merry christmas!

Merry Christmas!

post secret christmas.

I love looking at postsecret.com every monday to start my week off and this week there were several mail themed ones that made me smile, so I wanted to share them with you!

Image from: postsecret.com

Image from: postsecret.com

Image from: postsecret.com

merry christmas mr. postman.

I was on the hunt for the perfect card to give my mailman this holiday season and Hallmark did not disappoint! This card I picked up was perfect and stated exactly how I felt! I left this card and a little gift (starbucks giftcard) to show my appreciation for all of his hard work all year long and especially during the holidays!

Do you do anything special for your mailman for the holidays?

hampton roads postal history.

"In December 1956, the Norfolk Recreation Bureau's Candy Cane Express Float made special trips to elementary schools in the city so first-and-second graders could personally mail their letters to Santa. The float, decorated with Christmas greens and candy canes, featured two specially designed Santa Claus mailboxes. Recreation staff workers acknowledged receipt of the letters with an answer to each participating class, written on authentic Santa Claus, North Pole letterhead." -The Virginian-Pilot 

love letters on broadway.

Image from: lovelettersbroadway.com

"No one forgets their first love...

Andrew Makepeace Ladd III wrote his first letter to Melissa Gardner to tell her she looked like a lost princess. They were both seven years old. For the next fifty years, through personal triumphs and despair, through wars and marriages and children and careers, they poured out the secrets of their hearts to each other. They defied a fate that schemed to keep them apart, and lived-through letters- for the one more meaningful thing, their undying love for each other." 

"In this digital age, letter writing may be the only private way of expressing ourselves." -Blogcritics.org

"Love Letters' Feels Fresh & Different." -Newsday

"A First-Class A.R. Gurney Play." -Daily News

I learned about this play yesterday and was so excited as I am heading to NYC in three weeks for a long weekend! I was sad when I saw the news that the show has ended early due to slow ticket sales. The last show for the Broadway play was December 14, 2014. 

The play has received great reviews and plans on doing a National Tour in the fall of 2015! I sure hope they do, as I will be first in line to purchase tickets. 

Follow Love Letters on Broadway to stay informed on the upcoming 2015 National Tour:

Instagram: instagram.com/LoveLettersBway

Facebook: facebook.com/LoveLettersBroadway
Twitter: twitter.com/LoveLettersBway

Image from: lovelettersbroadway.com

fun fact friday.

Fact:

The zip code in Schenectady, NY is 12345!

mail tag: christmas edition.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the Way!

Time to start thinking of getting those Christmas cards and letters out in the mail if you haven't already done so. (My christmas cards have been in the mail for a while now, but there is still plenty of time for me to send my lovely penpals Christmas letters).

Here are some Christmas/Holiday inspired "Mail Tag" questions for you to include in your next letter:

• Do you prefer to wrap your gifts in wrapping paper or gift bags?

• Real Tree vs. Fake Tree

• Christmas/Holiday Traditions?

• Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

• Favorite gift you have ever received?

• Favorite Christmas song?

• Colored Lights vs. White Lights

• Do you kiss under the Mistletoe?

• Favorite Christmas Ornament? Why?

• What is your typical Christmas Dinner?

• Stockings hung by the chimney with care?

If you have any more questions you think would be good for a Christmas/Holiday Mail Tag, I would love to hear them!

received with love. christmas, fl edition.

I received two cards in the mail from Christmas, FL! I was very excited to get a few pieces with the special postmark on them since I was so excited sending them out!

A close up of the fun Holiday postmark from Christmas, FL! It was worth the trip down there to add that special little touch to my Christmas cards this year!

christmas, fl.

This year we spent Thanksgiving in Florida with my fantastic in-laws and while we were down there visiting I decided to send my Christmas cards from a little town called Christmas, Florida! After being in the car for 13 hours, the next morning we got up and drove another hour or so to Christmas.

I was so excited! We arrive at the post office and I jump out of the car with all of my Christmas cards in hand. It is a small little post office which just adds to its charm. 

Just inside the post office they have a Christmas Tree and a cute white mailbox for "Letters to Santa". From what I have read, it stays decorated like this year-round! I snapped a few photos with my mom and all of our cards. A man was checking is P.O. Box and was like "oh, no it's starting." We all got a laugh out of that.

