snail mail

While going through my vintage postcard collection recently, I noticed something. I was fascinated by the design of the writing side of the postcards. The fonts are so unique, and the written descriptions on the back vary so greatly, anywhere from a single line of text to a long paragraph description of the scene on the front.

Similar to my collection of security envelopes, I find myself wondering, who was responsible for designing these things? Who picked the fonts? Who wrote the copy? Are there still many people who do this particular job? I’ll have to do more research on this topic…
Don’t forget: I’ll be selling at Renegade Holiday Fair in San Francisco today and tomorrow, so stop by and say hello if you live nearby!

I love this vintage stamp, which I found on sarcoptiform’s Flickr. It’s hard to describe why I am still such a strong snail mail devotee, in an age where email and Skype make communication easy and fast. This vintage stamp really evokes the special quality of receiving a letter: seeing your friend’s handwriting on the envelope, the beautifully illustrated stamps, opening the letter to read what your friend took the time to share with you. It’s similar to the slow food movement in that way, made all the more wonderful by the fact that every aspect is thoughtful. A letter shows a special dedication of time, a thoughtfulness that makes it much more meaningful than a casual email.
Have you sent any snail mail this week?

Just a reminder: I’ll be selling all my Cotton & Flax wares at Renegade Holiday Market Los Angeles this weekend, so stop by and say hello if you live nearby!

The holiday season is finally here, which means I’m stocking up on mailing supplies and rereading the USPS shipping requirements for holiday mail. I think these British mail posters are perfect for this time of year, I found them through the British Postal Museum and Archive on Flickr. The one on the left makes me smile in particular, because twine wrapped packages are pretty much a relic here in the US. The poster on the left is from 1937, and was used to suggest good mailing practices for British post. The poster on the right is from 1957, and I love how it seems to mirror the other illustration, despite being designed twenty years later. Wouldn’t it be cool to see more artist commissioned posters for US Mail?

Just wanted to share this guest blog post I did for Paper Pastries, in case you want to see more of my vintage postcard collection! Margaret’s blog is great for anyone who loves snail mail, so check it out.

I love postage, both contemporary and vintage, but there is something about the bold colors and beautiful design of these vintage stamps that just can’t be matched by modern stamps. I found these particular stamps on Northbank, where they talk a little about the beauty of vintage postage.

I’ve posted about vintage stamps before, here and here, in case you’d like to read more