Bring in the Post, Please

And we have a winner!
It was so so fun to read all the comments
and hear of from every single one of you!
And so fun that there are a lot of people who still like an old fashioned letter.
I love it! :)

I think almost everyone that commented I thought,
“Oooo, I hope SHE wins!”
and then at the end I was feeling bad that there was only one winner!

I used random.org to choose a winning number…
My heart was pounding as I entered the number,
the number 70 popped up,
and the winner is Laura K.!

Congratulations, Laura!

Here is her comment:
“Ah, Clarita! If only you knew how deeply this post resonates in my own soul!
It makes me so very glad to know that there is actually someone else on this earth who shares my fondness for all things snail mail.
There is just something so romantic, so special, so thoroughly wonderful
about getting an envelope or brown paper package tied up with string in the postbox!
Anyway, t’was a beautiful post, dear lady, you made my day! :)”

If you can contact me, Laura, at claritayoder (@) gmail.com
with your mailing information, that’d be great!

Thank you, every single person, who took the time to comment!
I so enjoyed your comments!

__________________________________________________________

sta-tion-ery: noun
\ˈstā-shə-ˌner-ē\

 
{pinterest}

There are times when I think we live in the best era.

We have washing machines; no more doing laundry by hand.
I mean, can you imagine?

We have electric ovens, stoves, irons, hot water, indoor plumbing.

We can buy fresh strawberries and brussels sprouts and lettuce all year round;
we don’t have to wait on a garden to produce it for us.

We have a google search bar.
What did people do without that?

We have contacts and lasik surgery and braces and tamers for frizzy hair.

We have the digital camera,
making wanna-be photographers out of many of us (me included).

There are computers and computer programs,
speeding Bible translation by a decade and letting Jesus be known.

There are simulcasts and online sermons and wonderful blogs.

There are great authors by the scores, books to strengthen us and help us learn a million different things.

There is Pinterest, if you ever have an idea and want to see it realized before your eyes.

There are iPhones and kindles and laptops and iPods.

Seriously, even in my lifetime it is almost unbelievable what has changed.

There are a few things, though, that make me want to return to the
good old days.

One of those things is the post.
[yes, i’ll say post. it just sounds way cooler than snail-mail.]

I am a big, a BIG, fan of mail.
Any kind of mail, really.

I love to open up facebook and see a new message or two.
And seeing a friend’s name in my email inbox is so fun too.

But there is nothing that compares to seeing an envelope

with my name on it
in the mailbox.

Be it small,  large.  a package, a box,  a single envelope ~
it makes my heart flutter.
maybe even more like pound.

I know, I know.
I’m still a kid like that.

stationery: noun
\ˈstā-shə-ˌner-ē\

But that someone would think of me and send me a card?
Or take the time to say, “I was thinking of you and wanted to tell you!”?
Or just “I’m glad we’re friends”…
A few lines to a friend telling her what I like about her?
A little note to my husband, telling him thanks for working hard to provide for us?

Words aren’t even my primary love language,
but let me tell you, a handwritten note touches something deep within me.

If someone writes me a card,
not just signs their name, but actually writes a note,
I cannot bear to throw it away.
I have entire boxes full of cards and letters from friends since I and they first could write our names.
No joke.
{that was my confession}

There is something about a card or a letter that is so special.
There is time involved.
The effort made to say something.
And often words will tumble out in a card that wouldn’t in person.
Encouraging words, telling someone how much we love them,
how much they mean to us, telling them specifically what we like about them.
It’s becoming a lost art.

I think too as I’m a stay-at-home mom,
this is something that seems that it’s a forgetten ministry even.
To receive a card of encouragement as a mother/.wife/woman  is so hugely impacting to me.
And I want to remember to bless other people in the same way.

I’m not the model poster-child on sending a card through the post.
I have a lot of good intentions, but the doing it, especially with kiddos, can be more difficult.
But I love stationery, cards, paper, creativity, handwriting…

From the time I was old enough to buy my own stationery I kept a stash of it at all times.
First it was Hallmark, spending great sums on one single card.

Now I continually have a drawer full, but now with more economical pricing. :)
[It’s necessary in part because my girls are -almost daily- wanting to write cards.
There are times when some favorites disappear, but I do love that about them.]
I love Target’s selection of boxed cards.
Seriously, their designers are just so great.
Even Walmart (even!!) has a really pretty assortment.

But my favorite place to buy notecards is the overstock stores,
like Marshalls or T.J. Maxx or Ross.
The prices there are unbeatable.
You never know what you’ll find, but that’s the fun of the hunt. :)

My next place to buy supplies though?
When I need, er, want, more?
ETSY.
I browse Etsy like some might Pinterest.
Etsy is just too much for me, in a good way.
I love it, because it’s created, hand-created by someone
{at least, what i like to look at}.
I am SO inspired by that.

So, there are a few pictures of what inspired me all over again to write a card.

Envelopes.
Think outside the box.

A friend sent her Christmas cards out this year in a little brown bag.
It was ADORABLE. The creativity and cuteness was off the charts!
So I browsed {where else?} etsy for more ideas of the Little Brown Bag.

The Little Brown Bag,
so many adorable, easy, and crafty ideas…

{the bicycle stamp bag}

 {the little red wagon stamp bag}

{the striped bag with tape}

 {the lace  bag}

{the music sheet envelope and card set}

{the old advertisement envelope}

{the polka dot and striped bags with string}

 

{bags with paper doilies}

{chevron bags}

Oh, and just in case you want to put a crumpet, er, crescent, in the bag instead…

Or for Valentine’s Day, if you like the doily look…

Or a sweet feeling from years by gone…

And of course, if you like a more modern/contemporary look,
or if you want some real envelopes,
there are lots of fun options for you from paper-source.com . . .

 

{the button enclosure}

{the half moon enclosure}

And a few more colorful envelopes I found, various sites & sources…

 

Does that make you excited yet about Bringing in the Post? :)
I mean, seriously, one of these babies in my mailbox?
I guess the question really is: does this make me excited about sending someone else a post?
Because that’s just as much fun.

And I’m not quite done. :)

And Hand Lettering! Let’s not forget that.
Just in case you also enjoy pretty handwriting, here are some lovely ideas for your envelopes…

These are the only, and I mean ONLY, kinds of pens I use.
I’m super super picky.
Different pens write differently, I’m not kidding.

Introducing: the Pilot P-500, extra-fine in black.

{edited to add: the below examples are not my own handwriting!
pictures found online via pinterest :) }

 

 

In case you want lovely writing in one second…

{expressionery.com}

{etsy, custom stamp}

Some of my intentions for Twenty-Thirteen include sending more notes via the post.

And, in celebration of the old-fashioned post and a hand-written note, 
I’m going to do a little giveaway
{yes, the first from The Cottage}
and create a little stationery gift package for someone who comments on this post.
You do not need a xanga account to comment.

The giveaway may or may not include some of the above articles,
{um, I’m just making this up as I go, it’s a spontaneous idea!}
and any kind of stationery item.
It will be a cute little {not huge! :)} package,
and I hope you will enjoy!

Giveaway will be open until January 29,
and the winner will be announced sometime that week.
The package will be sent before March. :)

this giveaway is now closed

{I’m sorry, I will not be able to ship internationally, exception of Canada with U.S. mailing address}

Happy Posting! :)

 ~clarita

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