So if you have been following this blog for a while you may have seen my post about the Valentine's day re-mailing. Well...this post is similar but it is St. Patricks Day based. If you aren't familiar with the re-mailing..basically you send your postcards/cards/letters with postage already on them...inside of another envelope addressed to the Postmaster of that particular post office.
When the cards reach their destination the lovely people at that post office will open the larger envelope...pull out the things you want re-mailed...and then postmark them and send them on to their destinations. Basically it is a way to get a neat holiday themed postmarks on your mail. Most people who do this are familiar with the Christmas re-mailing programs around the country (there are a TON for the Christmas holiday), so I thought I would write about the lesser known ones.
Here you can find a complete listing for the post offices that have St. Patrick's Day named post offices. I plan on sending some postcards to myself like I did for Valentine's Day so I can see which ones have the neatest postmarks. So keep your eyes peeled for pics of those in the coming weeks.
Remember when addressing it should look something like this:
Postmaster
St. Patrick's Day Re-mailing
(insert postoffice here)
Hope this is helpful. I wasn't able to find a deadline for this..but I bet we can assume it is before March 17th. =)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
How to Get Some Snail Mail
I recently got a comment on one of my entries asking if I had suggestions on how to get some snail mail sent to you. So rather than answer it in the comment section on the blog, I decided to make it into this blog entry. (And I know that most who read this are already veterans of the mail/mail art/postcard sending/etc world, but think of this as a guide for those who aren't.)
The first thing everyone must realize, is that you have send mail to receive mail. You can get some mail without that, but your correspondence may be few and far between. So suck it up, buy some stamps, paper and envelopes and take a little time to write.
The ways to go about getting mail vary based on what types of mail you would like to receive. If you want letters..I would try a penpal site. Personally I have used a number of sites, but one of the better ones is Maarten Daams Penpal site . You can either post your address, or find people to write first. He updates the site all the time so you know that the addresses listed are probably current. Its a great way to find people based on age/country/ and even interests.
If you are looking to go the random mail route, you can always join Send Something. Once you join (which is completely free) you can find random people to send mail to. The other bonus is that you can join and add your address too. So technically you dont have to send anything to receive it..but sending helps.
Another great way to get mail (which again requires sending) is Swap-Bot. By joining you can sign up for different swaps. And there are always plenty of mail themed swaps, whether its letters, postcards, mail art etc. If it exists...you can find it. Oh and you don't have to worry about not getting anything back..cause you are rated for each swap. Which means if you don't send..chances are you are gonna get a negative rating.
Passioned for postcards?? What about Postcrossing? Postcrossing is a wonderful way to exchange postcards with people from around the world! Its great. Again...(sick of me saying it yet??) you have to send to receive. But, I must say I have been a member for around a year and I love it. I get a few postcards each week. You can even add a small profile to say which types of cards you like to receive.
All of those are great ways to join the mail world. However, one of the BEST ways is to seek out people through blogs! You can find tons of blogs written by letter writing, mail sending, postcard lovin fools (myself included). A lot of them post their addresses on their blogs, or you can email for it. Everyone that I have met through the web has been wonderful!! One of the places that I highly suggest you add your address is on the Good Mail Day blog. I have met wonderful people through that site. But you can find people all over the place.
I follow a lot of blogs that are all mail/postcard/letter based. So if you take a look at the ones I am following (it would be easier if I actually made links on the side of my blog huh??) you can probably find some good contacts there too.
I hope that this helps open the door to the not so digital mail world to those who are on the outside. If you have any specific questions..OR you know of something I left out, leave a comment or email me and let me know!
As always, thanks for reading my rambles. Have a great weekend!
The first thing everyone must realize, is that you have send mail to receive mail. You can get some mail without that, but your correspondence may be few and far between. So suck it up, buy some stamps, paper and envelopes and take a little time to write.
The ways to go about getting mail vary based on what types of mail you would like to receive. If you want letters..I would try a penpal site. Personally I have used a number of sites, but one of the better ones is Maarten Daams Penpal site . You can either post your address, or find people to write first. He updates the site all the time so you know that the addresses listed are probably current. Its a great way to find people based on age/country/ and even interests.
If you are looking to go the random mail route, you can always join Send Something. Once you join (which is completely free) you can find random people to send mail to. The other bonus is that you can join and add your address too. So technically you dont have to send anything to receive it..but sending helps.
Another great way to get mail (which again requires sending) is Swap-Bot. By joining you can sign up for different swaps. And there are always plenty of mail themed swaps, whether its letters, postcards, mail art etc. If it exists...you can find it. Oh and you don't have to worry about not getting anything back..cause you are rated for each swap. Which means if you don't send..chances are you are gonna get a negative rating.
Passioned for postcards?? What about Postcrossing? Postcrossing is a wonderful way to exchange postcards with people from around the world! Its great. Again...(sick of me saying it yet??) you have to send to receive. But, I must say I have been a member for around a year and I love it. I get a few postcards each week. You can even add a small profile to say which types of cards you like to receive.
All of those are great ways to join the mail world. However, one of the BEST ways is to seek out people through blogs! You can find tons of blogs written by letter writing, mail sending, postcard lovin fools (myself included). A lot of them post their addresses on their blogs, or you can email for it. Everyone that I have met through the web has been wonderful!! One of the places that I highly suggest you add your address is on the Good Mail Day blog. I have met wonderful people through that site. But you can find people all over the place.
I follow a lot of blogs that are all mail/postcard/letter based. So if you take a look at the ones I am following (it would be easier if I actually made links on the side of my blog huh??) you can probably find some good contacts there too.
I hope that this helps open the door to the not so digital mail world to those who are on the outside. If you have any specific questions..OR you know of something I left out, leave a comment or email me and let me know!
As always, thanks for reading my rambles. Have a great weekend!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Incoming/Outgoing Etc.
Ok...my third and final post for today. I wanted to share a bit of my incoming and outgoing mail. So lets start with the incoming shall we?
