boo!

I had a few little goblins come by begging for treats tonight. Son Zac set up the strobe light and I lit the 3 jack o'lanterns so they'd know we had treats. Since we live on a cul de sac we don't get too many kids coming by, but I enjoy the ones who do. Very cute young ones this year. Spiderman x 2, a fairy princess, bumble bee, some kind of victim covered in blood, etc. I think there was even a ghost. I watched Halloween-ish movies--"Donnie Darko" and "Urban Legends"--both sorta scary and unusual...I really like "Donnie Darko."

I worked on getting some mail art together to go out tomorrow, but I didn't get very far. I need to sleep now, too, so I don't know what I'll be able to come up with before the post goes out.

you want details? I'll give you details!

Since I last blogged about who the mail art was from I've heard from Fabio Sassi in Italy, John M. Bennett in Ohio, CZ Lovecraft in California, Dan Buck in South Dakota, ENERGYMAN Michael Lumb in England, Ross Priddle in Canada, Ed Giecek in Washinton (not DC), invitation to participate in a show in Romania & another postcard from Jokie X. Wilson in San Francisco. Oh, and one more from Rudi Rubberoid who said he knows he just mailed me stuff, but he's getting caught up so I get another piece of mail from him. I like it! I think that's everybody...isn't that lots? I'm impressed.
I'm starting to worry about buZ. He usually writes right back. Maybe he's travelling? I found some keys to mail him! I think I'll either need to get a little box for them or mail one per letter for a while. Although he's mentioned that he's had keys go missing in the mail when they've been sent loose in an envelope. Maybe tape it to a little card or something?

Lots of stuff has been coming in the mail!

I love it! I've even been mailing lots of stuff. I'm on a black envelope kick--seems seasonally correct due to the Halloween thing comin' up.

Unfortunately, I cleaned my room up some and now I can't find my bank bag full of fluxus bucks! Yikes! Time to undo the tidying up, I think.

Oh, lookee, there's edDDheaD!

Yup, this abundance of blogging Mail Artists is quite remarkable. I know blogging takes away from my mail art making time...but so far I'm not ready to give it up. I'm still trying to figure it out!
Once again a good mail art day--The Scribe knocked me out with another bright envelope and some great ideas for Halloween projects. She does good work. I also got an update from Rudi who sounds like he's managing to keep a pretty good attitude despite the hip breakage and surgery. What a guy! I also got a postcard from Jokie X. Wilson in SF, CA. And, hurray! a Neosho pack o' info and joy. And Julie Voyce sent some peanut dudes on fabric to use creatively and then send her a photo of the result. cool.

no incoming mail in two whole days!

Due to the lack of mail coming in, I 've had more time to get mail sent out. Oh, and I made another 100 fluxus bucks. Today I'm sending mail to Henk J. VanDoyen, Dale Speirs, VIC, Tamara Wyndham, Haddock, Yooper Hill, Eleson Grogan and Paul Tiilila. Black envelopes mostly, the others are recycled. I like reusing mail art rather than archiving, but I like making my own stuff, too, so I have lots of mail art hanging around. I wish I could figure out something cool to do with it. I like what's happening with A.1's stuff, but after the picture posting you still have to figure out what to do with the actual piece of mail...

I tried to start another blog, but ended up starting 2. Sigh. I'm such a blog dope. Now I have to find out if you can erase an accidental blog.

slow moving blog today...

I've been waiting so long for this page where I can type to load that I forgot what I was going to say! Sheesh.

I mailed some stuff--3 things I think. I didn't remember to remember who they were to. Yesterday I got mail from Julie Voyce in Canada, Jokie X. Wilson in SF, CA, Ruud Janssen and Henk J Van Doyen in the Netherlands, and Paul Tiilila in Finland. I am so lucky! I'm sure I get the best mail in the state of Texas.

I tried to add a photo, but I don't think it worked. I'll have to check.

cough, cough, sniff

I'd be happily dozing off if I didn't have a sick teenager in the house with me. Not good timing at all for both of us to get these colds at the same time. But we've done it. We're off to Wal-Mart in a few minutes for meds and juice.

Yesterday's mail brought in surprises from VIC in Louisiana, Leavenworth Jackson in Berkeley CA, Tamara Wyndham in NYC, and Eleson Grogan in Alabama. I'm mailing a few things, but right now I don't remember much of anything--i'm still coming off the NYQUIL...

