Laundry Line Divine

The mail just keeps getting better around here.
Thanks to my “Fe-Mail” art partner Karen Arp-Sandel and to my friend Annie Gage who started her own movement last week with “Be the Mail You Want to Receive” my letter basket has been filling up with fun.

This is the latest “Fe-Mail” mail art postcard from Karen. Can you tell she was just in Florida? Karen made me a Valentine’s too, but I wanted to share this card with you first.

Before we go on, I must ask you:

First: Did nothing come in to your mail slot today? Please don’t despair. Send me your address here and I will mail something out as soon as you do.
Second: Follow Annie’s movement and send something to someone else. It is never, ever too late to send a love note. Karen and I have been sending love notes in the form of Mail Art for over 4 years this month.
Third: See if there is someone’s life you can change, right now, with a tender smile. (Just as I wrote that my husband tapped on my studio door. Smile.)))))
Fourth: All this Love stuff going around? It is what Thoreau said : “There is no remedy for love but to love more.” What if you started with yourself? Gentleness builds bridges.
Fifth: Go see my friend Kathy’s website, upwoods@ wordpress.com. I cannot make the link happen within this post, but she is there in my blogroll.

I made this card for my friend Kate, on dark mulberry paper with a collograph print and then cork printing. Kate is a frequent presence in my mail basket as she has been since we fell in love back in 1981.

Now my sister Jeanene is gluing up a storm out West this winter. I love her love note from a chocolate wrapper. See how layers of meaning get laced in to your work with traces of paper you pick up during your day? Hope you enjoyed the chocolate Jeanene! I am enjoying your Mail Art!

I had to make these 2 posts square and small because they are so beautiful together. And they both come from the absolute heroine of my Mail Basket, second only to my Mom, my dearest friend Benita who never ever fails to fill my heart and my mail basket with her love. Look what she did- I got this card from her on Saturday. Then this morning, she forwarded on this photo of tulip fields in the Netherlands. Do you see how they are the same colorway? Don’t you love Benita’s artistic eye? They are both a feast for my eyes. Only thing better would be to lay eyes on the sender. xoxooxoxo

Now I have a friend in New York City, a young artist who is so innovative and fun. Rebecca Carney is resourceful and insightful, articulate and multi-talented. She and I agreed to a little mail art exchange for Valentine’s Day. This is what I sent her:

This is what I got from Rebecca today, on Valentine’s Day!

These are little place-card shaped Valentine’s Cards with a sweet wish printed inside. The drawings are Rebecca’s original art. I laid them on a piece of my marbled paper just for pinkness.
This is not the complete set as I already left one on my husband’s desk upstairs!

Now for the serendipitious mail art, this from my friend Leo in Rotterdam. Leo is a revered Waldorf teacher and painter. He sends us art and artfully hand written letters inside these embellished envelopes. This was in my basket today, so I had to include it. What would happen if you just doodled with color on your bill envelopes? What joy you would bring to the mail carriers and the water company clerks! Leo always prints this on the back of his envelopes “IMAOP Light.Ro”. I cannot find it on the internet, but I suspect Leo has his own movement going on over there in Rotterdam.

I will close with this poem, also in a Valentine’s Card I recieved today from my inspiring friend Jan in Tacoma. Anytime I see Jan’s name on an envelope, I know I better sit down because she makes beautiful cards for me, just for me and includes poetry or art that makes my day. It is because of Jan that Laundry Line began. I count her among the many blessings in my life.

My Mom used to say, “If you want to get mail, then send mail”. I am serious about sending me your mailing address.Email me at laundrylinedivine@gmail.com if you don’t want to post it in comments.

Some day I will tell you about the first rock and roll song I wrote. It was also the last, but the story will make you laugh.
Until then,
Love- with all you’ve got,
S

Daily Happinesses Day Five:

1. Waking knowing I am collaboration with the Divine all day.
2. Posting brags to my circles.
3. Having a really busy day with pockets of unexpected ease time.
4. Hanging wash on the line on a sunny day. Really people, it is one of my truest pleasures.
5. Making this book for Ben which is perfect just the way it is.

This started as a flip book, but to do it right I would have had to start last year. And I am not so good at that kind of planning. Especially in July.

6. My girl making floral bouquets for the party tonight and our guests bedrooms.
7. A new bar of soap.
8. Baking cobbler for Ben’s birthday cake.
9. Having people around the table for cobbler who have celebrated with us since Ben was 2 years old- Lydi, Will and Bob- what gifts of friends you are.
10. Curfew at 11.
11. Ben calling me.
12. The eve of his birthday and him surrounded by new kids and his best friend Seth and his sister. And us.
13. Getting mail from my angel step-sister Jeanene. One of the many blessings of my Mom marrying my step-Dad is growing a new sister.
14. Jeanene’s collage.

This is made with photos by my wonderful step-sister, Jeanene.

15. Aunt Benita’s note.

There really is a circus in my attic. Or maybe the better part of the contents of Circus Smirkus, who perform here tomorrow and Sunday.
They are a great bunch of teen circus artists. We see them every year and now our school is hosting them for a fund raiser. Check out the circus on the web at www.circussmirkus.org.

Sending you large fans blowing cool cucumber breezes your way,
S