Come to a holiday mail party in DC on November 26!

Click to embiggen!

I'm hosting a mail-making party in DC on Monday, November 26, from 5:30-8:30! Since it'll be the Monday after Thanksgiving, you can come bitch about your family get-togethers with us. We'll understand.

Bring your own Christmas or holiday cards to write, or make some there.  It's a way to make what can be a pain in the neck into a fun activity with friends.  Also, you can get the card-sending out of the way early in the season -- and not feel guilty when people send cards to you.

I'll have some mass-produced holiday cards available, along with supplies for making your own.  Donations are always welcomed, but not required, to use either.  (You can bring your own supplies, too, of course.)

The library is located at 3160 16th Street, NW in Mt. Pleasant, on the southwest corner of 16th and Lamont Streets.  We will be in the large meeting room, which as you come in through the new main entrance, is on the right.

If you're the sort who likes to RSVP (which I appreciate) and have this on your Facebook calendar, click here.


View Larger Map

via Metro
Columbia Heights, Green and Yellow lines. Exit the west entrance, walk 1 block west on Irving Street (past the Five Guys) to 16th Street. Turn right on 16th Street to head 1 block north.

via bus 
S1, S2, S4 - pull cord for Lamont. If coming from the north, you'll be on the right corner. If coming from the south, cross 16th Street to reach the library.
S9 - pull cord for Irving Street. Walk one block north on 16th; library will be on your left. 
42 - pull cord for Lamont. Walk one block east on Lamont; library entrance will be on your right.

via bicycle
The renovation of the library came with new bike racks. There are also places to lock up along Lamont and 16th Streets.

MailArt 365

If you follow my Twitter feed, you may know that I am participating in MailArt365 this year, producing 365 pieces of decorated mail for 2012. The project has been ongoing since December of 2010, but I thought I was too busy then to get in on the ground floor.

I tracked my outgoing mail for 2011, though, and realized I was already sending more than 365 pieces of mail per year. That made it an easier decision to commit to making mail art in 2012.

Not that anyone's holding me to it; it's more of a challenge to myself.

If you regularly send mail that you could describe as unexpected, I think you'd be a good candidate for joining the project, too.

You can check out my contributions, but be sure to just visit the main page to see what other people all over the globe are doing. There's so much creative work being sent through the post.

New card designs!

I'm pretty pumped about these new cards I designed.

The perfect birthday card makes sure the birthday guy or gal knows exactly what they are celebrating.

I love using reclaimed materials in my work; it makes me so happy to see old things have a new life again.  But I'm starting to recognize the fact that I can't only make things from reclaimed paper.  Finding it, storing it, and using it takes up a lot of time and space, and both of those are in short supply for me.  But I love the look of vintage ephemera and want to continue designing with it. What's a girl to do?

You can't get much more meta than mail that defines itself.

Well, she makes some new card designs with it instead, and has them printed locally on paper with recycled content.  Each measures 4 by 5.5 inches and is printed on matte cardstock (which means if your note goes a little long, you can use the back for more writing).

The backs of cards shouldn't be boring.

They are blank on the inside and come with crisp white envelopes.  Plus, I'm offering to ship them out free to customers in the United States for the rest of the year! Stock up and be prepared for all last minute mail-sending occasions that you may encounter.

To order mailman cards, click here.
To order birthday cards, click here.

Coming to Brooklyn this November

I'm so excited to announce that I'll be selling at the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn on November 17 + 18th!

It'll be the perfect way for NYC-area friends to come get all their shopping out of the way before the holiday season gets too crazy.  Plus, you can see the Manhattan skyline as you shop, which makes it pretty much fabulous.  If you're worried about the weather, fret not -- our shops will be in heated tents! So fancy.

(I don't know my booth number yet, but I'll update this space once I have that info so you can come find me.  Hooray!)