Talk about some awesome mail right? There are letters, postcards, and mail art. God I love mail!! Between Postcrossing and all the wonderful people I have met through the web..I have been getting a ton of stuff. And as you may know (if you are one of the ones I am corresponding with) it may take me a little while to respond. However, I have taken the last few days and started making some awesome stuff to send. So I hope to get all my mail caught up and sent out by this coming Monday. Here are some pics of the mail I have been working on.
And how about some envelope books?
Well, I need to get back on top of working on that outgoing mail. Perhaps I will see you in the mail soon!
Talk about some awesome mail right? There are letters, postcards, and mail art. God I love mail!! Between Postcrossing and all the wonderful people I have met through the web..I have been getting a ton of stuff. And as you may know (if you are one of the ones I am corresponding with) it may take me a little while to respond. However, I have taken the last few days and started making some awesome stuff to send. So I hope to get all my mail caught up and sent out by this coming Monday. Here are some pics of the mail I have been working on.
And how about some envelope books?
Well, I need to get back on top of working on that outgoing mail. Perhaps I will see you in the mail soon!
USPS: It's A Dangerous World Out There
So, the title of this post says it all. With the amount of snow that we get here in Ohio and other mid-western states it is no surprise that we get a fair percentage of average traffic accidents in the winter months. Well..I am not sure how many people ever think about it, but postal workers can be the victims of these accidents too.
I bring this up because just today, about 5 minutes after I walked out and put the mail in the box (including a thank you card for my mail carrier), a car went left of center and hit her mail truck. I mean...literally right in front of my house. Now...here is a view of what it looked like down my street about 10 minutes prior to the accident.
Now taking that into account there is still the idea that the car was probably going too fast for the road conditions. I am not entirely sure of what the speed limit is on my road..I think its 45 (I know...its horrible that I dont know the speed limit on my own road). Regardless, you need to take into account the road conditions before you settle on a speed. ANYWAY...
So after seeing my mail lady stopped on my road, I decided to walk out and make sure she was ok. She was...but she seemed upset that the guy went left of center. (completely understandable) I am sure her day was hard enough before she had to factor in waiting for the sheriff so that she could write out a police report. Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure.
And then here is another one after the sheriff showed up.
So. Lesson learned here...be cautious when the road conditions arent the greatest. And also...thank your mail carrier for delivering your mail in some not so nice situations.
I bring this up because just today, about 5 minutes after I walked out and put the mail in the box (including a thank you card for my mail carrier), a car went left of center and hit her mail truck. I mean...literally right in front of my house. Now...here is a view of what it looked like down my street about 10 minutes prior to the accident.
Now taking that into account there is still the idea that the car was probably going too fast for the road conditions. I am not entirely sure of what the speed limit is on my road..I think its 45 (I know...its horrible that I dont know the speed limit on my own road). Regardless, you need to take into account the road conditions before you settle on a speed. ANYWAY...
So after seeing my mail lady stopped on my road, I decided to walk out and make sure she was ok. She was...but she seemed upset that the guy went left of center. (completely understandable) I am sure her day was hard enough before she had to factor in waiting for the sheriff so that she could write out a police report. Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure.
And then here is another one after the sheriff showed up.
So. Lesson learned here...be cautious when the road conditions arent the greatest. And also...thank your mail carrier for delivering your mail in some not so nice situations.
Woohoo for mail!
Alright, so today is a dreary cold..blustery...um...white..did I mention cold(??) day here in Ohio. We got hit with the wintery storm that was headed thru the midwest. So lucky for me..I had the day off. All the schools in my county closed and even the colleges. The libraries as far as I know..remained open.
Regardless, I got a bit of mail today (which I am being lazy and not photographing..though I promise to soon) and I am always amazed by the people who randomly find their way to my address. So when I pulled Maria's postcard from my mailbox today I was just as floored as usual. She found me and though she would drop a line. (which I love by the way..so if you are reading this..and randomly found me...drop me a line!)
Anyway, she told me that on her blog Help Save Snail Mail , she is on a mission to receive 31 pieces of snail mail before her 31st birthday (May 16th). So...if you are reading this..and haven't sent her a letter/postcard/something in the mail...you should click the link above...then address something to her...stamp it..and send it on its way. I figure there are 20 of you who follow..besides Maria of course...so she should have no trouble reaching..and beating her goal before her birthday.
Ok. One post for today down..I have two others. One where I promise I will feature some pics of mail. And another where I will have a story about the dangerous conditions our mail carriers sometimes have to work in. So...stay tuned and if you are in Ohio or any of the states getting snow/ice/rain...stay warm and dry!
Regardless, I got a bit of mail today (which I am being lazy and not photographing..though I promise to soon) and I am always amazed by the people who randomly find their way to my address. So when I pulled Maria's postcard from my mailbox today I was just as floored as usual. She found me and though she would drop a line. (which I love by the way..so if you are reading this..and randomly found me...drop me a line!)
Anyway, she told me that on her blog Help Save Snail Mail , she is on a mission to receive 31 pieces of snail mail before her 31st birthday (May 16th). So...if you are reading this..and haven't sent her a letter/postcard/something in the mail...you should click the link above...then address something to her...stamp it..and send it on its way. I figure there are 20 of you who follow..besides Maria of course...so she should have no trouble reaching..and beating her goal before her birthday.
Ok. One post for today down..I have two others. One where I promise I will feature some pics of mail. And another where I will have a story about the dangerous conditions our mail carriers sometimes have to work in. So...stay tuned and if you are in Ohio or any of the states getting snow/ice/rain...stay warm and dry!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Interesting DNA Story
So, in a fit of boredom I decided to search one of my favorite websites for news. Reading the national news can be so boring and often times depressing and if you have clicked the link there..you know that one of my favorite sources is National Geographic. Recently, my library quit subscribing due to lack of funding (don't get me started) and lets just say it was upsetting. So...I must have complained enough because I was given the gift of NatGeo for Valentine's Day. *HUGE SMILE*
Ok...back to the post. Upon searching the website I found an interesting article about Amelia Earhart. You can find more information about her here. However, that isn't the main point of this post. As many of you may know Amelia went missing on an attempt to circle the globe. She is purported to have gone down somewhere in the central pacific. Well, someone thinks they may have found her remains. (Of course there is controversy which I wont get into right now..read the article for more).
