neither snow nor rain?

WEATHER UPDATE REGARDING MAIL DELIVERY:

The U.S. Postal Service announced that it will not be delivering mail to a large part of the Northeast!

Service wil be suspended Tuesday in: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Southeastern and WEstern Massachusetts and Long Island, New York, due to the snowstorm.

Mail delivery will resume Wednesday in areas that it is safe to do so!

Please remember to clear a path way to your mailbox-especially on steps and icy sidewalks!

national handwriting day.

Image from: fancyhouseroad.com

National Handwriting Day encourages you to put pen to paper, and to practice your handwriting today! 

Ways you can celebrate National Handwriting Day:

• Write a Love Letter

• Write to Friends and Family

• Learn about Different Fonts to Write In

• Practice your Signature

Do you like your handwriting? Or do you hate it? Do write in print or cursive more often?

I personally hate my handwriting! I have very sloppy handwriting wether it is in print or cursive, so I typically write in print, as it is easier for people to read. 

stamps: forever hearts

Image from: uspsstamps.com

Combining artistic vision with a symbol of undying affection, the Forever Hearts stamps beautifully depict the ancient association between eternal love and the heart. 

Lacy lettering in the shape of a heart spells out the word "Forever" on two stamps. One design features red lettering on a white background; the other is reversed.

The traditional colors of red and white would be appropriate for valentines, wedding invitations, baby announcements, anniversary cards, party invitations, or any occasion that calls for a classic, timeless stamp. 

The Forever Hearts stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps. 

You can read more about the Forever Hearts stamps here. 

stamp dedication ceremony: forever hearts

Join the USPS for the Forever Hearts First-Day-of-Issue Stamp Dedication Ceremony in Richmond, Virginia!

Thursday, January 22nd at 11:00am

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Leslie Cheek Theater

200 N. Boulevard

Richmond, VA 23220

Join the conversation before and after the ceremony using #ForeverHearts.

I was so excited when I saw how close to home this dedication ceremony was going to be and then realized I had something scheduled that day that I can't miss. I have never been to a First-Day-of-Issue stamp dedication before and would have loved to have had the opportunity to check it out.

Have any of you been to a stamp dedication ceremony? If so, I would love to hear all about it in the comments below!

post office for sale.

A friend recently emailed me a Craigslist Ad listing a Post Office for sale in Sedley, VA!

Image from: craigslist.com

"Great Investment. Post Office building near Franklin, VA. Long Term Lease with United States Postal Service. Has been continuously leased by the Postal Service since 1964. Very little upkeep. All brick building with new membrane roof. $59,500."

Just think of all the possibilities of owning your very own Post Office! If I had the money, I would highly consider buying this little gem in the middle of nowhere!

special delivery v-mail.

I read an interesting article in my local paper about V-Mail and it perked my interest to find out more!

V-Mail short for Victory mail was a mail process used during World War II in the United States to correspond with soldiers stationed overseas.

Image from: postalmuseum.si.edu

Image from: postalmuseum.si.edu

V-Mail was a compact, lightweight sheet of paper that folded into an envelope ensuring lighter and smaller cargo making space available for other war supplies. This helped in getting more letters to military personnel faster around the globe.

You can learn a lot more interesting facts about V-Mail through the Online Exhibit offered by the National Postal Museum here. You can also print out your own copy of a blank V-Mail form to use as stationery. Just remember if you mail it, be sure to put a first-class stamp on it!

brown paper package desktop.

I love simple background images for my computer desktop and one of my favorite websites to go to for them is simpledesktops.com! I was searching on there for a Valentine's Day themed one and stumbled across this super simplistic one that reminded me of all things postal.

Image from: simpledesktops.com

Isn't it great? You can download it to use for your computer desktop here. I know I will be putting this up as my desktop image once Valentine's Day is over!

batman postmark.

I made a post a few months back about receiving the official Batman First Day of Issue postmark and decided to send some off myself to receive the special postmark in the mail. I mailed two envelopes addressed to myself and my friend Jessica in a larger envelope to the Special Events Coordinator for the USPS.

I honestly forgot I had sent it off, so was excited when I saw it in my mailbox the other day!

I think this is the coolest postmark! And I love how cool it looks with the Batman Forever® stamp too.

Did any of you lovely readers send off to receive the official Batman postmark? If so, let me know in the comments below.

stamps: battle of new orleans

Image from: uspsstamps.com

The War of 1812, sometimes called "the forgotten conflict," was a confrontation with Great Britain that brought the United States to the verge of bankruptcy and disunion. With this issuance, the U.S. Postal Service® concludes its commemoration of the bicentennial of a war that ultimately helped forge our national identity and gave us our national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The subject of this stamp is Andrew Jackson's triumphant victory over the British, at the Battle of New Orleans. Using mixed media, stamp artist Greg Harlin, a specialist in historical paintings, depicts American troops and artillery repelling British forces from behind a mile-long defensive earthwork known as Jackson's line.

The Battle of New Orleans stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp.

You can read more about The Battle of New Orleans stamp here.

writing a real letter.

I read an article in Real Simple last month about 5 old-timey rituals that should make a comeback. And of course #3 was writing a real letter.

"The handwritten letter is an endangered species. It was driven out by telephone calls, which are themselves being driven out by texting. Now, people tell me, when someone dies, they get a text from their friends that says, "Oh, sorry." Texting makes sense if you want to ask someone to get a cup of coffee. More serious occasions, like a death in the family or a wedding, call for a handwritten letter. It's not hard: Take a blank piece of paper and write." -Judith Martin

I could not have stated it better myself!

happy new year 2015!

Image from: pulpypics.com

Happy New Year to all of my fantastic readers and followers!

I don't know about you guys, but I am usually pretty bad about making and sticking to New Years Resolutions, but this year I am going to try and do better about that. 

If you make resolutions, what are some of the ones you are making for 2015?

Some of my resolutions this year include:

• Continue blogging more often

• Make more stationery

• Do my first ever postmarked with love craft show

• Exercise more

• Eat less carbs

• Make great mail art

• Read more

• Travel more