365 Letters

No U.S. mail service on Monday

2012-01-13T18:34:00.001-06:00

The U.S. celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday on Monday. It's a federal holiday, and there will be no mail service. If you were planning to mail something on Monday, you might want to put it in the mail on Saturday, instead.

Share Your Canceled Stamps

2012-01-13T14:33:00.001-06:00

At our house, we already save Box Tops for the school, and we save a variety of other things for re-using and recycling, as well as for just collecting. I often save brightly colored envelopes for papermaking projects.

I used to save stamps for a stamp collection, but I haven't done that in many years. Now, there's another reason to save used stamps. The Foxborough Regional Charter School in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is collecting canceled stamps for use in a project to honor the memories the 11 million Holocaust victims and to celebrate the lives of those who still survive today and bravely share their powerful personal memories and stories.

They are trying to collect 11 million stamps, one for each person killed. They still need more than 10,500,00 stamps. If you'll click on the Foxborough link above, you'll get all the details on where to send your old stamps.

I found the story on Dana's Save Snail Mail blog, and she found it on Lucas Johnson's Lucas Writes blog. Those are great blogs, and the Foxborough project is a great class project.

New Land of Enchantment Stamp

2012-01-11T14:25:00.000-06:00

Last week, the U.S. Postal Service honored New Mexico with a Forever stamp commemorating the state's 100th birthday.

The stamp art shows a landscape in northern New Mexico, about 65 miles northwest of Albuquerque. High desert, junipers and piñon pines grow in the foreground. In the middle distance, the Rio Puerco courses through an arroyo, while in the background, two peaks known as Cerro de Santa Clara and Cerro de Guadalupe are silhouetted against a vast sky.

According to the U.S.P.S. news release, when Spanish missionaries arrived in present-day New Mexico in the 1500s, they found a region already settled by Pueblo and Navajo people. The flags of both Spain and Mexico flew over the land before it became American soil. Northern New Mexico was ceded to the U.S. in 1848 at the end of the U.S.-Mexican War. Two years later, Congress established the New Mexico Territory. English-speaking cattle ranchers, cowboys, and miners mingled with the earlier Native American and Hispanic residents to create the unique cultural diversity that characterizes New Mexico today. Even after it became a state in 1912, New Mexico retained much of its frontier and Old Mexico flavor, and Spanish and English are both widely spoken.

A resident of New Mexico for more than 35 years, artist Doug West is best known for his southwestern landscapes and skies. Art director Richard Sheaff selected one of West’s existing oil paintings for the stamp art.

New Mexico Statehood is being issued as a Forever stamp. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate. What that means, is that if you buy the stamps before Jan. 22, 2012, they'll cost you 44 cents each. But, on Jan. 22, the price goes up to 45 cents each.

Elvis Letter Makes the News

2012-01-10T15:39:00.000-06:00

The San Antonio Express-News recently featured a story about a letter written by Elvis Presley. The story explains that the letter was written by Elvis when he was in the U.S. Army and stationed in Germany. It's written to Master Sgt. Bill Norwood, who lived at Fort Hood in Texas.

Presley had been stationed at Fort Hood, and Norwood had mentored him.

To read the story, click here. Be sure to look at the photos. If you look over on the left side of the screen there's a little header for "More information," where you can click to see close-ups of the letter's two pages.

National Letter Writing Week

2012-01-10T12:08:00.000-06:00

I'm sure it's not an official designation, but many people celebrate this week, the second week of January, as "National Letter Writing Week." And, I'm always happy for any reason that encourages people to write more letters.

Even the U.S. Postal Service mentioned it on their Stamps Facebook page!

If you haven't written a letter in a while, take this opportunity to join in on the fun and write a letter today!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-30T10:01:00.000-06:00

I'm looking forward to 2012 being a great year full of wonderful letterwriting activities!

Have a happy and safe New Year!

No U.S. Mail on Monday, Jan. 2

2011-12-30T09:55:00.000-06:00

In honor of the New Year's holiday, the U.S. Postal Service has announced that there will be no mail service on Monday, Jan. 2. Additionally, mail should be deposited in blue collection mailboxes before noon for early pickup on Saturday, Dec. 31, New Year's Eve. If you have any questions, call your local postmaster.

