OUTGOING MAIL: Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower

Although autumn and I didn't start off as the best of friends this year (what's up with that flu, pal?!), autumn always makes a rewarding theme for a letter. This one went to my friend Aurelia in Poland.

I folded a piece of leaf-patterned cardstock in three to make a little folder (notice I've got a thing for folders lately?). Searched my stash for matching paper for writing sheets and mailtag, then I just decided to go for ocher because that's probably my favorite autumn color (ugly word though!) I decorated the writing sheets with some red patterned washi tape and used a dark green fineliner to write my letter. And phewwwww the ocher matched my cardstock! I do not only have a thing for folders, I also have a thing for matching colors and patterns. Might need to see someone about that.

For the mailtag, I used a leaf-patterned piece of paper by Flying Tiger (whew, I'm even matching patterns now!). I used one side of the folder for my mailtag answers and questions, one side to stick the letter (used golden washi tape for that), and I sent Aurelia a nice bag of autumn tea. Which I stuck to the folder with leaf-patterned (sigh...) washi.

One of my penpals sent me some beautiful fake flower leafs a while back, and since the colors matched the theme perfectly I used them as a decoration on the front of the folder. Baker's twine helped put it all together. Baker's twine always helps putting it all together.

My color-matching, pattern-matching heart is beating so fast right now! Hope you enjoyed, please share any links to your own fall-themed snailmail or crafts!

Love,
Anne

INCOMING MAIL: The cutest package in the history of snailmail

The past week I have been a bit under the weather, something I thought was 'just a cold' turned out to be a jaw sinus infection, I was not feeling well at all. I suck at being sick, I can't stand just lying around and not having the energy to do anything at all. So when this FAT envelope fell into my mailbox, I was soooo incredibly happy! It was such a joy to unpack everything, every page held a little surprise. 

This snailmail folder my dear Philippine penpal Joeylyn sent me has everything I love: pink, kraft, polkadots, lace, a button, it's just gorgeous isn't it? The envelope was also super pretty!

But the best was yet to come! Look at this beauty. Can't put into words how happy this made me. Look at all the work and love that went into it. This is exactly the reason I love snailmail so much: someone on the other side of the world puts love, effort and time into creating something beautiful for someone else, selflessly! Who needs social media when you can have a hobby like this? Sorry for being so melodramatic, must be the last flu symptoms speaking ;-)

Moving on! Let me show you the pretty surprises every page held. On the first page I found a, Captain Obvious alert, cute earphone holder. Oh and take a look at the neat stitching!

The second page held some Philippine recipes, because in my previous letter to Joeylyn I mentioned cooking to be a huge hobby of mine. These dishes all sound yum, will give them a try soon! I love receiving recipes from my penpals, and I send some of my own favorites around every now and then as well. It's an easy and fun personal touch to a letter I think.

On the third page I found a nice long letter, which kept me busy during my time on the sofa sipping tea and blubbering away kilos of tissues. Love the washi and all the cute decorations.

And then the last pages held some cute stationery and goodies, I especially like the wreath stickers! I already have a little project in mind I am going to use these for.

Bonus: a closer look at the cute charm bracelet Joeylyn made me! I loved the charms she chose, I guess the most fitting was the one on the left: "Made with love". 

Well, this whole post basically is a huge THANK YOU to Joeylyn, your package definitely made my day!

Love,

Anne

OUTGOING MAIL: Happy snailmail folder

On Pinterest and several Instagram accounts I came across some pictures of beautiful folders to send to your penpals. The basic concept is super easy, and the result is just too cute to send. So I decided to give it a try, and one week ago I sent my first snailmail folder off to my Aussie penpal Zoe.

Well, as mentioned, the basic idea is pretty simple! I used a piece of A4 patterned cardstock, and because the paper was pretty thick, I rilled the lines I wanted to fold first. That way, it's easier to fold neatly. I folded the paper in half widthwise and made a lengthwise fold to create a pocket (I made it so that it fitted a regular C5 envelope, but you can size it any way you like). I put washi tape around all the edges for decoration and a little reinforcement. I used the left side of the folder for some goodies, and the right side to put my letter in. For the letter, I used some recycled paper which I decorated with, of course, washi tape from, of course, HEMA.

I answered Zoe's mailtag questions from her last letter, and added a new mailtag. Both on small washi-decorated red writing sheets, written on my typewriter.

In the left side of the pocket I put some goodies in the same colortheme as the folder and decorations. With her last letter, Zoe sent me a very cute small envelope with geometrical bits and pieces on it. I thought it really fitted the theme of my folder, so I decided to reuse it: I put some washi samples and neon highlight stickers in it. Another gift I added is a small envelope I folded from Flow magazine paper. 

I kept the decoration of the folder easy and simple: from scraps of the same paper as the folder I punched some decorations and glued them on the pocket and on the outside of the letter.

I like to add bunting wherever I can, it gives an instant happy and festive look! Easy does the trick: I cut some triangles, glued them into the folder and with my white Signo Uni-ball pen I drew a line. 

I wrapped up the folder with some neutral colored baker's twine and a grey button, I thought it didn't need much more. I like the result, I hope Zoe does too!

I am definitely going to create more of these folders, it's such an easy and fun way to send mail around the world! You can go as crazy as you like with the decorations, the possibilities with this are endless. 

Love,

Anne