Mailbox Contest Winners

Announcing the mailbox contest winners from the Sept/Oct newsletter. There were four prizes given away and each recipient selected the prize package they wanted to win when they mailed their entry. There were about 5 entries for each prize selection so I sorted the mail into A, B, C and D piles and selected one…

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Planning a Visit to the National Postal Museum

We are planning a trip to DC in September and we have it on our itinerary to visit the National Postal Museum. I’ve been reading some interesting blog posts about it and am very excited to spend a good half day there- meeting other interested folks, seeing the history of the postal service, getting story…

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It’s in the Mail

Part of the charm of letters, postcards and packages is the surprise that is waiting for you in your mailbox. What will come today? Maybe nothing comes for weeks, but then, one day, you find a hand addressed envelope with a Mickey Mouse stamp. That is a good mail day. A lot of of you…

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Pen Pal Letters

I love a good letter! Who doesn’t? I’m lucky enough to have an awesome group of pen friends. The one who sent this letter regularly adds art work to his envelopes and stationery. Victor is 80 years old and likes to work with water color and pencil drawings. He is a colorful personality with some…

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‘Yours Ever’ Contest Giveaway

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I decided to have a contest giveaway of Thomas Mallon’s engaging book, ‘Yours Ever: People and Their Letters’. I first wrote about this book when it was published in Nov. 2009. Now that I’ve finished it, I thought I would tell you a little bit about it. I am greatly…

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My New 5-Year Diary

2010 will begin with a new 5-year diary from Levengers (this photo is from their website). I also got one for my sister, who wrote the following in her Christmas letter this year: “I read my Mom’s journals this summer. For those of you considering starting a journal, I would highly recommend it. It was…

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Giveaway

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! I visited the Missive Maven blog as I do regularly and see that she has a contest to give away a copy of this new hardcover book, Yours Ever, by Thomas Mallon. Just pop over and leave a comment on Missive Maven’s site to be entered to win. I got…

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Found Letter

I came across this letter inside of a used book that I bought not too long ago. And earlier this year one of my pen pals sent a copy of a letter she also found in a used book that she got from Goodwill. Aren’t these fascinating these little glimpses into lives other than our…

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Exotic Postmarks

I love the name of this department, Exotic Postmarks! What does that bring to mind for you? Besides stamps, as shown in this sample article, I think of postcards, penpals, old letters found at an estate sale, vacations, Agatha Christie. Or, how about a Vintage Paper Fair held three times a year in different CA…

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Who Do You Write To?

The first question people ask when I tell them I’m starting a magazine on letter writing and journaling, is ” Does anyone write letters any more?” And when I assure them we do, their follow question is “Who do you write to?” The most common answers are friends, relatives and pen pals. Even with email…

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