The main problem with this is that she went missing in 1937. She had no children and the clothing that we know to be hers has been long since dry cleaned. Which means the chances that they would be able to retrieve DNA from them is slim. The Smithsonian Institute was said to have a lock of Earhart's hair...however, it was discovered upon testing that their sample was merely thread.
So this left the researchers without a way to verify the DNA of the remains they had found. BUT!!! Amelia was fortunate enough to live in the era of postal mail communication. And also, lucky was she to have lived in a time when letters were opened from the side with a letter opener rather than breaking the seal of the envelope. She was an avid letter sender so researchers now think they will be able to pull enough DNA from the letters she sent to compare samples and tell whether or not the bones found were hers.
How awesome is that? I never thought about DNA samples being on envelopes. Fingerprints yes, but DNA? Nah. Well..I suppose this article has changed my mind. Anyway, I just thought this article was neat so I hope that you found it interesting too.
Do you lick your envelopes to send? If not, what is your way of sealing the envelopes?
Ok...back to the post. Upon searching the website I found an interesting article about Amelia Earhart. You can find more information about her here. However, that isn't the main point of this post. As many of you may know Amelia went missing on an attempt to circle the globe. She is purported to have gone down somewhere in the central pacific. Well, someone thinks they may have found her remains. (Of course there is controversy which I wont get into right now..read the article for more).
The main problem with this is that she went missing in 1937. She had no children and the clothing that we know to be hers has been long since dry cleaned. Which means the chances that they would be able to retrieve DNA from them is slim. The Smithsonian Institute was said to have a lock of Earhart's hair...however, it was discovered upon testing that their sample was merely thread.
So this left the researchers without a way to verify the DNA of the remains they had found. BUT!!! Amelia was fortunate enough to live in the era of postal mail communication. And also, lucky was she to have lived in a time when letters were opened from the side with a letter opener rather than breaking the seal of the envelope. She was an avid letter sender so researchers now think they will be able to pull enough DNA from the letters she sent to compare samples and tell whether or not the bones found were hers.
How awesome is that? I never thought about DNA samples being on envelopes. Fingerprints yes, but DNA? Nah. Well..I suppose this article has changed my mind. Anyway, I just thought this article was neat so I hope that you found it interesting too.
Do you lick your envelopes to send? If not, what is your way of sealing the envelopes?
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
An Awesome Mail Day!!
Alright, so of course being sleepy this morning meant that I didnt take a picture of all the mail I sent out today. (I really need to be better at that!) However, I figured I would make up for it by taking a picture of some of the wonderful mail I got today.
As you can see from that picture I got three lovely pieces of mail art!! The "special of the week" was sent to me by Millicent. We connected through the Good Mail Day blog. And I have to say..I loved this!! She wrote and told me all about what the items used to be! Writing while drinking some coffee in the Starbucks, she used the bag from her pumpkin bread as the envelope and the tea bag wrapper was used to make the address label. How awesome is that? The brightly colored "addiction" was sent to me by Seren. We also connected through the Good Mail Day blog. She even sent me some awesome things to fill out and return. How cool! I will be working one something to send back to these ladies soon!
And as for the other envelope that I received. I waited until last to talk about it because there was some really cool things inside! This envelope was sent my Edward. As you can hopefully tell from that photo above, the envelope is made from a map and my name is stamped on...well...postage stamps! I thought it couldn't get better until I opened it up and saw all this stuff:
He sent me all kinds of goodies! Including address labels, stickers, some "idol postage" and even some real postage stamps. I seriously cannot wait to use these on a project! I am seriously excited. I must say I love days like this. Even on the coldest day it makes walking to the mailbox that much more exciting and worth it!
In closing I would like to thank everyone for following alone. I am having a blast and cannot even believe that I have managed to post 30...err...31 times! I honestly thought I would give up after a few posts (as has happened with other blogs) but I guess I just didn't realize how much fun it was to write about topics I like. When I write topics about stamps and such..not only is it to inform you about them..but more so it is a learning experience for me. So I thank all of you for taking the time to read my rambles!
As you can see from that picture I got three lovely pieces of mail art!! The "special of the week" was sent to me by Millicent. We connected through the Good Mail Day blog. And I have to say..I loved this!! She wrote and told me all about what the items used to be! Writing while drinking some coffee in the Starbucks, she used the bag from her pumpkin bread as the envelope and the tea bag wrapper was used to make the address label. How awesome is that? The brightly colored "addiction" was sent to me by Seren. We also connected through the Good Mail Day blog. She even sent me some awesome things to fill out and return. How cool! I will be working one something to send back to these ladies soon!
And as for the other envelope that I received. I waited until last to talk about it because there was some really cool things inside! This envelope was sent my Edward. As you can hopefully tell from that photo above, the envelope is made from a map and my name is stamped on...well...postage stamps! I thought it couldn't get better until I opened it up and saw all this stuff:
He sent me all kinds of goodies! Including address labels, stickers, some "idol postage" and even some real postage stamps. I seriously cannot wait to use these on a project! I am seriously excited. I must say I love days like this. Even on the coldest day it makes walking to the mailbox that much more exciting and worth it!
In closing I would like to thank everyone for following alone. I am having a blast and cannot even believe that I have managed to post 30...err...31 times! I honestly thought I would give up after a few posts (as has happened with other blogs) but I guess I just didn't realize how much fun it was to write about topics I like. When I write topics about stamps and such..not only is it to inform you about them..but more so it is a learning experience for me. So I thank all of you for taking the time to read my rambles!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Icy Day in Ohio
So, there wasn't much going on in the postal news today..and with no incoming mail due to the holiday. So I decided to bundle up and head outside to take some pictures. Here are a few of the ones I shot today.
I dont think any birds would like to put their little feet on those icy railings! I know I wouldn't.
Again, as you can see there are little tiny icicles on everything. Including this solar light. I thought that the ice created an interesting form..so why not photograph it?
Even the grape vines had a bit of ice that had formed on them. I always like to look at the vines after an ice storm because they always look so neat! The way the vines wind in and out of one another is beautiful in itself..but then to see the ice added into the mix. Awesome!
