Category Archives: Post’d (cards + letters)

postcards, letters, aerogrammes… making, writing, assembling, stamping, mailing and everything related

Post’d: #daveo50 personal archeology postcards

Almost end of #DaveO50, so made some postcards which are kind of “meta” from snapshots of various collections of ID cards, spectacles, knives, lighters, conference passes, passport photos, passports, ribbons, badges, biz cards and whatnot #personalarcheology

Snuck into the kura barn (after moving some items back into the almost done construction house) for a little bit to put on some inky stamps and scribbly hand writing.

These plus a few other dossiers to the post office tomorrow after the piano gets moved (not doing that).

By the way I am out of both cyan and magenta ink so it’s a great time to sign up for my “postcard as a subscription service“.

Keep in mind, I put extra love into the postcards for subscribers but also send to loads of other people, especially folks who seem to be putting goodness out into the world and/or need a little spark in their life. Is this you?

Post’d: wax seals and inky stamps help expedite (pro tip)

i find the letters find homes faster when augmented with wax seals and inky stamps

Of course, post boxes are only useful if you have letters to go inside or somehow magically the world is connected by pneumatic tubes (its the only explanation I can think of).

Not absolutely required but I find letters find destinations better with liberal use of wax seals and a variety of inky stamps.

Post’d: into mysterious and magical international postal delivery chute

into the magical postal system in which nation-states cooperate with diligence and earnestness

16 dispatches into the mysterious and magical international postal delivery chute >> this worldwide system is really a living organism and efficient network (hold your cynicism) which still boggles my mind.

*Really*, countries can get together without a lot of drama and get things delivered. There’s a metaphor in here somewhere but really, just came here to say:

I mailed a lot of pretty (i think) postcards (including oil pastel paintings of sherbet-coloured houses in India, a few mysterious B&W Lomo snaps, fake telegrams from Kuala Lumpur, the usual Nepal and haiku postboxes, a bouquet of flowers, a few dossiers stuffed with a variety of “everything“ including some Kerouac in Kobe treats) to folks in several countries – not surprisingly – resplendent with inky stamps, scribbly fountain pen writing, and tender sentiments.

Hopefully one is for you.

Scenes of resilience and fragility around Thrippunithura, Kerala, India

Scenes of resilience and fragility around Thrippunithura, Kerala, India

New batch of postcards for DaveoShop ~~ this time featuring three scenes of the neighbourhood around Dr. Veena’s Ayurmantra, my Ayurveda clinic in Kerala, India, including: 2 sherbet-coloured houses in oil pastels and the local train station, Thrippunithura – empty though there is a video of clip of a train rolling through – in  mixed-media.

Here was a special place for me and my erstwhile healing ramble and well, the world needs a lot of healing right now so floating these out into the world in hopes of sparking inspiration and goodness.

Peace to all of us, our relations, our memories. 

{get in the on the Postcards As A Service subscription plan}

Post’d: anything in your post box recently?

At Hip Inn in Phitsanulok, Thailand

Anyone get anything interesting on their postbox recently? Always sending treats out into the world. We’re on a pretty good run here with miraculous packages, lovely cards, purchased records and beloved letters from:

  • Germany
  • Massachusetts
  • Russian federation
  • Israel
  • Romania
  • Vancouver
  • Victoria
  • Singapore
  • possibly Albania
  • California
  • New Mexico
  • Poland
  • Malaysia
  • Birmingham UK
  • Etc etc {ive forgotten some} + Japan of course

… And if I wasn’t on enough international watchlists, i definitely am now (especially because of all the expired passport arriving & another project i won’t discuss publicly) 

Everything so gratefully received >> if I haven’t done a little “round-up thank you” &/or review post, it’s not due to lack of love, it’s because busy enjoying your dispatch and making so many new things right now.

As always, keep an eye in your postbox (and you can sign up for Postcard Subscription plan #hint for expedited service).

Also at Hip Inn in Phitsanulok Thailand

Post’d: Letters + Stamping (& sending/receiving round-up)

The last few weeks have seen busy-ness with the construction, wedding anniversary, wife’s birthday, Golden Week projects, a crash day, medical treatment, Mother’s Day, plus Ichiro’s nursery school routine,… {and a few other complicated projects}.

The next couple of days hoping to catch up busi-ness with on another batch of deluxe letters, postcards, art dossiers, treats all accessorized with a stash of stamps – both postal & inky (and continue my glacial pace of replying to *almost* three emails a week :-))

And… A few results of recent making/writing/glueing etc. 

Love letters, Loved
Written with stick & blood ink
Fingerprint for proof

a letter i shouldn’t be sharing but hopefully you can’t read the ink and quill scribble. note thumbprint for authenticity
vaguely poetic sharpie notes on the back of Suez snapshots (includes mug shot of me at sea cause i am goofball)

Plus: a few dispatches through the wormhole to intended recipients. A stationery sampler to Hez and mysterious India B&W lomo postcards to Beez. Yes amused and pleased.

