Bonus post - Reissuing a favorite stamp

 Regular post is right below.

The USPS is running a contest. We can vote for our favorite stamp from the past - and they will reissue it.

The winning stamp pane will be announced at the Boston 2026 World Expo in May 2026.

Share with your friends and encourage them to vote!

Here is the link to vote. It looks like you can vote for more than one.

https://www.stampsforever.com/vote

I voted for Frozen Treats, Have a Ball, Total Eclipse of the Sun and Emancipation Proclamation.

Waaaaaay too many cartoon options for me. 

July from Sharen - kitchen/baby - pt 2

Sharen makes handmade envelopes and she always includes additional handmade items. The one on the left is blank - for me to use - and I had the perfect person to send it to for a late July birthday. The one on the right is her own note - that she always includes.

***

The rest of the kitchen story. 

Our renovation required us to remove everything single thing from the kitchen cabinets so they could be painted. The closest and easiest place to store everything was the baby's room - and the plan was to have the baby's room ready before I headed to the hospital. It was a very small room and there was no space to even enter the room and as I mentioned yesterday, even the crib was overflowing with stuff. 

Slapping on the cabinet doors must not have been the very last thing because within a day or two, I did end up in the hospital with a bouncing baby boy and his room was still uninhabitable. After a couple days in the hospital, when the doctor came through and told me I was OK to go home, I explained that my kitchen was torn up and I needed another day or two for my mom and husband to get the baby's room in order. Amazingly, he said, "OK," and I stayed for another day or two.

That would never happen today. This story is like the old granny describing how things were in the olden days. 

I guess there is a third part to this story. I'll run it on Aug 2nd. Tomorrow is sign-up day.

July from Mary - Slapping on - part 1

 

Mary's July envelope is adorable and it was nice of the USPS to skip the cancel. I'm even more impressed that Mary managed to get her envelopes sent while she was on a fairly strenuous journey. From home in Wisconsin, she headed east and picked up two of the nephews who regularly spend summers in Wisconsin. They took the long way back to Plymouth and meandered along the southern shore of Lake Superior. Mary can correct me if I've garbled the itinerary. The point is - she was on the road - and took pre-designed envelopes and filled them in, while on the road, and mailed them. None of my *on the road* envelopes are this cute. But -- that's OK. Comparison is the thief of joy. We're just happy to have our little posse of envelope exchangers.

Continuing on a topic that Mary contributed to...

On July 17th, the blogpost was about gluing and adhering and I invited people to add to the list. Mary had a speedy response - she wrote: Place it, situate it, position it, orient it, cohere it, slap on, attach. Some of these work if you don't always affix it in the proper and tidy right hand corner. If I am in a hurry and not thoughtful about placement I've been known to slap on a stamp.

*Slap on* jolted me back 41 years to the summer of 1984. We had hoped to get a kitchen renovation done before the second baby arrived. The renovation ran a little long - and I was a week past my due date - so I was not in the best frame of mind about the delays with the kitchen.

The entire contents of the kitchen had been shoved into the baby's room. The crib was overflowing with stuff and there might even be a photo somewhere - I remember taking one. The kitchen cabinets had been painted and the doors were removed - so the last thing to be done was put the cabinet doors back on. 

As the guy who showed up to put the doors on heaved his heavy tool belt onto the brand new laminate countertop, he said, "Well, I guess all we need to do is slap the doors on and we'll be done." I did not like the sound of the *clunk* and I did not like his choice of words. I waited until he left to see if he had dinged the countertop.  - and of course he had. It was small enough that I just let it go - because every project has some kind of imperfection. But 41 years later, I still get a little twinge when I hear the expression to *slap on* anything. 

Part two of this story..... tomorrow. I'm not sure that my ire at the ding in the countertop sent me into labor - but the way the rest of the story unfolds - that might have been what happened.

July from Christy -- Baseball - last game

 

Christy found perfect colors to go with the stamp - and I like the way she morphed the background into a happy summer sun. Once again, I think using my middle name instead of my last name looks better.

***

The last baseball game of the season, for grandson Ben, was on Sunday. His parents were out of town and I was the designated grown-up to get him there. I knew he was disappointed that his parents were missing the last game - so I told him that maybe he should go ahead and have his best game ever - and we could give my appearance credit - because I do not normally go to his games. I have legitimate reasons for not using up my energy on treks to sporting events. Ben's final game was at a field within walking distance to his house which was doable for me.

