Friday, January 25, 2013

The 3 Ws (Washi, Washi, Washi)

I give up.

Washi tape, I am at your mercy. I have tried to resist you, I have tried to stop loving you, but it's like a zombie trying to resist the sweet taste of human flesh—it's just impossible!

I know that I don't have any more room for you. I know that I'll have to sell my kidney in order to buy more of you, but I must have you! I suffer from washinitis and you are my drug and cure.

*This blogpost is brought to you from Washi W-Anonymous, a concerned group of recovering addicts trying to help fellow snail mailers with their obsessive tape struggles. Laura came to us about a month ago, telling us that washi tape was taking over her life (as well as her house) and we tried our best to help her.

Laura left the above note before fleeing our clinic. We've now come to the realization that there are some washi weirdos that are beyond our help. Don't be like Laura. The last time we saw her, she was begging someone to give her washi tape in exchange for her kidney. It was frightening and we won't go into detail in case children are around. We thought it was our duty to bring you this story to the public as a cautionary tale for other people who might be on this terrifying path. Get help before it's too late! 

Incoming:




Shitflap! It's London-themed mail from Jess! Stop one on the Sisqo-themed "Thighs Like What-What" tour.

I don't normally show the contents of my letters, but Jess's husband, Dustin, is a very talented artist who drew a photo containing two of my most favourite things in the world. All it needed was a moustache and it would have been the trifecta of things I love; even so, I love this drawing so much. It seemed like a shame not to post it because I secretly think that Dustin wanted it shared. That way, he could mock us with his superior drawing talents and laugh at us mere mortals.

Squirrel postcard from, you probably guessed it, Sushi!

OY VEY! It's a party invite from Felicia!

Mail from my very favourite library page, Miki (whose most recent outfit post makes me angry that I don't live in California)

Mail from Vanessa in Chicago

Nuts from Natasha! More squirrels, baby!


Outgoing:


No outgoing for this week. It's not as if I'm the co-organizer of a club for penpals or anything, right? Own a mail blog? It would be ridiculous of me to send mail! Get outta here with your craaazy ideas people!

On a serious note though, I'm very much looking forward to the first issue of LEP's newsletter being completed because I'd like to a) sleep for more than 3 hours a night and b) actually write a letter. But soon...soon! 

Just a reminder that this is the last week to sign up for LEP at the discounted rate; otherwise, I will "see" you at the first LEP meeting on February 1!

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Laura vs. the World (of alarm clocks)

This week I had to start using an alarm clock again, which I haven't had to do in quite a while. This, naturally, started the epic battle of "Laura vs. the World (of alarm clocks)."

Alarm clocks are wretched things. I understand its functional purpose, but it's a wretched device. As a chronic insomniac, sleep and I hardly get acquainted as is, but when an alarm clock gets added into the mix—everything just goes bananas.

And despite my best intentions, I rarely actually get up on time because I've hit the snooze button eight times.

So, I decide to outsmart the clock by setting the alarm early so I can hit the snooze button eight times and still get up on time. Of course, that doesn't work because I'm now hitting the snooze button those eight times, plus another 16.

Huh. Well played, alarm clock. WELL PLAYED.

Laura: 0. Alarm Clock: 1.

And the battle continues...

(I'm sure some of you can relate to my alarm clock woes. How are you doing in your own alarm clock battle?)

Incoming:


HOLY MOLY T-REX. The very lovely Emilie is the only person I know who sends me truly velociraptoriffic mail—both literally and figuratively. Plus, she has a truly dinomyte dinosaur collection.

A postcard from my niece, the world traveller

Articoolz from the great Rhiannon

A letter from Jennifer

Outgoing:


There's a certain irony in the fact that by starting a club to facilitate and encourage penpalling, I've put myself in a position where I can't write letters. Other than one letter I wrote earlier in the week, I literally have no time for penpalling right now. I joked to Julie that we should start a League of Extraordinary Dishwashers, because that's certainly something that I'd like to stop doing. League of Extraordinary Toilet Scrubbers, anyone?