At least I'll be able to stop at the post office and see if there's anything in the box!

licking elephants

This sticker isn't sticking and it's supposed to after you lick it! Damn. Guess I'll drag out the glue stick. This yellowish elephant will look great on this purple envelope.

Tomorrow I'm mailing 40 wedding invitations--for my son's wedding next month. I'm so glad they're finally ready to go out! Whew! I also need to go make some Fluxus Buck documentation copies so I can send that out as well, but I'm not sure I'll get to that. Maybe. I'm kind of enjoying being in bed (I'm still sick, but not very--thank you for your kind wishes, Michael).

NO mail today (Sunday), but yesterday was good. I got mail from Dale Speirs in Canada, Pascal Lenoir and Jean-Marc Renault in France, and Linda Hedges in Wisconsin.

Gotta go suck a lozenge.

I called in sick...

but I really just wanted to check out the blogs online...

Not true, exactly. I do have a sore throat and a cough, but I could have made it through another day at the bookstore. I just couldn't convince myself I needed to be there more than I needed to be here. (Especially on a busy busy Saturday with people packed into the small space of the bookstore.)

I signed up for HELLO and hope to have some images on my blog before long. ya'll are inspiring and helpful! Thanks. I keep looking at scanners and cameras but haven't found the bargain I need just yet.

I sent something to A.1 a couple of days ago and yesterday I mailed to Neosho. Today I have things going out to Ed Giecek, Isao Yoshii in Japan, Jose Roberto Sechi in Brazil, E. Sundermann in Austria, and Baudhuin Simon in Belgium. Yesterday's mail brought things from Ryosuke Cohen, The Sticker Dude (I did manage to get his perfed stuff into the mail!), Neosholio, and Haddock. The day before I got mail from 2 people new to me: Yooper Hill in Florida and Terry Tilford in California.

much to learn

Michael has put up a new blog with lots of mail art from his archives. I can't figure out how to get one image and he's got zillions! How'd you do that, Michael? It's a lovely blog and I'd like to link to it, but I haven't figured that out either...sheesh.

Mail yesterday saved me from my crabby mood--two nice pieces with letters from Neosho--also a fluxus buck she addressed, put a stamp on and mailed naked. Cool. CZ Lovecraft in California sent a nice fat envelope of great stuff--but the envelope is always the best part from CZ. I also heard from Rudi Rubberoid in Washington state. He seems perky for a guy who isn't getting around very well. I also got postcards from Picasso Gaglione(Chicago) and Bruno Capatti (Italy).

finally! the mail came!

Yesterday was another good mail day with mail from The Scribe in New Jersey, joao alberto LUPIN in Brazil and David Lawrence Stafford in Australia. Inspiring variety abounds in this Eternal Network!

Going out today from me is mail to Clemente Padin in Uruguay, Tim O'Neal in Oklahoma, Jim Hayes in Georgia and Pedro Pescador in Arizona. If I can get it packed up I'll also mail some things I've perfed for the Sticker Dude.

Busy day. I really don't have time for work...but I guess I'll probably go.

up and at 'em!

Lots to do today so I'm trying to be efficient (those who know me may laugh out loud now). Mail going out to Dan Buck (Fluxus Bucks for a Buck in South Dakota), Neosho in Chicago, IL and John M. Bennett in Ohio. Since yesterday was a postal holiday (grrrrr...) I'm excited to see what shows up in my mailbox.

I have to buy 500 black envelopes to save all kinds of money (i actually spend $4 more than I would if I only got the 200 I need, but I end up with 300 extras! If you can't follow my math, join the crowd). So I have to drive across town and pick them up and to do that I should be ready for work because everything seems to take longer than I think it will.

Yesterday I photocopied the latest finished pages of fluxus buck documentation (pages 77 & 78). I also made some copies of FB. I'm going to make 100 extra fancy fluxus bucks to help celebrate 10 years of fluxus bucks. November is the actual month that the anniversary falls in so I'm sort of planning ahead. (very unusual)

While at work I had enough time to make a few collage-y sheets to write letters on. Neosho got the two most finished ones. I use books and magazines that are in the recycle bin from the used stuff we buy from customers. I was totally jazzed about this process when I started it earlier this summer, but I'm already losing interest. NEXT!

Whew!