So, he proceeded to have his best game ever - and I could hear the other parents who knew that his parents were out of town making comments about a possible *grandma-effect.* I'm glad it was the last game. Otherwise - those parents would probably be leaning on me to show up at more games. 

And the frosting on the cake --- the game only lasted an hour - because of a mercy rule. Ben's team clobbered those suburban kids. Nanna is not very good at sporting events that take longer than an hour. I also think 9 year olds should be playing something called Stealball. It seems like their throwing skills are so unpredictable that most players figure that stealing will work out because the throwing is so unpredictable. At least it makes for more action. Not to mention confusion. There are rules to limit the number of bases a player can steal.

Bottom line - the camaraderie is adorable and Ben got the Leadership Award - which is the name of the award for the kid who is most inclined to do what is asked of him by the coach - and coaches reward that. 

July from Patty - Pencil bat

 

Patty found a fish to coordinate with the lure - or maybe she just made it up. It's a nice layout and the tail wraps around - plus there is a bonus illustration. I'm fond of little add-ons like that --- and if I remember to use each July envelope to inspire my Aug envelopes - Patty will get a little drawing....

I chose Patty's envelope to go with another baseball related item because I know Patty attends baseball games....although not little league. I keep forgetting to ask you, Patty - so tell me - do you have a favorite ball park? 

***

Another summer art project. Grandson Ben showed me photos of baseball bats that look like pencils and wondered if *we* could cover his wiffle ball bat with duct tape and make it look like a pencil. 

Sounds easy. Ben's mom orders the duct tape online. Later - she's grumbling - because the order was canceled. She does more searching and lots more grumbling.

Nanna (wise OLD Nanna) suggests that there is a run on those colors of duct tape because these *pencil bats* are a rage that is sweeping the nation. There is an Ace hardware store 3 blocks from their house. I offer to walk over to the hardware store. They all think I am crazy. I walk to the store and find what we need. Nanna for the win.

Then - I proceed to work on the bat. It is much trickier than I was expecting. I will not go into all the details. The biggest mistake was that I made the eraser way too long - so the proportions are off - but Ben was very happy. The bright orange wasn't quite the right color for the eraser - but Ben didn't mind.

Ben, who lives a mile from Wrigley Stadium, has a Red Sox hat because his little league team was Red Sox this year.

I did the "Victus" twice - and it needs to be larger. Today is my last day in Chicago -- I might have time to redo it.....

These actual bats (above) are $150. 

This wiffle ball version is available for $40 on Etsy--- which is crazy. They don't even have the words.

July from Amy - Jay's book

 

Amy went with stars and stripes. I like the way she used a variety of sizes of stars and also - the nice, clear address for the scanners to read. I keep thinking that one month - I will take each envelope and use it as the inspiration for my return envelope the following month. Maybe that will happen in August. I could start now..... if only my July envelopes were done.....  very late this month.... very late......

***

When I sent Connie the photo of the crate, her response was enthusiastic - and she gushed over how amazing I am with my ideas. I don't think I'm amazing - I think there is a trick to coming up with a perfect idea. You just ask yourself --- what is the essence of this person - or in this case- what is the essence of this person's job. Crates of artwork. 

While the crate is a good idea - and Connie and I both knew that another person on staff had taken classes in Crate Building for Artwork - I suggested easier alternatives to building a crate. She could have taken photos of crates and fabricated a cool book cover that would have had the same message. Within 5 minutes of me sending her the idea - she had the crate-builder expert lined up to make a crate. 

One of the things we liked best about the crate was that the pages would not have to be bound into a book. They could be loose pages - and we knew from past books - that some of the people who contribute to these retirement books are really good artists - and they submit some nice artwork. We thought it would be fun if Jay had the option to frame something from the collection.

Connie took the idea and ran with it. I don't have photos of all the stuff that went inside - but here's what she wrote when she sent the photos of the crate:

I collected photos, original artwork, letters, messages and some paraphernalia I stole out of Jay's office. I included a lovely wire hanging kit and 4 tiny flood lights. We presented it to him and told him that we knew that he would wake up one morning and NEED to install something and now he could create his own shows... be his own curator.... and fiddle with the lights as much as his heart desired.

Connie said that Jay loved it. She took these photos at a gathering at Jay's house. 

The only thing I would have added - if I had been in town - is I would have distressed the crate. Although that could have been risky. We never have enough lead time on these projects to do some test runs. 