I loved how the stems on this cherry tree looked.
But alas, out the in the cold I wasn't alone. I had my trusty pooch (Butch) with me. I am not entirely sure why his collar ended up being so bright..but I can asure you the photo was not enhanced.
Even this gnome looked to be enjoying himself. Whereas this gnome...
doesn't seem to care for the cold too much!
Hope you all enjoyed your day today..and that perhaps it wasn't as cold there as it is here. Cheers!
I dont think any birds would like to put their little feet on those icy railings! I know I wouldn't.
Again, as you can see there are little tiny icicles on everything. Including this solar light. I thought that the ice created an interesting form..so why not photograph it?
Even the grape vines had a bit of ice that had formed on them. I always like to look at the vines after an ice storm because they always look so neat! The way the vines wind in and out of one another is beautiful in itself..but then to see the ice added into the mix. Awesome!
I loved how the stems on this cherry tree looked.
But alas, out the in the cold I wasn't alone. I had my trusty pooch (Butch) with me. I am not entirely sure why his collar ended up being so bright..but I can asure you the photo was not enhanced.
Even this gnome looked to be enjoying himself. Whereas this gnome...
doesn't seem to care for the cold too much!
Hope you all enjoyed your day today..and that perhaps it wasn't as cold there as it is here. Cheers!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Happy President's Day
So, there was nothing overly interesting in the postal news today. Same things as always...more branches of the post office closing. Such a depressing topic. And thus I decided that I would write about President's Day..a day early. So, if you are lucky to know a lot about stamps and presidents..then you might want to skip this post. (I promise I won't hold it against you).
The very first stamps in the United States were issued July 1st 1847. Two stamps were issued at that time. The first was a brown 5 cent stamp depicting Benjamin Franklin. This was pretty fitting considering he was the first Postmaster General of the United States.
The second stamp issued was a black 10 cent stamp featuring George Washington.
Both of these stamps were imperforate meaning that they needed to be cut apart with scissors or a knife. Wouldn't that be something if we still had to do that today?
Ready for some interesting facts? (Then again if you already know them..then they might not be interesting to you. So I guess I should have said...'Ready for some facts that were interesting to me?' )
In 1938 the Postal Service issued a Presidential Stamp Issue. This issue included all 29 Presidents through Calvin Coolidge. They were issued in a range of denominations. There were also stamps issued that were Martha Washington, The White House, and another Ben Franklin half penny stamp.
All told, 38 of our Presidents have been featured on US Postage. Just goes to show that they are probably one of the most popular deigns on our stamps.
So, if you stuck through this whole post..I appreciate it and I do hope that I was able to teach you a little something. And as always, thank you for reading my rambles.
The very first stamps in the United States were issued July 1st 1847. Two stamps were issued at that time. The first was a brown 5 cent stamp depicting Benjamin Franklin. This was pretty fitting considering he was the first Postmaster General of the United States.
The second stamp issued was a black 10 cent stamp featuring George Washington.
Both of these stamps were imperforate meaning that they needed to be cut apart with scissors or a knife. Wouldn't that be something if we still had to do that today?
Ready for some interesting facts? (Then again if you already know them..then they might not be interesting to you. So I guess I should have said...'Ready for some facts that were interesting to me?' )
In 1938 the Postal Service issued a Presidential Stamp Issue. This issue included all 29 Presidents through Calvin Coolidge. They were issued in a range of denominations. There were also stamps issued that were Martha Washington, The White House, and another Ben Franklin half penny stamp.
All told, 38 of our Presidents have been featured on US Postage. Just goes to show that they are probably one of the most popular deigns on our stamps.
So, if you stuck through this whole post..I appreciate it and I do hope that I was able to teach you a little something. And as always, thank you for reading my rambles.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
New Hallmark Cards
So I was stumbling around the internet today and readin through my RSS feeds when I came across an article about Hallmark teaming up with the USPS. They are going to start offering cards that already include the postage. This would mean less trips to the post office for those people who do not typically visit it.
The postage paid envelope that comes included will always equal the current postage rate for mailing a card. Basically the envelope will act just like a forever stamp. (I thought that was pretty neat).
The new Postage Paid Greetings Line will be in stores this week and is said to include around 200 different designs. Not only will there be everyday cards, there will also be some seasonal cards offered as well. According to the article I read, which you can find here the cards will be available in multiple retailers including some larger chain drug stores as well as Hallmark stores.
I know that isnt the best image to let you see what the new cards will look like. But...it was the best one I could find currently. I will be hunting down a display of these cards soon. But I doubt they will become something I buy regularly. I prefer to put "fun" postage on my mail. =)
There is a video in the article..I dont really recommend watching it though as it doesn't add anything to the story.
The postage paid envelope that comes included will always equal the current postage rate for mailing a card. Basically the envelope will act just like a forever stamp. (I thought that was pretty neat).
The new Postage Paid Greetings Line will be in stores this week and is said to include around 200 different designs. Not only will there be everyday cards, there will also be some seasonal cards offered as well. According to the article I read, which you can find here the cards will be available in multiple retailers including some larger chain drug stores as well as Hallmark stores.
I know that isnt the best image to let you see what the new cards will look like. But...it was the best one I could find currently. I will be hunting down a display of these cards soon. But I doubt they will become something I buy regularly. I prefer to put "fun" postage on my mail. =)
There is a video in the article..I dont really recommend watching it though as it doesn't add anything to the story.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Books for Troops
So I am not exactly sure why I haven't posted about this before...but this month at my library we are collecting new or gently used books to be send to the troops overseas. I have been helping spread the word about it here to the people I come into contact with.
The gentlemen who sends these books has been doing so for 2-3 years now. And he does this out of his own pocket!! Last year he sent just shy of 2000 boxes of books to the troops. Quite an amazing feat for any one person.
He had asked me last fall if I would collect some letters for the troops for him to send. Using my connections at Swap-Bot..I managed to collect 27 letters to be sent. How awesome was that?
I just met with Tom (the man mentioned throughout this article) again yesterday and he asked if I would spread the word to anyone who wanted to write. He is on the hunt for letters/cards/postcards again. All he asks is that they are cheerful.
