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Friday, April 13, 2007

good mail does not grow on trees...
or does it?
some of my recent good mail

I have not bragged about all my good mail sending friends for two weeks and so I have a bounty to share. I am amazingly grateful for creative friends who share their minds with me and so how could I keep all their good ideas to myself.

The great thing about good mail is that it also provides a creative outlet for me. I love creating, but then surprising someone in the mail is a double bonus. Recently, I have started going through my Christmas card list and reading through names to see who I could take the time to write a letter to or send something special. For the past week I have one friend that I just could not get off my mind. I have not seen or talk to her in about 4 years. I found a perfect "happy" for her and seriously just threw it in the mail. No long note of why I don't keep better touch with her or how great she is, just a Happy Easter. I received an email from her after she received it and it then made total sense of why I could not get her off my mind. I am just so glad I did not ignore the feeling to do something nice for her. That is the beauty of Good Mail. (Jill again i must say your are a genius) I loved what Jill wrote today about the dilemma for posting good mail.

I have had many people email me recently asking "What is good mail" here is a place to start.
but really it is what it says, something in the mail that is good. To start good mail just start sending it and then watch the magic begin.


Even though good mail does not grow on trees, I had to hang some of what I got to just soak in all of it's fun at once! Here is some of what blossomed at my house.

did you know my cousin Elisa makes the greatest soap ever! well now you do. this one even has ground up pumice in it. Thanks so much and I am excited for Miriam's little brother to get here!
Cristin sent this darling dish towel in the mail that she embroidered with a darling tag that has doodlebugs written all over it. Thanks Cristin, just last night I said to myself, "do I even do Pink Christmas again" you have revived my energy.

My mom sent me a thank you note with fabulous letter pressed stationery for her birthday gift. she was totally fooled by my April Fools joke and answered her birthday questions. did you see? I think asking the birthday girl questions on my blog may just be a new tradition!


This good mail has such a good story.
6 years ago my daughters best friend was turning 2. We had no money to buy a gift. So one day when she was over I traced her hand and then hand embroidered it on a piece of tea dyed muslin with her name and year. Her mom loved it and so I made another for her next daughter when she turned two.
Liz lives in Arizona and now had another daughter who turned two and asked me to do her hand as well. I was so flattered. It took me 9 months to get it done and back to her, YIKES! This was a thank you box for doing that. It was some of her favorite items in it.
Liz I love it all. the brownies to die for! the hand cream wonderful, and I am excited to try the mascara and BBQ sauce.
And just think if I would have had $15 to spend on a gift 6 years ago this never would have happened.
Oh by the way if you have not seen what Liz did for Pink Christmas you must check it out!!
items. Brownie Connection. Joes Famous BBQ sauce. Aveda Hand relief Loreal Telescopic Mascara

Heather S. totally surprised me with this incredible gift. (this is kind of what the stitched hand looked like)
What a wonderful gift and sentiment. It came before our guests arrived last week and what a perfect way to welcome them. Thanks.
Yet another good mail with a good story.
A few months back I had posted about some Relief Society cards I made and got an email from Kristine
She had been looking for the panel cards and she tracked some down. Look at what she created. I LOVE the rhinestone and stamped sayings. I have used almost all of them and love them.

She is from New Mexico, about 1 hour (right?) from where I grew up. She got these plates at the Target in Las Cruces. I am so happy to hear Las Cruces has a Target.

The heart cards were wonderful and the post cards were so thoughtful to send. My girls have never been to the town I grew up in so it was fun to show them .
Kristine, thanks so much for such a wonderful surprise and you did wonders with those panel cards. (the straws and pink gum have gone to great use too)
Blogging has really connected me with people I already knew, like my cousins. Laurie recently stopped by Jill's house for a fun surprise visit. I am so glad Jill got to meet her.
Laurie sent me these great specked eggs that were perfect for the recent thrift I found. (great pewter bowl for $1.00)

she also sent this little skirt that was her daughters for Sally Jane. Sally wore it that week( and really broke it in) with a green ribbon. Thanks Laurie, it is so fun to be in touch with you.