***

Real time add on - I talked to the crate builder recently and was delighted to hear that he enjoyed making the crate. He brought one of his sons with him to help and they had a new nail gun to try out - so it was a very fun project for him, too. He's a relative youngster - so I won't be around to help with the going away gift for him. I should suggest to him that he build a second crate - and put a brick inside - and use it as a doorstop - so that it had a nice patina to it - when he retires in 25 years .....

Bonus Post --- The story behind the 250 Anniversary sheet of stamps

 Today's regular post is below this one.

250 thank yous to Clover for sending this article. It made my day. Shout out to my son who was changing locks at a station and bought two of these sheets for me. I'm pretty sure I will be framing one of them. Now I have to decide how many more sheets I want to buy - to put on my exchange envelopes....

It's fun for me that the artist lives in Chicago.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/07/22/us-postal-service-needed-stamps-to-celebrate-its-250th-anniversary-local-cartoonist-chris-ware-delivered/

July from Susan - Retirement book

 

Susan's envelope pairs nicely with my add-on for today - which was written while I was in Chicago. The colors coordinate and the stamps look like paintings hanging on a wall. The USPS did a nice job of adding a double cancel because they know how much I like the wavy lines.

***

From time to time I post stories about my teaching as well as volunteering for events at the art museum that is in my back yard. Most of the people who work there have a background in art even if they are in jobs that are not directly related to making art. Many of the guards and custodians are artists who need a day job.

Connie, the person who does all of the graphic design work is someone I have known for 45+ years. She is tasked with the job of putting together a *book* for people who are retiring. The pages of the book are submitted by people who get the email that says: Please submit a page for a book to be presented to *whomever* - who is retiring in July....or whenever. The call for pages goes beyond fellow employees because there are so many people involved with the museum as patrons and volunteers.

Since our paths cross in a variety of ways, Connie often asks me if I have any good ideas for her current book assignment. In June, she asked me if I had any good ideas for a retirement book for Jay, the preparator. This is the job description of a preparator. 

The preparator performs all duties related to exhibition preparation; including but not limited to, installation, de-installation, packing, shipping, and receiving artwork and coordination of necessary staff and materials. Work includes but is not limited to exhibition design and construction.

I've been invited (hired) by Jay to work on some of the more complicated installations where they need many people to do tasks that are not difficult - just super tedious and non-art people might not feel like giving the proper attention to the job. Knowing behind the scenes people and hearing the insider stories about installations has been so much fun.

When Connie asked me if I had a good idea for a book for Jay's retirement - I immediately thought of all the crates I have seen when I have been to the inner sanctum of the museum.

I'll post photos of Jay's book tomorrow.

July from Jessica - Baseball practice

 

This is unusual - to be posting envelopes in the month they arrived. There were a few 4th of July themed envelopes. Some people enclose a note saying that they never know what to do in July - because the lists come out on the day after the holiday. I don't think we need to be strict about the calendar. This idea, from Jessica could easily be a birthday envelope - or anything celebratory. Little squares and curly-cues are two of my go-to doo-dads to spiff up any idea. As you may recall - I just did that with two of the Goodnight Moon envelopes. I added little square houses and little yellow doors - which were rectangles - but it's the same design idea. 

***

I never expected to have something wildly exciting (and on-topic) to report from Ben's baseball practice. Ben is my 9-yr old grandson. I dropped him off for a practice and did not need to stay because he was getting a ride home. When he got home and I asked how the practice had gone he said, "Well, it wasn't an actual practice. We practiced our signatures."

Me:  What?????? You mean like signing your name?

Ben: Yes. Coach thought we should know how to sign baseballs.

Me:  Did he make everyone sign in cursive?

Ben: No. He said we could do whatever we wanted.

Well --- it warmed my heart that a coach would even think to have 9 year olds practice signing baseballs. Nothing like building confidence in youngsters by assuming they are going to be star athletes. The next day, as I gave Ben and a friend who is on a different team a ride to baseball camp - I suggested Ben tell Logan about what Ben's team had practiced. "Signatures," said Ben. "Why??" said Logan. And they proceeded to discuss at what level you start signing autographs. They think maybe college....

***

Yesterday - I added the photo and story about Ben - and I meant to add it to this post - but clearly, I did not. Ooops.

Design ideas

 

A few more ideas for the July exchange envelopes. I really like those two on the right and can see all kinds of possibilities.

