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Friday, January 22, 2016

Five on Friday (+1)


It's Five on Friday again. How did that come around so quickly? Could be that time moves at a faster rate towards the end of the school holidays. Well it seems to when you don't want your only school student to go back to school.
 
I'm joining in again this week with Amy and all of the other lovely bloggers who take part. Please pop over and check the links.

My theme for this week is all about pen and ink, letters, writing, journaling. That kind of thing. My kind of thing.

Outgoing mail
 1.
Some outgoing mail for this week. I popped all of this in the post box yesterday. A few postcards for my Goodreads exchange, long letters to regular penpals, photos for Grace and even some competition entries.  I get a lot of joy from writing letters and cards or just sending out random little pieces of kindness. Now if I could improve my mail art that would be wonderful. A competition win would be rather nice too.
 
 
Incoming mail

2.
Incoming mail. Sadly today my letterbox only contained boring mail- council rates, a survey and some other boring item. More often than not it has a letter or two and that is something to be very happy about.

Letter-writing list
 
3.
February is the Month of Letters and also InCoWriMo. Both are great forums for people keen on letter-writing or even someone wanting to start out. Some people take it all very seriously but for me, writing letters is all about kindness, fun and making friends. I've made a number of friends via Month of Letters and we correspond regularly. There are other members who I just catch up once a year during February. No pressure, just fun and friendliness.
 
The picture above is my list of who I will be writing to next month (on the right) and who I need to write to this week (left). Only 15 names on the right-hand side list so far and I want 29, one for each day of the month. I'm sure I can fill it. 
 
I love my list book thanks Kimberley.
 
 
4.
One of my journals. Does anyone else have the Wreck this Journal by Keri Smith? I'm struggling with it. I have the worst attitude for a journal that goes against the grain. I want it to be just so but the aim of the journal is to not be a perfectionist, just let go and 'wreck' it. Some outside the box thinking is definitely in order.

If I ever do anything in the journal worthy of showing either good or bad, I'll post a picture . Maybe!

                             
5 +1

I'm including two pictures for the price of one here. My other random journal. Bits and pieces of random writing, art, not art, lists and ephemera. Tea bag packets from the tea bags sent to me from near and far. Raw sugar sachets. I got started with this zany idea because last year a penpal sent me one. I had no idea there were so many different styles out there. The sugar is all the same though. I also had no idea I was such a consumer of tea and coffee when out and about so it's a good reminder to think about it. And perhaps stop.

Thanks Amy for hosting.

Tracy


23 comments:

eclectichomelife said...

A great post Tracy. I am very happy to correspond with you for an exchange letter in the month of February. I love letter writing but it is always the first to go to the wayside when life is busy. But I can write and exchange one letter! If you want! Just in case my email address is Eclectichomeandlife(@)gmail(dot)com my daughter has the wreck it journal and has no problems not bring a perfectionist. Not sure I could cope!

kiwikid said...

Love your pile of out going mail Tracy...boy LetterMo has come around quickly! I had one of those journals but gave it away as I couldn't do what was suggested!! I don't know, that collection of sugar and t bags would bring you happy memories and that is a good thing! Have enjoyed your photos!

simplelife said...

Lovely post Tracy...see what I did there? ;)

But seriously I have good intentions of being a penpal, but honestly I'm having trouble writing to my 1 penfriend. I feel like I have nothing to say.

I've looked at the Wreck this Journal many times and wondered if it would be good for my perfectionist tendencies, but I'm too scared to buy it incase I can't do it and I've wasted money. I'd love to hear how you find it, if in fact you do use it and if you think it helps to push past the need for perfection and moves you into the just do it phase. Done is better than perfectly not done.

cheers Kate

River said...

This is something I could never do. I'm completely hopeless at letter writing. I even find it difficult to write anything in birthday cards.

Kimberley said...

Oh I had no idea February was Month of Letters - just as well I have quite a few to write! I have written a list today but with 3 days until school... hmmmm. Loving all the received and sent mail! It is the best thing. Posting something in Hong Kong was SO cheap - I went to post your letter there and realised I had left half of it at home so just wrote a lot more in HK! :)

mamasmercantile said...

