The Benevolent Postcard Society

The Language of Stamps

2012-01-11T14:09:00.002-05:00

You have to see this lovely and wonderfully illustrated post on the blog Poemas del río Wang on the now-vanished delicate art of stamp placement. Depending on how you placed a stamp on an envelope, it told an informed recipient you sent a kiss, you were thinking of them — or (sadly) that you were not free. Fascinating — and something it would be charming to revive for Valentine's Day, I think.

(untitled painting by Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta {1841-1920} via poemas del río wang)

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T01:01:00.000-05:00

It's a brand new year filled with promise. May your 2012 be filled with peace and happiness (and sweetness, too). And you'll be happy to know that the BPS book is scheduled to kick into high gear this year, too — I'll keep you posted.

(adorable baby white tiger photo by sharon montrose available here)

Old and New

2011-12-31T00:43:00.001-05:00

I'm smitten with this vintage postcard design for an iPhone 4 or 4S case — so pretty and practical. Available here from On Your Case on etsy.

Rue Magazine

2011-12-06T12:11:00.003-05:00

I am beyond excited to tell you that I'm in the holiday issue of Rue Magazine! You'll find me in the Blogger Side by Side feature on page 28 with fellow blogger Katie Quinn Davies of What Katie Ate, accompanied by gorgeous illustrations by Katie Rodgers! Have a look here.

Yule Multi-Artist Exhibition

2011-11-30T12:57:00.003-05:00

If you're in Ottawa on December 1, drop by and say hello to me at the Yule Multi-Artist Exhibition vernissage, 6 to 9 pm that evening at the Exposure Gallery, upstairs at Thyme and Again! Check out some great affordable art, sample delicious food and meet the artists, too! Details on the Facebook event page here.

And ...

2011-11-11T08:35:00.002-05:00

... a moment of silence for Remembrance Day.

(poppy photo by irving penn via flickr)

Of Books and Deadlines

2011-09-07T01:13:00.004-04:00

That sound you hear is the sound of deadlines whooshing by — specifically, the deadline I'd originally set myself for getting the BPS book completed. In an ideal world I would have taken 6 months off, retired to a little cabin by the sea, and spent my days diligently putting together the perfect book. Living in the real world, I've had to try and fit in working on it around my regular paying work (with its own tight deadlines) plus all the other stuff that life brings every day. Which means that though I'd hoped to have it ready for September, the reality is that it's just not going to happen. But it will happen — I promise. Thanks so much for your patience — I really do appreciate it.

xo

(photo via dwellings)

The Lost Art of Postcard Writing

2011-08-05T02:19:00.005-04:00

Tina of the always lovely English Muse blog has a great post about a Charles Simic essay in the New York Review of Books, in which he mourns the scarcity of holiday postcards. Highly recommended for BPS members, needless to say. Fun fact about the English Muse — I designed the banner for it!

(lovely photo by moline via the english muse — thanks to giulia for the referral)

Snail Mail My Email

2011-07-19T13:03:00.002-04:00

This is an intriguing idea — Snail Mail My Email is a month long, interactive art project transforming people's emails to handwritten letters that are physically mailed, completely free of charge. Find out more here.

Address Your Mail

2011-07-18T20:24:00.004-04:00

Love this vintage British poster from 1957, demonstrating how to address your mail correctly. Designed by Leonard Beaumont.

(from the british postal museum & archive on flickr, via els 50)

Globe and Mail Illustration

2011-07-12T14:33:00.003-04:00

Hello all! I thought BPS members might be interested in an illustration I did for the Globe and Mail newspaper today, accompanying a Facts and Arguments piece by Paige Raymond Kovach about her great aunt's long tradition of letter writing to family members — and how it's created happy memories that continue to this day. Read the article here.

(illustration by me)

Brazil Postcard Exchange Update

2011-06-13T23:53:00.004-04:00

A quick note for BPS members participating in the Brazil postcard exchange with Hane — she's had a bit of a setback as she didn't get the financial support she'd hoped for, but this month Hane's changing to a new (and better!) job and will be looking into starting the exchange at her new workplace once she's settled in. I'll update you again once I have more news, too.

(vintage brazil postcard via miludica on flickr)

For BPS Members Only

2011-05-30T16:09:00.003-04:00

Just for BPS members — a little advance notice about a rather special giveaway on my automatism blog tomorrow! I'll be giving away a set of six collectable stamps produced by the Royal Mail, celebrating the work of the world renowned design house Morris & Co. For a chance to win one of five presentation packs, stop by automatism tomorrow and leave a comment. They're gorgeous — I know you'll love them!

xo

(photo by me)

BPS Badges

2011-05-27T14:20:00.005-04:00

You might recall that my fab designer pal Clare designed some gorgeous BPS badges for members to display on their sites — and then I promptly forgot to upload jpg versions here so we could all actually use them. D'oh. Well, at long last here they are, over in the right sidebar — just drag and drop. The large ones are 250 x 250 and the small ones are 125 x 125 — please let me know if you need another size. So horribly sorry for this being so late!!

Postcards

2011-05-10T15:41:00.002-04:00

I've been doing another batch of postcard scanning for the BPS book, and just had to share this lovely one by BPS member Mari, commemorating the project. So wonderful.

