Leap Day Mail!!!

Happy Leap Day Readers! I hope that today has been extra great for everyone--and ladies, be sure to ask your man to marry you today, seems historically, Leap Day is the only day we are allowed to break that tradition! :)

Before we get started on the mailbox goods, I thought I would share a link from The Daily Mail showcasing some vintage Leap Day postcards. Check out the postcards and get a good laugh out of them by clicking on Watch out gents, it's a leap year!

I sent out a handful of postcards today (what better than a February 29th postmark) but I also received some great cards. Seems, at least in my neck of the woods, Leap Day is pretty awesome.

Salem, always trying to get in on the mail action. I may have to set her up her own account--she always wants a piece of my postcard action! 

 Danielle in Omaha, Nebraska shares her love of reading and mail with me today! Today she is recommending "A Long Long Way" by Sebastian Barry.

 This postcard comes from the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico! Every year the city has predictable wind patterns due to its elevation that make it ideal for balloon navigation and showing off to the spectators below! How neat is this? I'll have to get to NM in October! Thank you :)

Susan shows off her favorite Santa Monica beach, where she escapes when the temperatures in the Valley get to hot! 

 A gorgeous card from Russia and very different from the ones I normally get! Unfortunately the stamps covered the card info so I am waiting to hear back from the sender as to where exactly we are looking at! :)

Lori sends me a Berhardt Wall image from The Meisler Collection! Very cool card! :)

 A pen pal letter found its way from Katherine in Missouri! I love the note cards, remind me to ask her where they came from when I write back!

 She also sent me some goodies and decorated me all up for Halloween! Thanks Katherine :)

Those are the goods for  Leap Day 2012! I hope that everyone got something special in their mail box today! Off to get a few letters replied to, let's get March mail started off right! Hmmmm, maybe a March  Mail Madness Challenge? ...... :D

Postcard: Turku, Finland

Tuesday might be a slow mail day here in the US but at least it's a good mail day! Only one postcard made its way to the mailbox this afternoon, all the way from Finland! Thank you to postcrosser Brita for the great card and all of the great info! Happy Mailing!

Vähätori Square in Turku is located in a magnificent central place in front of the old main library in the shore milieu of River Aura. Engel proposed already in the town plan of the year 1828 a square-type town space for this location. However, it has never served as a square, but rather as a street. The impressive fountain built in 1924 also remained a somewhat separate feature and had become worn away over the years.

 Vähätori Square has now been restored into a square-like living town space. Cars are still allowed in the square, but must give way to pedestrians and bicycles. Since its refurbishment, Vähätori Square has quickly become one of the most popular meeting places in Turku. The street was paved with cobblestones, the street lights were replaced and the foundation of the fountain was repaired. The top part of the stone wall built due to level differences consists of a 14 m long work of art by artist Saara Ekström; Kertosäe (Refrain).

Monday Afternoon Postcards!

Happy Happy Monday Readers, I am happy today say that this week has already been about a thousand times better than  last week (already, I know!) and I am writing to you from the comfort of my living room, windows open, coffee brewing, cats lazily watching the birds that are landing on the fence and a few great postcards by my side I'm almost tempted to call in to work tomorrow!

After all of the bragging that I did yesterday about our mail mission, I am proud today that I wrote back to four pen pals and got out 8 postcards--and being off work a little early gives me a great opportunity to up date you guys and work on some more mail!

Only a few postcards made their way today but they are all awesome! Let's get to it, shall we?



Christina sends an awesome view of "Low Falls", which plunges 250 feel down the Callasaja Gorge in North Carolina. A bit of Americana makes its way from Tazzini! Thank you ladies :)

 Linda in California sends me my first Giant Sequoia! These trees are the largest living things on Earth- some of which are so large you can actually drive your car through it! I'm feeling a vacation coming on to check these out for myself!

 I always enjoy getting a different card in the mail--so I just love when an art card comes my way! Thank you to Tiffany in Portland for adding a bit of flair to the mail box.

Another score for the art card collection! Thank you to Karen for this painting by Russian artist Bakst. Commissioned in 1911, the painting "Costume of a Young Beotian", from Narcissus is a pencil and water color on paper. :)

and finally for the evening, a postcard that I've had for a couple of days and forgot to post! An awesome view of the mountains in Colorado! I was already counting down the days until my April vacation and now I just want to pack and take off! :)

That's it for me tonight! Off to find something for dinner and get my Tuesday outgoing mail started! Hope all of your mailboxes looked just as good!

Some Stats and a Bit of a Flashback....

Happy Sunday Readers! I admit right off the bat that I haven't checked my PO Box this weekend so I don't have any  mail to report on after Friday afternoon's update. I did a lot of running around yesterday, lurking in all kinds of shops, even an antique row, looking for mail related items (some of which I found, but not nearly as much as I would have thought/liked to find), stationery and postcards. I haven't purchased much of anything lately--heck I've hardly looked--because I have so much that I am trying to use some if it up before I have another box full!

