A Month of Letters Challenge!

A whole month of letters!  How lovely!  What a wonderful challenge posted at lettermo.com.  Write and mail one letter to a person every day in the month of February... that equals to 24 days of mail when you subtract the Sundays and holiday. 

How sweet a commitment it is to decide to make someone smile every day with a special note.  It needn't be a long note... even the shortest one can bring about a sense of warmth and appreciation in the recipient. 

My first postcard of the month below only took me about ten minutes to type and post... it was short and sweet and I did it during a quick break at work.  Oh, how lovely it was to use the office typewriter!  I even appreciated having a typo in my first line... what a detour from my everyday office tasks that require strict perfection!  Phew!  The beauty is in the flaws <3

 

And yes, I reimbursed the office for the postage :)

Mailed Today!

Darling thank you notes & a sweet book packaged with lovely stamps!  

A Typewriter is Forever

through the eyes of an 8-year-old 

"A typewriter is a computer that prints while you type and you don’t have to plug in"

I came across this sweet insight the other day here: http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2011/10/13/a-typewriter-is-a-computer-that-prints-while-you-type-and-you-dont-have-to-plug-in/?awesm=tnw.to_1BKZp

Indeed, it's true. While we may view the typewriter and other low-tech items as outdated and irrelevant, a pair of fresh new eyes is capable of seeing its everlasting benefits.  

Letter Writers Alliance

Today I was met with this very exciting piece of correspondence in my mailbox...

 

It was my LWA membership!  What's the LWA?  It's the Letter Writers Alliance, of course!  

The cool chicks behind the 16 Sparrows print shop are behind this alliance of letter writing hopeless romantics... and now I'm officially one of them :)

 

 

Estampillas!!!!

I just couldn't resist these stamps... Selena, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Carlos Gardel, Carmen Miranda y Julia de Burgos... Latinos are invading the postal service! My envelopes will be the nicest ones of all :)

Kitty Postcards!

This year, my partner and I rescued an orphaned kitten.  He was found with his umbilical cord still attached and he needed a lot of TLC.  We didn't like cats at all but the baby needed a home.  We named him Yeya for the way his cries sounded as a baby and because we thought he was a girl - lol.  Many people offered their love and support... some wondered if he would even survive.  But he did and is now a healthy four-month-old kitty!  My friends came over for a meet and greet after not having seen him since he was a newborn... they were delighted!   I created these postcards to thank them for their visit and all of their love.  I thought it would be really sweet to have them written from Yeya's perspective.

One of the cards was addressed to a very close friend who took care of Yeya during his first week while we prepared for his arrival.  

These were the simplest cards to make.  All I needed were 4x6 blank cards... you can make postcards out of just about anything as long as they meet USPS specifications.  And they're cheaper to send - 28 cents!  I also picked up a stamp pad with non-toxic, child safe, washable ink... I shop at Joann's because they're close to my house and send out great coupons if you're on their mailing list. The designs can be more ornate if you wish but I wanted it to keep mine simple. 

Yeya doesn't mind making the art; it's the clean up that he sometimes isn't cool with.  So I've made that  easy on the both of us by having wet napkins ready to quickly wipe off the ink from his paw.  His fur causes the fuzzy lines but I think it looks adorable and realistic.  I had him stamp a few postcards and greeting cards in one sitting so I don't have to bother him later.

Create & enjoy!!!

 

i love mail

A long lost letter arrived at a Stockton, CA address 70 years after being postmarked... incredible.  Check out the news video here. 

Who knows if I've ever had one of my letters lost.  As far as I know, my mail always arrives at its destination.  I must admit, I LOVE the US Postal Service.  I really do.  Even though the lines are sometimes long at the post office, their service is really great for the prices they charge.  For 44 cents, I can write to my friends across the country and have my letter delivered within 3 days.  Yes, I can email for free but that does not generate the same effect as a handwritten note.  Tell me you don't smile when you receive a card in your mailbox?  You received something other than a bill.  You are important enough that someone actually slowed down their life, sat down and penned some words just for you.  The lines can be bypassed at many locations by using the Automated Postal Centers and ordering stamps online or picking them up at local drugstores.  My current stamps are from the adorable Animal Rescue: Adopt A Shelter Pet series.  But I can't wait to get my hands on the recently issued Sunday Funnies.  The mail and Sunday comics... two of my favorite things!