Pinsperation

The other day I received this lovely package from my Pen Pal in the Czech Republic, it was a great surprise as I was just finishing up my reply to her last letter.

I've been spending some time reading other snail mail blogs, a great one is 365 days of mail, and browsing Pinterest and I decided to try out some of the great ideas I've seen adding my own touch. Where do you get your inspiration for your snail mail projects?

The package from my Pen Pal included a short letter and Christmas postcard, some Christmas teabags, Chocolate coins, sweets and a cute napkin and ladybird bookmark/large paperclip. Lots of fun to open! 

I made a bookmark to send with my reply and decided to pair it with a Jane Austen quote postcard with some quotes about reading on the back. I also made an envelope to put the card and bookmark in.

I also added some chocolate coins and some Christmas flavoured coffee drinks, I can't seem to find individually sealed Christmas tea where I live which is a great shame. I used a different envelope, and put the chocolate coins, and some flower confetti in a cellophane bag which I decorated.

I made another envelope in which I put two more postcards; a tiger one which I attached cat magnets to using a strip of magnetic metal and washi tape, and a dragon one (I took photos then managed to delete them after I had put everything together).

I then tied it all together with ribbon, slipping some pencils down the side and adding a Roald Dhal tag and put it in another cellophane wrapper and then in a jiffy bag ready for posting.

I hope she likes it when she receives it.

Incoming Mail

I am a member of a few different mail exchange sites, Postcrossing a postcard exchange project, Swap-bot where you can swap various types of mail be it something crafty, a letter, a parcel or a postcard and Sendsomething a site where you can meet other liked minded mail enthusiasts and send and recieve surprise mail.

This postcard comes from a member who I have not exchanged mail with before so it was a very nice surprise and I shall be sending something back her way in the New Year

This postcard was from a Postcrossing member who I have swapped with quite a few times and it was a lovely surprise. It is a fan art card of The Hobbit.

This was a from a swap with a Postcrossing member, the postcard is sold by Pokemon Co to raise money to assist the children affected by the earthquake in 2011.

If you enjoy sending and receiving mail it is worth checking out the different websites to see if you can find something that suits you. 

A Christmas Themed Post

Recently on Swap-bot there have been lots of Christmas themed swaps, I haven't taken part in many as I have had lots of other mail projects going on but I did take part in a UK based Christmas Spirit Supplies Swap. I thought I'd share what I sent and received and a little of what I did with my supplies :)

This is what I sent to my partner, a mix of crafting supplies and some chocolate goodies to eat and drink while crafting.

I also had a go at making a homemade postcard which I wrote my Christmas greetings on.

This was my lovely package, Christmas stickers and washi tape, some felt toppers and some yummy treats :)

This is one of the cards I made using the felt toppers

And as this is a Christmas themed post this is a picture of the Christmas Card I made and sent to my German Pen Pal.

Incoming Mail

Another post showing some of my incoming mail, some days I get really lucky and have lots come though in one day, it usually follows a quiet period of no mail though :)

In this picture I have at the very top and envelope with 5 postcards from a swap-bot swap, some RR cards of Bleach and Ghost 07, 2 RAS from Malaysia, a very cute decorated envelope with Castiel from Supernatural and a postcard I sent myself - yes that's right, I wanted the stamps ;)

These are the postcards in the envelope, I was really pleased as they cover many of my wishes - A very cute cat and wolf, some beautiful snow, water and sky scenery and I think the cloud card is kawaii.

This lovely selection of postcards, a bookmark and a teabag came from Germany as a thank you for sending some travelling sheets, it was a bit of a surprise as I sent them in the earlier part of the year.

I thought I'd write a quick post showing some of my decorating techniques. I'm not an artist or even very good at doodles but I like to personalise any post I send out. Sometimes it may be something really simple other times I like to do a little more. I generally tend to use washi tape and stickers but on my envelopes I sometimes do attempt a drawing or collage.

These postcards were for a swap and were being sent in an envelope so I was able to decorate a little bit more than I normally would using the address side of the card as well. 

This is the back of one of my Pen Pal letters, the front was pretty simple but I though I'd add a bit more to the back and create a scene with stickers.

How do you like to decorate your mail or do you prefer to leave it as it is?

