Friday, January 4, 2013

2012 in review...

'Allo 'Allo snail mailers!

If it weren't for automated blogger, this post would be dated 2012. So thank you Blogger for keeping me on the date straight and narrow. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Welcome to the first Please Deliver To post of 2013, which is an apt "year in review" post.

Here's what happened in my world this year:
  • I started this blog, which has become something far more than I thought it would be. When this all started, I never imagined that it would put me in contact with such a great community of mail enthusiasts. I am thankful for all of you who visit this blog and read my ramblings, especially if you've left a comment or sent me an message over the past year. If I could reach through this screen [in a non-threatening, non-Poltergeist way], I would hug you right now and I'm sure you'd be thinking, "Please stop touching me, crazy woman." And that's okay, because I wouldn't want me hugging me either, but please know that I'm very glad you're here and I appreciate your support.

  •  I went to the UK for the first time and realized how much I belong there. My biggest goal in life is to rule the world live there permanently so hopefully, some day, I'll be blogging from a cafe in Bath with the world's biggest scone right next to me. A girl can dream, right?

  • I started Please Deliver To, the etsy store. I don't have the funds to commission a statue out of gold quite yet, but each sale makes me do an Eiffel Tower with my husband so it's still been a wonderful adventure. Thank you to the people who are helping to ensure that I don't end up on an episode of Hoarders when I'm 48. "Help me! I've fallen over paper and I can't get up!"

  •  I met so many wonderful people around the world through snail mail and this blog. To all my penpals and everyone that has written me a letter or postcard this year: it has been a delight getting to know all of you. Thanks for giving me happy mail days.

Here's what I'm looking forward to in 2013:
  • A project that I'm collaborating on with Julie from Penpal of the Week

  • meeting more wonderful mail enthusiasts through this blog and snail mail, which leads me into...

I'd like to use this New Year post as an opportunity to hear from you and get to know you better! So I figured I'd use the Bridget Jones method of introducing people with thoughtful (or weird/funny/quirky) details to get the ball rolling:

Hello blog readers! My name is Laura and I am a geek who becomes a slobbering, quivering mess around beautiful washi tape. Also, I cannot watch a single Lord of the Rings movie without wearing a headband that has paper Hobbit ears stapled to the sides. [note: although I have just given you sufficient ammunition, please don't start your new year by blackmailing me with this embarrassing detail. NO! Resist the urge. Or better yet...try it! It makes each movie that much more fun.]

Your turn! Let's hear about you!*

*I hope people actually introduce themselves! Or else my next post will simply be: Bueller? Bueller? Which might actually be fun.... 

Incoming:


Postcard from my best friend

Christmas card from Marissa. Marissa, I miss hearing from you!

Christmas card from Patty

Julie, the sneaky duck, used Snail Mail My Email to send this message to me. Imagine my surprise when it was sent from Australia. Snnneeeaakkky....

Sweet surprise from my close friend Kathy

Mary's own year in review newsletter!

Outgoing:


Spring flowers for Patty

Space bubbles for Jay

Scallops for Vanessa

According to science fiction written 50 years ago, we should have flying cars by now. Does anyone have a flying car that they're keeping secret? Wanna share?

Have a great week everyone!

25 comments:

  1. I was promised flying cards when I was a kid. the 2000s have been a little disappointing that way. But at least I found you so it all worked out.

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    1. Flying carDs? Yeah, those exist. "Oh hey look, there goes the Ace of Spades!" It's all in the wrist.

      You're welcome (both for my sage advice about flying cards and for brightening up your life). ;)

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    2. Wasn't there flying cards in the Alice in Wonderland cartoon movie? For some reason those freaked me out the most.

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  2. I am amazed with these envelopes and cards!:)

    And that is a good question about flying cars... Food for thought.

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    1. And robot servants too. We were promised robot servants as well, but so far we just keep waiting... :)

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  3. 'Allo 'Allo Lo-rra! Hope you're well. I can't recall how on earth I stumbled upon your blog, but am glad that I did! I love your creativeness in creating wonderful mail and of course, your HUMOUR! Keep coming up with those funny posts! You're a natural! Hmm.. flying cars will definitely make life easier, all those traffic congestion are driving me nuts. But the flying car production MUST be LIMITED or we'll have congestion above ground soon!

    P.S. You can get sick with all those scones!! LOL!

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    1. Bree! Thanks for your comment, I loved it! :) You also raise a really interesting point about flying cars and traffic congestion. How about they just allow penpallers to drive flying cars? "Do you snail mail? No? Then you don't get your flying car license." I think it's great criteria for deciding who gets a flying car, don't you? ;)

      Sick from scones?! GASP! NEVER!!!

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  4. Keep doing what you do. And I wouldn't mind a hug, but through the computer is a bit, well, unnerving. Of course once we have flying cars, who knows what other advances will have been made. Beam me up Scotty.

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    1. [Laura gives you a giant hug, but not through the computer...through the keyboard because she heard what you said and she's thoughtful like that....] :)

      Beam me up Scotty indeed! I desperately need some teleportation device invented.

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  5. Hello Laura! *waves*

    I'm Anni from Finland, and I'm a snail mail addict! Although at the moment my replying rate sucks, since the Christmastime was super busy with both sad (death of a family member) and happy (spending time with my family) events. However, tomorrow I'm tackling the letters I have received in the last 1,5 months and replying them! (Wish me luck!)

    I would love to have a hobbit ear headband, but alas, the possession that comes the closest is a reindeer antler headband. Two of them. My boyfriend's family gives strange Christmas gifts. (They're crazy but I totally love them!)