Surrealism in the Pre-School Years

2011-04-27T00:51:00.005-04:00

Check out this fascinating article in Design Observer about the book Babylon: Surreal Babies, dedicated to a set of postcards from the collection of the British art dealer James Birch. The postcards feature babies in very odd and surreal photo collages, and are dated from between 1900 and 1920. Kinda freaky, actually.

Postcard for Japan

2011-04-16T00:16:00.003-04:00

Love this charming postcard by Hsin Ping on etsy — and even nicer, all sales of it go towards Japan earthquake and tsunami relief. Get one here.

Something Pretty

2011-04-05T20:55:00.002-04:00

Nothing new — just a pretty postcard photo to share. Hope you're having a good week.

(photo by Jon Day)

automatism vintage

2011-03-22T18:56:00.004-04:00

A quick note to let you know that I've added new titles — and updated many of the current ones with freshly shot photos — on automatism vintage, my vintage book shop on etsy. Hope you can pop by for a look — I know that postcard people are often bookish people!

:-)

(photo by me)

What's New

2011-03-14T19:49:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the long pause between posts — it's been busy! But now that the final deadline for postcard mailing has come and gone, I can really get started on the BPS book. Presently it's a lot of organizing, but I'm looking forward to putting it all together and seeing it turn into a real live book.

And I'll try to post here a little more regularly, too!

xo

(lovely photo by Roland Bello)

Last Call

2011-02-25T12:54:00.004-05:00

A few tardy packages of BPS postcards have trickled in through January and February — which is great, but waiting for them has meant that I've delayed getting started on the book. So, final cut off date for mailing your postcards in is March 5 — anything postmarked after that date will not be included in the BPS book. Sorry about that, but I do need to start this soon! Thanks for your understanding.

(photo via nice room)

Penny Dreadfuls

2011-02-21T23:41:00.004-05:00

This post is a little late, but I just had to share a link to the cynically amusing slideshow recently posted on Design Observer. Penny dreadfuls (or vinegar valentines) were 19th century insult greetings sent out on Valentine's Day — though the slideshow includes some later examples of the genre, too. I shudder to think that anyone actually got one of these in the mail! Have a look at the slideshow here.

Postcup

2011-02-03T01:18:00.003-05:00

I've just discovered that the charming Postcup by bailey doesn't bark is available through etsy! A black Pebeo porcelain pen and instructions are included with each cup, so you can write your own personal message — a sweet idea for Valentine's Day. Order it here.

RHS Postcards

2011-01-25T01:04:00.004-05:00

I've got a post up on my automatism blog today about a gorgeous new postcard set from the Royal Horticultural Society — pop by to see more loveliness!

(shown here is 'Citrus aurantium' by Georgio Angiolini, painted c.1822-1830)

The Story So Far

2011-01-17T16:29:00.003-05:00

A quick update — packages of postcards are still trickling in from members, so I haven't been able to get started as yet on the BPS book — I'm looking at settling down to it in early February now.

(photo via the Oct 2008 issue of LivingEtc)

Happy New Year!

2011-01-06T14:17:00.004-05:00

A very happy new year to you, lovely BPS members! Hope it's a good one. For me it'll be all about putting together the BPS book — looking forward to sharing the finished product with you a few months from now! In the meantime, I'll continue to post fun postcard and mail related things here on the blog — hope you'll pop by regularly to see what's new (or to just say hello).

(sweet little fawn photo by Sharon Montrose — prints available here)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T18:12:00.002-05:00

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas — may it be filled with warmth, love, family and friends.

xo

(photo via tiny white daisies)

Holidays

2010-12-15T18:38:00.003-05:00

Like many of you we've been busy getting ready for Christmas, so things will slow down on the BPS blog for the next little while. Here's a sincere wish that all your mail (be it packages or cards) makes it to its destination this holiday season! And — check out this fun idea, using vintage photos for a very personal Christmas tree, from Sweet Paul.

(photo by Hector Sanchez)

Thank You.

2010-12-04T02:16:00.002-05:00

I'm continuing to work through the postcard packages as they arrive, but I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for the lovely cards and notes that many of you have included, too — I can't tell you how much I appreciate them. So thoughtful and so wonderful to discover, tucked in with your postcards! And a very special thanks to Fernanda, for sending me a beautiful illustrated book, simply because, she says, it reminded her of me. It's gestures of kindness like these that make all the hard work on the BPS worthwhile. Thank you.

xo

(photo by Kelli Trontell via creature comforts)

What's New

2010-11-30T00:39:00.003-05:00

The postcard packages are still arriving — many thanks to you, BPS members, for taking the time to send them to me! Hopefully we've avoided the worst of the holiday mailing, but don't worry if it takes a little longer to get here than anticipated.

xo

(photo from domino via this is glamorous by way of gingerella)

And Yet More Postcards!

2010-11-19T23:41:00.004-05:00

Another great week of postcard packages — thanks so much everyone! Incidentally, distracted BPS members who haven't yet sent theirs in, please note — the official deadline for mailing packages is tomorrow, but if you can get your postcards in the mail by mid next week, that will be fine too. Thanks again!