So I am putting this on here. If anyone reading would like to send a letter (etc.)...or know someone who might want to send a letter (etc.) you can send them c/o my address listed there on the right handside. I will make sure Tom gets the letters and that he sends them out in a box to some lucky soldier.
Anyone who sends a letter for the troops will get a thank you postcard from me. But really wouldnt you like to do a good deed anyway?
It would be awesome if I recieved the letters before the end of the month, but if not they will still get sent anyway. As always thanks for taking the time to read my rambles.
The gentlemen who sends these books has been doing so for 2-3 years now. And he does this out of his own pocket!! Last year he sent just shy of 2000 boxes of books to the troops. Quite an amazing feat for any one person.
He had asked me last fall if I would collect some letters for the troops for him to send. Using my connections at Swap-Bot..I managed to collect 27 letters to be sent. How awesome was that?
I just met with Tom (the man mentioned throughout this article) again yesterday and he asked if I would spread the word to anyone who wanted to write. He is on the hunt for letters/cards/postcards again. All he asks is that they are cheerful.
So I am putting this on here. If anyone reading would like to send a letter (etc.)...or know someone who might want to send a letter (etc.) you can send them c/o my address listed there on the right handside. I will make sure Tom gets the letters and that he sends them out in a box to some lucky soldier.
Anyone who sends a letter for the troops will get a thank you postcard from me. But really wouldnt you like to do a good deed anyway?
It would be awesome if I recieved the letters before the end of the month, but if not they will still get sent anyway. As always thanks for taking the time to read my rambles.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Bogus Post
So...obviously there was no post yesterday..and well...I was going to write a good one today, but alas...got sidetracked. So here I am at my desk trying to come up with some interesting ideas to write about here..and to put it lightly I am coming up shy.
I had been waiting on some word from a soldier I write to each day. It had been around a week and then I finally got an email from him yesterday saying that there had been a major flood in the part of Afganistan he is in. He even sent a picture! It looks crazy and I wouldnt wish that on anyone. Flooding is hard enough without being half way around the world.
So I have gotten some interesting mail over the last few days, however, my camera batteries are dead. So I shall charge them tonight and then post come pictures tomorrow. Oh and I will also post come pictures of the new mail art pieces I am working on,..no matter how rough they still are.
Anyway I hope everyone has a wonderful evening!! Happy mail art!
I had been waiting on some word from a soldier I write to each day. It had been around a week and then I finally got an email from him yesterday saying that there had been a major flood in the part of Afganistan he is in. He even sent a picture! It looks crazy and I wouldnt wish that on anyone. Flooding is hard enough without being half way around the world.
So I have gotten some interesting mail over the last few days, however, my camera batteries are dead. So I shall charge them tonight and then post come pictures tomorrow. Oh and I will also post come pictures of the new mail art pieces I am working on,..no matter how rough they still are.
Anyway I hope everyone has a wonderful evening!! Happy mail art!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Book Review: Curious Englishman Who Posted Himself
So anyone who has been with me since the beginning of this blog (it hasnt been that long ago) probably recognize the title of the book listed above. The Curious Englishman is a book about the mailings of W. Reginald Bray (1879-1939). As a young man Bray bought a copy of the Post Office Guide and apparently read it cover to cover. He proceeded to test the limits of the Postal Service by mailing odd objects (Bike pump, a turnip, and a rabbits skull) all of which made it to their destinations. He also sent mail with interesting addresses.
The above card was addressed to the "Resident nearest this rock". The interesting thing is that it made it to it's destination and made it back to Bray as well. (Back then if you sent the mail back to sender before the next day was over it would be delivered without an extra charge.)
The book is filled with all kinds of premium photos or scans of the various mail experiments that Bray sent. There were a few things that I would love to try here in the states..though most of what he did I am sure would not pass our Postal Code. Haha.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. The history is pretty fascinating and seeing his experiments is really awesome too. You can find out more about his experiments by looking at the website created by the author..and if you would like to order this book..you can find it on amazon.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
4 shows I watch:
1. House: I simply cannot get enough of the difficult medical problems and sarcasm.
2. Bones: Well aside from the witty humor that the show offers, how can you not want to become a forensic anthropologist after watching this show?
3. Lie To Me: I swear this one is purely psychological. Its amazing to see how someone can be found out based on facial features alone! Granted the newer seasons aren't as good as the originals.
4. Glee: How could I resist this show? I mean I guess it is a guilty pleasure but I was a choir geek and I wished we would do some of the really cool things they do on that show.
4 things I am passionate about.
1. Helping people: I enjoy helping people in any way I can. This is probably why I make my money at the library. Haha. I get to help people all day long.
2. Adventure: Life is short so why not explore?
3. Writing: What better way to spend you time on your travels than to document all the wonderful things you see and do.
4. Photography- Again..this helps in the documenting of my adventures. =)
4 phrases or words that I say a lot.
1. Aurora Library. How can I help you?
2. Hi
3. Ohh..but Holmes
4. Can it be spring yet?
4 things I have learned from the past
1. Not to take things to personally.
2. Regret is simply stupid. So try your best not to do it.
3. Money cannot win my love.
4. I don't want to be a teacher.
4 things I did yesterday
1. Ate at Chik-Fil-A
2. Shopped in the Best Buy for 2 hours.
3. Finished book 5 in the Ranger's Apprentice series.
4. Hung out with a really cool dude.
4 places I would like to go
1. New Zealand
2. Brazil
3. Madagascar
4. Cayman Islands
4 things I am looking forward to.
1. Currently....work being done!
2. Vacation to somewhere (somedays I dont care where)
3. Continuing to write letters and postcards each week.
4. Spring!
4 things I love about Winter
1. Snow
2. Ice: But only when it photographs nicely.
3. Hooded sweatshirts
4. Being able to wear a crocheted hat without looking funny.
4 things on my wish list
1. Travel more.
2. Piggy-backing off that..I want to see D.C.
3. Get a better paying job
4. Because I want to be able to afford more cool things.
4 bloggers I am tagging.
1. Anyone
2. who
3. wants
4. to.
