Outgoing: Playing Catch Up

I must have been tired when I addressed this envelope to Melody. It's rather plain. I mean, less is the new more, right?



Ahh...look at the little mice writing letters, aren't they cute! These are three foldables I found mixed in with a packet of postcards I bought.

These big, bad envelopes are the ones the bank statements arrive in. They are huge and just the right size for letter sized paper folded in half. Plus, they have enough space for larger sized clippings. Don't you just love the big mailbox?

Top postcard is of Cecil Rhodes who mucked about making his fortune in the south of Africa, Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. The lower one shows the changing seasons at Peaks of Otter along the Blue Ridge Parkway, not too far from Roanoke, VA.

Multiples, multiples...cane toppers and mailboxes now dress up the envelope from my car payment statement.

At the risk of sounding like Ed Grimley, this envelope is a Stellar One, I must say.

The magazine page seems too flimsy to use for an envelope on its way to England, so a clear plastic sleeve is in order.

On this one I face a dilemma. On the one hand, the envelope is pretty nifty and made from good quality paper. On the other hand, I have five fingers. Sorry. On the other hand, I don't want to promote tobacco use. The Surgeon General and I warn you about its evils. Who is the Surgeon General these days? Hmm, whoever he is, he's no C. Everett Koop. Or she/she's.

Notice the enclosure. One Happy Accident Hat. Have you requested yours?

Incoming Postcards

Sarah sends this fun, colorful card from Victoria, Australia, AU-74663. The card showing the green pastoral scene is DE-598023 but the scenery is from the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Alanna from Great Britain sends this beautiful card of stately Oxford in England, GB-140951. Rene' mails a card showing the Brazilian Congress Building. Isn't it gorgeous lit up at night? Card ID is BR-102463.

I love postcards that show views of the city. The top card is from Shaula from The Netherlands NL-317564. Card CN-200572 shows figures from a very popular cartoon in China.

The upper card PL-81621 comes from Evelina in Poland and the lower one, TH-42435 is from Jirat in Ayuttha, Thailand.

This cool mail art card comes to me from Mad Madge via the Good Mail Day Call for Scribblers, Mail Artists and Pen Friends. Beneath is Postcrossing Card FI-754133 from Marjatta in Finland.

Heidi mailed these last two postcards to me while they were vacationing in Myrtle Beach. She wrote that the campground has its own post office!

The Happy Accident Hat Contest

Last week while seeking bargains at the government surplus store, I found a box of 100 envelopes. They were a weird looking size, but, hey, weird works for me. And the price was right, 10 cents. So I bought a box.

Mistake! Turns out they weren't envelopes at all. Instead, they were paper hats, the kind worn by food service industry workers in some erstwhile era. I set them aside. Notice I did not say I threw them away. I set them aside. They were, after all, paper. A day or two went by and every time my eye would light on them I'd think, "Mistake!"

But, then one day I remembered the Bob Ross quote, "We don't make mistakes, we have happy accidents." That made me smile and I began thinking.

TA DA! The Happy Accident Hat Contest was born.

THE RULES:

1. Your hat must be decorated with a Letter/Mail Art/Postal related theme.

2. A picture of your hat must be submitted to me and I'll upload it into a gallery set up for that purpose. You may model the hat. You may traumatize your children, grandchildren, and/or pets by forcing them to model the hat. Or you can save yourself the hassle and use a stuffed toy as I did.

3. Only one entry per person is allowed.

4. Prizes (TBA) will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place entries, plus a People's Choice Award.

5. To enter, leave a comment below expressing your interest. Then email your mailing address to me at justletterrip@gmail.com.

6. Most important rule: HAVE FUN and Just Letter Rip.

***Note: You don't have to be a follower or spread the word about the contest, but both, or either, would be greatly appreciated. If you do blog about it, or post to facebook, or tweet, or whatever, please send me a link.