    And I lost my Etsy virginity today, when I bought something from Julie's La Papierre (excited to see what sort of collaboration you two are planning)! Your store is next as soon as I manage to decide between all the pretty things.

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    1. Hello Anni! *Laura gives you a big hug and then pumps your hand in an enthusiastic handshake* How so very lovely to "meet" you!

      I'm so very sorry to hear about the death in your family and I'm sorry for your loss.

      I wish you the utmost luck with catching up with your snail mail! Be a writing machine, I know you can do it! :)

      A reindeer antler headband is the best Christmas-themed gift that I could ever imagine! I hope you wear the headband with pride. Besides, you could still wear it while watching LOTR, and just pretend that you're a Hobbit with a slight ear deformity...

      Oooohh, etsy! I should warn you that after losing your etsy virginity, it's a slippery slope! There is no shortage of great things to buy and oogle. Sometimes I think I should sell my kidney for things on etsy. But that would be nuts, right?! [insert nervous laughter here....] :)

      Thanks for coming by and I hope to hear from you again!

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  6. I'm so excited for this collaboration! WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!
    I think my 2012 review would be "cried a lot. wrote a lot. spent a lot on post. fell over a lot. slept way too much." You should totally move to the UK, it has scones and COBBLED STREETS and ME - what else do you need?!
    Also I'm posting your ARTI-COOLZ on Monday.

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    1. What else do I need, indeed?! With cobbled streets, scones, and you, I could conquer the worrlllddd!!

      So, I had a dream last night that I met Fred from Spector. I woke up thinking, "Rhiannon would be SO proud of me." However, I doubt a dream meeting would be impressive; unless, of course, you're really impressed with my unconscious mind, in which: HEY! I MET FRED FROM SPECTOR.

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  7. Happy New Year! I too am excited to see what you and Julie are cooking up! And regarding previous comment on selling a kidney for etsy: don't worry, you can get an incredibly cute handmade one to replace it!

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    1. Tami, that is such a deliciously awesome solution and I love you for suggesting it. Seriously, its the best idea I've heard in months. Now, really important question: should I sell every body part that I have two of (for washi tape, naturally) and replace them with cute handmade versions? I'll be half woman, half yarn and glue though... will the kids run from me? ...

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    2. Laura,
      you would look like a LaLaLoopsy doll, which I find ADORABLE!!! And I hate the creater, because seriously...WHY didn't I think of that??? Grr!!

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  8. Happy 2013 to you, too, sweet Laura! ;D I totally think you should rule the world if you ask me ;).

    I still haven't seen any of The Lord of the Rings movies! :/ David bought the BluRay special edition boxset and I promised to watched at least the first time with him, but every time he asks me if I feel like watching it my reply is "no" :/ ...

    Have a wonderful week and an amazing 2013 :P

    Tight hugs!

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    1. Oh Miki, I'm going to write you a letter that is ALL about the LOTR. I'm going to talk so much about dwarves, elves, and hobbits that you're going to watch the movies just to shut me up. I'm such a good friend that way. ;)

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  9. Hi Laura!

    I'm Rachel and I'm a complete and utter fountain pen addict! I have over 20 plus of them plus loads of inks so every letter people receive from me is a unique combo! I also need hobbit ears I think - they would be THE must-have activity for 2013!

    And just to add to the excitement I'm also English - from a little village in Yorkshire and you would LOVE it here, so if you're looking for a rambling, musical, dancing, acting dentist with a bit of a thing for scones I'm your girl!

    happy New Year!

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    1. Hello Rachel! *waves with a limp wrist waggle*

      Fountain pens! I love it! I got my first fountain pen last year, and I think I need a new nib because I quickly discovered that while I used it, I couldn't write in a straight line. CLEARLY the pen's fault, what else could it be? However, I really enjoyed discovering the joy of having to wet the nib to get the ink flowing again. That's strangely fun! So how awesome that you get that joy for more than 20 pens! ;) How did you get into collecting/using fountain pens?

      Oh man, you hooked me with "little village in Yorkshire" because I absolutely would LOVE it there. Village and Yorkshire are two of my favourite things in the world! <3 Acting dentist! Ooohh, that is intriguing! Please tell me more!

      And everyone needs hobbit ears in my opinion... ;)

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    2. Well that's a very long story... Best told with pen and ink... On paper... If you'd like??

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    3. "limp wrist waggle"???!? That's NO way to make cards fly!!!!

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  10. Happy NEW YEAR!!! I am so gonna try the paper Hobbit ear thing next time I pull out the LOTR stack!!!

    Well you already kinda know me, uber Geek, Star Trek lover, I also slobber over Washi Tape and believe me I am going to be on hoarders in twenty years for the woman whose house was taken over by journals!!!! (that she made herself out of her paper hoard...)

    I hope you have an Awesomesauce wacky year and I can't wait to find out what your new project is with Julie!!! Should be uber fun.

    CHEERS!!!

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  11. I DO have a flying car...but since it's a secret, make sure no one knows!!! shhh!
    Ok, so since Laura did a intro, I guess I should too. My name is Jessica, I'm 31, a divorced mommy of 4 boys (02, 03, 05, 08). I am a substitute teacher, a breastfeeding peer counselor, a student, a pretend hippie and a Martha Stewart wanna-be. I live in the USA in the state of Missouri out in the middle of nowhere amid sticks, grass, cows and uninterrupted skies. You should see the stars out here...just wonderful! :)
    I'm obviously addicted to most all office supplies and anything located in a stationery shop or the postoffice. Michaels is my crackhouse. lol!

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  12. I looking forward to know more about this collaboration...

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