USPS delaying post office closings

2011-12-14T11:13:00.000-06:00

According to a news release on the USPS website, the U.S. Postal Service, in response to a request made by multiple U.S. Senators, has agreed to delay the closing or consolidation of any post office or mail processing facility until May 15, 2012.

A Reuters story on Yahoo.com has more information, as does the Washington Post.

This may be good news for some post offices and the people who use them, or it could just be delaying the inevitable.

Combining digital and snail mail

2011-11-28T13:55:00.000-06:00

Red Stamp is an app that you can download to your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad device and use it to design postcards, using the photos you take with the iPhone, et al. Then, the Red Stamp service prints the postcard and mails it to the people you list.

It's free to download the app, and many of the designs are free. Depending on how many postcards you send, they cost anywhere from $1.99 (for one) to 49 cents (for 1,000 or more). However, you can send the postcard electronically for no charge.

The app can be used for postcards, invitations, greeting cards, notecards and more.

Take a look at what they have going on at Red Stamp.

Writing Letters...it's not just fun...it's good for you!

2011-11-24T09:08:00.001-06:00

According to research, writing letters of gratitude can improve your level of happiness and decrease feelings of depression that you may have.

Steve Toepfer, associate professor in Human Development and Family Studies at Kent State University at Salem, conducted a study and published the results, that showed that writing a series of letters expressing real gratitude improves levels of happiness and that improvement increases with each letter.

“We know people who receive letters of gratitude benefit, but what about the authors? Will you feel better by writing letters of gratitude? Are multiple letters better than a single composition? That’s what we examined here," he said.

According to information released by Kent State, Toepfer said, “What we come away from this study is that if you are looking to increase your well-being through intentional activities, take 15 minutes three times over three weeks and write letters of gratitude to someone. You’ll feel better on those three variables. There is a cumulative effect, too. If you write over time, you’ll feel happier, you’ll feel more satisfied, and if you’re suffering from depressive symptoms, your symptoms will decrease.”

Toepfer said people have a store of gratitude that they carry with them all the time, and by simply using it, they can improve their well-being in significant ways.

“We have this powerful resource we’re carrying with us, but we need to tap into it in order to let it work for us,” he said.

To read the complete information from Kent Sate, click here. To read the online article from the Journal of Happiness Studies, click on this link: Letters of Gratitude: Further Evidence for Author Benefits.

Nothing is new

2011-11-23T19:51:00.000-06:00

According to the website Futility Closet, even "spam," those pesky emails trying to convince you that someone desperately needs your money or has money they need to send you, etc., has been around for about 200 years.

Greg Ross posted "Antique Spam" about scammers who sent handwritten letters to wealthy people in England, pretending to be needy people.

The Futility Closet is an interesting site with little bits and pieces of fascinating information. Check it out.

Great story about the impact of letters

2011-11-23T15:20:00.001-06:00

Claire Martin of The Denver Post wrote a great story about how letters written by school children impact U.S. soldiers.

Take a look at the story, and don't forget to watch the accompanying video:

Letters a link to home: Afghan GI, Sgt. Kennedy James, thanks students for project

Not just letters...LOVE letters!

2011-11-23T09:51:00.000-06:00

Have you seen this yet?

Hannah K. Brencher founded "The World Needs More Love Letters" website and project after she started writing and leaving love letters to strangers on the train in New York. She and others now write and send anonymous love letters to strangers.

It's not as weird as it sounds like it could be. The letters are uplifting and inspirational, a voice of kindness to someone who needs it. The website has suggestions for writing and "delivering" the letters, even examples of love letters that have been written. There's also a blog attached to the website.

The "Twelve Days of Love Letter Writing" is a project to collect love letters from letter writers like us and send them to people who need a boost. If you're interested in participating, click the link above and sign up and then follow through.

Holiday Stamps and Postmarks

2011-11-22T11:06:00.000-06:00

If you are sending out any type of holiday greetings this winter, you might want to consider USPS holiday stamps and special postmarks.

For specific holidays, there are two Christmas-oriented stamps, the Madonna of the Candelabra by Raphael and the Holiday Baubles stamps; for Hanukkah, there is a colorful stamp with a dreidel on it; and for Kwanzaa, the stamp features a family celebrating the holiday. The 2011 stamps are all Forever stamps and may be used as First Class 1-ounce postage now and in the future.

