Little People Mail

It is no secret.  Children, children everywhere love to receive mail.  There is something about a package arriving at a child's home and the parent handing over this package for the child to open.   I had these all packaged up in these cool, large (11X13?) , clear  (re-usable!) envelopes...but then I ended up sending them in a ready post .  I will save them for another time.  But you can see how it looks here.

This is packed with "fun mail", and a bit of preschool items that are FUN too.  

Here are the contents of this package that went out to put smiles on little people's faces.

The Craftier, the better.

Happy Snail Mailing!

Pam

And so much MORE!

Birthday Milestones...Parceling time!

Do you remember the "Gold Mail " parcel that I sent out recently?  You can view it here .  Well...I wanted to send a follow up parcel to this same pen pal.  And since it was such a momentous Birthday Milestone....I went with the theme:  AND so much MORE!

Hey.  We still have lots of living to do, right?  Yes, of course we do!

Do you know of someone who is having a birthday or some other milestone in their life.  Don't let it pass without a notice.  Send them a letter or a parcel to celebrate!

Write Letters.

Send Parcels.

Do it often!

Lady Pamela

The Golden Parcel

Gold Mail

It's time to send out a bit of "Gold Mail".  There is an important birthday to celebrate.  It is late, so it needs to be extra special.  So here you can see that I have assembled a good amount of my gold supplies.   It's always good to get them out to see what you have on hand.

I'm going to start with the box.  I really like the LARGE gold foil alphabet stickers!

Next, I get out my gold sparkly gel pen and whip up a bit of a note.

Isn't this bottle cute?  I love the cork...I added some gold beads and confetti.

Here is a verse that I love...it is appropriate for any birthday!

I thought I would be able to use a punch on this gold glitter paper...but it was a NO GO.  So I had to switch gears and make this little flower wand by hand.

Next was a bit of an experiment.  I purchased this gold crepe paper, hoping it would do okay with my flag punch.  I struck out with my gold paper...so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

And a big sigh of relief.  It works great!

Assembly time!

I learned from another blogger , Jenna Templeton, never to waste our scraps...so here I go making a few flowers to sprinkle through the box.

I made a little cello bag  to package up the flag banner.

Now it is time to put it all together and get it in the mail.  

Oh, and I nearly forgot the TEA!!!  I was glad that I could find one that was packaged in a gold foil wrapper.  Yay!

I hope that my friend will enjoy a bit of Gold in her mail.  

Write Letters,

Write Often.

Lady Pamela.

Bunny Mail

Look what "hopped into my mail box"!

Do you have a super "crafty" pen pal?  I am blessed to have several.  Miss Trinka  definitely fits in that category! I received this bit of  happiness and sunshine in my mail  from her and I just had to smile.  Look at all the work in this .  There is just way too much cuteness going on here.  I thought the bunny note paper was  adorable,  and the mini craft folder was so cool! And...the cello bag of mini goodies was  just  perfect .  I will try to incorporate these embellishments into a future outgoing letter. I'm almost at a loss as to what to send back...hmmm....that is what Pinterest is for though, right?   ;-)

Here is a closer look into what was inside the mini craft folder.  I loved the entire parcel.   It is always such a pleasure to receive such loving "gifts" from another, isn't it?  And the beauty and mystery of the snail mail world, is that we can exchange such beautiful works of craftiness, art, words of encouragement -- all of this without even meeting the person beyond paper.  I don't know about you...but that fact never ceases to amaze me  with  mail in general.

Thank you Trinka!  I will be responding soon...after I camp out awhile on Pinterest!  Ha, ha!

Write Letters,

Write often!

Lady Pamela

Happy Mail...And a Postal Themed Book for Children

I recently received this package of Happy Mail!  Who wouldn't enjoy a pair of aloe infused warm socks...especially after a winter we have had?     But what caught my eye, after the cool Lettering Tips book (I am always building my library of calligraphy!), was the little children's book.  I am an incurable  book hound.  I collect out-of-print children's books...but this particular book had added significance!

Look!  It is a postal themed Peter Rabbit book by Beatrix Potter and with Beatrix Potter's own dear illustrations.  It has miniature letters in tiny envelopes on each page for a total of 14 little letters.  So adorable!  What a wonderful way to introduce children into the love of letter writing.

Here is one of the pages.  Oh.  What a treasure.  Be sure to pick up a copy of this dear little book and give it to a "little person".  We  need to inspire the next generation too.

Write Letters,

Send Happy Mail

Read Postal Themed books,

and Write your letters often!

Lady Pamela

Out Going Snail Mail

Lest you think I only Blog about Writing...

This batch went out yesterday.

This batch went out last week.  I still have plenty of letters to write.  Please be patient...you will get one soon, I promise!

This went out to my winner on instagram for my GiveAway!

Write Letters,

Write Often,

Lady Pamela

Tea Swapping...and Swap Bot

What Am I Going To Do With This Swap?

Ok.  I think I have mentioned to you , dear Reader, that I have plunged myself  mercilessly into the deeps of Swap Bot!  I don't know why it took me forever to  actually sign up for a swap ... all I can think is that I was really intimidated to join! 

 Why, for one thing , you need to learn a whole new language...flaker, NFZ (No Flaker Zone) angeling, twinchies, PIB, spoolies...and the list goes on.  They even have a glossary that you can print off to make  the transition from Newbie to full status a bit easier.  Thank goodness I joined the Newbie Help group!  It is all set up very nicely and user friendly with forums , etc.