India B&W Lomo spy photos (extended set), framed with letter like i am a big shot
super stationery variety fun time to the someone who i know loves it

Oh and… 

Just arrived (May 6th for accuracy) at my seitai doctor’s office to see the painting print I gave him (Gravelly Beach No. 4 “Sakura”, oil on canvas sheet 2005) is framed and hanging in his waiting room.

Gravelly Beach in Seitai doctor’s office, Okayama, Japan

Yep, I’m exhibited at goat farms, doctor’s offices and refrigerators around the world. To which my pal Dan in Massachusetts, said, “You’re on my wall too” with this evidence: 

Gravelly Beach in Western Mass

Reply: “You’re making me feel like a big deal here buddy. Truly appreciate it. I mean there’s nothing finer than sharing creative pursuits out into the world >> especially this “gravelly beach” series which has been sitting in storage for 15 years waiting to float around for people to breathe life into it”.

Now available as a postcard for purchase (but you probably already knew that or maybe already have this print)…

Post’d: Anchors Aweigh! letters and dossiers into the wormhole

A stack of decorated envelopes with airmail stickers, return address stamp plus 1 yen postal stamps of teddy bears, ink stamps of anchor and shiba-inu dog along with postcards oil paintings of a beach scene and an acrylic painting of postboxes in Nepal along with a picture of the creator, Dave Olson in a headband. All atop a plaid wool blanket.
Let’s enjoy letters, postcards and dossiers in all their inky messy deliberate goodness – made with affection

Anchors aweigh! Another big stack into the postal wormhole / dispatch includes: Suez canal panoramas, evidence of being lost at sea (intentionally), a few new Gravelly Beach postcards, and *classic* Nepal post box. Oh yes, please note the 1¥ postal teddy bear stamps.

Special assistance from my diligent co-conspirator in the stroller who is the neighborhood rockstar. Everyone from the grandmas to the crossing guards to the elementary school kids to Shinogize PO staff want to say hello (and pinch those cheeks ?).

Get in on the postal club fun at DaveOShop.

 

Post’d: Goodness sack & Post Office musings

After dropping a little dude off at nursery school this morning, rolled into the local post office (Shinogoze) with a big old Santa sack full of postcards, cards, letters, packages of various shapes, sizes and weights.

The diligent workers gamely accommodate my desire for awesome stamps (not seals) though they are surprised when I say I don’t mind paying a little bit extra when the stamp amounts and the weights/size don’t exactly match up.

They double check everything with calculators and rulers in beautiful analog fashion, then lay out the stamps on each letter and attach them professionally despite the fact that my big squiggly fountain pen writing leaves almost no space on the envelope for the multiple stamps. But they *get me* and know that I send these with affection, possibly to you.

Now I wait and some random afternoon I’ll get little messages of (hopefully) delight and amusement from adored ones near and far (mostly far) echo back.

Are you in the DaveO postal club? Or signed up to purchase items from DaveOShop

Yes its magnificent, made in UK and available in Japan, about ¥79,000 for this extra large, extra secure model

PS (above) Some nearby folks have a really sweet post box at their house. Tempted to be the “curious foreign guy“ and knock on the door and ask where they purchased it. Also note mounted on a brick base. Clearly for professionals (like us).

Post’d: Pleasing session in the Kura barn

Love when my desk looks like this: 3 bevvies, stacks of cards, fountain pens & ink, stationery ahoy! Swoon

Wife was at tea ceremony so headed into the barn for a session a few days back with a variety of special handmade postcards, my custom stationæry letterhead, fountain pens, various ink colours, three beverages, and assortment of addresses all combined to send musings, sentiments and artistic ephemera to lovely correspondents in locales close and far with affection.

Oh and: In other “not surprising at all“ update, another new record. The Beatles, Abbey Road / Japanese pressing. The original price – back in the day – was ¥2500 (as listed on the “obi” sleeve wrap) >> I paid a little less than that for it by post (along with some other gym. The liner notes have the lyrics in original English with a Japanese translation as well.

Note: i rock discogs.com {not even close to complete collection} and filter by “ships from Japan” and find all kinds of treasures from dozens of different stores and sellers. Always arrive well packed, cleaned and great condition. Finding some great bargains too!

put on a record, take a snooze, enjoy the cool, dark, quiet – sigh

PS Camping Cot added to kura barn studio/lounge for relaxing times when construction noise and commotion over-stims me. Such luxury!

 Are you in the Daveo postal club? Get on the list… You’re smart, you’ll figure out how to get in on the good times.