Guest Post | Miki of Miki's Scrapbook

Hello, Letter Love followers! I am Miki from Miki's Scrapbook and it's a pleasure to be guest posting here today, basically for two reasons. 1) I met Anne not so long ago, but I became friends with her very easily (because let's face it, she's totally loveable!); 2) I love snail mail! So it's cool to have the opportunity to share my mailing experiences here with you :).

First and foremost, let me just say that I'm totally delighted with the way USPS works! I am originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina (have been living in California for over a year now) and the postal service there is ... how can I put it? Really far from perfect! They don't let you use tape on envelopes, letters get mysteriously lost, they charge you taxes if you get a package, oh, and the postmen and employees at the Customs have the right to ask you to open your package in front of them ... But anyway, here in America my experience so far has been 100% satisfactory. I'm currently into sending packages in unconventional and unwrapped containers such as bottles, food boxes and balls and so far I have never had any problem.

My first experiment was the Easter eggs you can see in the pic above. I was not sure whether they were going to accept them at the post office, so I opted to get the stamps and throw them in the mailbox. Fortunately, they reached my recipients with no trouble! :)

I also like using water balloons instead of packing peanuts. They hold up ok for about 3 days, which is how long it usually takes for packages to get delivered. I don't think I'd use balloons for international shipping, though. Oh, and in case you're wondering where I got the plastic balls, they're 99c over at Party City.

Some considerations to take into account:

When you use an unwrapped container, always cover the bar code if it's exposed. I learned that when I took the tin foil box above; the employee had to use black permanent marker to cover it.

If you prefer to skip the post office and print the labels at home or use stamps, check USPS First Class price list (packages) and be aware of the fact that prices vary according to the measurements and shape of your container.

If you pay an extra 85c you can track where your package is on the USPS website. I bought an app that's called Package Tracker so I get the updates on my phone. This app costs $1 and works with many different shipping companies.

Thanks a lot, Anne for letting be here today!

Hope you all have a great day! ;D

Miki 

Guest Post | Shannah of Write Before Your Eyes

Hello all you wonderful people! First, I'd like to say that I was honored when Anne asked me to do a guest post on her blog. My name is Shannah, and I am the creative mind behind Write Before Your Eyes. This is my first guest post so, here goes!

Since I have a passion for writing letters, I'd like to share with you some tips on how I write/decorate letters. First, I find all the things I may use to decorate a sheet of paper. The paper can be plain or colorful. In this case, I decided to start with a colored sheet. Washi tape is also amazing for adding that extra pizzaz to your stationery. I like to use funky notepad sheets as well, to finish the letter out or add an extra note. Also, ephemera gives it that retro vintage look, if you like that style. 

When writing a letter, you really can't go wrong as long as you're honest! Write about your day, your week, your pet/family/friends, hopes/dreams/aspirations! In this case, I wrote mostly about the vacation I had just taken.

Now, on to my favorite part: decorating the envelope! When making your own envelopes, try to find/make colorful ones. For this one, I found a blueish sheet of paper. For other decorations, I used real lace and ephemera. Go crazy with layers! Pretty much anything flat is great for decorating an envie.

A bit of cutting and a tad of glue and...

This particular letter is going to my pal Melissa. <3

It's just that simple! AND it's very fun creating a piece of artwork when you know the person receiving it will enjoy and appreciate it! Send letters to your family, friends, people you don't know, nursing home residents, hospital patients, down the road, across the seas. It does not matter its destination, as long as it arrives and puts a smile on a person's lovely face. So, what are you waiting for? Go brighten someone's day!!!