At the centre of your being you have the answer, you know who you are and you know what you want ~ Lao Tzu

Saturday, February 9

Focus on Life - Week 6

This week's prompt from Sally Rossick is Feel the Love...

I just love the dorky toothbrush photo she shared :)


I've been feeling a lot of love just lately, as in the past 10 days, I have received wonderful, REAL mail - chosen with love, made and written with love, and posted with love...

First, this came Meredith, a dear friend who moved to the wild Welsh borders a few years ago - I miss her, but I adore her letters...


The main letter is written on the back of a colour photocopy of seed heads, then she included a fun postcard (she knows my design tastes so well!), and finally she made a wee envelope and filled it to bursting with quotes take from an old book. The one open reads:

The purpose of music is to make people feel good, to make people feel love. It gives people a spiritual love - a love feeling.
Brian Wilson

Rather appropriate, n'est pas??

Next, from the lovely Ali, I received a gorgeous handmade card, with another wonderful quote...


... and even Royal Mail is getting in the loving mood, franking Ali's envelope thus:


Then, from Finland I received this bumper pile of goodies from the very talented Tuire


... a handmade ATC with its very own envelope, some Finnish book pages, pearl buttons, a handstamped, handwritten letter, and a gorgeous desk calendar with Finnish and Swedish dates.

Next, the gorgeously generous Susan in Canada sent this..


... an American Vogue and a scrummy, fancy bar of chocolate - what a brilliant gift!! All I had to add were my favourite cuppa and the time to enjoy - which I gleefully did :)

And last, but far from least, this lovely surprise gift from the very lovely Lynn


She was sorting her bookshelves, saw this and thought I'd like it - which I so do!
I almost bought the book for a friend at xmas (I tend to give gifts I'd like myself!), but chose another one instead...

There is nothing finer than a 'I saw this and thought of you' missive in the post!!

Apologies for this being a long post, but I wanted to share all the love I've enjoyed this week - and if you'd like some real snail mail of your very own, do drop an email with your address (claire[dot]sauer[at]ntlworld[dot]com), and I promise to send something with love you can feel...

And i'll leave you with part of yesterday's entry from The Artist's Way Every Day by Julia Cameron, one of my favourite xmas gifts from a dear friend:
 
It is my belief that writing is a way to bless and to multiply our blessings. I cherish letters, postcards, faxes, and even Post-its from my friends.
 
 
Till next week xxx












35 comments:

Lynn Holland said...

Glad you like the book Claire and I think I recognise the postcard with the bird in the tree is it one of Printmaker Jane Orme's.
Lynn x x

Alison Scott said...

How wonderful. How lucky you are to have great friends as these.

Jenni said...

Lucky you getting all those gorgeous mail and gifts from around the world.. very special. It must be like perpetual Christmas at your place!

Cindy said...

Claire, what a cheery kind of post for this week's prompt! You are so right, there's nothing better than a "I saw this and thought of you!". What a beautiful selection of gifts and handmade cards!

SummersStudio said...

What a fantastic love filled week!

Courtney Breul said...

It looks like you have had a wonderful, love filled week! There is nothing like an actual card or letter. You are very lucky. :)

AntiquityTravelers said...

There is nothing like getting something special in the mail! I love email, and blogging ... but there is really something about a letter. You really did get a lot of love this week! fantastic! and I LOVE the Finnish stash (but then I'm a Finn, so I'm intrigued) :)

Beti Horvath said...

What a wonderful week you had! Love is all around you!

Sandi Volpe said...

Wow, what a perfect week for this post, I love all the handmade cards, beautiful.

Mary K. McGraw said...

What a great week you had getting all those "Thinking of You" snail mails from your friends all over the world. Plus I loved the quotes you added to your post.

Unknown said...

Great Post! Am sure your Postman knows how much you are Feeling the Love. LOL

Annette said...

Don't you just love real mail in your real mailbox?! I can certainly see why you feel the love!

Bonnie said...

I've recently come to appreciate the love that goes into making handmade cards. A friend of mine has sent me a couple that I cherish. I feel the love.

Cyndi J said...

What lovely and special friends you have to send you such beautiful and heartfelt gifts.

CraftyHope said...

Wow, that's a lot of fabulous mail. You are well loved! Looks like fun.

Pearl and Pebble said...

How lovely Claire!!! Enjoy those wonderful treasures. I loved Sally's toothbursh photo too:D

brokenteepee said...

What lovely friends and such a box full of love.

Alicia said...

You are so lucky to have such wonderful friends! Love pours from your letters - thank you for sharing (and multiplying the love!)

Donna Bradley said...

How wonderful for you to have such loving friends! It has indeed been a week full of love for you!

Honey from the Bee said...

What a lucky gal you are! Lots of love pouring in from all 4 corners.

aneri_masi said...

This is all so sweet!!!

i remember writing letters to my school friends during the summer break when I would go visit my cousins, and writing to my cousins when i went back home after the break. i LOVED writing them!!

And the postal stamp is so appropriate, haha :)

Loved all the other pics too :)

Bits of Learning said...

Oh Claire, your post is full of so much love! What wonderful gifts you received, I especially love the ATC card. You're a lucky gal!

That photo of the toothbrushes that I took, I love it too! There is just something about it that makes me smile! :)

Tanya said...

What a wonderful week. Thank you for sharing.

Mystic Indigo said...

What an enchanted week you have had..and what lovely goodies have found their way to your doorstep! loved this peek!!

A Polymer Penchant said...

Oh my! That sure is a lot of mail, real mail. Of course me, a Canadian, I say that chocolate and immediately thought, oh poor you they do an extra dark that is so, so good.... but it's the thought that counts lol

Rdegas said...

You have such wonderful friends! thank you for sharing!

Lori Anderson said...

I ADORE getting snail mail! I love stationery and buy tons of it, and use it! I love your photos!

LoriF said...

So very cool! I LOVE your "love"! Nothing like a handwritten address and letter. :-)

Paula, Chief Bead Officer said...

In the days of email, tweeting and texting, isn't it great to see some good old fashioned hand writing? You must be very special to many people!

Adrienne said...

I said that was the only way I was going to communicate this year, the old fashioned way! It's becoming a lost art to send a hand written card or letter. Wonderful to see everyone has given up on it yet!

sharon said...

I can tell you are well loved with all of the special gifts you have received! Handmade goodies are so from the heart. Beautiful treats you have!

Karen Williams said...

Such fun! I used to have so many penpals, all the way through grade school. Then the internet happened. It's really neat to see so many people who still send real, live letters through the mail!

HundredColors: Art, Design and Photography by Sumi said...

You must be having a very lovable heart. All those are proof of that! What a lovely circle of friends..!

Gill said...

What a fabulous post!!
I saw your book on Lynn Holland's post and came over!!
Now following!

Maisie Moonshine said...

Hi Claire - I'd like to share some more love with you today and award you the Liebster Blog Award. Pop over to my blog to find out more MM x maisiemoonshines.blogspot.co.uk