garden of love.

oh me oh my. I can not wait to go to the post office and pick up some of these stamps! I have been waiting and waiting for them to come out and today is the day!!

Information from beyond the perf

Award-winning illustrator José Ortega of New York City and Toronto depicts an abstract garden of bright flowers, a butterfly, a strawberry, and doves, interlaced with vines that run from one stamp to another. Each prominent element of the design is in the shape of a heart. The deep blue background is reminiscent of a brilliant summer sky. The word “Love” sits atop each stamp.

Ortega says, “Garden of Love depicts the abundance of life, its generosity, whose spirit is to be shared by all its creatures. Love’s definition is broader than romantic love. Love is that colorful, full feeling you get when you enjoy being a part of and sharing in the generosity of life.”

To create his design, Ortega made a digital file of his original pencil and marker drawings. Then he added color, improvising until the garden took shape. Ortega, a collector of decorative arts, says tapestries, textiles, and mosaics influenced his choice of colors and patterns.

The Garden of Love stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.

Ortega’s previous projects for the U.S. Postal Service include the 2007 With Love and Kisses stamp and the Salsa stamp, one of four stamp designs that appeared as part of the 2005 Let’s Dance/Bailemos issuance.

If given the option, always buy handmade!

special features.

Hi-

I have been thinking of things to add to my blog so that it is not always just random posts.

I am going to start out with.....

This will include a lot of things:

• what does your mailbox look like? A view at my personal mailboxes... the places I mail my letters from the most

• incoming and outgoing mail

• a look into stationery and where I sit to write my letters. 

Things will be added to this along the way and I would love to see where you work as well. If I start to get more followers, I will also start doing giveaways on mailbox mondays as well! I hope to have a great first mailbox monday next week starting with my mailbox!

make your letters extra pretty.

I promised you a few inserts from the new book I received in the mail and here is the first of few...

This is from page 180 in "The Happy Book"

The art of letter writing is being lost in this age of email and IM-ing. Spend some time writing a letter to someone and then mail it. Here are some ideas to make your letters extra pretty:

• Photocopy a favorite photograph and write you letter on the back

• Write each paragraph in a different pen color

• Write a short note to your friend each day for a week. Number the notes, and send them off. Instruct your reader top open  a letter a day, and then ask her to repeat the process with you.

• Go rubber stamp crazy and make your own hand-stamped stationery. Even the most no-frills craft store has hundreds of cute and quirky stamps and a rainbow of ink pads. It's crafting at its easiest. 

• Doodle like mad!

I have a huge collection of stickers, colored pens, postage stamps, and japanese tape! I like to decorate the envelopes so when someone sees it in their mailbox they know they have something fun waiting to be opened! I like to make my own stationery (notecards and envelopes) as well!

Do you have any other ideas? How do you make your letters extra pretty?

I have moved! I think my most favorite part of this move besides decorating was sending out my new home address cards! I am excited to receive mail at my new address and get excited to look in the mailbox every day. The next thing on my agenda... address labels!

the happy book.

I received a great piece of mail and birthday present the other day! My friend kathryn sent me "The Happy Book" by Rachel Kempster and Meg Leder.  I was curious when I saw it to see what it was all about and to a great surprise it is a great little book! There are a few ideas about letter writing in the book that I will be sharing with you over the next week or so! If you would like to purchase the book you can do so here!

" Let us all leave behind letters of love and friendship, family and devotion, hope and consolation, so that future generations will know what we valued and believed"
    -annonymous

world's smallest photo postcard.

On the topic of little letters, here is a tutorial on how to make your very own world's smallest photo postcards by photojojo.com!

In 9 easy steps you can make your very own tiny postcards to send to those special people in your life! I will definitely be making some of these soon! Click here to view the tutorial!

world's smallest post office at home.

The World's Smallest Post Service is an ongoing project by artist Lea Redmond. Since 2008, she has been setting up her miniature post service in cafes and shops, transcribing tiny letters for passersby. Her creative workshop, Leafcutter Designs, offers curious goods, surprising services, and projects for participation: www.leafcutterdesigns.com. 

Includes: • 0.2mm fine-tipped micron writing pen
• 40 mini writing sheets
• 40 mini envelopes
• 60 envelope seals
• 4 mini gift boxes
• 4 sheets Kraft wrapping paper
• 4 sheets miniature "newspaper" packing paper
• 44 inches twine
• 40 postage stamps
• 32 special delivery stickers
• Instruction sheet

Pre-Order yours at Chronicle Books! Only $22.95