Typewriter cravings

I have long waffled about typewriters -- I'm so attached to my fountain pens, after all -- but I think I've finally decided I want one. Maybe. My best beloved says it will be much too loud, and the keys will require a lot of effort, so I suppose I'd better test one out...

...but I know I adore their image! It's like the meta aspect of loving stationery that includes writing themes like pens, or envelopes, or stamps. I think typewriter stationery and postcards are just the bee's knees.

So I created an etsy treasury of some adorable typewriter-themed paper goods. I want 'em all. Etsy is a dangerous place...

If you want to learn more about each item, do visit my typewriter cravings treasury; but as far as I understand the workings of the widget above, each image should be its own clickable link to the individual etsy item, too.

EDIT: Reading the Life in a Typewriter shop blog just fans the flames...

Sometimes wax seals don't even survive inside the envelope

This letter made a rattling sound when I took it out of my mailbox. It sounded like it was filled with little sprinkles, or large confetti. So I used caution when I opened it (note: I LOATHE loose glitter that goes all over everywhere! My cats try to eat it and that's really bad for them), and discovered that the wax seal inside the envelope had crumbled.



In case you can't tell, in these photos I'm holding open the envelope after just opening it. I wanted to photograph the little wax bits before I dumped them down the trash. I guess this seal was of the more brittle sort of wax. I'm sure it was very pretty there on the ribbon... but sadly ironic that a seal put inside the envelope, to keep it safe during mailing, still didn't make it intact.

Bats, wheat, sunflowers

This patient and very artistic pen pal had a fun concept: she wrote the letter in summer, but due to my backlog, assumed I'd respond to it in the fall. In fact I don't think I managed a response until January (eek!), but she incorporated both summer and autumn themes in her letter art.

The bats are just for me, since I love them so, and the wheat and orange were for autumn themes. To open the letter, I moved the little sunflower bit aside.



It looks like all of these embellishments were hand-drawn and hand-cut; what a touching amount of effort to put into making a letter beautiful and unique!

Happy Birthday, Edward Gorey!

Wishing Edward Gorey happy birthday is a posthumous endeavor, since he died in 2000, but today is Edward Gorey's birthday, so I have to do a post about it! A dear friend gave me a 2011 Edward Gorey calendar, which is hanging above my writing desk, so of course the Gorey calendar notes Gorey's birthday.

For a Gorey extravaganza, here's a link to all of my Edward Gorey posts.

Have a Gorey-licious day!

Mini mailbox stamp dispenser

Here's a new item in my etsy shop: a Mini mailbox stamp dispenser. How cute is this??



Originally sold as a stamp dispenser, it has a spongy stamp moistener tray on the inside.



Not sure if anyone still uses stamp rolls - this would certainly fulfill that function, but it can also be used to store stickers, vintage airmail labels, or any other small items.



It's a little less than 3x2x2 inches, and the little flag can be put up and down.



Perfect for the mail enthusiast!

Mini mailbox stamp dispenser

Karen?

I received this today. (I'm not Karen.)

Huh?

Not only do I not know who this Anna is (no last name, no return address), but I don't know what the "thank-you" is referencing. Swap-bot? Postcrossing? Or did she just match the wrong name with my address?

Mail tips: be specific in your references, and use a return address.

Anna, if you see this - enlighten me?

More Shag for Postcrossing

I sent this Postcrossing postcard to Italy a while back... it took a really long time to arrive and get registered, and nearly expired. But it made it, so here's some more Shag (aka Josh Agle) artwork. This is from the Shag Postcard book made by Chronicle Books.

Love the retro Tiki look!

You know you want a unicorn postcard...

Tonight is the last night to sign up for the fabulous Unicorn postcard swap on Swap-bot. I don't know why only 5 people are signed up for it (I'm one of them!!) so I just thought I'd give it a shout-out here for any of my readers who are also swap-bot users... who see this in time to sign up... who also want a unicorn postcard...

* sigh *

Maybe I missed the boat on this. I just happen to have a slew of unicorn postcards on hand... tra la la.

On another note, we started with a new cleaning lady today. (Yes, for the first time our lives, my husband and I have hired a cleaning lady, because we are so damn busy that we can't even see each other at the same time, let alone clean the house...) She re-organized as well as cleaned. SHE REORGANIZED MY LETTER PILES. I am really freaking out about that. It is a serious problem and I'm going to have to re-sort them all.

It has been a totally strange day. And I am in a totally strange place in my life.

Is there something weird going on in the stars? Astrologically? Oy.

Postman postcard in etsy shop

I found this great vintage notepad, and had postcards printed from the illustration on the front.



I'd like to keep a bunch for myself, but I'm selling some in my etsy shop, too.




The back has some vintage postcard script, and a spot for a stamp.



The poem reads:

HARK! HARK! a whistle now I hear,
Look out and you will see
The postman has a letter
I hope it is for me.



Postman postcard on etsy

Cute, no?

More from the Feline Postal Brigade

Soda has recently discovered how to jump up on my writing desk, so I'll have more photos of her reprising her role as mail cat.



She is a proud member of the Feline Postal Brigade; here she greets Sebastian, another lettercat and Feline Postal Brigade charter member. He is the star of his own photo stamp here, too.



And yes indeed, she does have extra toes... The better to grasp my mail with...

Edward Gorey smorgasbord

A blog reader sent me this wonderful array of Edward Gorey mail art. The envelope is decorated with Gorey illustrations, and she included handmade Gorey cards with handmade Gorey envelopes. What a treat!