We were so excited, we were next in line and I tell Gary, the man behind the counter, that we drove 13 hours and are so excited to have our Christmas cards postmarked from Christmas, FL this year. We then become defeated when he tells us that they don't start putting the special postmark on envelopes until December 1st! NOOO! My mom and I step out of line to discuss what we should do. I call Zach (he stayed in the car) to see if we could come back on Monday on our way back home. We decide thats a bad idea, as it is an hour out of our way. I ask Gary if they can hold the mail until Monday explaining how far we had driven and he told us that they were not allowed to do that. We decided to just leave the mail and suck it up as a loss. At least the cards would have their standard Christmas, FL postmark which was better than nothing.

Gary stamped a postcard for me with their standard postmark to keep.

Me, my Mom and my Mother In-Law standing outside of the Christmas, FL post office!

P.S.- This story does have a very exciting ending... On the way back to Mount Dora I decided to call the post office. Gary answered the phone, and I asked him just to verify that the postmark our cards would get was not going to be the Christmas one. (Everyone in the car is laughing so hard at this point!)  Gary said that the postmaster had just come in after we left and because we had traveled so far they would postmark our cards with the special Christmas, FL postmark!!! I was BEYOND excited! I thanked Gary a million times and let him know that he had made our day!

THANK YOU AGAIN GARY!

christmas cards.

I decided to decorate my envelopes for my Christmas cards this year since we were making a special trip to Christmas, FL to have them postmarked. (Blog post about Christmas, FL coming Monday!)

It was a good time to practice my hand lettering skills too!

I also picked up these adorable stickers at Michaels to put on my envelopes!

stamps: wilt chamberlain

Image from: uspsstamps.com

This year, the U.S. Postal Service® celebrates the life of basketball superstar Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999). On the court, he was a force of nature. The 7-foot-1-inch center dominated the NBA for more than a decade, setting a plethora of individual records. As a pro, he led his teams to two NBA championships, and in 1962 he scored an NBA record 100 points in a single game.

The Wilt Chamberlain stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps.

You can read more about the Wilt Chamberlain stamps here.

received with love.

I have been slacking on taking photos of my sent and received mail lately, but wanted to share this cute mail tag I received from one of my penpals. I asked her to describe what her post office looked like and she sent me this cute little drawing! 

I like to see where my penpals send and receive their mail from! 

So be on the lookout penpals for this mail tag question coming your way!

get it there on time.

Don't let your letters and packages miss Christmas, send them out by these dates:

DECEMBER 15
Standard Post
For larger packages (up to 130") that aren't urgent; delivers to most locations in 2-8 business days.

DECEMBER 20
First Class Mail
For envelopes and packages weighing up to 13 oz.; delivers to most locations in 1-3 business days

DECEMBER 20
Priority Mail
Flat-rate pricing options for packages and envelopes; delivers to most locations in 1, 2, or 3 business days

DECEMBER 23
Priority Express Mail
Flat-rate pricing options for packages and envelopes; delivers to most locations overnight

marilyn monroe's love letters.

Marilyn Monroe's lost love letters will be auctioned off on December 5th and 6th at Julien's Auctions.

They will be put on display to the public at a Beverly Hills gallery for four days before being put up on the auction block where they are hoping to get $1 million or more. 

"I love you and want to be with you," DiMaggio wrote in one letter that will be included in the auction. 

There will be letters from Joe DiMaggio and her third and final husband Arthur Miller included in the lot. 

shop small.

Shop Small Businesses Today! This day helps encourage people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. 

In honor of this special day I am offering a special "Shop Small" discount in my etsy store today!

Enter the code: SHOPSMALL for 20% off your total purchase!

It is just a small token of my appreciation to say thank you for supporting my blog and etsy shop over the years!

holiday gift guide.

I thought I would put together a little gift guide to help with your holiday shopping for all of the letter writers in your life (or a little special treat for yourself)!

Image from: containerstore.com

Look at these adorable birdie envelope openers! It is designed to open letters with its sharp tail as well as sit and rock beautifully back and forth when not in use. You can order these birdie envelope openers from Container Store in three beautiful colors.

Image from: victoriantradingco.com

This adorable silk scarf with a myriad of post-marked correspondences on it. Scarf measures 10" x 57". You can order this beautiful scarf at Victorian Trading Co.

