#write_on letter writing kit.

Tomorrow begins National Letter Writing Month!!

Start Letter Writing Month off with a FREE letter writing kit provided by Hello!Lucky and Egg Press!

Kit Includes:
4 Letterpress Cards
Gelly Roll Pen by Sakura of America

I have signed up to receive my free letter writing kit and look forward to taking part in the #write_on campaign this April!

box of sunshine.

A friend of mine recently got diagnosed with gastric cancer, so some coworkers and I picked up a few things to make her a box of sunshine to help brighten her day!

We grabbed a box at work and went to target to stock up on all things yellow! We filled the box with all of the yellow goodies and wrapped it with yellow tissue paper and raffia and topped it off with a cute sunshine get well card!

For a finishing touch, I decided to wrap the box in kraft paper and stamp a little sun all over the paper and emboss it with my neon yellow embossing powder!

Do you want to make a box of sunshine for someone? Below are a lost of some items to help get you started, but the options are truly endless!

Some ideas of yellow things to fill your box with:
• Picture Frame
• Coffee Mug/Glass
• Candle
• Chapstick
• Nail Polish
• Soaps
• Loofah
• Lotion
• Hand Sanitizer
• Straws
• Snacks
• Candy
• Juice Mix
• Cupcake Liners
• Gum
• Seeds to Plant
• Scarf
• Socks
• Magazine
• Book
• Crafting Supplies
• Stationery
• Pens/Pencils
• Stickers
• Post-Its/Notepad
• Hair Accessories
• Play-Doh
• Bouncy Ball
• Yo-Yo
• Bubbles
• Playing Cards
• Pet Toys/Treats

fun fact friday.

Fact:

The first parcel post message was delivered in South Africa in the 16th Century.

stamps: martín ramírez

Image from: uspsstamps.com

Although confined to psychiatric hospitals for more than 30 years, artist Martín Ramírez (1895-1963) produced more than 450 dynamic drawings and collages imbued with hypnotic power. Through the use of repeating lines and idiosyncratic motifs, Ramírez transcended his own situation to create a remarkable visualized world free from the constraints of borders and even, of time itself. 

The new sheet of 20 stamps will feature details from five of Ramírez's drawings. The first row highlights a floral detail from "Untitled (Horse and Rider with Trees)" from 1954. The second row showcases the central image of "Untitled (Man Riding Donkey)" from circa 1960-1963. The third row shows a detail from "Untitled (Trains on Inclined Tracks)" from circa 1960-1963. The fourth row showcases the central image of "Untitled (Deer)" from circa 1960-1963. And the fifth row features a detail from "Untitled (Tunnel with Cars and Buses)" from 1954.

The Martín Ramírez stamps will be issued as Forever® stamps.

You can read more about the Martín Ramírez stamps here.

dear reader.

A pen pal sent me this article: Ace Hotel Hires Writers to Craft Letters to Guests.

Image from: acehotel.com

The Ace Hotel New York  is located in Midtown Manhattan in a historic, turn-of-the-century building. The Ace Hotel provides a modern twist on old-time classics and continues to refresh the hotel room experience.

The Ace Hotel in NYC and writer Alexander Chee recently collaborated to surprise guests with letters. The initiative is titled Dear Reader. One writer each month will be invited for a sleepover at the Ace Hotel New York. During the writer's stay they will craft an open letter to an imagined audience of hotel guests. On a surprise date each month, the letters will be laid bedside in each room (hand stamped and numbered) to be found and read.

Keep being amazing Ace Hotel!

stamps: water lilies

Image from: uspsstamps.com

These beautiful water lilies will grace four new stamps from the U.S. Postal Service®.

Each of the four stamps depicts a close-up of one of four classic garden water lilies. The photographs were shot at midsummer at the Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens in Washington, D.C.

Water lilies are aquatic herbs that live in both temperate and tropical climates around the world; they are found in still freshwater habitats. There are more than 50 species in the water lily family and hundreds of hybrids. 

The Water Lilies stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps in booklet format. 

You can read more about the Water Lilies stamps here.

sent with love.

While on one of the brewery stops for #pedaltothepubs2015 I took a minute to write my postcards out! I love these bright colored Florida postcards. 

Dropping my postcards off in the letter drop box! 

historic open air post office.

While we were in St. Petersburg, FL last week visiting my brother-in-law I made sure to stop by and visit the historic Open Air Post Office. What a great concept! The building has served residents and visitors since being dedicated in 1916. I was so excited to check it out!

