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Officially one week left until summer is over. This summer was definitely more laid back and I didn't really accomplish a lot but it still felt nice. no regrets.

I really did a lot of snail mail activities though and that was on my summer-to-do-list....wherever that may be.

There's been a lot of mail coming and going this past week though,

Incoming

box of buttons and postcard from Mary. I still haven't gotten over how awesome this was!

Thanks Miki for the package, I love the "Keep Calm and Draw On" card!

I wish I could hug every cat! :( lol

 (yes that is a cat ear near the top of the photo)

close up description of the worry doll..

Outgoing mail,

These next two are #49 and #50 of Mail Art 365. I'll try posting more of them as I go making/sending them.

Can you guess why this is my favorite shirt??? 

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Summer is trucking along and even though we're about to head into mid August, it's been hotter than ever! 108' degrees today. I've been spending my days inside because even the pool water is too hot.

We've also been experiencing a lot of earthquakes lately and they've been really close by. I've lived in Southern California my whole life but I can never get used to them. I been terrified of them ever since the Northridge quake in 1994. I think the part that scares me the most is the feeling you get right before it hits, you can hear and "sense" it first. It's hard to describe what it sounds like, my mom said it was like horses running towards you. I also get really light headed and scared right before it hits. I just hate them. This week it's been just really hard "jolts", lasting only a few seconds. Anyways, enough about earthquakes...

This past weekend Tim and I plus a couple of our friends played "Tourist" in L.A/Hollywood. We rode the metro, took a Starline tour and then went to CityWalk. We got to ride the double decker tour bus that goes all around Hollywood and L.A.The guy who sold us the tickets asked us where we were from and thought it was hilarious that I'm FROM Hollywood and went to Hollywood High (which is a block away from Hollywood BLVD) ...I still felt like a tourist as I pointed out all the different landmarks such as the hospital as I born in, my high school and my grandparent's house hahah!

 we also roamed around Downtown L.A. for a while before heading home...

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I can't believe July is over. Summer is almost over! NO!

I don't think I accomplished a lot on my summer to-do list. The whole idea of having a summer to-do list is enough to discourage me to do it.

Anyways, currently I am working on an embroidery and maybe i'll have it done by tonight. As for mail, I think I need to do some organization to get back into the swing of things. I look at my desk and think "ugh, maybe later.."

Here is the only outgoing mail I have made within the last two weeks..

 all the postcards are for a swap-bot swap...

Incoming mail...

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Incoming mail,

Outgoing mail,

Outgoing mail..

Some of the envelopes are the ones I made a while ago.

“Feel Good” was actually a fabric card my mother made but she decided she didn’t like so I glued “Feel Good” …I don’t know how I feel about mod podge on fabric though. You can buy her cards here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/85506570/floral-fabric-blank-cards

The flower drawing is a collagraph I made earlier this year, I didn’t let the paper soak for long enough so I decided to go over it with color pencil so the image would show. I am sending it as a postcard (it’s addressed and stamped on the back).

Some of my screen prints, linocuts and collagraphs are for sale here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ManitasDeGato

So I have aquired a lot of new penpals after starting my snail mail blog on tumblr. I don't know how I am keeping track of everything seeing I am so disorganized. My life goal is to be organized but that will never happened. This is how my desk has looked for the past week...

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This week sure went by fast compared to last weeks. I have been busy working on our businesses this week since I finally got motivation to do stuff.

I haven't worked on my mail this week but here is some of the incoming mail I received since my last post...

Last week I went to the thrift store and found this book..

what a great book! i have never been such a to-do list making person because I have found it only gives me more anxiety when I see everything I have to do written down on paper. But the book also gives you a lot of DIY List Ideas too! 

I think I am going to get more into the list making mode.

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I went to Claremont to see their annual 4th of July parade. It was actually really nice. I don't know why we have never gone, it's literally 5 minutes away from my house. They also have a firework show inside the college but it's not free to we went up to Mt. Baldy to see all the fireworks in the IE. 

Having a holiday on a Wednesday really throws everyone off though. Today felt like Monday! At least it's Friday tomorrow. 

Today I took out my mini sewing machine and made some envelopes. I hope the lace doesn't fall apart.

I have a small stack of mail I haven't replied to so I might just use my new envelopes on that. 

I love waiting for the mail the day after a holiday, it's like twice as much mail!

All the postcards are from my momma-in-law, who went to go visit a friend in Arizona last week. She always sends me postcards when she goes on trips. 

So last year I was really into signing up for free stuff and coupons. I haven't really done much of that lately but I am still receiving stuff. I ended up winning two contests this past week, I don't even remember signing up for them. 

I won a fancy medicated lotion and lip moisturizer,

and nail polish,

I also finished my first embroidery this week! I want to keep making more.

Tomorrow is Postcard Day! A lot of people have been signing up, I am excited to pick a winner! 

  

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Does this count as the biggest postcard I have ever received? I think so! It's from Trick Sensei, a member of IUOMA I believe. He has motivated me to build my screen printing press....or should I say, motivated me to start pushing Tim to build it for me.

back side...

So on my I Love Snail Mail tumblr (http://ilovesnailmail.tumblr.com/) I started a weekly postcard giveaway. Each Friday I will pick someone to send a postcard to. Very simple, just sign up and I'll randomly choose someone. 

Made a page on here just for that...(I've also added it on to my side panel)