Natahsa sent this Linderella book to Sally Jane after her recent obsession. She loves it!! It is the perfect church bag item with the magnets. Thanks

Susan sent me some good mail that just keeps on giving. I can't wait to tell you all about this.
She sent me along with this cute card some darling magnets and the best gift of all a chapter of a book she is reading. Brave Companions. She copied the whole chapter for me. It is a a book by David McCallough. It is a collection of biographies and observations about different places. The chapter on D.C is what she sent. I have read it 3 times and words can not really express how this chapter spoke to me. I am not great at writing but reading it was like what I want to say about this great city, but don't know how to. It starts out describing Embassy Row where we had been the week before. When I have more time and I am doing a post about it. For you D.C. locals, get the book and read that chapter. It would be a great read too for anyone coming to visit D.C. ( I am compiling my top 25 things to see for my D.C. blog)
Thanks so much I just really have enjoyed reading that over and over.

Michelle sent a darling handmade card thanking me for her embroidered napkins. Which Michelle I have been meaning to tell you that you can bleach them. The black thread is polyester so it won't fade. For you embroidery gals, my favorite thread. Mettler Poly!
Crystalyn had a fun mail baby shower that I was invited to and shared her fun thoughts here. I am glad she had a boy since what I sent her was kind of boyish.
my girls got some fun good mail that just brought back good Tennessee memories. My friend Shari had us over for Easter last year, and Christmas and every other holiday. My girls love her and sleep on the pillows she made for the ride to D.C, every night. They each got a sticker book that they carried around for days, until all the stickers were gone and all over my house. Oh i miss her and her yummy holiday Jello.
Lisa, was too kind in sending me a thank you note for my "thought that counts mail" I really promise I don't expect thank you notes for fake gifts that I send. I recently told someone I can't ever expect thank you notes since I didn't send all my wedding thank you notes, it is a curse I will carry forever.
My cute niece who whisked through town this week, seriously at my house for 15 minutes on her way to California had sent me a cute marker note. I had found her name "Kara" in this confetti and had to send it to her. Her spelling is not that common and could not believe I had found it.
Lelly has NO IDEA how timely this SPT note was for me. I am not sure if I am willing to go into this but she just may have saved my blog getting ditched by me. She is the creator of SPT and have you seen her challenge for this week. Oh my I am so excited. Money is already spent baby!
Kacey, the doodlebugs creator sent a very thoughtful note and I was lucky it was for me. Funny how some things just arrive on the perfect day.
ok if you could see this up close the chocolate brown velvet ric rac would make you ga-ga too! Kelly the colors in these cards are wonderful and a pleasure to look at. I just put it in my Easter decorating box and will pull it out every year! Thanks.

Wow. How fun to get an email from someone you don't know saying I have something pink to send you. This came from Andrea!
Some wonderful Lindt spring chocolates. The packaging is great on those this spring. and...
this handmade bracelet she made during General Conference with a shoe charm! It is so great I wore it for the next two days straight. Check out her blog and her recent shoe find. yummy!
Big Congrats to Hannah on her new daughter this week. This was a fun Thank you card for her recent shower I was invited to, but since I live about 12 states away i could not come, darn. Wish I could have been there.

this is a fun story too. Occasionally I will check out on my blog counter who is reading my blog. (yes I can track you all down) and found Laura who had talked about Pink Christmas on her blog. Her header had a big ribbon bow on there and I thought she would love a ribbon mailing. She lives on the East coast but turns out she grew up with my husbands brother. Small world!
you must click on her blog to see the darling apron she made.


i have loved finding children's books for jill that are about mail, i hope i can keep my excitment to just a few so I don't weigh down her book shelf. I loved her thank you with the bright pink stamp on the black and white card.


