Image (c) Giddy Giddy
Via WhipUp: A wonderful tutorial from Giddy Giddy - make your own postable Snow Globe postcards. I collect snow globes, and I love sending fun stuff through the post - can't wait to give these a try!
* SONG OF THE DAY: Belle & Sebastian – The Fox In The Snow *
Image (c) Open Doors
Since I've had ME/CFS I've not been able to do as much at my home church - the stuff which requires physically being there - so I've wanted to find other ways to serve. Having a lot of sofa-based time on my hands, the internet's been a Godsend (see what I did there?) and I've been able to find out how I can support fellow Christians who are being persecuted for their faith in places far from my home simply by writing them a letter (and praying for them!).
The two main organisations I support are Christianity Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and Open Doors. CSW publish 'Connect and Encourage', which is has the stories and addresses of Christians who have been persecuted (some in prison) or their families, and explains how to write to them. Their website has details of the countries they focus on. Open Doors concentrates on a few specific campaigns at a time.
Both also send out advocacy alerts by email, as and when they need you to write to people of influence who may be able to help a particular persecuted / imprisoned Christian. That could be someone in their country's government, their country's ambassdor in your own country, or your own MP/MEP/Senator/whoever represents you to your government.
Sometimes writing a letter of support to someone who has been beaten, raped, had their home burned down, been imprisoned or whose loved one has been executed because they're a Christian can seem a pathetic gesture from someone who has complete freedom to practice their faith. But don't I believe in a God who can do big things with small offerings?
CSW says, "it lets them know that someone cares about their suffering, and it can also show governments and local authorities that people around the world are taking interest in a particular case or prisoner" (which can also result in a prisoner being treated better, even if your letter doesn't reach them personally). It really is worth doing!Other organisations which support the persecuted church are Barnabus Fund, Release International, China Aid, International Christian Concern and Voce of the Martyrs.
Image (c) CSW
Finally got round to finishing my Christmas postbox! So it will spend a few weeks on top of my wardrobe with my other Christmas decs and then reappear in December. I love postboxes, couldn't resist this pattern. If you want to make your own, it's 'Clarence the Christmas Postbox' from Jean Greenhowe's Celebration Clowns booklet, which is out of print but easy to find on eBay.
Image (c) Royal Mail
I love Royal Mail's latest Special Issue stamps, which feature traditional British post boxes. I've been a letter writer all my life, and I love anything with a red post box on - I even collected Postman Pat stuff when I was a teenager (although I see that lately he's sold out to The Man, presumably to fund the purchase of his new helicopter).
I take photos of postboxes, and am part of Flickr's Postboxes by Postcode Area group. I'm currently knitting Jean Greenhow's Christmas postbox for myself, and if I had a little extra cash I'd love to give an appreciative home to one of British Cream Tea's amazingly detailed, beautifully made Red Postbox felt sculptures.
Image (c) British Cream Tea
My friend Sarah was telling me about a woman who had posted lots of letters to herself, with her address in a variety of cryptic forms - a crossword, an eye chart, a dot-to-dot, a map with an arrow pointing at her house - to see which the Post Office would manage to deliver. What a great idea!
It was freelance illustrator Harriet Russell's great idea, and she's published a book of all the envelopes which were safely delivered - Envelopes: A Puzzling Journey Through the Royal Mail. You have to admire Harriet's creativity AND the determination of the Post Office workers who ensured that the mail got through!
* SONG OF THE DAY: Nik Kershaw - The Riddle *
Also:
The Telegraph: Harriet Russell: Pushing the envelope
The Independent: Return to sender: Artist puts Royal Mail to the test
Images (c) Harriet Russell via Amazon.co.uk
Image (c) www.flying-pig.co.uk
Here's a simple free pattern for an origami envelope, from Flying Pig. Fold your letter into its own envelope!
There are loads of other neat designs out there, which I will add as I find them. Here:
Letter Fu: Blank, Lilac, Christmas and Valentine designs
* SONG OF THE DAY: Alison Krauss & Robert Plant - Please Read The Letter *
Here's my favourite of the latest special issue stamps from Royal Mail - the Routemaster bus, from their British Design Classics issue.
The set also includes Harry Beck's amazing tube map, Mary Quant's miniskirt and Robin Day's polypropylene stacking chair.
Images (c) Royal Mail
* SONG OF THE DAY: The Carpenters - Please Mr Postman *
Here, finally, is the special card/bookform I made my cousin for her 30th birthday. Yes, finished way behind schedule - she turned 30 in June - but leave me alone, I'm not well!
Lisa's my cousin, but she's also been a close friend. We were penpals from the ages of 12 and 10 - you know, back when folk used to write on paper, with a pen - and worked through a lot of teenage (and twenties!) angst together. Our correspondance went on for almost fifteen years, and is now meticulously archived in a series of shoeboxes kept on the tops of wardrobes in Galway City and Brighton.
Over the years she's acquired a husband, a house and a daughter, which I still can't quite get my head around... they grow up so fast, don't they? She's also a very busy wedding photographer, which I'm dead proud of.
These days we don't write letters to each other, just the occasional email or text. Sometimes one of us rings the other to note how crap we are at keeping in touch. But mainly we keep up with each other's news via my mum and her dad!
Dearest Lill, we are crap at keeping in touch...
Burglar Bill and The Jolly Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
Seven Stories, The Centre for Children's Books in Newcastle, is running What's In The Book?, an exhibition about the books of Janet and Allan Ahlberg:
"He did the words, she did the pictures. Together they made the whole book, cover to cover. Like tennis players they battered (sic) the words and pictures back and forth between them till the game was over, the book finished. And when one was done, they began another; 37 books in 20 years. What's in the Book? celebrates the Alhberg's creative partnership and explores the wonderful books they made. Discover where they got their ideas and how they turned them into highly original books that are clever, funny and have massive appeal to both children and adults. Rub shoulders with classic characters like Burglar Bill and Mrs Wobble the Waitress. See beautiful original illustrations from favourites like Each Peach Pear Plum and Peepo. Listen to poems and rhymes. Write letters for The Jolly Postman. Share Ha Ha Bonk jokes and tell your own. Win a prize and enjoy sharing Janet and Allan's best loved books."
Burglar Bill was the first book I really loved, at about 4 years old. It's a great story and I was engrossed by the intricate detail in Janet's illustrations. Last year I bought it for my friends' daughter for her third birthday. Turns out she loves it too: "...'That's a nice tin of beans,' says Burglar Bill. 'I'll have that!'..." What's in the Book? is on until January 2007. Penguin: Janet and Allan Ahlberg Children's Poetry Archive: Allan Ahlberg (inc interview) Amazon.co.uk: Janet's Last Book
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