#postallyconnected pt 1

A little while ago, I started a project over on Instagram, that I called Postally Connected.
For my birthday I received Keri Smith's 'Everything is Connected', which is a book of postcards with fun tasks written on them.
Instead of filling them in and then send them, I decided I wanted to give the chance to have a bit of fun with them to someone else, and this is how the project started.

I sent 10 postcards to ten lovely girls, and today, I want to share with you the first three postcards that came back to me, to show you what a great work they did with them!

The first one I received, is this one from Pandique in Sweden. As you can see, pandas are a serious business and they have their on sparkly planet, so cute!

 Next I got this lovely gentleman from Spain, made by a very talented girl named Blanca (which also sent me am hand-decorated notebook!).
To prove that Mr. Postcard went with her everywhere, she documented her day in pictures:

How awesome is that? He definitely had an interesting day!

The last postcard I received so far, is from Michelle in the US.

The task on her postcard was to mess up the shirt, and she did that by using food coloring. So original, don't you think?

I'm still waiting for the remaining 7 postcard to get back to me, but so far I'm really happy with how this project is going :)

ƒ.

Are you looking for a penpal? III

Here' some of the penpal ads I received recently, if you're looking for a new friend, this might be your chance to find it ☺! 

"Hi everyone! My name is Brendha, I'm 19 and I'm a law student. I want a penpal from anywhere and doesn't matter with your letters are cute or not, I'm more interested in what is written, but please,+16 at least; any gender. I'm not interested in big swaps because the brazilian mail is a headache sometimes, but swap little things of course I do smoothly. By the way, I'm brazilian! I would love swap postcards, I'm planning to assemble a collection of them! I reply as soon as the letter arrives, i just won't do this in special cases, like postal strike and exams."

Contact: breenyep@hotmail.com
Blog: http://daisiesandcallalilies.tumblr.com/
Kik: kontrollverlust;

"Hi, my name is Alex..a 44 year old woman from the UK...really love to exchange snail mail, love handmade envelopes, hand made things, paper, poetry, dogs, positivity, baking and sooo much more...would love to exchange snail mail with you, let's make happy mail days "

Contact: seaweed77@aol.com

"Hi! My name is Mira and I'm from Finland. I'm 17 years old childcare student. I love snail mailing, and I miss getting special mail. I love music, tv series, movies, friends, crafting, baking and magazines. Send me an email if you want to know more!"

Contact: mira.alamikkula@hotmail.com
Blog: http://mira-postcrossing.blogspot.fi/

Mail lately

I've been neglecting the blog again, sigh, I haven't posted about my outgoing mail in a while and I thought it was time for an update.
Here's something I've sent out in the past month:

As I mentioned in my monthly wrap up for January, I've been experimenting new mediums, and with DAS I created this little family of owls that have been sent to a special someone in Belgium.

I've sent a few orders from my Etsy, and a letter to Maddie.

I made a painting (to be shown after the recipients collects it) and sent it across the ocean.

And lastly, more orders, and a letter to Corey and one to Ari ♥

What have you sent lately?
Have a nice day,
ƒ.

Flow's Book for Paper Lovers [Review]

Finally, I have my hands on it! Yesterday, I received the amazing "Book for Paper Lovers" by, the very awesome Dutch company, Flow, and wanted to share it with you!

Let me start off by saying that the title is incredibly fitting, in fact, my poor paper heart exploded with joy as I flipped through its pages!

Christmas Mail

Hello guys,
it's probably time for me to share some mail with you! Who's excited? I definitely am, I'm really looking forward to blog more regularly again in 2014 ☺
Here's some lovely mail I received recently:
from my dear Emily in Sweden, a Christmas package full of owl themed goodies! Some rubbers, a notebook and a cutesy card ♥

From Marisa in California, some gorgeous monogram cards to match the stamp she got me a while back, so pretty!

Are you looking for a penpal?

Recently I've received a lot of penpal ads, and it's finally time to share them with you and hopefully someone will find a new friend ☺! 

Hi ^_^ My names is Loredana (Lolly for friends), 34 years old, I live in Italy with my husband and my one year old cat Amy.
I am an artist and I love correspondence. I love paper, art, fashion and animals. I'm vegetarian and I love cruelty free fashion.
I am looking for new pen pals to whom write in English because I want to learn it.
Let me know, send me an email: darklolly79@yahoo.it 
ps: my facebook profile 

