Happy Birthday to the Blog - 10 years

It was hard deciding what to post on the 10th anniversary of the blog. Happily, Sam sent me this image and it is perfect. It reminds us that Mail Art has been around for a long time and it will probably continue as long as we have mail service.

Shout out to Hunter, my personal mailman. He turns 32 today. I'd love to bake him a special treat, but all he ever wants is chocolate chip cookies. (real time report - he said the latest batch are the best ever - and I left half the dough in the fridge so that he could have them fresh each day for three days)

Thanks to all my loyal blog readers and exchangers for sticking with me. It would be easy to lapse into a lengthy mushy thank you to all the really nice readers and exchangers who send pretty mail and heartwarming emails. All y'all are the best.

This is what Sam had to say about these images:

posted on IUOMA for those who thought ray johnson's 1970's school of correspondence art was the beginnings of mail art (oy)

I've seen a bunch of MA from the early -mid 20th century , but not 2 many from the 19th...

i thought you'd like the use of the stamp on this one....

& the other...from 1841 but appears two have not needed or had any postage at all

Jean's comments:

There was a time when the person who received the mail paid the postage. If you did not pay -- you did not get your mail. IUOMA is the International Union of Mail Art (or Artists?) You may Google them and find all kinds of stuff. They are less focused on penmanship and lettering. Perhaps the word *oblivious* is the best way to describe the penmanship of IUOMA people. I wonder what they think of *us.* I will be the first to admit that I am oblivious to all kinds of things that other people value. Happy Difference Day.