(photo via apartment therapy)

Brazilian Postcard Exchange!

2010-11-17T20:05:00.005-05:00

Calling all BPS members! Would you be interested in becoming a pen pal? Fellow BPS member Hane teaches at an English school in Brazil, and she thought it would be fun for her students to practice their writing skills by having a pen friend who writes in English. If you're interested in exchanging postcards (or cards or letters) with Hane's students, let me know!

(pennant letter kit available from briones+co stationery)

NPR Postal Service Series

2010-11-15T14:17:00.004-05:00

Here's something that I thought you BPS members (as lovers of traditional mail) might find interesting. Via the NPR Facebook page: "NPR wants to see your most cherished mail: a postcard, a love letter, a care package. Upload images to Flickr.com, tag them NPRpostal, and tell us its story. If you're a new Flickr user, leave us your link in the comments. We'll feature some on NPR.org as part of an upcoming Postal Service series."

(photo by Max Attenborough for Selina Lake, via Gingerella)

And More Mail!

2010-11-09T21:55:00.004-05:00

Another great week for postcard packages! The BPS book is going to be just amazing — and all thanks to you, lovely BPS members. Thanks so much again and happy weekend!

(photo by vee on flickr, via gingerella)

Just a Reminder

2010-11-09T15:29:00.002-05:00

November 20, the postcard package mailing deadline, is approaching! To make sure your package doesn't get lost in the holiday mailing loopiness, send it off as soon as you can ...

(photo via anthropologie)

Mail!

2010-11-05T21:43:00.002-04:00

This week has been a great one for postcard packages — thanks so much for the ones that have arrived so far!! I'll be emailing each of you to confirm I've received your package, too.

Happy weekend!

(lovely photo from design*sponge via brydiebrown)

A Sad Day

2010-11-01T14:57:00.005-04:00

My brother Greg's sweet little cat Pi passed away yesterday after a too short life — she'll be greatly missed.

(photo by odnelem on flickr, via we heart it)

Mailing Fees

2010-10-28T13:41:00.005-04:00

Some of the European BPS members have mentioned that they're having trouble sending payment for the return of their postcards, as PayPal and international money orders are not options for them. If this is the case for you, please email me and I'll happily help you to arrange an alternative. Thanks again!

(lovely photo by the wonderful imke klee available from her shop here)

Postcard Mailings

2010-10-23T21:25:00.004-04:00

The BPS postcards are beginning to arrive! Thanks so much to you all — I'll notify each of you by email as soon as I receive your package. Don't forget to let me know if you want them back — and to ship them off before November 20!

(photo by Virginia MacDonald)

BPS Book Email

2010-10-20T17:58:00.005-04:00

I'm in the process of sending out the official email about contributing your postcards to the BPS book — bear with me as I'm having to do this manually, so it'll take me a few days to work through the list and get them all out to you. If you haven't received yours by Monday (October 25) let me know.

P.S. I'll need your postcards in the mail by November 20 so that we can miss the worst of the holiday mail rush, too.

P.P.S. Oops! Greg sent out an earlier version of the book email by mistake — sorry for the confusion. The final (official) one is titled The BPS Book, and is addressed to you personally.

Thanks as always for your patience!

:-)

(photo by Douglas Friedman for Domino magazine)

Hey, Where'd Everybody Go?

2010-10-13T02:15:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the apparent silence recently — it's been one round of crazy deadlines after another for me (and for Greg, too) so the last couple of weeks have pretty much been a blur. We'll have an email out to you as soon as we resurface — definitely before the end of the month.

Thanks as always for your patience — you are all just wonderful.

xo

(photo of Iggy via the brick house)

What's Next

2010-09-30T20:55:00.003-04:00

Wondering what's going on? We've been waiting for everyone to receive their September postcards — and in the next few days we'll be sending an email out with details on what to do with your BPS postcards. Stay tuned!

(photo from oh hello friend)

The Englishman Who Posted Himself and Other Curious Objects

2010-09-15T16:35:00.002-04:00

Deirdre Foley-Mendelssohn of the New Yorker has a fun review of The Englishman Who Posted Himself and Other Curious Objects, the intriguingly titled new book by John Tingey about eccentric Englishman W. Reginald Bray (1879-1939) who, after reading the entire British Post Office Guide, decided to take the rules as challenges. Foley-Mendelssohn writes that " ... Bray tried posting an unimaginable array of things, to see whether the post office would deliver them. Apparently, at the time, the smallest item that could be posted was a bee, and the largest an elephant. Bray seems to have tried most things in between." I definitely have to get this book. Read the rest of the review (and see a little slide show from the book) here.

BPS Café — September 2010

2010-09-15T16:30:00.001-04:00

If you've received a September postcard from a sender who prefers to remain tantalizingly mysterious, you can still say thank you! Members can leave a comment here to let other members know how much they appreciate the postcard they've received.

Note: If you've just received your August postcard and would like to thank the sender, you can still leave a comment in the August BPS Café post! For earlier postcards that have finally arrived, please check out the quick links to the appropriate BPS Café in the Related Links section on the right.

