One of the photography projects on my 101 List is an everyday objects series. The idea was to pick something that I would see around the neighbourhood (or when travelling) and look out for those objects as I go about my days. I hadn’t even touched this project until our trip to the UK when I had fun photographing doors (that’s for another post) and post boxes, the kind you put mail in, not home mail boxes that you receive your mail in.
This first one I saw as I was taking our washing to the laundromat in Camden, London and features a Snoopy post box topper. These post box toppers are a bit of a thing in the UK. This was what started me on the post box theme.
Another one with a post box topper. This one was at the covered market in Oxford.
This next one was at St Aldgates, Oxford. I wonder what happens if you put your letter or package in the wrong slot?
We found this post box in the stone wall surrounding the old Arch Deaconary (the Arch Deacon’s house) in St David’s. You need to drop off here before 9am on weekdays or 7am on Saturday. I have questions about this. Does the box protrude out into the home owner’s garden or is it only as thick as the wall?
I found this final one in Hay-On-Wye. I guess you can’t get more context appropriate than a Postman Pat post box topper.
We have a limited amount of yarn bombing in Melbourne but I haven’t seen any post box toppers. Do people yarn bomb in your neighbourhood?
Comments
14 responses to “Everyday Objects: Post Boxes”
I’ve never seen anything like it, but I love it! Especially the Snoopy topper.
I feel like our postal boxes are mostly boring and plain here and Canada, but like you I enjoy taking pictures of far more colourful, elaborate ones when we travel to Europe!
I really enjoyed reading the BBC article, too. Wowzers – some of those toppers are incredibly elaborate.
I know, the crafters behind these things are amazing.
SNOOPY AND WOODSTOCK!!! That is adorable and I have never seen such a thing! I wish we had that here! Although…we just have those big utilitarian post boxes, so I’m not sure we could have that here. Anyway, that is delightful.
Our post boxes wouldn’t lend themselves that well to it either, but I occasionally see other types of yarn bombing
Wow- we do NOT have interesting mailboxes like that here. I love these! If I did this project it would be the most boring thing ever. Well- I guess I wouldn’t pick mailboxes. I’ll have to think about what “everyday object” I would pick.
Our post boxes all tend to be the same here too. The idea behind this was to up my noticing game.
Crocheted post box toppers, wow! They’re so cool, thanks for sharing. I love all things crafty & postal, so I think this was an excellent choice, especially when travelling.
These are so cool. I’m glad I kept my eyes open and noticed the first one which sent me on my quest.
I think this yarn bombing is very specific to the UK. I had seen some yarn artwork in Germany but nothing as elaborate. Our post boxes dont have anything fancy on it. Sometimes a sticker but that is about all.
Such a fun project. I am keeping this in mind for my own list project on the 101 list.
I think the shape of the post boxes in the UK lends itself to these toppers. I will have to keep an eye out for some yarn bombing when I’m back in Melbourne, I’m pretty certain I’ve seen some but can’t remember where.
These are so fun. We don’t have ‘fun’ post boxes in the US, at least not that I’m aware of. I like the Peanuts one the best.
The Peanuts one was pretty cool
Wow the post boxes are all so charming – even without toppers! Everything is more charming in England it seems! Our post office boxes are very boring here. And our mailboxes vary based on neighborhood. In our old house we had a slot in the wall of the house. We had a small box attached to the front of our house at our current house. They really vary quite a bit but are generally not charming!!
I feel like yarn bombing was more of a think 3-5 years ago and especially during the pandemic!
I know what you mean about charming, the post boxes, the village streets, the little country lanes, it’s all so pictureque.