Minty Mail...Out- Going!

Let Me Tell You About A Letter in My Mailbox... (Week #2)

I am hoping that this week's winner enjoys mint green!

Here it is being packaged to go all the way to...

India, Kolkata, specifically!  Congratulations Sarah!

I loved how she opened her letter... "As soon as I saw your letter writing challenge, I grabbed my pad of stationery to get to work!"

Sarah and her husband  (who are newlyweds) are spending their first year of marriage in Kolkata, India.  Sarah is a RN who is working at the Kolkata Rescue Mission as a volunteer.  Look at the lovely stationery that she penned her most charming letter!  These pen and ink drawings by Samir Biswas of 1982, depict local scenes from Kolkata.

Beautiful...and so interesting!

And another one!  Thank you so much , Sarah,  for writing me a letter.  Your package will be in the mail today!

I have received a comment from a friend in Japan saying that he wouldn't qualify for  this weekly contest because of his international status...NOT SO!  This is open to anyone who writes me a letter.  I arbitrarily select one winner from my mail bag...but everyone will get a response from me.    It is my little way of encouraging you to write a letter.  So, go ahead...you have time to get something off to me...

Write Letters,

Write Often!

Lady Pamela

Thanksgiving...on the LARGE size...

Thankful

Here's the line up starting for the food...buffet style of course!  Three tables set up...

After meal fun and craziness!

It was a wonderfully blessed time.  Hope yours was as well.

Lady Pamela

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

I know everyone is busy today...probably no letter writing?  Thats ok!  Enjoy your family,eat turkey...but don't forget to check back here later today to see Thanksgiving...Large Family Styled! I'm going to give you a peek into what chaos looks like when you have a Large Family doing Thanksgiving!

Also...tomorrow I will be posting the "Show And Mail" Winner!  It is very lovely!

Havc a blessed day!

Mail that will Fly!! Origami Tuck-ins!

DIY:  Origami Mail...Mail that Flies!

I love Origami.  I have been doing the folds since I was 9 years old.  The papers are just so wonderful and feel...so papery!  (Did I just invent a word?)  And then  there are so  many styles , colors and sizes to choose from!  

This is not a tutorial on how to fold a crane, but you can google it and find  a host of videos instructing you on making one.  Make sure your crane can fly :-) .

           

I  love these.  Great for Auntie Mail...Mail that Flies...hmm, I'll find some other uses...

This will be your envelope.  

Get some card stock to make the header of your envelope.

I traced around another header , then cut  it out.

I wanted a colorful label  for my very colorful mail.

I enclosed a note... the letter continues inside...

I included one of my origami cancer ribbons, and of course a spot of tea!

I look forward to sending this through the USPS.  Why not send some mail that Flies...and lift some one's spirits up today?

Write Letters.

Write Often!

Lady Pamela

P.S.  It arrived safe and sound...but I did put a bit more postage  ($1 stamp)  on it than is shown  in the above  photo.  Have fun with your letter writing!

Kraft Happy Mail

We Have A Winner!

Why yes.  We do have a winner!

All the goodies (small items above packaged separately!) for our winner...Sheryl can now share the love with someone else!

This week's winner of "Show and Mail" is Sheryl who  hails from the state of Massachusetts!  Brrrrr....!  Her sweet letter arrived this week, and lo and behold...look how she decorated it!!  You would almost believe that she followed by stationery tutorial (see previous post).  But really , her letter arrived BEFORE I posted that .  I so love  her original art work.  Beautiful!  She also included  a tea bag...always appreciated!  Sheryl and I have been pen pals for 12 years now.  She had many questions for me from my last letter.  I love how we share our joy of the fiber arts...she is an amazing knitter...and I hang out in the crochet world.  We also share our trials and joys of homeschooling, often sharing tips of what works...and well...what doesn't!  To top it off, Sheryl has 11 children and STILL has time to write letters!  Thanks for your letter Sheryl...hope you enjoy the goodies!

I can't wait to see what is in my mail box this coming week!  Don't delay...next week's giveaway for "Show and Mail" will be just as great!  Write me a letter!

And don't forget...a Letter is ALWAYS better!

Write Letters.

Write Often!

Lady Pamela

Stationery Scandals!!!