From the past are Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa stamps marked 44-cents, which are good for First Class 1-ounce envelopes this year and until the postage rates increase. After that, they may be used in combination with additional postage.

For New Year's greetings or other winter holidays, the Holiday Evergreens, Celebrate! or Love stamps might be appropriate.

Additionally, holiday mailers can request special postmarks from towns with festive-sounding names. For example, you can have your holiday cards postmarked in Rudolph, WI; Santa Claus, IN; or The North Pole.

According to the USPS website, you can get a North Pole postmark on a letter from Santa or on your holiday greeting cards. Click on the link above for a PDF document from the USPS about the service. The letters from Santa and the greeting cards need to be sent to Anchorage by Dec. 10.

If you'd like other postmarks, write to a specific post offices for postmarks to keep or to share with friends. Enclose a stamped, addressed card or letter in another envelope or box labeled “Christmas re-mailing” and address it to the postmaster of one of the towns listed below. Allow enough time for
postmarking, re-mailing, and delivery. You can have your cards and letters postmarked in Christmas, Florida, or Christmas, Michigan.

For non-Christmas holiday or winter cards, consider Star, Texas, or any of the towns named Hope, Faith, Frost, Snow, etc. For a list of towns with holiday names, check out the USPS list.

Yikes! The U.S. Postal Service shows $5.1 billion loss!

2011-11-16T15:23:00.000-06:00

Have you seen this story yet? The U.S. Postal Service looks to be in serious trouble.

According to the U.S.P.S. website, the Postal Service ended its 2011 fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2010 – Sept. 30, 2011) with a net loss of $5.1 billion.

A big part of the problem is that people aren't mailing letters and other First Class mail:

Total 2011 mail volume declined by 3 billion pieces, or 1.7 percent, from 2010. The Postal Service’s largest and most profitable product, First-Class Mail, continued its year-over-year decline, from $34.2 billion in 2010 to $32.2 billion in 2011 (5.8 percent), which dwarfed continued growth in its more competitive products, packages and Standard Mail.

There's a news release on the website, if you want to read all the details here.

Turning your letters into a journal

2011-11-08T15:12:00.000-06:00

Rachael of KitchenCourses.com wrote a guest post for the Making This Home blog (Katie writes that one). Rachael writes about turning the letters from her grandparents into a storytelling journal.

She gives step-by-step instructions in the "Writing Your Stories Via Snail Mail" post.

It's a lovely piece.

Mailman Movies?

2011-11-07T15:29:00.000-06:00

Back in the early days of this blog, we listed some movies that were about letter writing. This past weekend, my family and I watched an old movie that isn't exactly about letter writing, but one of the main characters is a mailman.

In "The Shaggy Dog" (the old, 1959, black and white version), Fred MacMurray plays Wilson Daniels, a mailman who hates dogs. It is just his bad luck that his son, Wilby, uses an ancient spell to turn himself into a dog.

Do you know of other movies that feature letter carriers or postal workers? Tell me about them!

He wrote 15,000 letters - How many have you written?

2011-11-04T14:47:00.000-05:00


Voltaire

According to Stanford University, 18th century writer and philosopher Voltaire wrote 15,000 during a period of time when Europeans wrote letters almost as often as Tweets are posted today. In fact, the network formed by the letter writers, mostly scholars and intellectuals, is called the "Republic of Letters," and researchers at Stanford have been studying what they wrote about.

The researchers used modern technology to "map" the letters. According to Dan Edelstein, assistant professor of French at Stanford, "We tend to think of networks as a modern invention, something that only emerged in the Age of Information. In fact, going all the way back to the Renaissance, scholars have established themselves into networks in order to receive the latest news, find out the latest discoveries and circulate the ideas of others."

For more information about the project, visit the Stanford website or the Mapping the Republic of Letters site.

So, penmanship DOES matter!

2011-11-03T10:43:00.000-05:00

Here's a video by The Wall Street Journal about what happens to letters with addresses that neither the computer nor the people can decipher.

