maiko was also kind enough to send me a few words in Japanese...whoo hooo for being able to say my name if I am ever in Japan :D

 Tina sends a cute little postcard showing off a few of the things Texas is famous for. I promise one day I am going to make it to The Alamo! Thanks, Tina!

 This card just made me laugh SO hard.Thank you, Michael for adding some humor to my mailbox :)

My first Elly Simmons art card made its way last week, this painting is entitled "Sister". Special thanks to Sarah, I hope you are enjoying your move to Ohio!

 A Paul Frank card  from the set "Love is the New Black" with no name :( If it's yours let me know so I can give you some credit!

 Concept Art by Buddy Luckey from Toy Story find its way to me through the wonderful hands of Jenn in Michigan! Seriously, who didn't like Woody the best? It's always fun when you get some of your childhood on a postcard :)

 Finally for today, Atiya sends a card from Dolphin Cay (The Atlantis, Bahamas) of a Bottlenose Dolphin! Did you know that the dolphins dorsal fin acts like a bout keel to keep the dolphin stable while he is out for a swim! :)


I'm almost caught up on my hiatus mail! I have my letters to show off ( I promise not to wait another 3 days to update this time) and I did get some mail in today that I still need to go through! I'm off to try and catch up on those letters as I totally missed the mail man today. Happy Saturday everyone!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Past Due Postcards Part 1!!!!

Hello Readers! Hello Followers! Hello Lurkers and Passers-by!!!! Remember me? I'm the girl that owns this blog and after weeks of silence due to technical issues (that I fully admit that I am not smart enough to fix and I also was in no hurry to fix...) I can HAPPILY say that I am back up and running! I have so much wonderful mail to catch you folks up on, so much in fact that I think it would be best for everyone to do it in a few different posts! So with out further adue, here is the first chunk of mail. Let's go!!!


First up, TWO, count 'em two wonderfully beautiful postcards showing off the tulip fields of Holland. I remember the first time I saw photos of this, I could not believe the rows upon rows of different colors! Thank you so very much to Corrie and Gerda for being kind enough to share their country's spring bloom with me! 
 Hop on over to Poland where Ola shares a gorgeous view of her home town, Szczecin, which is the greenest city in the country and home to the second largest cemetery in all of Europe!

 I'm starting to think you all know your way in to my heart..... A million thanks to Kathie who was kind enough to send me two adorable and funny Florida cards! I think kitty must be on spring break and in all honesty, gator DOES kind of taste like chicken....what? It does, I swear! :)


 Juli always sends the best critter cards but the "Buck stops here" slogan just makes me laugh! Look at that buck! He really looks confused as to why his photo is being taken! Keri adds a little humor to her critter card....personally I am a fan of the lost tourist! Thank you, Ladies!!

A wonderfully ornate and glimmering view of old Shanghai makes it's way from Paul and Leezy in Columbus, OH! 

 Cover art for Rachel Sumpter's "Here They Come" makes it's way from a new postcrossing user. Very cool! I like the dark and mysterious eye of the horse, kind of looks like there is a cityscape behind him, no?

 Xuam Zhu who lives in Shanghai sends a card of traditional dress in the city of Yunnan in the South of China! From Christina a view of the Maison Wolfe, a small hotel in Quebec. Thank you both :)

 Brittany sends a wonderful vintage, mail-themed postcard!

 Sarah wasn't sure what to send for our "Black and White" postcard swap but I think she hit the nail on the head, this card from the English National Trust details curtain fabric from the 1920s! Love it!

Phew! That's it for tonight...I still have a whole stack of postcards to show you and that's not even counting the letters ...or what came in today! I have so many wonderful letters to reply to and a whole mess of swaps about to come due. I will be one busy mailin' and updatin' gal! Thank you a thousand times to those of you who kept reading, checking back, and sending me an e-mail or two to check up--you all sure do know how to make a gal feel loved! Here's to no more technical glitches and one heck of a happy mailbox. x0x Randi

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Update to come soon!

Hi Readers! I am so very sorry for my delay in posting! I have gotten so much great mail in over the week and i am dying to share it all with you :) unfortunately my wireless router hates me at the moment and every time i try to update from the mobile app blogger encounters a problem!!! This is why I stick to letters and not technology hahah. I will be back soon I promise....in the mean time, I would love to hear about your incoming mail or what you are working on!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

x0x0x0
Randi

Monday, March 12, 2012

Three Letters and a Postcard!

