The things that will make us happiest are usually right in front of us…but we stop noticing those little things after a while. Today is a great day to start noticing again.
The things that will make us happiest are usually right in front of us…but we stop noticing those little things after a while. Today is a great day to start noticing again.
The Fabulous Mailboxes of Bainbridge Island
Uniquely Bainbridge welcomes you to the happy journey of discovering the curious creativity of Bainbridge Island as seen through our fun, funky and fabulous mailboxes.
Not your standard-issue US postal receptacles, these mailboxes are joyful curbside reminders of the long flowing current of bold individuality which has coursed through Bainbridge starting with our original peoples, the Suquamish. The tribe carved the famous petroglyph rock at Agate Passage known as “Haleets”. It’s thought to be a boundary marker yet its depiction of six interesting faces of varying sizes and adornments could just as well be decoded as the tribe proclaiming this is uniquely us, this is who we are, welcome to our home.
Similarly, Bainbridge’s wildly expressive mailboxes are signposts imbued with shimmering island soul and spirit. Like the petroglyph they’re without pretense. Each is a simple statement reflecting the beauty of unselfconscious expression and representative of the island’s modern-day identity.
Obsessed with “mailboxing” and the irresistible need to know how and why they came to be, I’ve embarked upon an amazing journey of finding, photographing, cataloguing and writing about as many as I can find. The stories are available on our social media and will culminate in a book titled The Fabulous Mailboxes of Bainbridge Island, coming in 2023.
Every fabulous mailbox is an act of kindness and has a story worth knowing. The stories reveal shared humanity, hope, optimism, creativity and a healing connection in divided times.
-Denise Stoughton
Hover over or tap on the dinosaur mailbox to see our illustrator’s rendition!
May you always be the one who notices the little things that make the light pour through, and may they always remind you: there is more to life and there is more to you.
— Morgan Harper Nichols
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Obsessive Observationalist
The Fabulous Mailboxes of Bainbridge Island book is being written by Denise Stoughton at this very moment. Intended as keepsake for residents and visitors, the book will feature photos, essays and illustrations capturing over one hundred fabulous mailboxes. Yes, there are easily that many with more popping up all the time!
Denise is a local interior designer and writer who considers the book project a love letter to the island she calls home. Collaborators include her friend and international Pantone color expert Lee Eiseman, who is writing the foreword, artist Shelley Wallace Ylst who is busy creating the delightful watercolor illustrations and island resident Alison Allen, the kind soul who posts weekly inspirational quotes on her automotive business’s billboard. Alison was the clear choice for selecting the chapter epigraphs.
Stay tuned by joining our mailing list and following our social media. Most importantly, remember to always put your best flag forward!
Denise Stoughton
Hand Illustrated Merchandise
Hand Illustrated Merchandise
Shelley Wallace Ylst is a Utah based watercolor artist. Denise found and fell in love with Shelley’s charming illustrations of animals, houses and “flower women” on Instagram and immediately invited her to collaborate.
Passionate about color and the fanciful, Shelley set brush to paper for her first ever mailbox portrait which was Toby the Tubular Dog. She immediately followed with the Dinosaur, Sinking Ferry, Lighthouse and Bob’s Big Boy mailbox illustrations. The quality and technique of Shelley’s work is a perfect fit for the Fabulous Mailboxes of Bainbridge Island and we’re proud to offer products featuring her work. In total, there will be a collection of about fifteen illustrations highlighting some very special mailboxes.
Available products include notecards, mugs, ornaments, coasters and magnets - our shop is almost ready but if you’d like to make a purchase beforehand, please email us!