BY jane, ON Tuesday, December 6, 2011
In case you are new to Chiocciola Posta you will have to catch up in the old posts listed in the Categories over there. In a nutshell, I coined the phrase as a fun way to say Snail Mail, but in Italian, because it just rolls off the tongue so nicely. I listed 10 reasons to send Chiocciola Posta Holiday Cards on our Facebook page. I discovered my first Holiday Card in my mail slot yesterday and it made me smile. I always appreciate any greeting, no matter the method of sending, but when I see a person’s handwriting on the envelope, it just gives my heart a little glow. No one has captured the joy of sending Snail Mail on film better than Jamie Beck of From Me to You. Here are some of her images:
Can you eek out an afternoon, with cocoa nearby, to pen just one personal line in each greeting? “It was lovely to see you last week!” or “I hope you are making those fabulous toffee bars this year!” or “Enjoy your first Christmas together!”
Come on! Putting on the stamps is fun! Plus, we have to do our part to keep the postal system afloat!
Just paint your nails red and off to the post office you go!
There’s plenty more images to see over at Jamie’s blog including the best one of slipping the cards in the post office box. I can just hear that celebratory CLANG! as the lid snaps shut! It is as satisfying as a piece of extra dark chocolate at four in the afternoon.
Photos: Copyrighted by Jamie Beck.
BY jane, ON Monday, April 18, 2011
Today, as I hastily sent a message from my iphone in an abrupt four words, I was comforted to see the tag line “Sent from my Iphone.” This let my recipient know why my message was so abbreviated, and out of character from what I would normally send via Chiocciola Posta. When I saw this telegram on one of my favorite sites, Letterheady, I realized that the iphone message is the modern telegram.
Photo: Letterheady
BY jane, ON Monday, April 11, 2011
Did you see the PBS special last night on themagnificent Cuban Snails? I want my mail to be delivered by these arrestingly graceful creatures! I want to imagine that these gorgeous gastropods glide along through starlit nights, couriering Delicate Pen wedding invitations to unknowing recipients, leaving a magical, glittery trail in their path! We can’t really call these snails Chiocciola Posta since they are Cuban! We’ll call them Cuban Gastropostal Carriers or the CGC. They have quite the mating ritual! The snails are becoming endangered, however. Read about the snails and their interesting advances of love, or watch the full episode about them at www.pbs.org. Thank you to Henry Domke of Henry Domke Fine Art for providing this beautiful image.
Photo: Used with permission. Henry Domke ©
BY jane, ON Tuesday, April 5, 2011
I am posting an unusual, unscheduled Tuesday post to let you know that we were featured on Amanda Pearl’s blog today. Click here to read it. It is such fun to know people appreciate the Chiocciola Posta I send, and better yet, to inspire them to send their own. Amanda and I are working on a secret project together! We’ll share it with you when it is complete.
BY jane, ON Wednesday, March 30, 2011
My love of paper began as a child, when I was more excited about penning my thank you notes on fun stationery, than I was about the actual presents I had received. I couldn’t wait to write long letters of gratitude. I remember my mother suggesting, however, that I should keep to the point of the one specific gift that person had given me, rather than writing about the entire lot of gifts I had received, in every single note, as I was prone to do at age 7 or 8.
Since I design thank you notes and greeting cards, I send them relentlessly. Thank you, feel better, good luck, bon voyage–you name it! I calligraph the addresses on the envelopes as a circadian warm up for my other calligraphy work. So, when I happened upon this book, 365 Thank Yous, I was completely stumped! The idea of a thank you note a day was a remarkable enough accomplishment to write a book? Don’t people know about Chiocciola Posta? But, I quickly recognized that I am most certainly more of a correspondence geek than most. That indeed that art of the hand-written thank you is becoming extinct. Personalized stationery, sadly, even more so. So thank you, John Kralik, for joining me on my soap box! I will write you a Chiocciola Posta soon!
BY jane, ON Monday, March 28, 2011
I remember Princess Diana commenting in an interview once, that she would feel obligated to stay up until the wee hours every night penning all of her thank you notes for the events and kindnesses that had occurred each day. Certainly we don’t want to put that kind of pressure on ourselves, without a staff to assist us, but, can’t you just imagine her in her boudoir in Buckingham Palace, poised over an ornate desk, with a cache of engraved stationery, and beautiful pens at hand? (We would be happy to help you gather such supplies!) All you need is a writing nook! As you conclude your day, slip on some
Peter Fox satin slippers (our favorites) and a silky robe. Pretend you are a princess and start writing! One of
Diana’s thank you notes raised $800 pounds for charity alone, so you never know what good may come of a single note!
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A Peter Fox satin slipper, fit for a princess, and you!
BY jane, ON Friday, March 25, 2011
Many people write to me with questions. Some seek advice. Thus, the debut of my new post series entitled, Dear Jane. In response to Chiocciola Posta, Barbara from DC wrote:
I took to heart your post about sending Snail Mail. I don’t send cards and notes nearly enough. You have inspired me! I think I don’t send them more often, because I really want to take time to think about what I write. I am notorious for buying cards that sit in the bottom of my bag and never get written or sent!
First of all, good job on your well meaning intentions! I find that I prefer to write notes at my desk where all my supplies are stashed. I could not live without a desk in my bedroom filled with enticing stationery supplies and fun and crazy pens. No bills allowed! Occasionally, I take pre-addressed and stamped notes and cards with me in my bag, as well, should I foresee an “out” day, with built in bits of waiting time here or there. The trick is, don’t put them in your bag if you don’t anticipate that kind of day! Keep them on your desk where you will see them ensnaring you! Secondly, if your down time doesn’t arrive as predicted on your assigned “out” day, take the cards back out of the bag and complete them that evening or at the end of the week. Easier said than done, but I’ll have more tips on Monday to inspire you! Thanks for writing, Barb!
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A selection of stationery, some personalized, and my crazy pen that inspires me to write at my writing desk.
BY jane, ON Wednesday, March 23, 2011
In memory of beautiful Elizabeth…this was her letterhead. She detested being called Liz.
Photo: Courtesy of Letterheady
BY jane, ON Wednesday, March 16, 2011
As you know, I am a huge fan of Snail Mail. I have been working all week on some invitations for the Italian Consulate in New York. Since I have been immersed in this glorious language all week, I couldn’t help but wonder what Snail Mail was in Italian! Some words in other languages are just fun to say and I think chiocciola qualifies! I received a comment from Tina on our blog about the Park Avenue sculpture roses, saying I should write Mayor Bloomberg and thank him for supporting the arts! I shall do that immediately! I will let you know if he writes back! I shall also write my elderly friend in Florida, and my darling little nieces and nephews-so that they know at an early age the pleasure of receiving, and therefore sending of Chiocciola Posta! Who will you write?
BY jane, ON Thursday, February 10, 2011
Just a gentle reminder that Valentine’s Day is only four days away. With any luck from the postal service, if you mail today, Valentines should reach your destination by February 14th! I wrote an article on the Valentine Challenge in Artistry Magazine that you can read to inspire you to send lots this year. So get busy!
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