*** (written in Chicago - a couple weeks ago)

This is Day One of the 4-day solo with the grandkids. So far - so good. I thought it would be easy to fill up the  last 8 blog posts - until one of the grandkids asked me if I was going to write letters for them to get at their sleep-away camp. Oh, dear - I completely forgot. Last year I made really cute envelopes using used stamps. Mail for campers has to be delivered when the kids are dropped off - and then it is handed out daily. 

Hopefully I'll come up with something fun - but, it's a major interruption to what I had planned - to get the July exchange envelopes done and photographed before I go home.

Or maybe the 18 envelopes I need to do for the grandkids can be design ideas.....

***

I'm home and I forgot to take photos of the envelopes - grrrr - a few of them were clever.

***

Fun follow-up to grandson Ben learning how to sign baseballs - he got pulled onto the field after a game at Wrigley - by the captain of the Royals - who signed baseballs for Ben and a friend. The video does not show the boys - but we recognize Ben's yellow shoes - and the back of his head at the end.

https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/salvador-perez-chicago-cubs-kansas-city-royals-wrigley-field-young-fans/

I guess the boys got a bat, too. Maybe autographed?

June from Juliana - black-screen-laptop

This is how much mail was waiting for me when I returned from my trip. 

Here is the one from Juliana. She lives in Texas and it sounded like the heat/weather had depleted her creative juices - so she decided to try French Roundhand. I think that was a perfect way to cope with seasonal issues. Maybe I'll remember to do that for the August exchange. I think this is lovely.

I wrote the add on in Chicago - and I can't find where I said anything about my black-screen-laptop. Bear with me while I get back to linearly written posts....

***

There is a little more to say about the day I woke up to a black-screen-laptop....and had to research and jump through hoops and pray to the gods of electronics to spare me the chaos of living without a laptop whilst out of town for another week. I did have my phone - and I did Google to see how complicated it would be to get another laptop. 

While there are a lot of challenging (for me) things about living in Chicago (and not in the burbs - we are a mile from Wrigley Field) I did find out that I could get a new laptop delivered (no delivery fee) by noon the following day. Or, for $8, I could have it by noon on the same same day. That's pretty nifty. I don't think I could make that happen in Des Moines. I know there is that big company that delivers all kinds of things promptly, but, I refuse to do business with them.

Bonus post - 250th anniversary

 This sheet of stamps is supposed to be on sale on Wednesday to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the USPS - I was at the post office yesterday and Davonte showed me a sheet. They are beautiful. I might buy one sheet just to keep - maybe put it in a frame and hang it somewhere. 

Today's regular post is below this one.

Here is a link if you like to order online

https://store.usps.com/store/product/250-years-of-delivering-stamps-S_487104?_gl=1*1lp7zl5*_up*MQ..*_gs*Nw..&gclid=0562daedfac71a2d83fab2933b0307f1&gclsrc=3p.ds

July to Lynne, Patty, Kate and Janet

 

Here are four more that show only the first step. Once I realized that the pink flower stamps did not go with the green envelopes, I switched to using the colors for the Goodnight Moon stamps because I know I have a sheet of them once I get home. These will be reposted after they are finished.

***

Yesterday's post put me at number 15 on the list of Top 10 Jeans.... because of the million* hits I have on the blog. And I'm guessing multi million hits on Pinterest, but Pinterest no longer tells us how many people click on each image. 

Another random thought popped into my head - how many people who see my name and address on Pinterest wonder why I get so much mail? How many of them Google me? Then I wondered if I should put a page up on Wikipedia to explain who Jean was and why her name and address are all over Pinterest and any other search for mail art. It's not something that I want to do while I am still living, but it would be fun to leave after I go to the great scriptorium in the sky.

As I have mentioned, my immediate relatives (spouse, kids, son-in-law, grandkids) all know that I have a blog. They see me making the mail. They see the mail arrive. Some of them have even received mail. They have a momentary enjoyment of the mail - but it passes and none of them show any interest in the blog. It does not occur to them that I talk about them. 

Personally, if any of my family members had a blog, I would be reading it every day to see if they said anything about me. I have no idea why my immediate relatives and I are at opposite ends of that particular spectrum. To be honest, I think it is a very good thing. I think I am a better member of the tribe knowing that I can jabber endlessly about them - with no worries that they will object to anything I write. To me, it is a good sign that they have all forged ahead with their own interests. 

We all get along in person. I guess that's all that matters.

