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Because of our love for all things pigeon, we will be giving away the current issue of Uppercase magazine this weekend at our Letter Social!
What do you have to do for a chance to win the current issue? Show-up this Saturday and write a letter with us. Here is the info:
Sat., March 3rd • 3pm - 6pm
Read/Write Library
914 N. California | Chicago, IL 60622
Hope to see you there!
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Summer at Hadlyme (1914) by Willard Metcalf
Greenbanks is the most recently released Dorthy Whipple title from Persephone and is one of the books the husband got me for the holidays. I'm not really sure how to describe this book. Some people on Good Reads explain the plot as being a story about the relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter. While this is true, it reduces the main root of the story, in that it encompasses the entire family and how each person's actions effect the family as a whole.
Relationships are placed in strain, other relatives are made closer, others still rediscover themselves...all due to actions by other family members. The story's main focus is on the grandmother, but I wouldn't say the entire story is about her.
You are placed in a passive role as you watch the years pass. You are dropped into the lives of this family for a few years in the role of voyeur and are just as quickly taken out of it. So while there isn't swash buckling action or a huge issue that resolved, this story is extremely engaging to read. Several times I found myself staying up way later than I intended because I wanted "just to read the next chapter..."
If you enjoy peaking into other's lives or reading about the everyday actions of previous decades, this book is a gem. It starts off slow, but it quietly becomes an addictive read, leaving you wondering just why you were so compelled with the lives of these characters.
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I'm still working on finishing-up Donovan's holiday sweater, but I am trying to keep myself motivated on colorwork at the same time. It really isn't my cup of tea, but with this awful weather we've been having, my hands have been begging for some thick mittens.
For those of you in a similar colorwork rut, here is a good video about how to keep track of which row you are on in your chart. I find this the most annoying aspect of colorwork. Somehow I find lace charts much easier to follow.
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I've recently received some very lovely mail from some lovely readers. Above is a small sampling of some of my postal pleasure. LWA member Christine Hand sent me some yarn she spun herself! I'm still trying to decide what I should make from it. My pen pal David sent me a Bingo card that had my message rubber banded to it. I managed to take the letter out without ruining the lattice-work of rubber bands.
I also wanted to share with you an interesting story created by a fellow letter lover, Julie Shapiro on how it is that stamp designs and topics are chosen. Take a listen over at 99% Invisible.
My favorite quote from the entire segment is:
"In my opinion, 45 cents is an entirely reasonable amount for a tiny piece of art that escorts your letter anywhere in the United States."
I whole heartily agree Julie. Thanks for such a great story!
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We had a lovely little time at Binth on Sunday with everyone who joined us for our letter social. It was a great way to celebrate one year of hosting LWA socials! Above you can see one of the tables full of happy folks toying and writing away. Once the awesome Salted Caramel packed away her sweets for the day (minus a few packs of marshmallows and caramels that came home with me), we took over the table to expanding the typing party. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get photos of the second table, but perhaps someone who attended has some.
We even had some "love boats" being made with lace, old valentine cards, stamps, and decorative tape as little flags. These were so wonderful.
Last but not least, the ever awesome Miss Donovan had some of her cards on hand. You see, she was asked to collaborate on Binth's Love Letters set, in which she illustrated the vowels.
She cleverly used a typewriter to create the tones and texture that make each letter in the style of an illuminated manuscript capital. To make it even more amazing, she used the key of the letter from the typewriter to make the illustration, so "I" was created by layering the "i" on her manual typewriter. Really stunning work.
It was the first time we've been to the newly opened Binth, but it shall not be our last. It is an amazing space and a great shop. Thanks to Binth for letting us host our 1 Year Anniversary Letter Social.
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Image of the first set of killers arriving at 2122 North Clark street. From Bill Helmer's book "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre," via My Al Capone Museum
Most of use are aware of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, which took place on February 14, 1929. It was the first time the public was exposed to the real and true violence behind the Chicago mob. Since we just passed it's anniversary I thought I'd post some interesting newspaper/magazine images revolving around the event.
Jack McGurn in court. Image from Life Magazine.
Jack McGurn, Al Capone's right hand man, is said to be the man who was responsible to carrying out the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. McGurn was a regular at the Green Mill, a speakeasy run by Capone, and my all time favorite bar. (The Green Mill website has an interesting write-up on this mobster.) Even though witnesses saw McGurn entering the building where the massacres took place, he got off thanks to a very pretty blond.
Jack McGurn's girlfriend Louise Rolfe, also known as his "blond alibi." (Image from Life Magazine.) She later married McGurn so she couldn't testify against him, then left him when he ran out of money during the Depression. McGurn was gunned down in 1936 while he was in a bowling alley. Due to a "Valentine" left in his dead hand, many suspect it was revenge for the Massacre in '29.
Here is an image from that same "photo shoot" as represented in True Detective Magazine (March-April,1931) as found on My Al Capone Museum. Looking pretty sultry. To the right is the front page announcing McGurn's murder in the Wisconsin News.
After the massacre's building switched hands several times, the structure was demolished, but not before the brick wall with the bullet marks was saved. Above is a satellite image of 2122 N Clark St, which Russell Lewis overlaid an image of the 2122 building plan as it was in 1935. (Image from the Chicago History Museum blog.) George Paley purchased the bricks and after displaying them in his bar & grill for 5 years, he sold off the wall brick by brick.
The massacre wall section that was sold is shown in pink highlight in the illustration above. I'm unsure of the original source of this newspaper photo/illustration, but it comes from My Al Capone Museum, which is run by a historian who owns one of the original bricks from the wall and who has extensive information on the Chicago mob of the 20s.
Should you be interested in seeing the bricks from this wall, the remnants are now housed in the recently opened Mob Museum in Las Vegas.
In looking through the many newspaper clippings revolving around this event, I am struck by the interesting illustrations, diagrams, and half-photo drawings. This is something that is lacking in news today - the evidnce of the illustrator's hand. A drawing on top of a photo to break down the events of a few seconds. I found them all fascinating.
More St. Valentine's news clippings can be found here.
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Be you one to celebrate VDay or not, I thought today would be a good day to celebrate one of my favorite fictional couples: Nick & Nora. Here is a fun video with clips of all of the Thin Man duo's alcohol scenes strung together.
Enjoy your own evening tipple as Nick & Nora would!
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Don't be a tease this Valentine's Day...OR you could use this sheet as reference as things to do this weekend. Tsk tsk. (Click to view larger.) If you don't feel up for such activities, I have a little V-Day gift for your laptop or phone...
Here is a free download of a lovely desktop to help remind you to get off the internet for a small bit and write some letters. Available for all resolutions screens, iPad's, and smart phones. Hope you enjoy!
The above article was published in the November 1952 issue of "The Girlfriend and The Boyfriend" magazine. Via clotho98.
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The first Letter Writers Alliance letter social of 2012 will be at the newly opened BINTH in Forest Park this Sunday the 12th from 3PM-6PM! We will have the supplies you need to make a valentine or write a letter. Typewriters, stationery, envelopes...all free!
BINTH is located at 7507 West Madison Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130; the last stop on the Forest Park section of the Blue Line. This will be our one year anniversary for letter socials! Yup, we hosted our first letter social for Valentine's Day last year at the ever awesome Greer.
If you are on the west coast, there is another Snail Mail Social at Arch Drafting Supply on Saturday, the 11th from 1-4PM. The Snail Mail Social was also featured in Uppercase Magazine. Huzzah to the promotion of letter writing!
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Letter Socials:
TBA
