There's a parcel for you!

Isn't it a treat when a chirpy postman arrives at the door with a package – one that's been very carefully wrapped and addressed?

Mr Robin The Postman*

This has happened twice this week, they weren't delivered by a robin but by Derek, our usually chirpy village postman.

The first package was a complete surprise! It was from Terry, who some of you may know for The Hen Cam, a live window into the world of her hens (and rabbit). Those of you who pop over to Terry's web site will also know her goats Pip and Caper, and yes, there's a Goat Cam too! Terry had some of her photos of 'the boys' made into cards (available from her etsy shop) and she sent me a set to remind me of something I'd promised to do.


Terry has been trying to inspire me to produce some goat prints, the summer has slipped by and I still haven't tracked down suitable goat models to spent time sketching and getting to know their general goatiness – ideally they would be Nigerian Dwarf Goats like Pip and Caper but any small goat would do for starters. If you know anyone in or near south-west Suffolk who keeps goats and could allow me to visit with my sketch book and camera I'd be most grateful if you could put me in touch.


The second parcel, which arrived today, wasn't a surprise because I'd ordered some of Andy English's engraved Christmas cards from his (occasionally open) etsy shop. These aren't signed limited edition prints, but are printed by Andy from his original engraved woodblocks using one of his vintage presses (so they are the next best thing). Each year he designs a new Christmas card to send to friends, in subsequent years he uses these blocks to produce cards for sale, this year he has five designs – you can see some pictures of them on his blog. If you want to buy the work of a master wood engraver at an unbelievably bargain price rush over there before they sell out.


You can tell a lot about a person by the way the pack things and address the envelope; I used to work for a publisher and commission work form lots of different illustrators – it made my day much happier if I received a parcel that looked special from the moment it landed on my desk. And this padded envelop definitely looks as if it was packed by someone with patience and attention to detail, inside was a carefully wrapped pack of cards and a surprise – a little wood engraving of a pumpkin. Thank you Andy!


* detail from 'Mr Robin The Postman' a 1934 Christmas card which is available as an e-card to send from Liverpool Museums.