* Remember - I'm not sure my million hits are legitimate. They might be hits from bots - which I would not count. But - maybe there are a million human hits...... we'll never know.

July to JeanR - step 1 - Top 10 Jeans

This is only step one. It will reappear once I finish it. I am on my last week in Chicago and woke up to a black-screen-laptop. It was an alarming situation. I the presence of mind to just talk to the laptop and ask it to cooperate with the people who post YouTube videos on how to solve problems. It was not an easy fix. Once I figured out that the touch-pad is not the on-switch, things got better. All the research was done on a phone that is fairly new and I am still in the training wheel stage with that device. 

The only thing about the good-old-days - was that they used to write the word *ON* on a button - so you at least had one thing that made sense. Currently - you have to hold things up to your face - and that's not a habit that's connecting with my personal operating system.

Fingers crossed that I can fill up the next 10 days before I go home - and then take a 2 week break. I'll need 2 weeks to recombobulate to what the plants and weeds have been plotting while I have been gone. 

I have a rough idea for a birthday card for Jean. After I posted that Top Ten Andrew birthday card, I realized that I have never done the Top Ten Jeans.....so that was a lot of fun. Here's my list so far - I'll post an image if I actually get a a card made.

Top Ten Jeans

Jean Claude Van Damme

I dream of Jeannie (song as well as TV program)

Jean Marie River (NW Territories, Canada)

Jeans, the garment

Jean Shrimpton

Petit Jean State Park - first state park in Arkansas

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean Piaget

The Prime of Miss Jean Brody (book as well as movie)

Jean Rothfusz

There are plenty of people named Jean - since it is French for *John*

For me, it is more fun to find things for these lists that are not just people.

Here are numbers 15-11 - all people who did not make the Top Ten List

Jean Renoir

Jean Cocteau

Jean Sibelius

Jean Seberg

Jean Wilson - that person who has literally a million hits on her blog and probably several million pins on Pinterest of envelopes addressed to her - and does anyone ever wonder who she is - after seeing so much mail addressed to her?

Random info:

The term "jeans" originates from the name of a sturdy cotton fabric, likely a fustian, that was produced in Genoa, Italy, and widely used for workwear. The French referred to this fabric as "Gênes," which is the French word for Genoa, and this term was later anglicized to "jean". The modern "jeans" are typically made from denim, a different but related fabric, and the name has stuck, evolving to encompass the popular style of trousers. 

 

Penciling Christy - 6 green step-ones

I forgot to post the answer to the puzzle on Mike's envelope that I posted on Friday. The first stamp is worth 0 --- the next stamp is 1 - and then another 1 - and then 2 and then 3 and then 5 and then 8

at this point ---- everyone should recognize the Fibonacci sequence. When it get's into numbers that are higher than denominations on stamps - he stacked stamps that add up to the right number....and the last one has $1 stamp over 44 - for 144. Very fun puzzle, Mike. Thanks again.

There are two parts to my design lessons. The first part is do-the-damn-rough. I apologize for the curse word. Many people call rough drafts a *sketch.* I have never liked the word sketch. It sounds too much like *itch.* I only use it when I am describing things that are shady or sketchy - like people or neighborhoods or situations. I only like *rough draft* - but I don't need the word draft. A rough is a rough. 

Something else that rankles me is the expression *quick and dirty* when referring to a fast layout that will not reflect one's skill level. 

I will refrain from a digression into the way words and phrases rankle us. I will refrain from researching the origin of the word *rankle.* 

Here is what happened when I took those first 6 layout ideas and added names and addresses. As you can see, I penciled CHRISTY and it was too long - but it was close enough that I knew I could adjust it and make it come out. I often pencil a name and then fold the paper and position as you see in the photo - to insure that it fits. That previous envelope to Patty is still haunting me - the way the name needed to fill the space better.

For some reason, I thought Amy's and Christy's were going to work out and put the stamps on them. Those were the only two pink flower stamps that work with these off-color envelopes. Then I found those adorable avocados - in the sticker book. 

All of these are going back to Iowa in a few days - and I hope I find some stamps that work. I assure you - they all need something else -- and I might fix them - or I might ruin them. It can always go either way.

At this point, I'm almost thinking I should go to the PO and ask for a meter strip. I like that idea - and am tempted to not share it right now. But I will - in case anyone else likes the idea and wants to send me something with a meter strip. I think I might have to visit Davonte when I get back to Iowa.