My mom sent some fun Easter mail with these cute finger puppets, the Testaments movie and some great new jibbits. ( i am so in love with putting these on the girls crocs)
We turn our TV off for the week of Easter and it is such a great way to think about the week. On Easter we watched the video and I think because the girls had not seen TV they were so thrilled to watch anything and really kept their attention.
This is simply beautiful mail with a beautiful story. Michelle A. sent these gardening gloves with one of her handmade flowers. It is pretty fabulous and thank you so much for spending that time on making if for me. the quote reads.
In the Spring at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.
Margaret Atwater
Michelle sent me some incredible rub ons. I honestly don't think they sell these anywhere around here and just love them. Thanks so much and I hope you recover in time to get ready for Paris. ( she sent me the real item, i just cut hers out of a magazine and pretended to send it to her)
Tasha sent me some of her great stationery i love the circle with her name in it, and some yummy Mary Kay lip treatments. Thanks for the sweet note and you know me too well, how do you do that?

Ok, whatever Jenny D about not being creative! This is so great. My word of the year is "Stretch" and look what she sent. GUMBY!! now does it get more creative than that. Thanks so much for you two page handwritten note and the gumby. He now lives on my computer, but should probably get strapped to my tennis shoes. I love it.

jill has encouraged anyone willing to send mail on Wednesday for no other reason than because it is Wednesday. I have done it and love it, thanks for making me part of your wednesday.
This card here reminds me of why i stress about posting about good mail. I found this card the other day in my garage under a box. It is from Becca about her recent fun birthday, but how did it make it to my garage that is no where near my mailbox. It worries me that I may leave someone out and if i have i may find your good mail in my christmas decor next year.
Jill seriously you are the thank you note queen and are putting me to shame but reminding me how fun it is to get a thank you note.
Natasha had cute easter photos made into cards to send out. I mean come on who sends Easter Cards.... oops. I love the live bunnies.
my sister in law (Michelle and Barb she is from Canada) Amanda sent me a thank you note for the pretend Williams Sonoma gift I sent her. She is a great cook and becoming a great seamstress.
My friend Heather, the cute mother of the new Scarlett Kate is doing great. I sent her my favorite thing to make. Minkie dress Onsies. So easy. not great photos but you can see it here.
Pattern is from Children's Corner and a very easy beginner pattern.

I was happy one of my funky packaging full of ribbon made it to natasha. I used the clear food container i had got my salad in from Whole Foods (washed out of course) and it seemed to surrvive.

Ahh. all caught up. now i need to order some new thank you notes.

25 comments:

Jason said...

Way to bring back Gumby and Pokey

Price Cream Parlor said...

WOW! I love how you went outdoors and captured your good mail on the tree!
I think that it is great to document notes that pass our way.

kara jayne said...

Kristi-

SO great that you sent the "Kara" item to your niece. I know first hand how hard it is to find. Not a big deal now because I just make it myself, but as a kid I was always devastated that there was nothing with my name on it. It is obvious you are loved with all that "good mail".

Kara

jenny said...

I need a good mail tree. Very cute.

melanie said...

I love your tree! And all those cards and good mail, what happiness!

I am going to try and call you sometime tomorrow (Sat). We'll see if I can find a quiet corner to fix my blog! I want a new look!

Cara @ Gardenview Cottage said...

You are so lucky to have gotten all that good mail. But the best thing in that whole pile is the Joe's B-B-Q sauce. It's a family favorite her in our house and we eat there often, have a year supply of the sauce and love love love it! I hope you do too.

Jill said...

This was truly inspiring. I shouldn't be surprised that you even showcased your good mail with the genius idea of hanging it from the tree. The natural light for the pictures is beautiful. (Did your neighbors come out to see what you were doing?)

I love everything you received and think it's so great that you send a note and gift to that friend you'd been thinking of but hadn't spoken to in so long. Who wouldn't love to hear from a long-lost friend like you?