(photograph via nom nom nom)

September Mailing

2010-08-31T21:58:00.005-04:00

It's hard to believe, but it's now the very last mailing of the Benevolent Postcard Society. Your mailing address will be arriving soon — as always, don't forget to check your spam folder too. But before you send off your last postcard, give yourself a well deserved pat on the back. Your generous participation brightened a lot of people's lives. Thanks.

(photo via paper n stitch)

What's Next

2010-08-23T22:29:00.004-04:00

We're gearing up for the very last mailing on September 1 — and once the addresses have been emailed, we'll be sending out another email a week or so after it with info on what to do with your collection of postcards. Basically, if you'd like the postcards you've received to appear in the book, you'll need to send them to me. If you'd like them returned once I've scanned them, I'm happy to ship them back to you — all I ask is that you send me a small amount via PayPal to cover the return postage. I'll have more details in the official email about this, but I just wanted to give you a bit of advance notice so you can decide what you'd like to do. Thanks so much again for making the BPS so much fun — I couldn't have done it without you!!!

:-)

(postcard wall photo from homelife, via from the right bank)

BPS Café — August 2010

2010-08-10T08:04:00.002-04:00

If you've received an August postcard from a sender who prefers to remain tantalizingly mysterious, you can still say thank you! Members can leave a comment here to let other members know how much they appreciate the postcard they've received.

Note: If you've just received your July postcard and would like to thank the sender, you can still leave a comment in the July BPS Café post! For earlier postcards that have finally arrived, please check out the quick links to the appropriate BPS Café in the Related Links section on the right.

(photograph via nom nom nom)

August Mailing

2010-07-31T10:03:00.002-04:00

The addresses for the August BPS postcard mailing have just been sent out — be sure to check your spam folder if you don't see yours in your inbox. Happy mailing — and happy weekend!

:-)

(photo by Becca Heuer)

Here You Go.

2010-07-24T01:08:00.007-04:00

It's been a crazy busy work week for me, so I'm afraid I haven't had a chance to source anything postcard related for you recently. But you know what? I bet I'm not the only one who's been super busy too, so — here's a cupcake. You deserve it.

:-)

(photo via Martha Stewart)

Textile Postcards

2010-07-15T00:48:00.003-04:00

Such a great idea — artist Gillian Bates makes these pretty postcards by creating a digital image of her original textile canvases, and then backing them onto heavy white card. Shown here is her postcard of Bournemouth Beach in England. You can see more of her designs on her etsy shop here.

Thanks so much to lovely Mari for forwarding the link!

BPS Café — July 2010

2010-07-05T13:44:00.002-04:00

If you've received a July postcard from a sender who prefers to remain tantalizingly mysterious, you can still say thank you! Members can leave a comment here to let other members know how much they appreciate the postcard they've received.

Note: If you've just received your June postcard and would like to thank the sender, you can still leave a comment in the June BPS Café post! For earlier postcards that have finally arrived, please check out the quick links to the appropriate BPS Café in the Related Links section on the right.

(photograph via nom nom nom)

July Mailing

2010-07-01T17:18:00.006-04:00

Happy Canada Day to the Canadian BPS members! I just wanted to let everyone know that there may be a slight delay with the July address emails as it's a holiday here today — but rest assured we'll get them out to you ASAP. Thanks so much and happy long weekend!

Update: Greg just sent the addresses out, so check your inbox (and spam folder)!

(vintage Canadian stamps from Poppytalk's personal collection)

Little Zosienka

2010-06-28T22:26:00.005-04:00

Lovely BPS member Zosienka has just opened her own Etsy shop! Called Little Zosienka, it features limited edition prints and unique badges of Zosienka's dreamlike artwork. Shown above are her Bear and Goose badges, which, she writes, " ... are from a series called 'Saint Gall'. Saint Gallus is the patron saint of birds, geese & poultry. His character is often represented with the image of a bear offering him a log of wood." Have a look at more of her work here.

Postable Jewelry

2010-06-22T02:37:00.004-04:00

Not only does London-based jewelry designer Nutre Arayavanish create beautiful modern pieces that last forever, but she also has a more ephemeral and conceptual line too — Postable Jewelry. Made of wood, the postcards that can be sent through the mail — the happy recipients can then pop out the pieces and make them into playful and imaginative rings. Postable Jewelry is available from Tender Product (London) and SF MOMA (San Francisco). Find out more from Nutre's website here. Via Josh Spear.

Build Your Own New York

2010-06-17T11:40:00.005-04:00

Missing New York? Now you can create your own mini version, thanks to the site Build Your Own New York, which offers amazingly detailed 4-5/8-inch by 6-3/4-inch postcards of the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, Chrysler Building and more. Each building costs $1.50, with eight buildings in all. Some assembly is required (of course), but the results are great. More here. Via DesignCrave.

BPS Café — June 2010

2010-06-03T18:09:00.002-04:00

If you've received a June postcard from a sender who prefers to remain tantalizingly mysterious, you can still say thank you! Members can leave a comment here to let other members know how much they appreciate the postcard they've received.

Note: If you've just received your April postcard and would like to thank the sender, you can still leave a comment in the April BPS Café post! For earlier postcards that have finally arrived, please check out the quick links to the appropriate BPS Café in the Related Links section on the right.