I am so lucky! I have a friend with a husband who knows about cars!!! YAY! He managed to get my driver's door window up on my Honda--it's been down for nearly 2 weeks. It's not so bad except when it rains, which it's managed to do a lot. And rather than the $300 motor for the window (that still works) it's just a switch I need. It may be fairly expensive, too, but not anywhere near $300. You know what that means, right? More money for postage!

Tomorrow I'm sending mail out to CZ Lovecraft and buZ blurR--so far. I think I may manage to get a few more things ready to post before morning.

long day at work...

but I got a chance to look at the mail art I picked up on the way! I got a big bright envelope from The Scribe in New Jersey, a spiral monograph (?) on an envelope from Trisha Burr in Georgia, a postcard of watercolor paper w/bright colors, Gene Ray George in Denver, CO and Pinky in Genova Italy. Good mail day. Fluxus Bucks in the Scribe's, Pinky's and Tricia's.

Tomorrow is Sunday--no mail. I'm always a little bummed about that.

wishing for a scanner or digital camera...

When I visit blogs of other mail artists I really enjoy seeing the stuff they've sent or received. I also like reading what they have to say about the whole process a lot, too. But man, oh, man do I ever LOVE when they've got both. I wanna have both. It's time to figure this stuff out...

In my mailbox today? A nice stuffed envelope from Ed Giecek in WA, a postcard from T. Torkildson in MN (a new contact for me) and a short note and Fluxus Buck from a mail artist I haven't heard from in a long time, Melon-Knee in AL.

mail art IN today--

A postcarded buck from JK Post in Utica, NY. Nicely arranged. It asks the question "Are you a mail art myth?" I think the answer is, "Not yet!"

I mailed to Neosho and somebody else...(I have a lousy memory--I guess I ought to log in and make a note of what's going out of here while I still have the mail around to look at).

I'm a little distracted because I'm supposed to be creating invitations for my son Sam's wedding to Amanda that is scheduled for November 13!! We should have mailed already, but NOOOooooo--I can't squeeze the info out of the busy lovebirds. Sheesh. I may be scribbling something out in crayon and mailing it in postcard form...yikes.

I'm digging the COMMENTS. Yeah, I can see how this blogging thing gets addictive. Great to see old friends!

Friendship without a face-to-face meeting--real or not?

Real.

Today I got a lovely letterbook from Neosho in Chicago. It's such a lift for me to hear from her. What a cool human! I like her art, humor, writing, attitudes, ideas, etc. I'd love to have her for a neighbor, but it's great to have her where she is, too--in my mailbox!

It was a little slow at work today so I got to tear up a 1889 edition of Charles Dickens' Our Mutual Friend. It was once a beautiful little book with leather binding, illustrations, marbled end papers--but it was falling apart! The cover was already off and the pages were mostly there, but the powers that be at the store had determined that it would be tossed. So rather than just trash it, I got to salvage some good collage stuff --which is one of the biggest blessings of this used bookstore job. It seemed like a sin or something to rip it up, but it would have been worse to see it go in the dumpster and disappear...

Now if I can figure out something terrific enough for it to be a part of...

mail art in Texas

I've mentioned to many mail art friends that Garland, TX feels like an art wasteland so I'm very dependent on the mail art museum that is my mailbox for a feeling of connected-ness to artistic energy. It's incredible that it's a global family! Yesterday's mail brought me greetings and art from Uruguay (thanks Clemente!) and Brazil (thanks Jose--I can't make an accent, sorry). I'm mailing to Japan, Texas, Florida, Utah and Hawaii today--and who knows what might be waiting once I get to the post office! (Anticipation is a lovely part of the whole mail art thing for me.) Tuesdays are generally my slowest mail days, but it's hard to guess what might show up.

A.1's Michael was telling me that his mail service has really slipped because sometimes he doesn't get mail til noon--my mail at the house doesn't show up until 4 or 5 p.m.--pretty lousy, huh? At the P.O. I can count on it being there by 10:30 a.m. which is earlier than I usually get there. Heck, it's earlier than I usually roll out of bed...

I'm not too sure about this...

I'm here because I enjoy the blogs of others and because ol' mail art friend Michael Leigh encouraged me to quit lurking and give blogging a try in the snail mail art I got from him today (well, yesterday, actually--since it's after midnight).

I love journaling and have done some version of it since 1967 (yes, I'm old...). Since I'm a paper freak and fan of anything that makes a mark, I'm not sure I'll enjoy this pen and paper-free method of journaling. What if I start small and go bigger? I think so. So that's it for entry #1.