***

Real time comment - these are still on my desk. I think this is the first time I have posted envelopes before sending them...

 

July outgoing design ideas

 As luck would have it, yesterday was the last post that had a photo and was waiting for the blurb writing. Today is a blank slate for both the envelope as well as the jabbering and I am fully caffeinated. The offspring have returned from the baseball tournament. Today the kids are off to day camps and those uber-tidy parents managed to get all of the laundry washed and folded. I have nothing to do - until my daughter returns from the grocery store with plies of produce to wash. 

Yesterday I coined the word affixiation to noun-er-ize the act of affixing. And then I coined nounerize. 

[Today I did a search and both of those words already exist if you do a deep search - spell check is no longer an authority on much of anything ]

This topic has relevance to mail art because every envelope requires a stamp and there are so many ways to put a stamp on the envelope. Put it, stick it, adhere it, affix it. Did I miss any? 

When I was designing fun paper projects for the Better Homes & Gardens publication, Scrapbooks, Etc, I had to turn in the steps I took on each project. A copywriter would turn my notes into directions and I was fascinated with the rules about directions. They always used the word adhere. This made sense because there were different ways to adhere things. Glue, double face tape. Maybe only two. Within those two categories there are many subcategories.

I have been in the habit of using the word adhere - but, I rather like affix. This topic has faded. There will be no clever punchline. I had all my fun with the coining of the words.

***

So it's time to post the envelope. Is it weird to have the add-on run before the envelope? It probably depends on the envelope.

One person mentioned in an email that they liked the design ideas. All it takes is one person to OK a topic and I am off and running. Also, I brought envelopes to Chicago because I knew I would have those 4 days home alone - and would not be back in Des Moines until the 15th. I brought some little green envelopes as well as some square white envelopes that would need to be rectangularized. [That word is also a real word - but I needed to search deeper than spell-check.]

Here are 6 ideas. I started with a very simple way to divide the envelope and then a second one with two more lines. The other 4 are spun off the ones that I did in the *Nora* series. 

They all have potential - and here is proof that I do better when I pencil an idea first. If I could replay a video of my life, I bet I would discover that 99% of the issues are a result of foregoing a rough draft.

It's not like I follow the rough draft. I went rogue on the second envelope - the one in the upper right corner. I like the rough better - and eventually - I headed off in that direction.

Cliffhanger. I am not showing a finished envelope today. I started 23 envelopes two days ago. I added a few things yesterday. Today I will pull them out and see if any are worthy of being posted.

I brought pink flower stamps - thinking I could use them on those green envelope. Argledy pargldy. That is a rough translation of something that Christi wrote in an email. Shout out to Christi.... feel free to send me the correct spelling.

I found the sticker book in the pantry. There are two shelves devoted to paper/pens/books/slime and things that the kids do at the kitchen table. 

From Mike - USPS fun facts and a nice puzzle

Mike is a pen pal. He sends beautiful mail. Both the envelope and the contents are gorgeous. Mostly Spencerian. I just enjoyed a trip down memory lane by putting *Mike* in the Search box. There are a couple posts with a couple other Mikes - one in Ames and Mike Gold. 

A close-up of the address

At first I thought Mike was just using up random stamps.

Then he said there was a reason behind the stamps - and wondered if I could figure it out. I tend to be good at puzzles - so I did figure it out. I'll reveal the answer tomorrow. If you know what it is - please leave a comment or send me an email.  I will also post closeups of the stamps - going from left to right.

That quill stamp is so pretty.

Now go back to the first stamp on the left, the one that says FOR TESTING PURPOSES ONLY. 

Fellow stamp afficianados will enjoy reading about those stamps. They are used to test the machines that apply stamps that come in those big coils - that adhere real stamps to junk mail.

I love learning about new stamps.

Fun fact: the coils of stamps that come on the rolls for automated stamp affixiation come in two sizes - 3,000 and 10,000

I invented that word affixiation and I am very fond of it.

https://www.linns.com/insights/stamp-collecting-basics/2011/november/test-and-dummy-stamps-are-stamplike-labels-used-for-testing-purp.html 

June from Christy and Liz

 

Christy sent a rainbow themed envelope from Ohio and Liz - from Oxford MS - was inspired by the petals on the flower. At some point, I need to ponder the different ways to integrate the stamp and the design. These two - on non-white envelopes - illustrate how significant the color of the envelope is.