Image from: threepotatofour.com

I have always loved this classic hotel key tag for the Penpal Society! I think this year I am going to buy this for a stocking stuffer for a friend and quite possibly myself! Tag measures 3.75" x 1.75". You can order this club key ring at Three Potato Four.

Image from: etsy.com

Beautiful wax seal stamps by Back to Zero! She has a shop filled with beautiful stamps and colored waxes. There are so many stamps to choose from or order your own custom design. You can order these wax seals at BacktoZero.

Image from: modcloth.com

These postage stamp leggings! How cute would this be with a big black sweater and some flats. Let everyone know that you are into stamps and letters with these fun leggings. You can order the keep me postage leggings at ModCloth.

Image from: amazon.com

Wanna make your life a little easier when it comes to making envelopes? This envelope bunch board will be just thing you want to add to your Christmas list this year. You can order the envelope bunch board at Amazon or pick one up at your local craft store. 

vintage airmail envelopes.

I went to NYC last month for a few days and while there Amanda and I strolled through the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market.

There were a ton of booths set up and they were even filming two episodes of "Flea Market Flip"! Some of the booths had vintage postcards, magazines, stamps, etc. I could have stayed and looked around for hours but we were on a time crunch that day.

Before we headed back to our hotel I did stumble upon a box of vintage airmail envelopes. There were three that stood out to me due to their typical classic airmail look, faded slightly and yellowed with a story of the past to tell. I picked them up to look at them and when I flipped them over was surprised to see that they were printed with NYC icons on the back of them. They were beautiful! I knew right then I had to have them.

Aren't these beautiful? They are to pretty to use, so I am thinking of having them framed and hung up in my office.

Have you guys ever stumbled upon any great finds like these at flea markets or antique shops? If so, I would love to hear all about it!

"Whatever you choose for your stationery is your favorite color because it's where you pour your heart out."

- Mary E. Pearson, The Miles Between

stamps: christmas magi

Image from: uspsstamps.com

The U.S. Postal Service® celebrates one of the most beloved stories of the Nativity with an evocative and elegant new stamp, Christmas Magi.

The stamp art illustrates the traditional tale of the Magi-also called the Three Wise Men or Three Kings- who came bearing gifts for Jesus. The three regal figures sit atop a trio of bedecked and harnessed camels, the animals almost at the summit of a small hill. Guiding them is a large, dazzling star shining in the sky. The colors in the sky range from a rose near the horizon, darkening to a rich purple at the top, suggesting that the travelers are moving through the desert at dawn.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp; Nancy Stahl was the artist.

The Christmas Magi stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp.

You can read more about the Christmas Magi stamp here. 

stamps in season.

 It's Here, It's Here! The new issue of Stamps in Season has arrived!

As always, the page spreads are very nicely designed with photographs of the new stamps! It also contains tips for sending fun holiday mail!

Some of the tips included in this edition of Stamps in Season are:

• Greetings from Holidays Past

      • Save the Christmas cards you receive this year, and give them new life next year with a little creative handiwork. You can turn them into...

          • Gift Tags

          • Postcards

          • Place Settings for Holiday Meals

          • Recipe Cards for Christmas Cookies

          • Homemade Ornaments

• Advice from a Gingerbread Architect

      • Bake the gingerbread when humidity is low, since moisture can cause the cookie to soften and become less sturdy.

      • If you're making your own pattern, cut the pieces out of cardboard and tape them together to see how they fit. 

      • Give yourself plenty of time. After constructing the frame, let the icing dry before adding the extra weight of candy. 

      • If your house is large and needs extra support, make reinforcements out of gingerbread or candy sticks and apply them to the inside corners using icing.

• Crafting your Holiday Letter

       • DO

          • Share the highlights of your year

          • Keep it positive

          • Be personal yet humble

          • Share funny stories

          • Include a family photo

          • Include a short handwritten note

      • DON'T

          • Recount every single event

          • Share bad news

          • Talk only about your kids' talents

          • Use sarcasm (the tone might get lost)

          • Send multiple shots of each person

          • Forget to proofread (especially names)

• Stay in touch with USPS

      • Facebook:

          facebook.com/USPSstamps

      • Twitter:

          twitter.com/USPSstamps

      • Pinterest:

          pinterest.com/USPSstamps

      • Instagram:

          instagram.com/USpostalservice

Sign up here to get each edition of Stamps in Season or pick up a copy at your local Post Office!

keep your fork, there's pie letterset download.