How to get more mail in your mailbox

2011-11-02T16:59:00.001-05:00

10 Ways to Get More Mail

1. Write more letters. The more you send out, the more you'll get in.
2. Write to people who will write you back. You know which friends will write back. Write to them more often.
3. Join a penpal club. Click on some of the links on the left side of this blog; many of the bloggers post their mailing addresses online so that you can write to them. Or search "penpals" online. The blog Penpalling and Letters has a great list, too.
4. Join a swap, postcard or mailart group. (Use the same resources I listed in #3 above.)
5. Request freebies to sent to your mailbox. Search "freebies" online. There are many websites and blogs that post freebies daily. Here's a hint: if you don't want your email inbox flooded with sales pitches from the companies you request freebies from, create a new, free email address just for putting on freebie forms.
6. Order catalogs from companies that you like to buy from. To make this more environmentally friendly, share the catalogs when you are finished with them. If you don't have any nearby friends who share the same interests, donate the catalogs to resale shops, nursing homes, etc. Or, mail them to penpals!
7. Make donations to nonprofit organizations. Many organizations send out literature, address labels, etc. to donors.
8. Write to celebrities, artists, authors, musicians and others whose artistic work you admire. Ask for an autograph.
9. Write to businesses whose products you enjoy. Be specific about why you like the product and maybe even make a suggestion for an improvement.
10. Write to politicians about a relevant topic.

(Mailbox clipart courtesy of http://cliparts101.com/)

Three Biographies Based on Letters

2011-11-01T12:19:00.000-05:00

With "P.G. Wodehouse: A Life in Letters" scheduled to be released this week, I was researching the book when I came across two additional books created by compiling the subjects' letters. I'm sure there are more, but today, I'll share these three, all published by The Random House Group publishing companies.

According the website, the Wodehouse book is "the definitive edition of P.G. Wodehouse's letters, edited with a commentary by Oxford academic Sophie Ratcliffe. One of the funniest and most admired writers of the twentieth century, P. G. Wodehouse always shied away from the idea of a biography. A quiet, retiring man, he expressed himself through the written word. His letters - collected and expertly edited here - provide an illuminating biographical accompaniment to legendary comic creations such as Jeeves, Bertie Wooster, Psmith and the Empress of Blandings."

"Orwell: A Life in Letters," published last year, features previously unpublished material, including letters which shed new light on a love that would haunt George Orwell for his whole life, as well as revealing the inspiration for some of his most famous characters. Presented for the first time in a dedicated volume, the selection of Orwell's letters is a companion to his diaries.

According to the publisher's notes, "Orwell's letters afford a unique and fascinating view of his thoughts on matters both personal, political and much in between, from poltergeists, to girls' school songs and the art of playing croquet. In a note home to his mother from school, he reports having 'aufel fun after tea'; much later he writes of choosing a pseudonym and smuggling a copy of Ulysses into the country."

Francisco Goya was an artist in the 1700s and 1800s. According to the publisher's information about the book, "Goya: A Life in Letters," from an early age Goya was anxious to preserve a record of his life, but few of his writings have survived and his most personal records appear in his letters. He corresponded regularly with the aristocracy and the monarchy, as well as with friends. Goya's surviving letters reveal a highly emotional man, prepared to state his feelings as passionately to the authorities of a Cathedral as to a close friend. His letters make few concessions and are literary works in their own right. Uniquely individual, they signal a new attitude on the part of a fine artist towards his profession, his social position and his sources of inspiration.

White House ornament for sale at U.S. post offices

2011-10-31T12:36:00.000-05:00

Last week, when I was at an area post office, I noticed a display advertising the official 2011 White House Christmas ornament. I thought it was a particularly nice design, especially since I collect Santa Claus items.

The front of the ornament shows Santa in front of the White House saying, "I hear that there are some kids in the White House this year!" The ornament is a tribute to the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, also known as "Teddy." He and his wife, Edith, brought six children to live with them in the White House from 1901 to 1909.

I think the ornament is especially appropriate, since there are children living in the White House now, as well. Malia and Sasha Obama are the daughters of President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.

According to the USPS website, the Postal Service has teamed with one of the nation’s leading companies producing decorative and commercial products to sell the ornament at about 7,000 Post Offices across the country. ChemArt of Lincoln, Rhode Island, has been the sole manufacturer of the annual White House Christmas ornament since the program inception in 1981 and was given exclusive retail distribution rights by the White House Historical Association. The website says the ornaments cost $24.99 at the post offices.

Letter Writing Contest!