Happy Monday Afternoon Readers! I hope that the start of the work week found you well--if you are anything like me, Monday creeped up a little too quickly and the added loss of an hour (daylight savings time) was unwelcome! Oh well, I am happy to say that I have made it through a Mid Month Monday at the bank and I have a handful of great mail to show you! I am just cashing in on these pen pal letters, you guys are great! Let's get to the mail shall we?



First up from Lisa, a bit of March flair with spring in the air! My mail friend sends love and wishes for the upcoming St. Patrick's Day holiday! 


Tamara sends me a long, wonderful and chatty letter on great stationery! Seems she is in to using deco-tape at the moment to jazz up her mail art--I must admit I enjoy the multi-cultural jerseys that she picked for me! Where do I even being to find this stuff? Thank you Tamara, I will be writing back soon :)


Speaking of mail art--my lovely mail gal pal Bonnie sends an awesome letter with an adorable card and matching envie! In my last letter to Bonnie I asked her about her home made envelopes that she likes to make from all the junk mail she gets--lo and behold--I received my very own! Thank you so much! I love it *hurries to write back*


And my final piece for the day (which happens to be the only postcard of the afternoon) makes its way to me from Mary in Georgia! This little taste of home comes from The Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida and features the residence of John and Mable Ringling! How neat, thank you! :)


That's all for me on this Monday folks! I have a great stack of letters to get back too and by God I plan to get some out tonight! I hope your mailbox trip is as great as mine!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Saturday update on Midweek Mail

Hello Readers and Happy Saturday! I hope that this bright, sunny, cool afternoon is finding you all well! I'm writing to you all today while enjoying the cool breeze with my windows wide open--the cats are enjoying sitting on the sill, watching the neighbors children play in the back yard and sniffing what ever the wind brings their way!

I have a few postcards and letters to update you on today--well, more than a few but I haven't had a chance to photograph/update/log/etc yesterday and today's mail yet (which means more mail updates tomorrow! yaaaayyy!)--better late than never, right? Let's go!!




My first letter of the day comes from Felicia--who helps me with another first, Bonsai stamps! 



Her great letter came with a huge list of wonderful books! Any day where I get a pen pal letter and they introduce me to a new book club (which happens to have a huge selection of history books!!) is a great day by all means! Thank you, Felicia! I will write back soon :)

 Check out the inside of the envelope! How neat is this?


Blog follower and friend Derrik was kind enough to send me this card marking the start of baseball season! Clemente is the first Hispanic to be elected to the Hall of Fame. Admired for this skill and generosity, he helped the Pirates win the world championships twice! Thank you, Derrik!

Along with the card came this stamp featuring Rube Foster. Elected to the hall of fame in 1981, Foster was a pitcher, manager and executive in the Negro League!


A postcard for a Portuguese Postcrosser- "Museu da Qinta de Santiago"- This house in Portugal is actually an art museum dedicated to photographer Cristovam Dias. Dias eventually went blind as he became older but continued to work.


And the accompanying stamp! :) 


Lora Ann sends me a postcard from Kentucky! I love the horses! Did you know that Kentucky entered the Union in 1792 and it's lowest point (257ft) is the Mississippi River? 



Mail friend Carol sends an envelope bursting with surprises!  A letter, a matching note card (that is from a stamp issue) and a great little heart that she crocheted herself! I think I'm going to hang the heart up at work :) Thank you Carole! 



 A long and wonderful reply from Ambrosia! I just love getting long, chatty letters and making new pen pals, plus, the stationary is adorable! I can't wait to write back :)


A huge thank you to Brooke for the adorable birthday card! I know what you're thinking--"We've already seen your birthday mail!"--don't worry I am not that far behind, I just had it at work for a while and decided to bring it home. How cute is this little guy?!?!


Well folks, there ya have it! An end of the week update on midweek mail! Phew, say that five times fast! hahahah :) Don't worry there will be plenty more mail to come--I have a lot to upload and even more to write back too! It's gonna be a busy weekend for me and the post office!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Post Card: The Myth of Dangun

Today's card comes from a fellow Swapper! Thank you, Lee for the awesome card--which also happens to be my first from Korea! :D



"According to legend, circa 23333 B. C., a bear and a tiger residing deep within the mountains of the Korean peninsula prayed to the heavenly god, Hwanin, to transform them into humans. Hwanin's son, Hwanwoong heard their prayers and offered to grant the bear and the tiger's wish only if they could endure living for 100 days within a cave. During this period, they could eat nothing save for a daily clove of garlic and a handful of mugwart.


