How Mail Saved My Life.

Sunday wasn’t such a good day, although it’s nobody’s fault. I did a very poor job of blood-sugar management, and paid for this with a little migraine and general malaise. (Being hypoglycemic is sometimes not so fun.)

I got home from my wanderings in the world, feeling pretty awful, and found this waiting for me. (Surprise! I had forgotten to get the mail the day before.) The kitty tape alone made me happier.

It was a package from Niku, of Scrappy Zine and Ms. Films fame. And what an amazing package! Niku loves mail, and she’s just about the most prolific zinester I’ve ever met. There was so much crafty goodness, packed with such evident care, I swear it healed me instantly.

Just look at all these wonderful zines! Niku’s work is really richly-detailed, beautifully designed, and beautifully made. She makes zines solo, and collaborates with a group in her new hometown of Austin.

This zine, Pneumatic Catalog, is a project by this group, the Scrappy Zine Co-op. It’s filled with these wonderful color collages. And inside the front cover is a little envelope, into which is tucked a tiny zine of Niku’s called “Family Album.” I just adore tasty little works of art like this!

There are two zines on the subject of moving: Last Known Address, and “New Forwarding Address.” These chronicle Niku’s recent move from Durham, NC to Austin, along with other moves throughout her life.

Look at this beauty! All that delightful stuff on the cover is hand-applied. And at the top of this post is a photo of one of the inside pages. All of this has made me fall in love with mail all over again.

Ooh! There was also a pack of Postal Curiosities and Delights! Look at all this collage-y goodness. Even a tiny photo of Elvis! Holy Moly!

And there were more, each one just as beautiful and compelling. I’m struggling to keep this post to a manageable size, but I could show you every last one of them with glee.

Nicest of all was a real-live letter, which Niku wrote on this awesome little Japanese stationery paper. I am full of gratitude — to Niku for such a gorgeous array of pretties, and even, in a way, for getting sick, so that I could really experience the transformative power of wonderful mail.

Niku has an Etsy Shop, called The Ephemeral Mailbox Museum, where she carries many of her amazing zines. Go check it out!!