The Stationery Dilemma

Is it me?  Or am I just one of many who find it difficult to secure adequate stationery?  Most people in the letter writing community, when writing a letter, write more than a few lines.  We rather find ourselves  lost in the moment and just keep on writing our fine letter...more than the  requisite  "2 pages per envelope" stationery formula  which seems the current norm. This results in piles and piles of extra envelopes. I have often thought that I should rectify the situation by just making my own...and so I did.

I have started with a simple project that I have seen elsewhere.  It is a pretty common method for making stationery, perhaps you have seen it too?  I like it because it is simple yet, charming. 

Don't you love the supply list?  3 items...pretty simple!  I chose some ivory 8 1/2 X 11 paper, a multi colored ink pad, and a package of foam pouncers.

I think the end results are cute!  Not much effort, yet a nice effect.

So, will there be any other stationery projects in the making?  I think so!  My next effort will involve some washi love.

Would you like to share any of your stationery- making photos?  If so, contact me by email at:  Lostartrevivedblog@gmail.com, and I will feature yours as well!

Don't forget to write me a letter for the weekly give away (see side column)!  Tomorrow I will be announcing this week's winner.

A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often--just to save it from drying out completely.

~~Pam Brown

Write Letters,

Write Often.

Lady Pamela

The "Ooooohhhh" Factor!

What EXACTLY is a Tuck-in? or an Enclosure?

My daughter's friend, who lives down the lane has a mother who is struggling with cancer.  She is on her second year of chemo...and it really knocks her out.  She has 4 young daughters...the youngest is 4. :(
But my daughter and her friend have gotten together to start a Cancer Awareness Club.  They make little things to sell to give to the cancer center where her mom gets her treatments.  It is so sweet.  Here they have made origami cancer ribbons...aren't they beautiful???  I just love origami and  the different textures, colors, etc.  So bright and cheerful!  And do you know what I am doing with these?  I am using them as tuck- ins  for my letters!

It has been awhile since I last had a post on Tuck-ins...in fact I think it is listed as enclosures... here is a link to  the previous page. Tuck ins  give your letters the  "ooohhhh" factor.  A little like the surprise in the Cracker Jack box....(oh dear, I am seriously dating myself here!)  Lets take a  look at enclosures...tuck ins...whatever name you want to give them, to see how YOU can add the "Oooohhhh!"  factor!

I like lists...short and sweet....so here we go with Tuck-in Ideas for your letter writing!

• a simple sketch or drawing
• a message written in code
• a meaningful poem
• post office stamps
• a local leaf (pressed flat)
• a favorite stick of gum
• a bookmark
• a favorite written quote
• a cartoon or comic
• a swatch of ink sample
• a popsicle stick of washi tape samples
• an extreme close up picture of an everyday object.  The other person would try to guess what it is.
• a sample card of a favorite perfume or cologne
• a portion of sheet music of a favorite song or music
• a small origami item
• a hand made coupon
• an inexpensive gift card
• a photo copy of a line or paragraph from your favorite book
• status cards
• mood cards
• journal cards with  favorite quote
• photos
• newspaper clippings
• pressed flowers
• pressed four leaf clovers
• a swatch of fabric that you are using with a sewing or craft project
• Your Turn!!!  Please leave me a comment with your favorite tuck-in that I have missed!

Write Letters.
Write Often!

Lady Pamela

DIY: Send a Rose...Postally

Last Rose of Summer  Project
2014

I have saved this extraordinary sturdy, pretty, little box for quite some time...probably about 3 years...always intending to use it for a particular project. The project is called the "Last Rose of Summer".Thankfully, I  finally did get around to it!  I had received a beautiful rose once in the mail from  a young pen pal.  The rose was in full, gorgeous bloom when it arrived. This is from where I derived my inspiration for this postal experiment.

I knew I needed to act fast, as winter winds were starting to blow...I have been eying my neglected rose garden for a couple of weeks.  The rose bushes were looking pretty sad, and spindly, but still producing a few blooms.  The instructions I gathered from the web stated  to select only closed blooms to mail.  I found a few tight buds and this one that was about 50% opened.  I decided to give it a try.

You will need a water pick (from a florist) or do what I did and get some plastic wrap, paper towels and some packing material.  I used tissue paper.

I had to cut the stems rather short as the box is not very tall.

