Some Mail Art

In high school sometimes it felt like all I did with my time was make mail art and send it to strangers around the world and I would get things too so now I have a few big boxes of beautiful things sent through the post. I sent things sometimes under my real name, sometimes under this name of Bosco Marx. Coming to Oberlin, I haven't really had the time to do it as much as I had once. Last night was a mail art exhibit here and it got me excited again. The first thing I walked in and saw was the Brain Cell Project which I didn't know much about but in 2006 had gotten a part of the project in the mail. This was exciting. The Recycled Products Coop (I think it was) had a space there with everyone's name and OCMR number on a card so you could anonymously send something to someone. I made three and liked them and decided to put them here before dropping them off. Then I went home and made one for a friend in Chicago that I miss greatly. (I don't think he reads this or knows it exists so I'm not afraid to put it up before I send it). The big one will be folded up and sewn together around the edges. I hope you like them!

(click to enlarge)

Help me identify these feathers, please!

Here are some feathers I have found and been given in the last year.  I am sure what a couple of them are but I guess not so confident.  For the life of me I could not figure out how to put text on the images so here is some information.

These two feathers are both pretty large.  The first one (a) is about 7.5 inches while the other one (b) is just slightly bigger.  (a) was found in Oberlin, OH and (b) what found in Pittsburgh, PA.  I suspect (b) is some sea bird.

This next group is great.  They will be named (c) through (g) from left to right.  They are all much smaller than (a) and (b).  All five were found in Oberlin, OH.  

**UPDATE: (c) is from a Northern Flicker Woodpecker (there are 7 species of woodpecker in Ohio) and (f) is a confirmed blue jay feather.  Hooray!

Here are their sizes:

(c) about two inches long

(d) two inches (I LOVE this one)

(e) almost three inches

(f) This one is my favorite.  It is about four inches long.  The other side does not have the pretty blue markings, only the black and white.  I suspect this is from a blue jay.

(g) I think this one is from a cardinal.  It is about 4 inches.

Please post any inklings of suspicions or pass this blog around to people who might know.   Also, if you have a feather you loved once or haven't had the chance to love and want to get rid of it, send it my way.  Just ask for my mailing address.  In return I will send you something nice.  We could trade things.

Here are some other things I collect:

-field guides and nature guides (especially those that are hand drawn or a strange sort of topic--- I have one only for eggs-- and those that are full page drawings too.)

-navigation guides and guides on what things I can eat (i.e. edible wild plants, mushrooms)

-particularly beautiful compasses (I only have one right now.  It's always in my pocket.)

-stuff with birds on it

-old found egg shells

-abandoned nests from birds that won't return to them for the next mating season

-snake skins

-any other sort of beautiful and nice things (I have many buckeyes because I love them and old broken black walnuts, a mermaid's purse)

-dead bugs (i.e. intact bees, moths and butterflies, shells of scary big things)

Also, please let me know if you have any ideas of how to store or display these feathers!

Thanks for your help!