Then I got to thinking (I hear you laughing)....the entire reason that this blog exists and I keep up with it is because of you all! Those of you that read, offer comments and criticism, send me mail, help me out , are the ones that make sure I reply, buy new cards, check out new stamp releases, write and over all keep me going! It's only fair that I let you know how the blog is doing (come on I work at a bank, you had to figure numbers would factor in somewhere before it was over!) and show off the mail that I have gotten since I started all of this last July 3rd! Sound fun? Let's go!



My very first Postcrossing postcard from Ashley in Kalamazoo, Michigan! To date, I have sent 129 cards, received 121 and at the moment I have 11 traveling!

This postcrossing card, from Phylis in Kansas was the first card that came my way tailored to my profile interests and with a message about my blog written on it :)

My first card from Swap-bot! I've completed 189 swaps (186 snail mail), most of which are letter and postcard exchanges!

My first card from Walltype* (photo taken and card created by the user), 166 cards shared, and while I haven't counted I'm all but positive that I have gotten one back for every one that I have sent!



And now, the moment you have all been waiting for --drum roll please!!!!! The stats for MyHappyMailbox!!!!!

All Time Views: 7,328

Last Month Views: 1.294

Yesterday Views: 69

Today's Views: 50

At this very Moment: 14 (US)

Top Countries (in order): US, Germany, Canada, UK, Russia, The Netherlands, Australia, France, Latvia and Malaysia

Finally for today, the mail that I have received due to you good people!

Even that cats are in on the gig!

So, there ya have it! I'd say we are doing pretty well for ourselves in the world of mail and interneting. A thousand thank you's to everyone, whether you mail me some thing to put up on the blog or just stop by, none of this would be happening with out you! I never thought I would even be as popular as I am! Let's keep on giving the letter a come back! Now, I am off to reply to a letter...or five!  xoxo  Randi



Pen Pal Letter and Friends Friday!

Happy Happy Friday Readers! I don't know about you all, but I am so glad that it's Friday! All I want to do is spend some time outside (its a bit chilly but so sunny and bright out) and write some letters!  Lucky for me I have the weekend to do just that and to make it all better, I came home today two two pen pal letters and two postcards from friends back home! It might not be my highest volume mail day I've ever had but it's sure been a good one--especially since one letter came chock full of surprises! Let's show off some mail and get to our weekend!

My first surprise came from St. Paul, Minnesota! What a cool stamp for your address, I haven't even progressed to printed labels yet, hahah!

With that neat address label came some awesome vintage stamps

The inside of my little package from Lou included a great letter, even more vintage stamps and a few photos of my favorite critter, a crafty little squirrel!

An up close of those stamps- a 1975 First Day Issue of Banking and Commerce stamps, issued for the centennial year of the American Bankers Association. Perfect!

The shots of my little friend! Apparently he stole a popover from a nearby restaurant and ran it up his tree :) Thank you so much Lou, I love everything!

More on the letter front from Stephanie in Germany! A nice long pen pal letter with some pretty neat stationery and matching envelopes!

See? These are adorable, I may have to start importing my paper products because I never find things like this!

A couple of postcards made their way, both domestic. First up a delightful, if not tacky, greeting from  my sorority sister, Megan--who is from PA, who I met in FL, who know lives in NY and was visiting CA (whew!)--on her trip to Santa Monica. She did also pick me up a shot-glass from the "End of Route 66"! Thanks, Meg!

:D

And last up is a little bit of Florida sunshine from an old friend!

That's my haul for the day! I already have a stack of postcards that I am sorting out to get to friends and collectors all over the world, and I did manage to pick up some nice paper to write to my pen pals with! Have a great Friday night everyone!

Today's Postcard: Jim Woodring

Happy Happy Wednesday, Readers! I hope the day has gone fantastically and that your week is getting better--just think, it's almost Friday! I got this little gem in my mailbox this afternoon and I couldn't wait to share it with you all. The card makes it's way from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, courtesy of Postcrosser "WhiteHorseSulze".

From artist John Woodring, born in Los Angeles, who suffered as a child from paranoia, hallucinations, apparitions and a slew of other psychological impairments. One of which, he credits with his decision to drop out of school to become an artist,

                    "I had the most significant hallucination of my life in this art history class. I took it as an omen that I should just get the hell out of school and stay out! [Laughs.] This hallucination was so much more interesting than the class — it seemed to have forced its way into the classroom and jumped out of the screen where these slides were being projected in order to tell me that I should be somewhere else. I felt that this image had gone to a lot of work to get into the building and get into that room and wait for the screen to turn blank and then appear at me to honk at me to go. So I did.". Jim Woodring

The card, depicting the artists "Life After Man" work shows it viewer a " transdimensional crossroads as experienced by stateless entities lounging on the veranda. Until the day comes when the computer hands over to us the capacity for secular samadhi, this may be as close as you will get to this particular plaza."