Next, you need to wet the paper towel, but not sopping wet. After this, wrap the paper towel with plastic wrap and then secure with a  rubber band.

I wanted to add some type of a tag to it, since I wasn't including a letter  (I was in such a hurry).  This is going to my older sister, one of my heroes!  

Pretty!

You can see that the bunch is a bit too tall for this box, but stems are flexible, so I just curved them down into the box...

made everything snug with a bit more tissue paper...

then wrapped the box up, labeled it , tied it with a string...and off it went.

Important Tips to remember if you send a "Last Rose Of Summer" to a loved one:

• Pick your rose before it has bloomed.  Tight buds, or just partially bloomed is best.
• Pick your rose in the morning and mail in the morning if possible.
• I made the mistake of mailing it today...tomorrow is a postal holiday, so it won't reach my sister for 3 days more!  Think ahead, and try not to mail around postal holidays.

Write Letters. (or in this case: Send Parcels!)

Write Often.

Lady Pamela

UPDATE:

My sister, in Texas, texted me a photo today of the Postal Rose which she received today...just 2 days after I mailed it (in the late afternoon!) .  Can we say "YAY! FOR THE USPS?????  She said it arrived in beautiful condition, although the box was a bit wet.  

It is indeed beautiful.  So if you are not under a foot of snow...go out and harvest a rose or two... and Join me in the "Last Rose of Summer" Project 2014 !

Messages in Bottles... DIY Bottle Mail

Letters in bottles.... 

Twin  Adventures....

DIY Messages in Bottles

As 12 year old girls...we just knew our messages would reach some distant shore...we would receive a letter in some foreign, tongue, necessitating a  trip to some exotic foreign embassy to have  it translated...oh the romance of letters being  cast upon the unknown deep of the mysterious Pacific ocean!

Yes.  Hold on to your seats, it really is another Twin Adventure from the Twins Forever book...documenting  all of those special events.   This is one of them.  We really did hoist over our corked wine bottles, into the churning waters of the Pacific Ocean  ,  along with the enclosed notes  imploring the recipients to  reciprocate .  Time passed...lots of it.  But there  was never a response....sniff, sniff.

Where did these twins get their corked wine bottles?  I will now  turn to page 64 of the Twins Forever Book.... (not a primary source, more like a copy, of a copy, of a copy...)

There we are, the twins flanking our beautiful, ever stylish and patient mother.  We are on the SS George Washington .  This was day one or two of our cruise...and we are enjoying our  flotation drill We were on the ship for 2 weeks from Yokohama , Japan to Sunny California.  

My  twin sister and I,  immediately went to work on our "Messages in bottles" project. For  days, we staked out  the lounges, begging for empty wine bottles to have for our "messages in bottles " project.  Our acquaintances acquiesced, and we got our bottles,complete with corks.  I don't remember how many we threw overboard, but we had a ball doing so . Just a note to interject here, today it is not PC to throw bottles overboard...as it may kill wild life.   But instead, why not throw a bottled message into the sea of the USPS? 

So let's begin with our DIY tutorial for "Messages in Bottles"!

I am all about using the most frugal tools.  These were purchased at JoAnns.  The bottles are plastic.  The Corks, (I had my fingers crossed on this one) fit perfectly!

I cut a small piece of stationery in half,  for it to fit inside the bottle.

Wrote my "sista" mail...dredging up up old memories for her to enjoy...

Next, using a pencil or something of that nature, coil  your papers around to make it tight and snug.

My intention was to tie it with twine.

I had to use a bit of washi tape to hold the paper in place so that it remained tightly rolled, then tied it with a small piece of twine.

I then corked the bottle and put an address label on it.  Technically, it was ready to go...just needs some postage.But if you are not a minimalist, you might want to get out your stash of  tiny things and brighten up your bottle...

I am not a minimalist..more is always better!

After completing the project...I decided that the bottle might be a bit too small to cast "as is" into the sea of USPS...so I decided to take an extra precaution, and not to try the patience of the ever gracious USPS... I went ahead and placed the bottle into a large clear envelope.  Did you know that there is a "Message in a Bottle Society"?   There really is.  I just formed one--care to join?

Bring back enchanting, old memories! Go ahead and write a letter and send it in a bottle!

Write Letters,

Write Often.

Lady Pamela