Arrows (she's over there!) for Sarah

Apples and lights for Julie in Grand Rapids

Handmade postcard for Nicole
And that's it from me! Wish me luck in my war against alarm clocks. It may have gotten the upper hand on me this week, but I'll make it sorry that it was ever created by the end. Happy mail days everyone!

Friday, January 11, 2013

Cat's out of the bag!

So, earlier this week Julie and I finally announced The League of Extraordinary Penpals (LEP)! WOOT WOOT!

We've been working on the LEP for a while now and I'm just relieved that the cat is finally out of the bag. I am total rubbish at keeping super exciting secrets and I have wanted to blab. my. freaking. mouth. off. for. forever. now.

This is mostly because I know how many of you awesome readers are total geeks and love superheroes like me and I can't even tell you how many times I have wanted to yell, "it'sasuperheroclubforpenpalsandyoushouldtotallyjoinandwe'redoingreallycoolthings." In fact, if you go back and re-read old posts, every time I used the word "mail," what I was actually trying to say is the above. 

I'm the person who gives you a gift and is then bouncing off the walls for you to open it. In fact, before you've ripped the corner of the wrapping paper, I'm shouting "It's a time machine! I got you a flipping time machine!" Because I'm just so damn excited for you to open (what I think is) the most perfect present and you're taking so freaking slow and ohmigod, will you just open the damn thing already? Don't you even think about Monica Geller-ing that wrapping paper. RIP IT! RIP IT GOOD.

And that's what it's been like for me, keeping LEP a secret. A person just isn't meant to keep all that enthusiasm inside! So now I'm showering you all with my excitement and enthusiasm for this project! *showers everyone!* Can you feel it through the screen? Raining down on you? Ew, except for that. I don't know what that was but I'd wipe it off with a wet cloth and get an umbrella...

Seriously though, BIG THANKS to everyone who has already joined LEP. Julie and I have some really cool things planned for the year and we're really happy you're going to be part of it.

Incoming:



New Years card from the lovely Holly

THIS is why I have the best penpals. Because they are terrific people who send me awesome things like photos of novelty condoms blown up like balloons (why YES, that's Big Ben, the mother of all condom clock towers). Of course, this arrived before the letter explaining the condom balloons but hey, I would never complain about recieving photos of condom balloons. Thanks Marissa!!

A letter from Katri, who possesses an extraordinary ability to write letters during blackouts

Letter from Jona, mail art from the very talented Boris

From Sukie, my future tea shop business partner

Letter from Marissa, explaining said condom balloons

Postcard from Julie in Grand Rapids

Postcard from Nicole

Snaily mail from my best friend


Outgoing:



Stargazing with Sarah (incidentally, this is one of my favourite outgoing envelopes ever so it seems apt that it's going to a penpaller who is doing a 365 day mail art challenge)

Words of encouragement for Super Sushi, my LEP partner in crime

All eyes are on Jess

Outgoing for Cheryl

Special thank you package for Ciara Kay, LEP's official illustrator and logo creator

And that's it from me! I hope you had a great week, and I wish you great mail days for the week to come.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Do you have what it takes...

... to join the League of Extraordinary Penpals (LEP)?!


Illustration by the awesomesauce Ciara Kay

The newly-formed LEP is looking for superhero and extraordinary penpals to join its ranks.

Do you write faster than the speed of light?
Does your mail arrive so fast that you could swear it practically teleported there?
Can you add stamps to your envelopes using only the power of your mind?

Then you should join the LEP!

Do you think you might be more of a muggle? No worries, the LEP still has something for you.

For example, do you like:
* monthly printables?
* snail mail challenges?
* mail swaps and letter swaps?
* monthly giveaways?
* learning about other superhero penpals?
* receiving mail?
* stationery?

Then you should join the League of Extraordinary Penpals!

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!