Saturday, May 21, 2011

Saturday-5:30pm

Just a quick note.
[Very funny! This has taken me two hours to post!]
My days and nights have flipped again. Was trying to prevent it by setting the alarm all last week, but that never works so I don't know why I keep thinking it will.
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Isn't that the definition of insanity? ;)
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Anyways, I wanted to tell you that the first Circle Letter arrived!
The lady from Texas who sent it to me made her recycled envelope (notice the hole on the flap)...
...from a calendar page!
I will be the only one who sees it, though. All the letters came stripped of their envelopes. I had expected to see them each tucked away, intact, inside one bigger envelope. I don't know why? I have never done a Circle Letter before, so I have no clue as to how it's normally done. I guess I had been wondering about matching stationery and possible envelope art. Was waiting to see what they did.
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Envelope art is a whole other artsy/craftsy thing. People recycle odd papers, as my lady from Texas did--cudos! You can hand paint, use calligraphy, stickers, rubber stamps, collage...lots of things. No one else will get to see her cool recycled envelope....unless I include pictures next time....hummm...?? ;)
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All the letters were short and basically introductions. Was such fun to read each one! There's something about handwritten letters that I will always cherish. :)
The lady who started it off used the most elaborate, delicate stationery I have ever, ever seen!!
Look at that wide paper lace all around the edges. Amazing!! Blew me away!
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Since everybody kept their letters really short (by my estimation) and on actual stationery, I dug out these two boxes of parchment stationery I bought many years ago (on sale, of course) on my very first trip to the Mega Mall in Minneapolis.
One is an ivory/cream color and the other is a pale lavender. I used the lavender and, much to my surprise, despite being able to see through the sheet so easily to use the line guide I made...
...this paper held up to a fountain pen and didn't bleed through so I could write on both sides in my Noodler's North African Violet ink--tada! I managed to keep it down to one sheet (my letter folks, you can close your gaping mouths) and sent it off to the last lady in Ohio in a plain pink envelope.
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Except for these two boxes of parchment, even tho I write letters constantly, I don't have actual "stationery" around here. For decades I have used small legal pads and folded the many sheets and tucked them inside of handmade cards. And then for the last few years I also use my handmade bookcards for letters. But...stationery?!?! Naturally, it is exciting to have a legitimate excuse to browse through beautiful stationery--whoohoo! I could probably jazz up some of the plain sheets I have around here...or maybe figure out a way to make an even lighter weight bookcard? (They do seem concerned about the postage.) My mind reels in anticipation. :)
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Well, there has been a decent pause in the endless rain (predicted to continue straight through Tuesday) as I have been typing this and fighting with Blogger. [I was done and tried to post--it refused my post and only saved half what I had written! So I am re-writing right now. *sigh*] Anyways, there is sunlight! The chatty geese are flying overheard. A young guy on a dirt bike is revving all over the field. The road crew is off for the weekend. Kids are playing in the yard. A basketball is smacking against cement. Karma is snoring in her cat bed. It is an unexpectedly nice early evening. Too bad the porch is soaked--ROFL! :):)
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Let's hope Blogger will let me post this time and I didn't forget something I wrote the first time. This time I am going to make a copy before I try. ;)
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"A problem is a chance for you to do your best."
Duke Ellington

12 comments:

Carol C said...

Circle letters sound like a cool way to get some actual snail mail! I do miss snail mail.....what fun!

AliceKay said...

Love the pic of Karma. Was she guarding that piece of box for you? :)

The circle letters sound really neat. That lady from Texas did a great job making en envelope from a calendar page. (i never would have thought of that) Look at all of the different kinds of stationery in your letter collection. And yes, the stationery with the lace looks delicate and amazing. Beautiful.

Your stationery is very nice, too, and with your beautiful handwriting to go along with it, your recipients will have something nice to hold onto and read as well.

I'm glad you had a nice day today. We have had seven straight days of rain at one time or another. Karen and I got in a downpour driving to Sayre this afternoon. It didn't last long, but it sure came down heavy.

I'm about to set up a post to be published tomorrow morning. I hope Blogger cooperates with me on this one because there's a special reason for it.

Cowgirl Red said...

Karma is so photogenic. I just love her. I'm with you on the snail mail. I just love getting real letters and i try to write a ffew every week. Stationary and cards are a weakness of mine. But like you I will use good ol legal paper. I still have a couple pen pals. One is my aunt in Santa Fe. She writes such a beautiful letter. Xox. Terah

Serena Lewis said...