2011-10-28T14:15:00.000-05:00

Letters About Literature is a national reading and writing program for young readers, sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

According to the LAL website, the mission of the center is to promote lifelong literacy and libraries. LAL understands that children who read, write better; children who write, read more. But simply putting books in the hands of children does not guarantee successful reading experiences. LAL focuses on reader response and reflective writing, and in this way promotes personal relationship between the reader and the author or book.

Young readers write to an author — living or not — describing how that author’s work somehow changed the reader’s view of the world or himself/herself. Readers respond to the book they’ve read by exploring the personal relationship between themselves, the author and the book’s characters or themes.

The contest is open to kids in grades 4 through 12, and children may enter as individuals or through their school. For all the details on the contest, visit the website.

The LAL team of readers who assess the entries each year include librarians and former classroom teachers as well as graduate students in the field of English/Education.

Ellen proposes new stamps

2011-10-27T15:16:00.000-05:00

Here is Ellen's funny proposal for a couple of new stamps:

A paper kind of girl in a digital world

2011-10-27T13:04:00.000-05:00

For as long as I can remember, paper has fascinated me. I don't know why.

My dad used to bring home odd pieces of paperwork when I was a kid, old forms that weren't needed at the store where he worked. And, there were at least two aunts who likewise shared their scrap-paper with me. From time to time, as I dig through a box of mementos, I come across a drawing or note sketched out on the back of an old office form or some old school paper.

I think I liked paper before I learned to read or write. But once I learned to do more than scribble, my paper needs increased.

I know that that there are others out there in the world like me. I married a man who can't resist a notebook, journal or sketchpad. We're raising a daughter for whom paper just seems to spill out of her room.

That love of paper is entwined with a love of letter writing. It's hard to have one without the other.

Of course, I use computers and printers and email. But, there's still a joy that I get from putting pen (and often pencil) to paper and handwriting a letter or a note or even a grocery list (even though I've downloaded an app for that).

How about you? Do other letter writers have a similar love for paper? I'd enjoy hearing what you think about it.

Stamps for a Good Cause

2011-10-26T15:31:00.000-05:00

The Save Vanishing Species stamps, which were introduced last month, cost a little bit more (55 cents each, as opposed to 44 cents for First Class mail), but the extra benefits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, specifically tigers, African and Asian elephants, rhinos, great apes and marine turtles.

As you can see by the picture to the right, the stamp features an illustration of a tiger cub by artist Nancy Stahl. What a great expression she has captured with her picture!

I just bought a full sheet today, and the artwork is dark green and includes silhouettes of a rhinoceros, a tiger, a gorilla, Asian and African elephants and a marine turtle. According to the U.S.P.S. website, Stahl based both the stamp art and the silhouettes on photographs of wildlife. The phrases “Save Vanishing Species” and “Amur tiger cub” appear on the left side of the stamp.

There is an interesting article about the artwork in the latest issue of "USA Philatelic" magazine/catalog. The design is also available on a boxed set of notecards.

The Multinational Species Coalition is an alliance of conservationists, zoos, veterinarians, animal welfare groups, circuses and sportsmen. The coalition was created to advocate for the Multinational Species Conservation Funds and is committed to bringing greater attention to this stamp and the funds it was designed to support. The funds will be divided among the African Elephant Conservation Fund, Asian Elephant Conservation Fund, Great Ape Conservation Fund, Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund and Marine Turtle Conservation Fund.

National Mail a Hand Written Letter Day

2011-10-25T11:15:00.000-05:00

A fellow blogger at Natural Selections:: has declared next Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, National Mail a Hand Written Letter Day.

The goal of the day, according to the blog:

Your goal should be to write to someone who has never had this experience to receive one. I'm not talking about a greeting card, I'm referring to a pen and a sheet of paper...complete with stamps and addresses. Our demographic to reach should be someone 24 or younger.

There's even a Facebook page for the newly declared "day." And, once you start looking, you'll find there are quite a few letter writing Facebook pages out there.

With the U.S. Postal Service suffering so much lately, this seems as good a time a any to launch a new day celebrating correspondence! Write a letter today, and especially next Tuesday!

Loving Snail Mail

2011-10-21T10:31:00.000-05:00

Chelsea McMahon at the website In Her Twenties recently wrote a piece about Why Letters Are Worth Waiting For. She has some nice ideas on the topic of snail mail. Pop in and see what she has to say.