Hi, I'm Aimée. I'm 25 years old and I am a Year 2 primary school teacher in England. I have lots of hobbies; I love reading book, making and baking, and going for rides in my vintage land rover. I love nature and love my two naughty cats, Saxon and Pixie. I would love a pen pal to exchange snail mail letters with, as I miss opening post that are meaningful and personal. Hope to hear from you soon! Please email if you are interested in writing to me. Email- aw160@alumni.le.ac.uk Blogspot - MissWoodall.blogspot.co.uk I've been looking for a crafty/friendly/foreign pen-pal! I recently graduated from art school with a Painting & Printmaking degree and have been lacking the creative juices. I have always enjoyed getting letters my whole life. The thought of not only getting letters but also little works of art sounds awesome! I hope to get some reply's! -Virginia (woodvj2@mymail.vcu.edu)

 

Hi, my name is Katie, I'm 17 years old, and I live in Massachusetts. I'm looking for a pen pal who would also love to swap treasures, handmade or found. Some of my interests are reading, musicals (especially Les Mis), music, painting, cats, and horror movies. Anyone who shares some of these or just wants to make a new friend, please send me a message. Contact me through my tumblr, stall-me-stall-me.tumblr.com

the Love Parcel in my Mailbox

A while back, I sent a package (here; here) to Miranda, for her "Love Parcel" project. She's such a creative girl, and I can't really begin to explain her art to you because it's so unique and wonderful that the best description of it comes from pictures. Anyway, today I received her reply in a gorgeous parcel that I can't wait to show you!

Mexican Skulls in my Mailbox

Hello everyone! I hope July's off to a great start for you all and that you're enjoying the holidays ☺
Today, I want to show you an awesome package I received from a very artistic friend over in Mexico: Musberina! We both love skulls, so we decided to go for a skull-themed swap and she sent me some amazing stuff and artworks..

Happy Mail & News Flash

Hello guys!! Long time no see uh? How are you all doing?
I haven't been quite myself lately, I got struck by a massive creative block and I couldn't keep up with my mail because of it. This, and exams (still 1 left, UGH!)  really got into my way and I'm truly sorry for not being able to organise my time in a most profitable way.
But I'm back now, for good, I promise!
So before I show you the awesome mail I got lately, I want to make sure you all know that starting July 1st, Google Friends Connect (GFC) won't be a thing anymore, so please please please, if you still wish to follow my blog, you can now do it via Bloglovin, or starting July 1st you won't be receiving any more notifications about my posts. So.. you've been warned!

Now, I in the past few weeks I haven't received much mail, but the few letters I got were really lovely!
I swapped one of my zines (yes, I made my first zine! More about it in a post to come soon!) with a lovely Spanish girl, Greta, and she sent me a zine with some of her experimental postcards, look how cool!

 Then I got a cute and vintage looking letter from Manon in the Netherlands,

 And also from the Netherlands, a little parcel from Marjolijn who recently went to Paris too, and also sent me some delicious Dutch liquorice that are not pictured because.. as I said, they were delicious :D

And that's it from for today, but don't fret! I have loads of posts in store for the upcoming months, so make sure to stick around :)
Also if you're still waiting for a letter from me.. I promise, they'll all go out by the end of the first week of July!

Have a lovely day,
ƒ.

Postal Travel Magazine

Hello guys! Lately I've been really busy working on a project with some friends, and I thought it was about time to share it with you all! Tee & Karina, started an online magazine about snail mail, crafts, penpals and all things related to mail, and I'm in charge for the layout and graphic.
It's the first time I'm doing something like that, so I'm not completely sure that I'm doing it right, so please, feel free to give me your feedback about it!

The magazine is called Postal Travels, and is published the first day of every month. It is free to read, and has lots of interesting activities to do! You can submit your penpal ad, penpal story, ideas and what not! Head over to their Tumblr to read more about it and submit your own content ☺

The March issues is out, and you can read it here.

Let me know what you think of it, and if you enjoy it, feel free to share it with your penpals and friends!

Have a good mail day,
ƒab.

january mail week 2 & 3

Hello guys, how was your mail week?
Mine was very good, I've sent out a few letters and received some awesome and unexpected things from my penpals; but let's proceed in order.
That's what I've sent this week: 

a parcel for Kelly in the US with a belated Christmas little something.

s'tahw ni ym xobliam

Ok, don't panic like I did! The title is nor Italian, nor any exotic language, but it's just English!
What am I jabbering about, you might ask. Well, my friends, if you want to blame someone for my momentary madness, blame Ria :D
This week I received a letter from her, but something wasn't quite right with it. She indeed wrote every single word of the first paragraph contrariwise! When I first started reading the letter I was quite puzzled and thought: "Oh nice, she wrote something in Romanian.. but.. where is the translation?! How am I supposed to understand this?!" and yeah, kinda started panicking. After a good 10 minutes, I suddenly realised her evil trick and both laughed at her evil genius and the coolness of her letter, and to my stupidity - since it took me quite a while to realise it.. but anyway!
Here's her letter:

Along with it, she sent me a very nice coaster, a bus ticket, and some beautiful stamps! Oh and she beautifully decorated the envelope too, as you can see :)

That day I also received two postcards:

One from my Norwegian friend Thea who went on a trip, and one from a postcrosser in Malaysia.