1. House: I simply cannot get enough of the difficult medical problems and sarcasm.
2. Bones: Well aside from the witty humor that the show offers, how can you not want to become a forensic anthropologist after watching this show?
3. Lie To Me: I swear this one is purely psychological. Its amazing to see how someone can be found out based on facial features alone! Granted the newer seasons aren't as good as the originals.
4. Glee: How could I resist this show? I mean I guess it is a guilty pleasure but I was a choir geek and I wished we would do some of the really cool things they do on that show.
4 things I am passionate about.
1. Helping people: I enjoy helping people in any way I can. This is probably why I make my money at the library. Haha. I get to help people all day long.
2. Adventure: Life is short so why not explore?
3. Writing: What better way to spend you time on your travels than to document all the wonderful things you see and do.
4. Photography- Again..this helps in the documenting of my adventures. =)
4 phrases or words that I say a lot.
1. Aurora Library. How can I help you?
2. Hi
3. Ohh..but Holmes
4. Can it be spring yet?
4 things I have learned from the past
1. Not to take things to personally.
2. Regret is simply stupid. So try your best not to do it.
3. Money cannot win my love.
4. I don't want to be a teacher.
4 things I did yesterday
1. Ate at Chik-Fil-A
2. Shopped in the Best Buy for 2 hours.
3. Finished book 5 in the Ranger's Apprentice series.
4. Hung out with a really cool dude.
4 places I would like to go
1. New Zealand
2. Brazil
3. Madagascar
4. Cayman Islands
4 things I am looking forward to.
1. Currently....work being done!
2. Vacation to somewhere (somedays I dont care where)
3. Continuing to write letters and postcards each week.
4. Spring!
4 things I love about Winter
1. Snow
2. Ice: But only when it photographs nicely.
3. Hooded sweatshirts
4. Being able to wear a crocheted hat without looking funny.
4 things on my wish list
1. Travel more.
2. Piggy-backing off that..I want to see D.C.
3. Get a better paying job
4. Because I want to be able to afford more cool things.
4 bloggers I am tagging.
1. Anyone
2. who
3. wants
4. to.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Valentine Postmarks
Ok, so in a previous post I talked about Valentines Day Re-mailing services. Or rather cities that will re-mail your letters/postcards/mail of any other kind with a special Valentines Day postmark. Well I am happy to report that all but 2 cards have made it back already. Below is a picture of the postmarks.
I also got two other postcards today. The one on the left is from Krystal on Swap-bot and the one on the right is from Jackie from Letters and Journals .
You've gotta love getting fun mail! I will be sending out some St. Patricks day postcards in about a week. I will let you know which cities are available in a blog post soon.
I also got two other postcards today. The one on the left is from Krystal on Swap-bot and the one on the right is from Jackie from Letters and Journals .
You've gotta love getting fun mail! I will be sending out some St. Patricks day postcards in about a week. I will let you know which cities are available in a blog post soon.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Love meeting people at the Library
So, I normally don't post about library related things, but this one crosses over into the realm of mail art. I see myself, and really all librarians as therapists of sorts. We are almost like that stereotypical bartender. We listen to peoples problems and try to help them out.
So today a lady came in and brought up a whole slew of things! Most of them were on paper-crafting. So I struck up a conversation telling her that there is nothing nicer on a cold day than creating something beautiful. Well...almost 15 minutes later I gave her my address. She makes cards and wanted to send one to me. I promised to send something back to her.
I always love when I can exchange ideas with people in person. Not that I mind exchanging ideas digitally cause lets face it, without the world wide web..I wouldn't know half the people I mail things to. In fact...I wouldn't know 98% of you!
So I say..thank goodness for the internet and it making it easier to send mail to (almost) strangers!
So today a lady came in and brought up a whole slew of things! Most of them were on paper-crafting. So I struck up a conversation telling her that there is nothing nicer on a cold day than creating something beautiful. Well...almost 15 minutes later I gave her my address. She makes cards and wanted to send one to me. I promised to send something back to her.
I always love when I can exchange ideas with people in person. Not that I mind exchanging ideas digitally cause lets face it, without the world wide web..I wouldn't know half the people I mail things to. In fact...I wouldn't know 98% of you!
So I say..thank goodness for the internet and it making it easier to send mail to (almost) strangers!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Interesting Post Offices
So everyone reading this has been to the standard type of post office..but what about some of these really interesting ones?
The island nation of Vanuatu offers two such odd post offices. The first listed above is an underwater post! How cool is that? You can buy postcards in the giftshop that are waterproof. They will then be mailed from the underwater office with a special stamp and postmark! Pretty neat in my opinion. I have been looking to see if they do a re-mailing service but I am having no luck. If anyone else finds it please let me know!
How about mailing them from a volcano?!? That blue box there literally sits on Mt. Yasur crater (a live volcano) and is a perfect place to mail other postcards! You can by special cards that depict the volcano itself and there are also special stamps. You also get a volcano postmark as well! Now thats some hot mail!
There are other underwater Post Boxes in St. Thomas, Susami and the Bahamas. And again I was unable to find re-mailing information about any of them.
There are also some Polar Post Offices you can look at here.
Do you know of an interesting Post Office that I have overlooked? Please let me know!
The island nation of Vanuatu offers two such odd post offices. The first listed above is an underwater post! How cool is that? You can buy postcards in the giftshop that are waterproof. They will then be mailed from the underwater office with a special stamp and postmark! Pretty neat in my opinion. I have been looking to see if they do a re-mailing service but I am having no luck. If anyone else finds it please let me know!
How about mailing them from a volcano?!? That blue box there literally sits on Mt. Yasur crater (a live volcano) and is a perfect place to mail other postcards! You can by special cards that depict the volcano itself and there are also special stamps. You also get a volcano postmark as well! Now thats some hot mail!
There are other underwater Post Boxes in St. Thomas, Susami and the Bahamas. And again I was unable to find re-mailing information about any of them.
There are also some Polar Post Offices you can look at here.
Do you know of an interesting Post Office that I have overlooked? Please let me know!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Some incoming mail!
So..instead of writing a real mail post today..I got lost in the wonder that is Netflix...and watched one too many documentaries. That being said I feel smarter!