The circle letters sound great...love the idea of handwritten letters too. Me thinks I owe you one actually. Btw, I would definitely classify your bookcards as beautiful stationery.

I'm a little confused about the 5 letters inside one envelope?? I guess I don't understand how the circle letter thingy works.

Sorry to hear Blogger played up for you. To date, I've been lucky but I'm sure my turn with Blogger glitches will come soon enough.

We've had rain here the past couple of days...a little sunshine today but more rain is predicted.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend,

Love,
Serena xo

Anonymous said...

That is so cool about the circle letters, I can imagine how fun it is to read those also. I like how that lady made her envelope I might have to try that lol What a wonderful way to use up an old calendar! Im sorry your sleeping has flipped again its a real pain when we cant sleep through the night. Karma is cute in her little box there. Hope you have a rainless Sunday :o)

PS: I did not do the painting on my last post, wish I was that talented LOL I just looked up pictures of orange flowers in google and when I saw that I nabbed it, hehehe.

Toriz said...

Yep, now you have a good excuse to look at - or make - some really nice stationary! :)

Sounds like a nice evening... Shame the porch was soaked so you couldn't go out there to enjoy it!

Intense Guy said...

I know I owe someone a letter. I found something to write on - I just need the muse to inspire me.

Karma is in the Kat House, I see. :)

I guess she owns that box now.

Intense Guy said...

P.s., Lynn is a gifted artist - she is too modest - she could totally paint something like those flowers.

:)

Celticspirit said...

The Circle Letter thing sounds fun. I've never heard of it before. Karma is easily amused by anything you bring into the house. :)

Rita said...

Carol--I know. I miss snail mail, too. I write a lot more letters and notes than I receive. I am okay with the fact that most of the people I handwrite to answer me via email, but I sure do get excited to get my very own snail mail. ;)

AliceKay--Not sure--hehe! Karma just tucked herself behind the piece of cardboard for an hour or so. She seems to kind of "acknowledge" odd new things or new placements of anything in the house when she doesn't know what else to do with them--hehe!
I've seen envelopes made from old maps, grocery bags, cereal boxes...you'd be surprised! I'm sure the mailmen are surprised--hehe! ;)
Thanks@handwriting. *blush* :)

Terah--Sounds like you write letters even more than I do! I have weeks I don't write any, but then I often have 2-4 bookcards/letters going at the same time (I write in segments) so maybe it might average out to 1-2 a week, I suppose. Everything in my life seems to happen in clusters anymore. My good days clusters of activity--LOL!! ;)

Serena--Whoohoo! I look forward to a handwritten letter from you, Lady! Thanks on the bookcards. :)
I was confused, too. Everyone took the letters and put them all in one envelope. And, as you can see, it was just a business size envelope. So I didn't want to write more than my one page. I hope by the time it comes around again it at least becomes a bigger, fatter envelope--hehe!
I guess you really don't "need" an envelope for your letter if it is only one page and going inside another envelope, but I hope they get longer. Maybe I'll have to buy airmail paper and staple the pages together if they're worried about weight and postage--ROFL! ;)

Lynn--My trouble is that I have written all over my old wall calendars--hehe! They wouldn't look very pretty inside. But I supposed I could coat them with some gesso on that side. You can use white sticky labels or glue on a piece of paper to write the addresses on the fronts if the print is everywhere. I haven't done this for years and she inspired me. :)
From what I hear, you could have painted it! I can see why you loved it! :)

Tori--I haven't looked at stationery for decades, to be honest. Whoohoo! Even just for ideas it will be fun! :)

Iggy--I know I find I like peaceful down time to write and hear the muse. Maybe you could check out this site on youtube: 10minutes2relax
One of the ways I can get a nature escape being housebound--LOL! I should post one of their videos in my blog sometime. Ahhh!

Barb--Yes, Karma is very easily amused and intrigued by anything new and even just moving things around to new places--LOL! Well, our world is pretty small up here--hehe! ;)

Donna @ The House on the Corner said...

How cool!! I've never heard of circle letter!

You're right - a hand written letter is becoming a thing of the past. They don't even teach children how to write in cursive anymore - can you believe it! Some of my most cherished possessions are handwritten cards and letters from my Mom.

Rita said...

Donna--Oh no! What to they teach them? Just how to print? Or don't they need to learn how to write by hand at all and use keyboards? That is really creepy and sad. No penmanship classes anymore. :(

I'm sooo glad you have your mom's letters, tho! What a shame to think that maybe in another generation or two there might not be such mementos anymore. I'm part of generations who will be going extinct!!