Outgoing Mail

I've been making my recent outgoing mail Christmassy either with Christmas themed postage stamps and/or with the decoration. The UK postage stamps for Christmas were quite good this year, my favourite being the 1st Class one showing an image of someone posting a letter with a snowy background which you can see in the second picture.

Postcards for various RRs and Swaps

My Christmas themed envelope to a Pen Pal in Finland.

Another Pen Pal letter this one going to Russia, stamps added at the post office.

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Hello Again!

Well I have been absent for too long and this Blog is so new too. I have lots of mail to share and I will be working on posting it over the next few days :)

To start with here is some Happy Mail I received yesterday and today.

Yesterday - A lovely packaged letter from a Pen Pal in Russia and a postcard from a swap on Swap-bot from someone holidaying in Germany.

Today (L-R) - A Christmas card from Mooshi the cat, a letter from my Pen Pal RR, a Jetoy postcard from the July to December RR (Signups for the January to June RR are open here) and a mini meetup Christmas card from my Pen Pal in Finland.

With Christmas fast approaching I have been working on making Christmas cards for family and other Christmas activities which has not left me as much time for my pen palling and postcard sending. I have been working on my pen pal letters ready to send out for the New Year.

I am looking forward to getting back to swapping on Swap-bot, sending postcards on Postcrossing and creating and sending happy mail. I have signed up for a few January swaps on Swap-bot  and the January to June RR on Postcrossing. It should be a fun mail year!

Incoming and Outgoing Mail

It's been a busy few weeks but I have still been sending letters and postcards, a few swaps thrown in for good measure. I have also received some lovely mail.

OUTGOING MAIL

A letter to a pen friend in The Netherlands

I sent her; an owl postcard, a fill in the blanks mini card with silly questions like "What animal would you be?" and "What would your superpower be?", a bookmark and I wrote her letter in the cat notecard.

Recently I wrote to a lovely lady from the UK living in France, I sent her a letter through sendsomething.net and she replied, this is my envelope now winging it's way back to her.

INCOMING MAIL

Yesterday I received a reply from my pen friend in The Netherlands and one from my pen friend in Germany, both beautifully decorated envelopes.

This morning I received an official from Poland.
I was lucky to receive this senders first sent postcard with a lovely long message.

I am going to wait a few days before replying to my mail and start working on some Christmas craft projects, I think this weekend will be a letter writing weekend for me.

Mail Roundup

A quick post today showing some of my recently received postcards.

A very cute official card from Germany

An anime postcard (Vampire Knight) from a friend in China

The delectable Sherlock Holmes from a friend in Russia.

Sundays and Outgoing Mail

Sunday is a no mail day so I like to take the opportunity to catch up on projects and letter writing. One Sunday I had fun creating a birthday card for one of my new pen pals in Russia. I found this idea on Pinterest, inside the card I added some small goodies - a gingerbread latte sachet, some postcards and a letter. Hopefully this will reach her in time for her birthday.

Birthday Card and envelope

Inside the card

Incoming Mail

Today I had a lovely pile of mail on my doormat. I am participating in the July to December RR on the Postcrossing forums. Every month from July to December we send postcards to the members of the Round Robin, each month the winners change and everyone gets to receive, this month I am one of the winners!

The lovely cards I received from the July to December RR today

Guanwu Forest in Taiwan 

Jetoy

Casa Loma

North America's only full sized castle, in Toronto

Thorin Oakenshield

One of my favourite hobbits from one of my favourite books and movies.

From Japanese anime One Piece

I am a huge anime/manga fan though I have not yet seen this anime.

Papillons De Collection 

Collector's Butterflies

Snail Mail Love

Hello my name is Kate and I love mail, postcards, letters, beautifully decorated envelopes I love it all.

I am a member of the Postcrossing community a place to exchange postcards with people all over the world. The idea is you send a postcard to a randomly picked address and once your card has been received you will receive a postcard from a different random person. It's great fun and a great way to meet people and connect.

I also have pen friends from all over the world and I love to write to all of them and get to know their different and distinct personalities.

I'd like to share my love of snail mail and help spread the word of the ever growing revival of old fashioned communication through this blog with pictures of incoming and outgoing mail and the odd thought here and there.

I look forward to sharing this passion and hobby with you.