I did get some really awesome mail today that I thought I would share with everyone!
First we have three lovely postcards. The top left postcard is from Fasteyes from the Send Something site. She sent me a postcard welcoming me to the site. It was pretty cool to get something so soon! (I am working on something to send back). The top right card is from Corrine(Dogfishes) who found me via the Call for Correspondents post. (I am also working on something for her.) And the bottom card came to me from postcrossing!
Then I got this lovely package from Donna. We also connected through the Good Mail Day blog. I was so excited to look at all the goodies from that envelope..so I thought I would share them with you!
I mean look at all that wonderful stuff!! I was even plotting out how I was going to use all these things to make mail for other people. I am definitely going to have to find something really cool to send to Donna in return.
Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful monday!
Also...where do you keep the stamps you use to mail your letters? I keep mine in a drawer and well..its very unorganized!
I did get some really awesome mail today that I thought I would share with everyone!
First we have three lovely postcards. The top left postcard is from Fasteyes from the Send Something site. She sent me a postcard welcoming me to the site. It was pretty cool to get something so soon! (I am working on something to send back). The top right card is from Corrine(Dogfishes) who found me via the Call for Correspondents post. (I am also working on something for her.) And the bottom card came to me from postcrossing!
Then I got this lovely package from Donna. We also connected through the Good Mail Day blog. I was so excited to look at all the goodies from that envelope..so I thought I would share them with you!
I mean look at all that wonderful stuff!! I was even plotting out how I was going to use all these things to make mail for other people. I am definitely going to have to find something really cool to send to Donna in return.
Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful monday!
Also...where do you keep the stamps you use to mail your letters? I keep mine in a drawer and well..its very unorganized!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Happy Birthday Ronald Reagan!
Today marked the centennial of Ronald Reagan's birth. He was born in 1911 in Illinois. He was a movie star, Governor of California and also the 40th President of the United States. Sadly, he passed away in 2004 at the age of 93.
This year the United States Post Office decided to release a stamp to commemorate his centennial. This is however, not the first stamp issued that featured the late President. The first stamp (pictured below) was issued in 2005 with a face value of 37 cents.
However, in 2006 the postage on a first class letter increased to 39 cents. Which caused the USPS to release a statement saying the Ronald Reagan stamp would be re-released with a face value of 39 cents.
And as most reading this blog probably already know...the USPS is releasing another stamp this year with Ronald Reagan as a subject. He will be the first president to appear on a Forever stamp. The stamp was designed by Bart Forbes as an oil wash on canvas. This stamp will release on February 10th.
So, I don't know about anyone else, but I have already pre-ordered my Ronald Reagan stamps along with a First Day Cover (FDC) and a Digital Postmark. (And yes..I am aware that makes me a bit nutty.)
This year the United States Post Office decided to release a stamp to commemorate his centennial. This is however, not the first stamp issued that featured the late President. The first stamp (pictured below) was issued in 2005 with a face value of 37 cents.
However, in 2006 the postage on a first class letter increased to 39 cents. Which caused the USPS to release a statement saying the Ronald Reagan stamp would be re-released with a face value of 39 cents.
And as most reading this blog probably already know...the USPS is releasing another stamp this year with Ronald Reagan as a subject. He will be the first president to appear on a Forever stamp. The stamp was designed by Bart Forbes as an oil wash on canvas. This stamp will release on February 10th.
So, I don't know about anyone else, but I have already pre-ordered my Ronald Reagan stamps along with a First Day Cover (FDC) and a Digital Postmark. (And yes..I am aware that makes me a bit nutty.)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
DropBox
Ok. So we have probably all experienced that emotional roller coaster that is losing data from your computer because of any number of malfunctions. This is why a good friend of mine is trying to get me to back-up all of my important data (mainly my pictures...if I lost those I would be soooo sad!). He was even nice enough to back up everything for me while I was away in Mexico in November.
Today I saw that he had a post on Facebook talking about Dropbox. Dropbox is basically a company that will allow you to backup any files you want to their online servers. And the awesome part is..they give you two gigabites of space free!! So if you are contemplating an online backup service for any reason..this is a great way to give it a shot with no money leaving your pocket.
And even more awesome than that..if you sign up using this link here , both of us will gain another 250MB. That means just for signing up through the link above you get extra space...for FREE! Even if you only use it to back up those pictures of your Mail Art/Postcards/General Mail (like I am planning on doing) it is still a great product and a great way to give it a try.
**I promise a real MAIL post later on this evening, but I wanted to get this one out of the way now.**
Today I saw that he had a post on Facebook talking about Dropbox. Dropbox is basically a company that will allow you to backup any files you want to their online servers. And the awesome part is..they give you two gigabites of space free!! So if you are contemplating an online backup service for any reason..this is a great way to give it a shot with no money leaving your pocket.
And even more awesome than that..if you sign up using this link here , both of us will gain another 250MB. That means just for signing up through the link above you get extra space...for FREE! Even if you only use it to back up those pictures of your Mail Art/Postcards/General Mail (like I am planning on doing) it is still a great product and a great way to give it a try.
**I promise a real MAIL post later on this evening, but I wanted to get this one out of the way now.**
Friday, February 4, 2011
U.S. Suspends mail service to Egypt
The U.S. Postal Service suspended international mail headed to Egypt. They cited that there is lack of transportation and thus the mail simply cannot be delivered. Any mail received after today that is headed to Egypt will be held at the post office. Any mail that was already enroute will be held at international post offices until the mail can be forwarded on to Egypt.
This is a quote from the USPS Communications website. "Egypt Post has advised UPU member countries that it has not been able to provide postal services since Jan. 25. This situation will continue until security conditions have returned to normal. Egypt Post will assume no liability during this period regarding damages or inquiries concerning mail items in the UPU international network (parcels, letters and EMS). Egypt Post will inform other UPU designated operators when the situation returns to normal."
Anyone out there sending anything to Egypt? I haven't since well before the unrest there started. Hopefully everything will get resolved in a civilized manner.
Have a great weekend all!!