Ray LaMontagne's "Write You a Letter" song

2011-10-20T17:04:00.001-05:00

I know it's rather irrational, but sometimes I get mad when I find a great musician who's been around a while. I think, "Why have I never heard this before????"

I felt that way today when I heard Ray LaMontagne for the first time. The first song of his that I came across was "All the Wild Horses." Then, over in the sidebar on YouTube, I noticed one titled "Write You a Letter," which is why, of course, I'm posting about it on this blog.

Apparently, "Write You a Letter" was on an album titled "Green" that was only available for a short while. But, you can listen to the brief song online by clicking on the link above. While you're listening, you might as well listen to "All the Wild Horses" and "You Are the Best Thing," too. I've only heard a few of his songs, but I have a feeling there are many more Ray LaMontagne songs out there that I'm going to like!

I'm certainly glad I came across this artist today, but I'm sad it took me this long to find him!

Write a letter today...the National Day on Writing

2011-10-20T15:54:00.000-05:00

Today, Oct. 20, is the National Day on Writing, established and celebrated by the National Council of Teachers of English, and I think that makes it an especially nice day to write a letter!

If you need an idea about what to write about or who to write to, use the search box at the top left of this page and search for the word "idea," and you'll get several posts that you might can use.

Or, for the easiest idea of all...write a letter about the National Day on Writing.

Ben Stein suggests raising postage rates

2011-10-19T17:05:00.000-05:00

Did you happen to catch Ben Stein's commentary on CBS's "The Sunday Morning Show" this past Sunday? He was talking about how cheap it is to send a letter and how much he appreciates mail.

He said:

But just for me, email will never replace a printed or handwritten letter on an actual piece of paper. The most cunning email, with moving angels and dolphins and music attached, is not as touching to me as a letter some kindly soul sat down and wrote to me.

I guess it's because I am 66 years old, and I can remember the anticipation of getting letters and cards from relatives - mostly now long gone - and girls I had mad crushes on in high school.

To see how much he suggests they raise postage (hint: it's much more than the proposed penny), watch the video on CBS.

U.S. First Class postage to increase Jan. 22

2011-10-18T15:03:00.002-05:00

The U.S. Postal Service announced today that First-Class Mail costs will increase by one penny to 45 cents for the first ounce. The change, along with several other price increases, will take place Jan. 22, 2012.

This is the first increase in the price of a First-Class stamp since May 2009.

According to a news release that was posted on the USPS website earlier today, the new prices were filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission today, Oct. 18, 2011. The commission has 45 days to review the prices to verify that they comply with a 2.1 percent price cap set by law.

Other increases include:
Postcards — 3-cent increase to 32 cents
Letters to Canada or Mexico (1 ounce) — 5-cent increase to 85 cents
Letter to other international destinations — 7-cent increase to $1.05

Another change is that post office boxes will be available on a three-month plan, instead of only six months or a year.

Have you entered this giveaway?

2011-10-13T10:57:00.000-05:00

Have you been to the Letters & Journals website lately? Jackie has lots of good information there, and she's hosting an October Stationery Giveaway. To enter, visit the site (or blog) and leave a comment.

On the Letters & Journals website you need to log into the Wordpress system to leave a message. The Letters & Journals blog is on blogger, and you can enter there, instead, if you prefer.

Simply Embellished

2011-10-12T15:32:00.001-05:00

I came across the information for my previous post about the Doth Brands' Red newsletter on handwritten notes through Cole Imperi's website/blog Simply Embellished. She wrote the newsletter articles on letter writing and linked to it on her personal site.

Simply Embellished is a lovely website. There, Cole writes about crafts and gardening and food and letter writing. She reviews pens and paper and wax seals. Drop by and see what she has to say!

Download Free Stationery

2011-10-12T12:16:00.002-05:00

Doth Brands is a "branding and identity studio" based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that seems to appreciate the value of a handwritten letter. The Autumn 2011 issue of Red: Doth Brands' Quarterly Journal is dedicated to the handwritten letter.

The online newsletter has articles on handwriting, letter samples and even free stationery to download and print yourself. (Note: The stationery is in pdf form, and the customizing you'll want to do works best if you have Adobe Reader. If you don't already have Adobe Reader, you can download it for free.)