I think it's also fun to see all the thank you cards from me because that means I've been getting lots of fun stuff from you! I feel like I write you a thank you card every couple of days, and I don't mind doing that at all.

andrea said...

So cute on your tree! Love it.

michelle said...

What a great showcase! Another reason I sometimes don't want to post my good mail is the stupid indoor snapshots I take of it. You solved that problem beautifully.

I have been using that mascara that Liz sent you and I quite like it. I love your idea of tracing and embroidering her girls' hands. Love the minkie onesie too!

Girl, it seems you will never run out of ideas. Jill and I were just saying today that you are the queen of ideas -- an endless source -- and we feel like just the opposite. I'm just so glad you share them with us!

p.s. LOVE the new profile pic!!

michelle said...

p.p.s. How could I have forgotten about Gumby?? I used to love him so much. Great reminder to stretch.

Doodle Bugs said...

I love the tree :o) Great job posting about your good mail. I love that you shared!!

Anonymous said...

How loved you are! A cute picture to take of a tree that is filled with good mail to a very generous and creative woman!

stefanie said...

What a great bounty of good mail! I loved seeing it all. Thanks for posting!

Anonymous said...

I love that you hung it all from the tree -- it looks amazing. That's a good idea for all kinds of things.

It looks like the Happy Easter label on the card I sent migrated a bit through the mail. It did on Barb's, too. Maybe I should look into a new adhesive. :)

Amanda :-) said...

Oh, my heart leapt when I saw the title of your post and the snap of a tree! I was thinking about your neighbour's mysterious tree! *sob* I wish that would get resolved. I'm like a dog with a bone...

It's all fab, your Good Mail. You must be so busy with it all, and building up your DC blog, and maintaining this one. I'm glad Lelly's SPT note boosted your spirits.

Anonymous said...

I love your good mail tree! You are so creative.

Mandy said...

You are too clever! I love that you hung good mail from your tree. Very cute! I don't think I have ever seen such good mail.

Anonymous said...

I love reading your posts about good mail. It did take me a little bit of time to catch on and figure out what it was all about, but what a fun concept.

I was scrolling down and was interested to read your post about the civil war and your "Easter bonnet." As an African-American female, whose ancestors were enslaved I fully realize that there were many complex issues in regards to the war. Obviously, states right were at the forefront of the fight. I am curious (not in a snarky way at all) for what reasons you would of supported the south? Slavery beside the point (as you clearly pointed out that you would of not supported it) states rights were directly tied to slavery and later during the civil rights era they came up again. States (in the south) were determined to decide what levels of rights African-Americans would get. I suppose I'm just going on and on here, and I do enjoy reading your blog. Also, would you necessary feel comfortable saying "the south will rise again" around an African-American person? Perhaps you should post again and in more detail about why you would of supported the south.

-Katie

everything pink! said...

katie, thanks for your comment. i am sending you an email right after i post this.

Chanel Palmer said...

Such beautiful photos and gifts!

everything pink! said...

Katie,

I am sorry if I have hurt your feelings in anyway. Rereading my post I can see that reading "The South will Rise Again" may have been misinterpreted and a poor choice of words.it was purely meant to emphasize my love of the south: geography, culture and diversity.
I didn't mean to stir up any debates and apologize.

I removed that post from my blog because if I offended one person that is too many. I am very sensitive of hurting others and apologize.

Sincerely.

Kristi

Barb said...

If your good mail does grow on trees, it is because you fertilize it with all of the tangible generosity you send out. I loved the way you presented this batch of good mail.

Michelle Alley said...

Kristi - That took a lot of work to get those up on the tree! What a way to symbolize growth and friendship. Hope all is well! Have a great Sunday!

PS I've made more of the crochet flowers, I can send you some for you to use in a moment of inspiration. I just added a crochet sun to a pillow - will post this week! Let me know!

lisa h. said...

i love the gumby thing...i just bought a couple to give out for visiting teaching about when you feel too stretched and stressed out!

amy gretchen said...

love the tree. So much thoughtfulness.