(photograph via nom nom nom)

June Mailing Done!

2010-06-01T20:10:00.004-04:00

Greg has just finished sending out the June mailing — be sure to check your mail (including your junk mail folder) for your address.

(photo by Didier Morlot on flickr)

June Mailing

2010-05-31T16:29:00.005-04:00

The addresses for the June mailing will be going out very soon — please note that if you didn't reply to the May renewal email, you won't be in the revised database! If you'd still like to be an active BPS member, email me to confirm your participation ASAP.

(photo from here via weheartit)

What's New

2010-05-20T14:22:00.004-04:00

I'm busily sorting out all your BPS renewal emails now, getting things ready for the revised database launching in June. If for some reason you haven't yet let me know that you're planning to continue with the BPS, now's the time to send me a quick email before I finalize everything on Monday!

(photo from vt wonen via delight by design)

Last Call!

2010-05-16T21:34:00.004-04:00

Last chance! If you'd like to continue being a BPS member and haven't yet emailed me to confirm, please hurry and let me know by midnight on Monday (May 17).

(lovely photo by LaraJade on flickr)

The Story So Far ...

2010-05-11T01:48:00.005-04:00

Thanks so much to everyone who emailed to renew their BPS membership — your support and enthusiasm is wonderful! And if you haven't renewed as yet but intend to do so, be sure to let me know before this Saturday — May 15!

:-)

(photo via ashley said that)

No May Mailing!

2010-04-30T11:57:00.006-04:00

The warm weather is finally here, and with the change in season comes a change for many of our BPS members — a new home! Recently we've received a lot of change of address emails, which isn't surprising as many BPS members are students — the end of term means many members are busily moving right now. With this in mind, we've decided to take a little mailing break in May while everyone gets settled in. So, there'll be no BPS postcard mailing in May.

This pause in mailing is also an opportunity for us to update the database and confirm that everyone currently listed on there is still an active member. So, in a day or two you'll be receiving an email about our May break, with a request — if you plan to continue participating in the BPS, we'll ask that you respond to the email by May 15 to confirm you'll still be a BPS member when we resume in June. We want everyone to be a happily participating member — and rest assured that if you do decide to withdraw, you'll still be a valued member for the time you were with us. Thanks!

Have a wonderful spring — and thanks so much as always for your fantastic postcards, your enthusiasm and your support. There would be no BPS without you!

Best,
Lori

(photo by Jackie Rueda)

Hello ...

2010-04-21T14:46:00.004-04:00

A quick note to say hello — and let you know that it's been really busy for me over the last couple of weeks or so, which means I haven't been able to look at BPS emails and update the blog. My apologies if you've emailed me recently — I'm not ignoring you, I've just been a bit overwhelmed with work lately! Things are beginning to settle down again, though, so I'll be catching up with everyone soon. Thanks as always for your patience — you guys are the best.

xo

(great photograph by Donna Griffith)

BPS Café — April 2010

2010-04-21T14:39:00.004-04:00

If you've received an April postcard from a sender who prefers to remain tantalizingly mysterious, you can still say thank you! Members can leave a comment here to let other members know how much they appreciate the postcard they've received.

Note: If you've just received your March postcard and would like to thank the sender, you can still leave a comment in the March BPS Café post! For earlier postcards that have finally arrived, please check out the quick links to the appropriate BPS Café in the Related Links section on the right.

(photograph via nom nom nom)

April Mailing

2010-03-31T21:17:00.002-04:00

The addresses for the April mailing are going out tonight — as always, please be sure to check your spam folder if you don't see it in your inbox. Happy mailing!

(photograph by Olga on flickr)

The Strange Case of the Missing British Postcards

2010-03-24T22:20:00.004-04:00

With a few months of the BPS now behind us, certain patterns are beginning to emerge regarding mail delivery — and the most striking has been the ongoing issues we're having with postcards going to (or out of) Britain. It's quite extraordinary — nowhere else (and we mail all over the world) has there been such a problem getting postcards to or from one particular destination. As there's nothing we can do about a postal service that appears to be so lackadaisical, the next best thing I can do is let everyone know the situation and be aware that if postcards don't show it's not the senders — it's the mail. Thanks for your understanding!

(photo of silent film actor William Gillette as Sherlock Holmes via Scott Monty)

And ... Another Giveaway!

2010-03-22T20:31:00.004-04:00

BPS member Hedy is celebrating one year of her lovely blog Tuulikki Titine with a fun giveaway! Head over here for your chance to win a set of her charming handmade Colours postcard sets — four different postcards featuring: glass people in a window display in Amsterdam; bobbins in the Textile-museum in Tilburg (The Netherlands); colourful chairs in Berlin and a collage of dancing figures by Hedy. Deadline to enter is March 30, so hurry!

Giveaway Winners!

2010-03-16T11:02:00.003-04:00

I've run the numbers (via random.org) and am very happy to announce the three winners for the giveaway! Congratulations to Polly R, Claire and Silke — you'll each be receiving a set of two postal stamp magnets in the mail! Thanks so much to everyone who participated — and keep an eye out for future BPS giveaways, too!