Then there is the rating system...out there for EVERYONE to see.    But, seriously, it is unfortunately necessary to have all of these rules and regs in place because of the constant threat of "flakers"!  I am happy to tell you that I am doing ok...so far.  One of my postcards did not ever "make it " to the recipient (sent right before Christmas), but she messaged me and I resent...pronto!  Not only am I doing ok...I am actually enjoying it...

This round of swaps ( I am limited to 5 concurrent swaps) I signed up for an Odd and Unique Tea Swap.  This swap requires 6 unique tea bags sent to 4 partners...international!  The trick is to send these  International swaps as thin as possible in an envelope or you will be charged a parcel rate, which is extraordinarily high.  Here is what I did:

Here are my little piles of tea foils...ready to package!  I hope they are "Odd or Unique" enough to pass muster!  I included Lemon, Chai Green tea, Chai Black tea, Salted Carmel Tea, Pumpkin Spice, and Orange Spice.

I cut out a piece of scrap booking paper a little smaller than the envelope, then I laid the tea bags as flat as I could, slightly overlapping, then secured them in place with washi tape.  I included a note on the back and... (blushing... a bit of self-promoting) included a Lostartrevived  postcard and Jane Austen Letter Writing Society card.

Here is the brief note I wrote on the back of the tea card.

Into the envelope it goes...

And off they go to...Slovenia, Netherlands, Belarus, USA...and a small packet to Spain!

I encourage you to check out Swapbot ...if you have time.  It might be something that interests you.

Write Letters.

Write Often.

Lady Pamela

Long Lost Kindergarten friends...reunited through the Old and New

Friends...Reunited!

This is a story about two little girls who met in a Kindergarten class in  South County , St. Louis, Missouri...long, long, ago.  The two little girls became best friends, and did what little girls years ago did.  We had slumber parties, and played together at recess.  Memories are fading.  I have often thought of my "Bestie" from Kindergarten, but never really heard what had happened to her.  UNTIL...Facebook reunited us! About 6 months ago, Ruth sent a short message...hoping I was who she thought  I was. (I don't list my maiden name on my profile, however,  I might change that now! But my twin sister does list it, so I am assuming that she traced me through my twin sister.).  We had exchanged several messages over Facebook which was nice, but I decided it was time to send Ruth a letter and have a little deeper communication.  Many thanks to Facebook for the reuniting...Yay for Technology...but  a slower, deeper  exchange needed to happen.  There were lots of years to piece together.

The story continues:

Being an identical twin (see Twin Adventures post), and we happened to be in the same Kindergarten class as Ruth.  Unknown to me at the time, our teacher, the beloved Mrs Van Reese was Ruth's God Mother and next door neighbor.  Ah ha!  That gave her a distinctive edge in the class! ;-) Ruth remembers the first time she saw "the twins".  I don't have too many memories, just a few.  

I couldn't put my hand on my Kindergarten photo...if I can find it, I will upload it too.  But here we are... uhhh...that is me on the right in the Twin picture.  

Well, as normal...these fast friends grew up, and we progressed through  early elementary , I think we were in at least one  other class together.  But then she moved away in 3rd grade and in 4th grade my family moved to Japan.  Ruth tells me that we did send a few pen pal letters.  I sent her a necklace, and  a Japanese cushion.  But that is where everything...fades!  What happened over the years?

Remember this?  I actually sent this accordion letter to her!  I included , a bunch of  typical penpal prompts in this letter,  I wasn't sure how she would respond to this, it is very snail-mailish...and for people who are not in the habit of writing...it might seem a bit strange!

But my, oh , my!  Look what I got in the mail from Ruth!  I'm sorry for the torn paper...I couldn't help myself...I just had to tear into it! ;-)

Ruth stated that she wasn't too crafty, so she enlisted a friend who helped her with this.  I am blown away with the thoughtfulness...and just the fact that she would even get a friend to help her. Honestly, I never dreamed of receiving something like this!

.  

Look at this gorgeous box...loaded with scenes of far away travel!

This is what greeted me, upon opening this sweet box.  (I loved what was in the "Open this First" envelope!)

Each little owl envelope had answers to all of my pen pal questions...and a beautifully type written letter, telling me all about her life after our girlhood memories had faded and our lives took very different directions.  This is my treasure.  She had to overcome many obstacles and  endured many hardships growing up.  But these things made her the beautiful woman she is today.   I am greatly inspired.

The pillow boxes contained goodies...some delicious tea...  And the scrolled paper, detailed her interests in Family Genealogy!

There was also this mysteriously wrapped gift...

 How  gorgeous is this?  This is a mason jar soup mix, with that cute little bottle of Tabasco sauce!  I can't wait to cook it up. Yum!

So much love and thoughtfulness boxed up...with so many unanswered questions...finally answered.

What a blessing to be reconnected with a very old friend, reaching back into the corners of my mind.  I am so thrilled to be able to stay in touch by ...using the new...and especially the old ways of communicating.

Write Letters,

Write Often!

Lady Pamela 

Sending out a bit of Christmas Cheer!

This is a lovely time of year to send out parcels!  Here are a couple of my outgoing  Christmas Cheer!

Here's a sampling of some of my incoming Holiday stamps...

I have had a fairly busy week of incoming with Christmas Cards with great Family pictures, and newsletters. Time  to break out  the reindeer  mug and fill it with some steaming hot tea and then I need to finish some last minute crochet projects.  If anyone is interested in seeing what I am doing on that end, you can find my work on Instagram:  hatsforallseasons.

Relaxing...enjoying simple pleasures...even family newsletters!  ;-)

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 !