July mail week #4 + updates

Hello guys :)
Lots of letters will be sent this week since shortly I'll go on a brief trip in a little village lost in the woods and I won't be able to send any letter from there. I'm really looking forward for some relax~
Anyway, here's what I've sent this week:

A letter to Emily in Sweden, and one to H. in the UK. Harriet and I are now mail art pals :)

lost & found in my mailbox

Hi guys! As you might have noticed yesterday there was no freebie Friday..because this week I've made a special one for a friend's blog but I can't tell you more than that for now u_u However, next week I'll share some freebies again, don't worry!

This week I've found a couple of pleasant surprises in my mailbox, but alas, a displeasing one too.
Let's start with the lovely letters I've received:

this is one is from Mona. She makes the loveliest envelopes. Along with the letter, she sent some postcards she took during her trip to San Fran, and I'm not sure if you can see, but one has a very vintage touch!

Then, I got Maggie's letter.

It travelled quite a long time to reach me from the Arab Emirates, but luckily it eventually arrived safely, and so did the seashell that she included for me :)

July mail week #3

Hi guys! What's new?
Nothing much from me, just that I've bought the most gorgeous mirror at Ikea the other week, but I don't really have any space left on my walls to hang it. I don't really know what to take off to make room for it.. not my Pulp Fiction poster for sure, though!
Anyway, this week I'll be sending a lot of mail. I've had a letter writing spree yesterday, and today I seem to be in good letter-writing mood too.
The letters that have been sent and that will be sent later this week are for:

Madeline in the UK, Corey in Singapore.

guest post #1: Madeline

Hi guys, my lovely (pen) friend Madeline wrote something about the beauty of letter writing, and I want to share it with you today; enjoy!

Sending letters is more than just putting pen to paper. It's communicating with someone, a friend, a relative, perhaps someone you don't know. It's making an effort and showing a little love. There's something joyous about the sending and receiving of letters. Reading a letter and knowing that not so long ago, the page was in the hands of the writer, pouring their heart out onto the page just for a little while.  Just for you.

letter writing :: film (by chickadee nest {martha})

moustache in my mailbox

Hello you guys! How are you doing? Have your mailboxes being filled with awesomeness this week?
Mine surely did, because I have quite a few awesome penpals :3
Let's see..
This Tuesday I received a letter from Andie in Portugal, after a long time of postal bad luck. It was such a pleasure to read a letter from her again :)

Along with it, she sent me some paper goodies and a felt moustache! I have to figure out how to wear it >:B
On the same day, I received another letter from Portugal, this time from Sara.

She sent me two beautiful postcards and a little baggie of stickers, all tucked in an a lovely handmade envelope!
The following letter is from Thea in Norway.

She also sent one of her analog pictures (so beautiful - I'll hang it on my wall very soon!) and some yummy tea :)

july mail week #2

Hi guys! How are you today?
Yesterday I got back from Rome, they've been a couple of really nice days and the concert was pretty awesome. Besides a couple of drawbacks, I really enjoyed it :)
 

(source)

I didn't had the chance to actually send postcards from Rome, but some of you will be receiving a postcard anyway along with your letters :3

Speaking of letters, as soon as I got back home, I had the chance to finally catch up with a couple of you, and this morning I sent out letters for:
Alicja, Neda, Marjolijn, and not to forget the Travelling Notebook to Elisse.

The first 10 out of 20 postcards that had been requested, also will be going out anytime soon this week :)

However I will surely write and send some more letters too, (so far they're for Nadz and Sara S.)
I'll update the outgoing list in the next post!

Have a lovely day,
ƒ.

post tea in my mailbox

Hi guys, how is your weekend going? :) I'm at my boyfriend's place at the moment, and we're getting ready to go get out train to Rome! We'll be there for just a couple of days though, for a music festival.. so we won't really have the chance to tour the city or anything, but it will be a good opportunity to take a break from our boring town.

Anyway, let's stick to the mail topic! This week I received quite a few surprises in my mailbox:

First of all, I received this box from Sophia.

mail art in my mailbox

Hello my dears :)
how was your mail week?
Mine started pretty late. I didn't received anything since Thursday, but it was absolutely worth the waiting! Not in a particular order, that's what I received:

 

 This letter, is my first from my new penpal Nadz from Malaysia.

She wrote me a very interesting letter introducing herself and the culture of her country, which I must say, is so fascinating! There are a lot of native tribes where she lives, and the person on the postcard belongs to one of those. As I said, so fascinating!