:-)

BPS Giveaway!

2010-03-07T14:51:00.003-05:00

I've been wanting to do a little thank you to the wonderful members of the BPS for a while, so I thought we'd have a fun giveaway for the BPS! Three lucky Benevolent Postcard Society members will each win a set of one large and one small stamp magnet, reproductions of antique European stamps. All you have to do is leave a comment below for a chance to win. Contest closes at 12 midnight (PST) on March 15 2010 — I'll announce the winners on March 16. Good luck!

Please note: this contest is open to BPS members only — thanks for your interest!

BPS Café — March 2010

2010-03-04T21:01:00.002-05:00

If you've received a March postcard from a sender who prefers to remain tantalizingly mysterious, you can still say thank you! Members can leave a comment here to let other members know how much they appreciate the postcard they've received.

Note: If you've just received your February postcard and would like to thank the sender, you can still leave a comment in the February BPS Café post! For earlier postcards that have finally arrived, please check out the quick links to the appropriate BPS Café in the Related Links section on the right.

(photograph via nom nom nom)

Postcarden

2010-03-02T17:53:00.003-05:00

How perfect is this for spring? The Postcarden by Aimée of A Studio for Design is an ingenious pop-up post card that becomes a mini-garden, adding a little note of fresh and living greenery to your environment. Currently available in three designs — botanical, city, and allotment — each Postcarden comes with a packet of cress seeds. You simply add water for two weeks of goodness (the cress is edible — add a little to your sandwich or salad on the spot). Right now it's only available within the EU, but Aimée plans to expand distribution to the U.S. and other areas soon. Via Oh So Beautiful Paper.

Thanks so much to lovely BPS member Daniella for the link!

March 2010 Mailing

2010-02-28T22:54:00.004-05:00

Hi all! Greg has just finished sending out the BPS address mailing for March — you should receive your address tonight or tomorrow. As always, please be sure to check your spam folder if you don't see it in your inbox!

(photo of vintage postcard by Ana y Esteban, via Beauty in Everything)

BPS Café — February 2010

2010-02-28T22:01:00.001-05:00

If you've received a February postcard from a sender who prefers to remain tantalizingly mysterious, you can still say thank you! Members can leave a comment here to let other members know how much they appreciate the postcard they've received.

Note: If you've just received your January postcard and would like to thank the sender, you can still leave a comment in the January BPS Café post! For earlier postcards that have finally arrived, please check out the quick links to the appropriate BPS Café in the Related Links section on the right.

P.S. Sorry for posting the BPS Café so late this month — completely forgot!

(photograph via nom nom nom)

Envelope Clutch

2010-02-24T17:13:00.004-05:00

Love this cute envelope clutch by Kate Spade, part of her Par Avion collection — such a playful idea.

Thanks so much to lovely BPS member Olga for sending along the link!

International Fabric Swap — Plus Postcard

2010-02-19T11:26:00.007-05:00

Attention craftier members of the BPS — check out this international fabric swap! Participants cut up two different pieces of fabric (one a traditional print, one contemporary) into four quarters each, then (keeping one quarter of each print) send the six remaining quarters to other participants, plus a postcard of where it's being sent from. In turn, you'll receive fabric and postcards from others taking part as well. If you're interested, you'll need to sign up before February 27 — find out the details on the A Bit of This and A Bit Of That blog here.

Thanks so much to lovely BPS member Amanda for the link (and who's also a participant)!

(lovely photograph by karaku via beauty in everything)

Gathering Up

2010-02-18T01:06:00.003-05:00

A quick note to let you know that I'm still slowly following up on the missing postcards reported by BPS members — my apologies for taking so long with this, but there's been a lot of email about it! A lot of the January postcards seem to have gone astray this time around, most likely due to the holidays — but as a few reported missing are now showing up in February, I've been holding off on following up on those ones until now to give them a chance to arrive. But I will follow up — don't worry! I'm still gathering and sorting — and thanks as always for your patience.

(lovely photo by elly yap via pretty serendipities II)

Cookie Card

2010-02-15T14:19:00.002-05:00

How cute is this cookie card by matomeno? Fun to get in the mail — or as an accompaniment to a gift of home made cookies!

Thanks to BPS member Olga for forwarding the link!

Pigeon Post

2010-02-10T01:10:00.002-05:00

Inspired by legendary stories of eternal love, Keith-yin Sun and Judi Chan of Pigeon Post created a beautiful set of postcards featuring classical lovers from all over the world. The set consists of six cards in the shape of a stamp, a graceful nod towards the tradition of sending love letters through the mail. Shown above is the Greek/Babylonian legend of Pyramus and Thisbe — see the rest of the series here. So lovely — and now I really want to read (or reread) the tales that inspired them! Via grain edit.

Follow Ups

2010-02-05T15:01:00.004-05:00

A quick note to say thank you for all your emails about not receiving postcards for various months — I'll be busy following up on these over the next few days and will respond to each of you individually when I find out where they are (or aren't, as the case may be). Hopefully through this process I'll be able to sort through and remove the non-senders, so we can be sure that the BPS is a collection of happily committed members!

xo

(lovely photo by Cori Kindred, via Beauty in Everything)

February 2010 Mailing

2010-01-31T22:26:00.002-05:00

A quick note to let you know that my awesome bro Greg just sent out the mailing addresses for the February mailing — be sure to check your spam folder if you don't see it in your inbox.