While Woodring's works include, prints, toys, and sketches, he is mostly known in the art world for his comic creations. "Frank", a wordless comic that occasionally appeared in other complilations, would become his best known work and in 1996 would become its own publication.  He's even worked as a freelance writer for the comic book publisher, Dark Horse. Several of Woodring's characters have won awards in the literary and artist communities.

Curious about the artist and his works? You can learn more about Woodring and his dream drawings by going to his website, jimwoodring.com/

and it came with a first for my stamp collection, too!

I hope you all enjoyed it! I know that I will be very excited to come across a few more of this artists' works! Happy Mailing!

A Touch of Tuesday Mail!

Happy Tuesday Readers! I hope that those of you who had a three day weekend enjoyed it; I don't know about anyone else, but work was especially busy for me--a lot of people trying to get to the bank and catch up from the long weekend on top of business as usual. Needless to say I am glad to be home and on my couch with the kittens but boy was I even more excited when I checked my mailbox! I expected maybe one or two items, instead I got a whole hand full of postcards and a couple of pen pal letters. I know the anticipation is killing you, so with out further adieu, today's mail!.....

First up from a postcrosser in Germany showcases "Mainz on the Rhine" and the St. Boniface Marktetplace! An awesome view of Moscow, showing off The Kremlin at night,  comes from Anchuta !

 I never thought it would happen, but I finally landed myself a John Deere postcard! Thank you to Crystal in Iowa for adding to my collection and making me laugh-how cute is this card?  Sticking with the theme, Bonnie of STUFFellaneous sends a vintage photo/card of "Truck Farming"

Rietie in Holland sends a card showing off her home--personally I like the windmill in the background of the middle photo!

 Sophie always sends me great cards from Arizona! This card from Scottsdale showcases "The Bob Parks 5th Avenue Horse Fountain" located in downtown! Susan was kind enough to send me a skyline view of Salt Lake City--yes, that castle looking building is the Mormon Temple! Thank you Ladies!

I must be popular in Germany this week! Andreas sends me a card of the  Trevignon Lighthouse in Brittany!  

A postcosser in Quebec sends a card featuring some of the indigenous people in her area! La Belle province is home to many clans and tribes which are only accessible by airplane--some of them are completely isolated on the shore of the Hudson Bay! 



Some of the cool  stamps that came in the mail today, the top set is from Germany and the second set comes from Russia! I just love these stamps :)

Also in--rather ON the mail today, a couple of pretty neat postmarks that I've never seen before. I wish they did something special where I live in Oklahoma. When I lived in Florida people would send their holiday cards to a town named "Christmas" to have them postmarked there hahah!

And last up for the night, a pen pal letter from Marie! yay!

I also got my credit card bill in today, but that is just a tad less exciting then all of the beautiful cards that came in! I got quite a bit out today--several postcards (swaps and friends) and a few pen pal letters. I have a couple of swaps due and some letters to write back to as always so off I go! Hope your mail was just as good!

Friday Postcards!

Happy Happy Friday Readers! I don't know about you all but I am excited for the upcoming 3 day weekend--made all the better by two things...1) I got off of work at 2:30 today and 2) I got a handful of awesome postcards and two pen pal letters! I am almost caught up on all of my letters due back and I only have a few postcards to get out (well that I'm obligated to get out but we all know that before it's over whole box of them will go out!). That gives me 3 whole days to write and to look around town (or perhaps a small road trip....I think yes) for some new postcards! Oh, the excitement :)

I almost died of happiness when I found this card! All the way from Estonia, this furry little red squirrel just made my day. I'm sure my fellow Alpha Gamma Delta's can agree that he might just be the most adorable critter ever. Thank you so much, Ella! I hope that it's warmer in Tallinh today (on the day the card was written the temperature was --20*C)!

 The cool stamps that came along with Ella's card, the little mouse if my favorite.

My friend Regina in Portland sends me a awesome Pacific view of the Ebb Tide. 

 From a Postcrosser in Costa Mesa, CA comes an awesome postcard featuring a street in Beijing China which is known for its antique and curio shops.

 I think my snail mail friends are trying to get me out of Oklahoma and to a beach as soon as possible--and I am completely okay with all of this. Erin sends an aerial view from the Ogunquit Beach in Maine. I don't know about you but this is not how I picture Maine at all!

 For the last time Salem, it is NOT your mail. You can not just sleep on it....I really think she listened this time.....no, really....

 A fun --if not way to cold--winter shot comes in from Liele in Amsterdam. As much as a prefer summer, it does look like they are all having a lot of fun :)

I no sooner blog about making my own envelopes (here) and I get one from the wonderful Bev Sykes over at The PenPal Project! Hers are much better than mine I must say! Lucky for me that along with the great envelope, Ms. Sykes sent me an awesome letter as well :D

And my final piece for the day is my letter back from Jeni in Kansas! She always has the best note cards, I'm jealous!



That's all for me tonight! I'm going to get a few things out in the morning and work on my pen pal letters! Happy Friday everyone!