This is a quote from the USPS Communications website. "Egypt Post has advised UPU member countries that it has not been able to provide postal services since Jan. 25. This situation will continue until security conditions have returned to normal. Egypt Post will assume no liability during this period regarding damages or inquiries concerning mail items in the UPU international network (parcels, letters and EMS). Egypt Post will inform other UPU designated operators when the situation returns to normal."
Anyone out there sending anything to Egypt? I haven't since well before the unrest there started. Hopefully everything will get resolved in a civilized manner.
Have a great weekend all!!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Another blah day..except in the mail
So I am on day...well I've forgotten which, of a sore throat and runny nose. I am sooo sick of..well...being sick! Haha. I did, however, drag myself out of bed to trudge to the mailbox. I had some Valentine goodies to mail off for re-mailing ( see one post back ). And boy I am glad that I made that walk! I had some goodies waiting for me too!!
The first batch was all postcards. Including a nice one from Russia, sent through Postcrossing . They were nice enough to translate the message on the front for me. " Anticrisis #8. At this exact moment they had everything they needed to be happy. The rest has been taken away by bailiffs". I dont really get it..then again maybe its a translation issue. It did however have a very nice set of stamps.
The one of the shoes was made and sent by Liz. We connected through the Good Mail Day blog. And the final card was another I sent to myself from Mexico. I dated the card 11/7/2010...the postmark from Mexico read...9/11/2010 (they do day, month, then year). And it just arrived in my mailbox today. Almost three months after I sent it!! Crazy! (sorry for the crummy picture)
The last thing I pulled from the box was a letter from Patty who writes the Just Letter Rip blog. I have been following her blog and sent her some mail a week or so ago. She was nice enough to send me some back! (ps. I don't mind posting her addy cause its posted on her blog. Normally I wouldn't post one that wasn't already out there in the blogosphere.)
I love the envelope. As you can tell she has recycled one from a local bank. Very clever idea!! I am definitely going to have to do that with all that junk mail I get. Here is what she included:
She is trying to go all year without buying any new paper! I think it is a very good task..and I may try it myself. Then again...I kinda like buying papers. Call it an obsession if you want. Either way I was happy to receive her mail! I will have to put my mind to the task of sending something equally as interesting back.
One cool thing Patty pointed out was that in those silly credit card envelopes there is always a spot where they have your entire name and address listed. She clips them out to use are address labels on the things she sends! How cool is that?? I am sooo going to start doing that.
Anyone else out there recycling paper like Patty?
The first batch was all postcards. Including a nice one from Russia, sent through Postcrossing . They were nice enough to translate the message on the front for me. " Anticrisis #8. At this exact moment they had everything they needed to be happy. The rest has been taken away by bailiffs". I dont really get it..then again maybe its a translation issue. It did however have a very nice set of stamps.
The one of the shoes was made and sent by Liz. We connected through the Good Mail Day blog. And the final card was another I sent to myself from Mexico. I dated the card 11/7/2010...the postmark from Mexico read...9/11/2010 (they do day, month, then year). And it just arrived in my mailbox today. Almost three months after I sent it!! Crazy! (sorry for the crummy picture)
The last thing I pulled from the box was a letter from Patty who writes the Just Letter Rip blog. I have been following her blog and sent her some mail a week or so ago. She was nice enough to send me some back! (ps. I don't mind posting her addy cause its posted on her blog. Normally I wouldn't post one that wasn't already out there in the blogosphere.)
I love the envelope. As you can tell she has recycled one from a local bank. Very clever idea!! I am definitely going to have to do that with all that junk mail I get. Here is what she included:
She is trying to go all year without buying any new paper! I think it is a very good task..and I may try it myself. Then again...I kinda like buying papers. Call it an obsession if you want. Either way I was happy to receive her mail! I will have to put my mind to the task of sending something equally as interesting back.
One cool thing Patty pointed out was that in those silly credit card envelopes there is always a spot where they have your entire name and address listed. She clips them out to use are address labels on the things she sends! How cool is that?? I am sooo going to start doing that.
Anyone else out there recycling paper like Patty?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Valentine Re-mailing Program
There are many re-mailing programs throughout this country for various holidays (mostly Christmas and Valentines Day). This post is focused on the Valentine Re-mailing service of Loveland, CO. The city of Loveland has been postmarking valentines with a special postmark since 1947! Each year millions of valentines flood their post office in the first two weeks of February.
Each year not only do they postmark incoming mail, but they also sell their own special Valentines. To have your mail postmarked from Loveland its pretty simple. You need to put all the mail you wish to have postmarked in a larger envelope. Make sure you affix proper postage to each item (Including the larger envelope). Then address the large envelope as such:
Then your mail will get the commemorative postmark. Also, dont forget to send it in before the deadlines. Unfortunately for overseas mail it may be too late to have it arrive on Valentines Day..though it could still get that awesome postmark. All mail that is being mailed inside the states will need to arrive around Feb 7th. Which means..you better get them in the mail! Also, don't forget to send yourself some awesome stuff too!
For more information on this program or to buy the official Loveland CO Valentine visit Loveland's website here .
Anyone else gonna do this?? I know I sure am! Will post pics of the various postmarks received so keep checking back!
EDIT: here is another listing of some other cities across the USA that do the Re-mailing for V-day.
Each year not only do they postmark incoming mail, but they also sell their own special Valentines. To have your mail postmarked from Loveland its pretty simple. You need to put all the mail you wish to have postmarked in a larger envelope. Make sure you affix proper postage to each item (Including the larger envelope). Then address the large envelope as such:
Postmaster
Valentine Re-mailing
446th E 29th St.
Loveland, CO 80538
Then your mail will get the commemorative postmark. Also, dont forget to send it in before the deadlines. Unfortunately for overseas mail it may be too late to have it arrive on Valentines Day..though it could still get that awesome postmark. All mail that is being mailed inside the states will need to arrive around Feb 7th. Which means..you better get them in the mail! Also, don't forget to send yourself some awesome stuff too!
For more information on this program or to buy the official Loveland CO Valentine visit Loveland's website here .
Anyone else gonna do this?? I know I sure am! Will post pics of the various postmarks received so keep checking back!
EDIT: here is another listing of some other cities across the USA that do the Re-mailing for V-day.
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