I love fall and everything about it! I love the time spent with family and friends enjoying delicious food

and great company, especially the pies! This letterset was inspired by the time spent with friends and
family giving thanks for everything the year had to offer and eating delicious homemade pies!

®2014 postmarked with love

®2014 postmarked with love

Download your own copy of the keep your fork, there's pie letterset here! Enjoy!

penny postcards.

My husband (Zach) found this great postcard website and shared it with me and I wanted to share it with you all today:

Penny Postcards
These postcards cost 1¢ to mail. Postage was temporarily raised to 2¢ from 1917 to 1919 to cover the cost of World War I and again from 1925 to 1928.

You can click on any state listed and it will show you all of the penny postcards that have been submitted for that state (broken down by county).

Here are some of the postcards that were my favorite from my hometown of Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia:

Image from: usgwarchives.net

Image from: usgwarchives.net

Image from: usgwarchives.net

Do you have any penny postcards you would like to share? You can be a contributor for the website and submit your own postcards as well.

making mail movie.

Making Mail
A documentary by The Making Company exploring the human connection through the movement of mail art. It features artists who embrace the antiquated postal service and use it to send beautiful pieces of mail art across the globe.



I would love to hear what you all think about the documentary! I know it has inspired me to decorate all my letters even more now before sending just a plain envelope out the door!

Also, drop into The Making Company and let them know what you think about this great film, I know they would love to hear your feedback!

You can follow Amber Esner and all of her lovely mail art here.

this week in history.

I found a little article in my newspaper this weekend that involved a little postal history.

1989
The U.S. Postal Service introduces the no-lick, peel-and-stick, self-adhesive stamp in a national debut at the Pavilion in Virginia Beach. The debut of the stamp in Virginia Beach was decided by the Postal Service because the issue date coincided with VAPEX '89, the Virginia Philatelic Exhibit.

I like reading interesting postal history facts, but it is even cooler when it involves my hometown!

stamps: rudolph the red-nosed reindeer

Image from: uspsstamps.com

On the evening of December 6, 1964, families sat down to watch a new TV show for the first time: an animated special called Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The hour-long show went on to become not only the longest-running and highest-rated Christmas special in TV history, but also a beloved holiday tradition.

Rudolph and his friends now bring their own brand of joy and nostalgia to four holiday stamps. The stamp artwork features still frames from the special, which was produced by Rankin/Bass using stop-motion animation.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps.

The Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps.

You can read more about the Rudolph the REd-Nosed Reindeer stamps here. 

batman first day of issue postmark.

Do you want to receive the official Batman First Day of Issue postmark? If so, here's how to do it!
DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 8.

STEP 1:
Affix one or more of the new Batman stamps to an envelope (or envelopes) addressed to yourself or someone else.

STEP 2:
Place the envelope(s) in a larger envelope addressed to:
Forever Batman Stamps
Special Events Coordinator
380 W. 33rd Street.
Room 4032
New York, NY 10199-9998

STEP 3:
Mail the envelope(s) to address above. After applying the postmark, USPS will mail the envelope(s) back to you or your addressees.

the new york museum of postal history.

I recently spent the weekend in one of my favorite cities with my best friend and she luckily let me drag her to The New York Museum of Postal History. The tiny museum is located inside the James A. Farley Post Office.

The James A. Farley Post office is one of the largest post offices in the USA.This post office itself is something to take in just due to its large size and great structure.

Tucked away on the right hand side of the post office is a very tiny (and do I mean tiny) museum of postal history. There is a display of different mailboxes from a few different countries as well as the only known four sided mailbox circa 1929. 

There were also a few mail delivery systems on display such as a bicycle and a horse drawn wagon.

And last but not least a small little area that talked about the postal history.

Overall, the museum within the postal service was very tiny but filled with fun things. It is worth taking a look if you ever find yourself in New York City with a few minutes to spare!

James A. Farley Post Office

421 8th Ave. 

New York, NY 10001

Between 31st and 33rd Street