Happy mailing!

(the lovely photo is by Tony Triolo, via Beauty in Everything)

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2010-01-30T00:08:00.006-05:00

In some ways the BPS project is rather like having a garden — continual tending is required, but the resulting blooms are a rich reward. To keep up with the growth, I've now got a lovely group of BPS volunteer members (assistant gardeners, if you will) who are helping out tremendously by generously sending extra postcards when needed — thanks so much again to all who answered the call!

With the volunteers taking care of extra mailings, I can now focus more on something I've had an eye on for a while — weeding. In any project like this, there will inevitably be a few people who (for one reason or another) neglect to do their share. It really makes me sad to hear about the disappointment of BPS members who, while diligently sending out postcards each month, don't receive a postcard in return — sometimes several postcards. We've lost a few people who've become disillusioned about this, and though the wonderful volunteers are now helping out here, the key to sorting this out is — weeding.

So — do please keep letting me know if by the end of the month you haven't received a postcard. This is the only way I can flag any repeat offenders and learn if there's a problem (and not just an occasional postcard lost in the post). I want to make sure that each BPS member is a happily participating member — this project is, after all, about giving. Let's make sure that we're sharing the love!

xo

(lovely photograph from souvenirs, via we heart it)

The Timed Postcard

2010-01-25T13:30:00.006-05:00

Here's a fascinating postcard concept — one that literally counts the days from mailing to delivery! Created by Tel Aviv-based designers Tal Mor and Shlomi Azulayut of dag-designlab, the postcard timer is set by the sender just before being posted. When the recipient receives it, they stop the timer — and the exact length of time it took the postcard to travel is preserved. Such a fun idea. More here.

Thanks so much to lovely BPS member Shlomit for sending me the link!

Valentine Card Swap

2010-01-23T21:02:00.004-05:00

Want to share the love in February? Lovely BPS member Carina is organizing a fun Valentine Card Swap through her great blog — crow and canary! If you'd like to participate, you'll need to sign up by midnight (PST) January 29. Find out all about the details here.

Big Hearts Wanted

2010-01-21T23:32:00.007-05:00

Are you extra generous? Do you love to help out and make someone happy? I'm looking for BPS members who would be willing to be on call to send an extra postcard or two occasionally when the postal service fails to deliver — or to cover when the occasional glitch happens (such as when someone leaves the BPS but doesn't tell us until a month or so later). If you're interested, email me and let me know. Thanks so much — I know that somebody will heart you for it!

xo

(lovely photo by Kristi on Beauty in Everything)

Grand Opening!

2010-01-21T20:37:00.005-05:00

I'm happy to tell you about the grand opening of lovely BPS member Hedy's new online shop — Tuulikki Titine! Not only will you find these super cute hand made owls there, but also lovely jewelry, fun little bags — and she's doing a postcard service, too! Do go and check it out — you'll love it. Hedy also has a great blog, too!

Vote for Stitchface!

2010-01-20T15:09:00.004-05:00

The utterly charming Stitchface, one of the cutest Etsy shops ever, has been nominated for a Poppy Award on the influential PoppyTalk blog! If you'd like to support Danielle, a fellow BPS member (and one of the most fun people I know), head over here to cast your vote before midnight on January 26.

P.S. Shown above is the Check Jackalope — visit Stitchface to see more wonderful little creatures, too!

What's New

2010-01-20T02:12:00.004-05:00

If you've emailed me recently, rest assured that I'll be responding as soon as I can — I've just been up to my eyeballs in deadlines, so work has been taking up all my time over the last few days. Stay tuned!

(lovely photo from elle decoration, via the fabric of my life)

Helping Out

2010-01-14T20:55:00.006-05:00

Like everyone else, I've been deeply saddened by the tragic earthquake in Haiti and have been looking for ways to contribute my own small share to the Haitian relief effort. I'll be participating in a local art auction (all proceeds going to Haiti relief) and, from now until February 15 2010, 50% of the money earned from each sale on my automatism atelier shop on Etsy will go to the Red Cross. If you're also doing something to contribute and want to share (or need our help), please feel free to leave a message in the comments to this post. Thanks.

(lovely photo by Anne Acaso, via we heart it)

Member Giveaway!

2010-01-12T11:17:00.003-05:00

Lovely BPS member Rachel currently has not one but TWO giveaways on her Number 8 blog! The first is a fantastic box of vintage paper ephemera that includes "everything from antique magazine pages, music sheets, children's illustrations, fake money and monopoly cards, cigar bands, stamps, joss paper and much much more" — perfect for making your own postcards.

The second giveaway is your choice of one of two lovely 8 1/2" x 11" giclee seashell photo prints — one of a grouping of seashells printed on luster paper, the other a beautiful piece of coral on matte finish paper.

Hurry over here before January 18 for a chance to win!