After a few days of darkness and hunger, the tiger abandoned the cave. The bear, however, managed to survive the 100 days, and true to his word Hwanwoong transformed the bear into a beautiful young woman, whom he shortly thereafter made his bride. The bear lady and Hwanwood soon had a sun and named him Dangun. Dangun would later become a great leader founding the first kingdom on the Korean peninsula. Dangun, therefore is a considered the ancestor of all Koreans." 

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

A Little Late Leap Day Postcard!

Happy Tuesday Readers! Sorry about my Monday absence, I was busy writing letters and swapping postcards! Not much mail came in yesterday--in fact one postcard was all I got--and I haven't checked my PO Box today....BUT! I did want to take a moment between the end of work and going back to work for a meeting to show you how awesome this card is!


Thank you to Velma, who not only found a Leap Day Themed card but who also had it hand cancelled for the holiday!


"Leap Year Ladies of Laughter: Variable as the shade by the quivering aspen made, See the New Woman in a Novel Sphere: Introducing the three great equestriennes of the day, The Only Clown Women: Who wear the comic crown"


You can learn more about Velma and her awesomeness by checking out her blog-- Velma's World!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Saturday Mail: Postcards and Potholders!

Well hello Saturday afternoon readers! It's a bright, sunny, cool day in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, just perfect for the weekend. A little bit of mail came my way today and I thought it best to catch you all in between coming in from your early Saturday plans and going back out for your evening plans! Let's get going shall we?

Susan sends another great California card! This one shows off a little bit of everything that Palm Springs has to offer--from the popular city to the gorgeous mountain range and everything in between. Personally I like the big horned sheep in the corner :D Thank you for expanding my CA collection, and thank you for the book recommendations! 

My first Whale Tail card! I just love when whales arch their tails on a dive and you see their tail up in the air! Thank you to Marine in the Netherlands for sending me this card, which is also a card issued by Green Peace!
The Rough Translation of the Back--do we have any Dutch speakers?
(A humpback whale in the southern ocean near Antarctica.  whale hunting, worldwide overfishing and achievement can the oceans threaten the whales existence. our oceans again healthy and protected all the thanks to the diligence of  Greenpeace for creating marine reserves and sustainable fisheries.)

That's it for the mail (see I told you) but I did get something pretty neat at work today! Seems one of our customers was in the creative mood and made us all a bunch of nifty pot holders!  I snagged these two as the fabric reminded me of those old school "Greetings From" postcards and old state stamps! How cute :)


Friday, March 2, 2012

Friday Postcard Mail!

Well Good Afternoon Readers! Not only do I want to wish you a happy happy Friday and a great weekend, but can you guys believe that it's already March! And we had an extra day to get there! Sorry for not updating yesterday, I came home, I sat down, and well--that was the end of me. I am proud do say that I did get a couple letters out in spite of my lack of post-work motivation!

This Friday finds a mailbox full of a variety of postcards! Let's get started and planning for next weeks mail!


First up this evening, a card from Jenny! The Veterans Administration Hospital in Denver, CO was completed in 1951. Not only is it equipped to bed and care for 504 veterans, the hospital also serves as the epicenter of Denver's medical community! Something to check out on my vacation!! :) 

Pam sends a shot of the Nebraska State Capitol Building. The 400 foot tall tower is topped by a 32 foot tall bronze statue named "The Sower"; the statue is fashioned to reflect a man sowing seed and symbolizing the importance of agriculture to the development of civilization. Thanks Pam!

From Ashley, the Weeping Wall in Glacier National Park, Montana. In the spring and start of summer, runoff rills of foaming water cascade over the face of the rock wall creating unusual sights for passers-by. From Susie, the John McBarnes Memorial building in Bloomington, IL. Thank you ladies, I just love these vintage cards :)

Jeanette in New Zealand sends a Kea my way and reminds us all of the importance of preserving, conserving and protecting native animals as we expand our communities.

This beautiful brown bear came all the way from the forests of Belarus!

Jill shares her love of the arts-especially ballet with me this week! The oil painting, "Dancers Practising at the Barre: by Edgar Degas comes from the British Museum collection in London.

A childrens story with a bit of horror and fantasy tied in! Antonia introduces me to "The Antarctic Express" by Kenneth Hite, a retelling of HP Lovecrafts' "At the Mountains of Madness". This looks awesome, thank you!

Well, that's it for me tonight folks! A couple of postcards to get out for Saturdays mail and a few letters to read and reply too! Happy Friday! :D