Incoming & Outgoing

Late last week I sent out my reply to Stephanie, the only pen pal I have {so far} that shares my name.  Not only is her letter from August, but she has also since changed addresses.  So, I hope she has a letter waiting for her at her parents house next time she goes home.  But it's a long letter and I do hope she replies, she seems like a lot of fun.

The seal did not make it.

The card was glittery and awesome.

The inside also contained two awesome flip-flop papers!

This is the letter I alluded to earlier.  Please allow my mediocre photography to show you the most stunning piece of mail I have ever received.

This is from Melissa, aka Ms. Howard, aka the woman who invented plate mail.  The envelope was handmade, clearly, and I love how patriotic it is.

Inside I pulled out this great little folded booklet.

The booklet was actually a tri-folded three page letter, the back of which was all maps.  The front of each page was cobbled together like a treasure map of scraps and papers and pockets and stickers.  It was positively joyful to experience.  All of the pieces cut and pasted into the most beautiful mail art.

The downside to photographing correspondence is that I blur out the text!  Hard to do that and still show how great it all was!

Another pasted paper.

A great little tiny paper bag with an insert.

Really pretty green shimmer paper with a scallop trim and a yummy treat sticker.

Another little pocket...

Where the letter continued on these little tiny cards inside!

I am still typing my response to this letter, I've been working on it for almost a week now and I am pushing eight pages and I'm not even close to finished.  I hope to have it in the mail by Friday.  I wish my pictures would do this letter justice, but it really has to be seen to be appreciated.  Melissa has suspended her mail blog for the time being but she keeps several others that seem to be up to date if you want to look around.  I hope she picks back up with the mail blog, though, she sends and receives beautiful things.