PostSecret

2010-01-11T14:53:00.004-05:00

Have you heard of the intriguing PostSecret project? To quote from the site: "PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard." The results are funny, sad, thoughtful, poignant, hilarious, dark, cranky and/or a complex mix of emotions — and a little window into the souls of strangers. Have a look here. Note: some of the postcards are NSFW or suitable for the kiddies.

Thanks so much to lovely BPS member Olga for sending me the link!

(shown above is a submission to PostSecret)

BPS Café — January 2010

2010-01-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

If you've received a January postcard from a sender who prefers to remain tantalizingly mysterious, you can still say thank you! Members can leave a comment here to let other members know how much they appreciate the postcard they've received.

Note: If you've just received your December postcard and would like to thank the sender, you can still leave a comment in the December BPS Café post! For earlier postcards that have finally arrived, please check out the quick links to the appropriate BPS Café in the Related Links section on the right.

(photograph via nom nom nom)

BPS Flickr News!

2010-01-06T00:01:00.003-05:00

Now that things are beginning to calm down a little around here, I'd like to open up the BPS Flickr group so that members can post their own postcard photos. If you'd like to upload your own pix, email me and I'll send you an invite for the BPS Flickr group!

P.S. Did you see Hedy's sweet New Year comment below? If you still haven't received a December postcard, be sure to check out her lovely and generous offer!

(the lovely photograph is by Kathryn of perfectbound via oh hello friend)

Postcard Teas

2010-01-05T15:31:00.005-05:00

I think we've just discovered the spiritual home of the BPS. It's Postcard Teas in London, and owner Timothy d'Offay is not only a dealer in rare and fine teas from all over the world, but a fanatical postcard collector, too. He even offers an amazing service called the Tea Postcard — choose the one you’d like to send (available as an option for any of their teas), write a message and address on the virtual postcard, and it will be printed and mailed (along with your chosen tea) to anywhere in the world. Sounds like the perfect gift for more than one BPS member ...

Thanks so so much to BPS member Julie, who sent me the lovely email about Postcard Teas — and has a great post about this wonderful shop on her own lovely blog rock @ lulu!

A New Year

2010-01-05T12:48:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year! Hope that 2010 will be filled with all good things for you. A quick update — the addresses for the January 2010 mailing were sent off on December 31, just before both Greg and I went off to visit family over the last of the holidays. We're back now, so if you have any questions about the January mailing, please email me directly, as there's not always contact info on your comments here for me to respond to you that way. Thanks!

I'm also beginning to catch up on the rest of the BPS stuff, so if you've emailed me over the last couple of weeks, rest assured I'm not ignoring you — I've just been away! I'll respond as soon as I can.

P.S. Don't forget to check your spam folder if you don't see your January mailing address in your email inbox!

xo

(pretty photo by girlhula, via beauty in everything)

January 2010 Mailing

2009-12-31T00:48:00.004-05:00

A quick note to let you know that we're getting things ready for the January 2010 mailing and hope to have your addresses off to you soon, but there is a possibility that they might be a bit late getting out as we're in the middle of family holiday plans right now. Thanks for your understanding — rest assured we're doing what we can to get these out to you ASAP!

(lovely photo by Susana via beauty in everything)

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas season — hope you find lots of good things in the mail as well as under the tree (and in your stocking)!

Lori
xo

(vintage photo from the George Eastman collection on flickr, via creative inspiration)

Postcards to Ornaments

2009-12-23T02:03:00.005-05:00

Aren't these amazing? They're wooden postcards that become ornaments, and are so pretty that they'd be lovely to receive at any time of year, let alone Christmas. Designed by Anne Paso of Finland, they're available in black stain, white stain and natural and in bird, pig, ball, and egg shapes. Via Apartment Therapy LA.

Thanks so much to BPS member Jesse Lu for the link — one of the sweetest people I've never met! :-)

Why Wear Anything Else?

2009-12-19T21:43:00.006-05:00

Interested in helping out a fellow BPS member? Samantha in Istanbul, Turkey is a finalist in a design competition and needs your votes! Last year she designed a shoe for Fluevog that was eventually made into a real shoe named the Zaza (after her). This time around, she's in the running for a competition to design the ad for the Zaza. The winner is determined by the number of votes their design receives, so Samantha needs as many votes as she can get to win. Help her win by voting for her beautifully illustrated ad, called Why Wear Anything Else?, here. You can vote once a day until December 22.

Good luck Samantha!!!

A Little Recognition

2009-12-16T13:35:00.002-05:00

I'm stunned but happy to announce that my automatism blog has made The Times list of 50 of the world's best design blogs! I'm in some amazing company, too — have a look here.

RCA Secret 2009

2009-12-14T14:09:00.005-05:00

RCA Secret is an annual exhibition and sale of original postcard-sized art at the Royal College of Art in London, made by professional artists, designers and illustrators plus the Royal College of Art’s current postgraduate students. This year’s exhibition contained 2,000 pieces donated by over 800 artists — have a look at the postcards here. Shown here is a postcard by Jane Gifford. Inspiring and wonderfully diverse, too.

Note: some of these images are NSFW and/or not suitable for the kiddies.

Thanks so much to BPS member Clare for forwarding the link!