The Mediterranean revival style building displays Italian renaissance influences and contains many intricate exterior details. The building's open style was extensively promoted in the 1920's as proof of St. Petersburg's balmy climate. 

In 1969, portions of the building were enclosed to allow for indoor service counters, air conditioning and heating, and additional postal boxes. On April 4, 1975, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. 

Inside the Post Office is also a very tiny postal museum in the back that contains an old leather mail bag, typewriters, and old postcards showing the historic Post Office. The employee that I purchased postcard stamps from was very nice and told me that they used to have a special postmark, but sadly are no longer allowed use it. 

If you are ever in St. Petersburg, FL, I suggest making a stop to see this historic Post Office. Be sure to drop a few postcards off in the letter drop while there too. 

Open Air Post Office

400 First Avenue N

St. Petersburg, FL

snail mail café.

I read an article the other day about a Brooklyn pop-up looking to bring back the lost art of letter writing! This article hit close to home as the pop-up took place in my old stomping grounds of Brooklyn!

Image from: snailmailcafe.com

Snail Mail Café was created by Sarah Bentley. She hosts pop-up writing sessions where patrons can sit down with a hot cup of coffee and write notes to loved ones. Participants can purchase stationery, cards and stamps, and then Bentley collects and mails out the letters after each event.

Snail Mail Café is currently in the process of finding a brick-and mortar location to open a permanent Brooklyn space.

Follow Snail Mail Café:
Instagram: @snailmailcafe
Twitter: @snailmailcafe
Pinterest: Snail Mail Cafe

Thank you for creating Snail Mail Café Sarah Bentley! If I am ever in Brooklyn during a pop-up, I will be sure to visit!

bethlehem, pa.

I visited Bethlehem, PA on a work trip last week and made sure to make a visit by one of their post offices. I stopped in to see if they offered their special wise men postmark all year long, but sadly they do not! They only offer their special postmark during the Christmas Holiday. It was still nice to visit a new Post Office and drop off a few postcards I picked up while working.

This is the Post Office right before a big snow storm came through town. 

A few postcards from Lehigh University that I picked up to mail.

received with love.

I have been bad about posting my sent and received mail lately, but the other day was a great mail day!

the lettermate.

I have found the best product that has forever changed the way I address my envelopes!

Lettermate: An envelope addressing guide for those of us that have trouble writing in a straight line.

Image from: thelettermate.com

I don't know about you guys, but I can not write in a straight line to save my life. Anytime I want the address to look extra special on my envelope, I break out a ruler and pencil to help make sure my lines are even. Once the address is finished I go to erase my lines, but there is always a faint lingering of those lines left on the envelope. I find that to be so frustrating!

Image from: thelettermate.com

I was on pinterest the other day and saw a pin for the Lettermate and liked it instantly! I purchased it right away and was so excited to get it in the mail this past weekend! I have used it nonstop since receiving it. It also fits on a wide variety of envelope sizes.

Image from: thelettermate.com

You can purchase your Lettermate directly through her website, where she also has great how-to videos and a downloadable PDF booklet! If you are outside the USA, visit her etsy shop to purchase!

I would highly recommend this product to any letter writer, snail mailer and pen pal out there! If you purchase one, I would love to hear your review about it in the comments below!

paw pals.

While I was a member of the LEP, I signed up to take part in a Paw Pal Letter Swap! I chose my cat Elliott to be the Paw Pal because if he was a human, he would be the one most likely to actually write someone. Ha!

Elliott wrote his little letter to Nimue (A British Girl Kitten) and packed it full with treats and a handmade catnip toy!

He was excited to seal it up and have me send it off for him!

He received a letter back from Nimue and has since written back to her again! I think they will have a long time Paw Pal friendship!

daily things letterset download.

Do you guys ever write things in the upper corners of your letters to your pen pals? Sometimes I will write what song I am listening to, what I am drinking, the weather, etc. I thought it would be fun to create a letterset that featured mini icons representing those things that we sometimes write in the corners of our stationery. 

The categories I included are:

• Date

• Time

• Location

• What I am listening to

• Weather

• What I am drinking

I hope you like the categories and colors I chose! If there are any other icons or colors you would like me to feature, please let me know in the comments below!

®2015 postmarked with love

Download your own copy of the blue daily things letterset here! Enjoy!

®2015 postmarked with love

Download your own copy of the pink daily things letterset here! Enjoy!

®2015 postmarked with love

Download your own copy of the gray daily things letterset here! Enjoy!