coffee stamps

I love these new stamps! The Espresso Stamps go on sale on April 9, 2021, and can be pre-ordered from USPS.  New stamps are always released with a first-day-of-issue ceremony that includes speakers and other fanfare depending on the theme and location. Seattle, Wash., is the location of this stamp’s new release ceremony. In these…

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desk covered with mailed envelopes

In 2021 I received 21 letters from InCoWriMo writers. I started receiving them in January and they continued into early March. In some past years, I have not received a single letter, so this is quite impressive! Although in most years, I have received a couple. I attribute receiving more this year because of our…

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leatherbound journal

There are two ways of looking at being 59 (or any age) – as if it’s the end of the world or the beginning of one. We all know the alternative of aging so with that in mind, it’s best to adjust our perspective, find the grace and the gratitude in our current place in…

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handmade envelope

I love handmade envelopes and sometimes find myself creating some out of paper bags, old maps, scrapbook or calendar pages. This week I received some letters through #InCoWriMo and was so pleased to have handmade envelopes included in the mix. Like this one from Mass. Or this one from Texas. It’s not unusual to find…

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I have been duly tracking what I send and receive for my participation in InCoWriMo 2021. I must say it’s my best year yet for receiving mail. Loads of fun stuff has come my way! I have received mail from 11 participants so far. I’ve responded to about half and have also been sending mail…

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Personalized Dayplanner

Some years I experiment and try a new planner, and some years I stick with my tried and true. I think this is my fifth year of using the spiral bound Erin Condren annual planner. There is so much I appreciate about these planners: The quality coil binding The customization The assorted options for cover…

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four different barn stamps

The price of a regular size (4×6) postcard in the US went from .35 cents to .36 cents. Of course, the previous postcard stamps are still good since they are forever stamps (one of the benefits of having stamps be forever stamps. This is the trade-off we get by not having the face value of…

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Junk Journal covers

One of my favorite things to make is Junk Journals. It combines my love of paper along with creativity and finding ways to use these items without just keeping them in a box or folder. Think of all the free address labels most of us receive after having donated to some nonprofit. Appealing magazine images.…

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uncle sam on bicycle stamp

I’ve started a new hobby: Stamp Collecting. I love seeing fun, different stamps on all of the mail I receive and I make an effort to use stamps that I think the recipient might enjoy. I’ve saved stamps for a long time, mostly by color, some by theme, to use them in my zines, artist…

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rose gold TWSBI eco fountain pen

I happened across this YouTube video late last year and became infatuated with the TWSBI Eco Fountain Pen Rose Gold Golden Horse Awards Limited Edition pen. It was amazingly hard to find, but my persistence paid off when I was able to order from the German website, FountainFeeder. Granted, it cost me $120 (99 Euros),…

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