I've been putting the world's shortest address (for me) on the lists when I send out the lists to the exchangers. Not everyone follows what I sent - which surprised me. I would be all about using a short address. Liz did. It could even be shorter - the ST is not essential. Way, way, way back - there is an envelope to me that has

420 - 44

50312

and nothing else - no name - no city state - and it arrived. If the address is a known address at the ZIP code - then that's all they need. 

When I re-read what I wrote about mixing up Liz in Oxford and Cindy in Four Oaks - I thought is sounded looney. It's hard to describe memory quirks. I think it is because my memory relies on putting things into a visual memory storage unit. I *picture* things in my head. I can't think of one now, but I know I mix things up in strange ways. 

I don't think it is all that unusual to mix things up based on the letters in the word or name. Anyone who lives in Iowa, Ohio or Idaho is aware that people from other parts of the country will confuse those three states. I think it has something to do with the letters, not to mention that there are a multitude of squarish states filling up the middle of the country - and we have very little history attached to us - other than that we grow stuff.

June from Sue and Cindy

This looks like another practice page turned into an envelope. It is from Susan. It looks like she has some drafting templates. 

The postmark on the one below says May - and I think this one was delayed on its trip to Iowa. It looks like it had quite a trip. It's from Cindy in Four Oaks NC. I get Cindy and Liz mixed up. Liz is in Oxford MS. How would I mix those two up? They both have an i in their first name and their town starts with O. Also - both towns are in the South. If one of them was not in the South, I don't think I would mix them up. 

It's fun how Cindy put the Forever stamp as a part of the design and then used a vintage stamp in the corner.

***

My second *home alone* project was not as big of a hit as the bags. There is a cabinet with too many water bottles. A family of four needs a lot of water bottles - but not 18. They have to be in a lower cabinet that the kids can reach. They were sharing space with the clean dish towels which are neatly folded and fit in a basket. There are always 10 extra dish towels. Nobody needs 10 extra dish towels in a super convenient spot. No kid is going to want a clean dish towel. They will use the same one for years if left to themselves. The mom is the one who puts out clean towels 90% of the time. 

The cabinet with water bottles and dish towels has been bothering me for a couple years. So, I boldly moved the dishtowels. My daughter was fine with the move. My son-in-law who is perfectly happy to be called a neat-freak - and who was thrilled with the remedy of the bag situation --- surprised me. When I showed him the new space for dish towels. He said, "Why don't we get rid of some of the water bottles?"

And then we were interrupted....so, I'm not sure what's going to happen with that.

Earlier today, I needed some ginger tea - and Oh.My.Gosh - where was the basket of tea? I didn't want to call them at the baseball tournament..... but, couldn't find any tea. Eventually, I looked on a higher shelf, not in the pantry - but above the coffee - and there it was. It was a good and logical move. The three of us have a bit of a secret competition going - as to who can make the best improvements to closets, cabinets and drawers. 

I should mention - when people they've recently met come to their house - it is not uncommon for someone to ask to snap a photo of the pantry.... because it looks like the ones you see in pictures - but not in real life.

 

June from Amy and Kristine

Gone fishing from Amy, above, and French curve designs that could be turned into fish from Kristine, below. I'm tempted to get some lure stamps because there are endless good fish designs to appropriate. I think I have a French curve at home --- I might have to take it for a spin.

***

My first *home alone* project on this trip was the cabinet under the kitchen sink. They have had a bag-holder for grocery bags since they were married 14 years ago. They had several moves between 2011 and 2019 so excess bags were discarded during moves. After 8 years in the current house - the bag situation has gotten out of control. Partly, it's because Chicago charges people for bags if you do not bring your own, so, bags seem to have some value - and I guess it's hard to discard them. 

My plan was to reduce the hoard to whatever would fit in the bag holder and then hide the excess bags somewhere - and hopefully get the OK to recycle them. Here are all the bags. I tuned in to This American Life and it took less than an hour to fold all the bags that would fit in the bag-holder.

The bag-holder is that slender black thing sitting by the oven door.

I recommend Episode 863 - three very nice stories. 

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/863/championship-window

This *home alone* project was very well received.

I found two bags from Loblaw's, the grocery store in Toronto - where they lived in 2016-2017. 

Now I wish I had just one Piggley Wiggley grocery bag from 1959.

Yes - I did a search.

Yes, you may buy 3 vintage Piggley Wiggley bags for $95 on eBay

<sigh>

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=piggly+wiggly+bag