Such an interesting five. I quite like the idea of letter writing, I tend to only write letters to pop inside cards at Christmas and special occasions these days.

Coastal Ripples said...

You are great with your letter writing. It's something I used to do but I'm afraid I'm an emailer these days. There is something lovely about receiving a hand written letter. Maybe I will have to restart. Thanks for your lovely post. Barbara

riitta k said...

I admire your letter writing! I send only e-mails...

Shortbread and Ginger said...

Interesting post. I'm not much of a letter writer, but it must be great to get mail from all over the world.
Liz

Lorrie said...

This is a fun post. Not much of interest arrives in our mailbox these days as most correspondence has gone digital. But a note or card is so much nicer.
Good luck with your letter writing!

A Colorful World said...

I am IMPRESSED! Not only are you keeping letter-writing alive, you are also very organized and you're journaling as well. Loved this post!

Mac n' Janet said...

Welcome to Five on Friday. Love the idea of letter writing and penpals. Sadly the only person who I write to is a cousin of my husbands. Like your random writing, art, not art journal.

Lilbitbrit said...

Hi Tracy, I started doing an art journal too and I call it Journartlery. I'm a little perfectionist so to desecrate a book is hard for me, but I'm trying and just seeing where it leads me. Now if I can show artwork you can too. Take care to you and all your dear family.
Christy

Amy at love made my home said...

How great that you are such a good correspondent and write so many lovely letters! It is a lost art for many so I think it is wonderful that you are keeping it going. Thank you for joining Five On Friday, happy weekend! xx

Crimson Kettle said...

There's nothing like getting a surprise letter in the post. Sounds like you're going to be really busy writing in February, have fun :-)

Lisa from @intotheglade said...

Oh I love getting happy post, there really is nothing like it. I might be slightly bias though because himself works for Royal Mail ha! I have never kept a journal but my youngest is never without hers. Have a lovely weekend xx

Anonymous said...

hi Tracy i enjoyed your post,it made me think about the last time i wrote a letter,hope you have a lovely day my friend xx

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

Hi Tracy, I am visiting from Amy's Five on Friday! I love your sweet ideas for letter writing and journal keeping. I love letters, too, but it has been a while since I have written or received one. My very best pen pal was my late Aunt Bette who I lost last year. We kept in touch for years and I am so glad that I kept all of her letters. We lived 3000 miles away from each other and getting one of her letters was always a special treat. I love the idea of keeping the tea and sugar packets and other pretty papers in your journal. I always regret throwing away a pretty bit of this or that and never thought to put it in a journal. So nice to 'meet' you and thanks for the inspiration! xx Karen

doodles n daydreams said...

I had a +1 as well, lol. I have to agree with you about letter writing but confess to not writing many myself, and yet I used to write a lot of them.
Have a good week.

Diana

Debbie said...

Hi Tracy....I love this post. I have a 'Smash' book similar I think to your wreck it journal but I tend to be too organised and tidy for its purpose....I believe your supposed to ...smash things in it...I must try harder I think not to be so 'Tidy' with it. I also have an 365 art journal...which I have started 3 years running and only get as far as April but I'm going to cheat this year....I am doing a post about this 'cheating' soon....love Debbie xx

Sara - Villa Emilia said...

What a wonderful post, Tracy! Your pile of outgoing mail looks very beautiful, and I think that is very important too.
In the good old days, I wrote lots of letters and tried to pay attention to the paper, envelopes, stamps and my handwriting. Nowadays it's more difficult to find good quality items... :)
Thank you for the lovely post. Enjoy your weekend and the upcoming Month of Letters!

Alison said...

Hello Tracy, just popping by from Five on Friday. Wow, you'll be busy writing all those letters, but how lovely for the recipients. Much nicer than bills and circulars! xx

Joan said...

Hi Tracy. Love your post. I have seen Wreak your Journal and think it would be a great idea just to go wild with creations. Joan