Reviving the art of letter writing

2011-10-12T09:11:00.000-05:00

At the Electric Literature website, each month, Anna Knoebel posts "letters from prominent writers and other artists." This must be a new series, because I can only find two letters posted...one from September and one from earlier this month.

My favorite is the letter by Harper Lee, but maybe that's because "To Kill a Mockingbird" is probably my favorite book.

The stories Knoebel has written are well worth your time to read. I enjoyed them!

Great Column About Letter Writing

2011-10-11T15:21:00.000-05:00

In "Remember When We Used to Write?" David Bangert writes about the letters he used to write to his friend Tom. Bangert is a columnist for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette, Indiana. His address is listed at the end of the column, in case you're interested in writing him a letter.

Saving the U.S. Postal Service

2011-10-11T11:40:00.000-05:00

If you're interested in writing and mailing letters, postcards, mailart, packages, etc., you've probably heard about the issues the U.S. Postal Service is facing. According to a postal service representative who spoke at a small post office in a nearby town last week, the USPS is looking at closing 3,700 post offices this year. You can read the local story in the Lake Country Sun newspaper (you may have to scroll down a little bit).

The plan also includes the elimination of thousands of USPS jobs, city carrier routes and rural routes. There's a real possibility that this could affect you and maybe even your business, if you depend on the postal service for mailing products, invoices, etc.

There are a few blogs and websites that are staying on top of the situation. Check them out when you can:

Save the Postal Service White House Petition
Save the Post Office blog
Save America's Postal Service website
Send the Love support and idea page

(Photo from the USPS.com site's Newsroom)

In your letter - Reo Speedwagon

2011-10-10T10:14:00.000-05:00

Back when this blog first started, we tried to think of songs, books, movies, etc. that were about letter writing. Here's a "classic" letter song! Enjoy the trip back to 1980.

Article discusses results of less letter writing

2011-10-03T14:22:00.000-05:00

An article released today by the Associated Press addresses the issue of the decline in letter writing (for a slightly different version of the story, look here). Writer Randolph E. Schmid looks at the topic from the aspect of the post office, as well as from a historical perspective.

In part, one version of the article says:

The loss to what people in the future know about us today may be incalculable.

In earlier times the "art" of letter writing was formally taught, explained Webster Newbold, a professor of English at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.

"Letters were the prime medium of communication among individuals and even important in communities as letters were shared, read aloud and published," he said. "Letters did the cultural work that academic journals, book reviews, magazines, legal documents, business memos, diplomatic cables, etc. do now. They were also obviously important in more intimate senses, among family, close friends, lovers, and suitors in initiating and preserving personal relationships and holding things together when distance was a real and unsurmountable obstacle."

The full article is an interesting read.

I do wonder...how will the decline in letter writing affect future generations' comprehension of the past. What do you think?

U.S. Postal Service in danger

2011-09-06T12:08:00.000-05:00

According to a recent article in the New York Times, the U.S. Postal Service is in danger of having to shut down this winter. To save money, some of the proposed solutions include closing some post offices, eliminating Saturday delivery and laying off employees.

Have the USPS problems affected your local post office(s)? How? What do you think of the problem and proposed solutions?

Chime in with your ideas today!

Top 40 Reasons to Write a Letter (Numbers 16-20)

2011-08-05T13:25:00.000-05:00

We're counting down the Top 40 Reasons to Write a Letter:

#20 To express your creativity.

#19 To send good wishes of celebration.

#18 To take a break from digital.

#17 To share your new mail art skills.

#16 To make amends.

New Items in 365 Letters Etsy Shop

2011-08-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

I've been adding a few new things to the Etsy shop...some vintage postcards and some stationery sets with handmade envelopes, mostly. If you get a chance, drop by.

Top 40 Reasons to Write a Letter (Numbers 21-25)

2011-07-21T14:37:00.000-05:00

We're counting down the top 40 reasons to write a letter. Here are reasons number 21 through 25:

#25 To reminisce with an old friend or family member

#24 To say the things you could never say in person

#23 To show your kids how it's done

#22 To personalize a greeting card

#21 To share your new mailart skills

Happy Letter Writing!

Celebrating Science with Stamps

2011-07-17T08:34:00.000-05:00

Last month, the U.S. Postal Service released a set of stamps honoring four American scientists. This is the third American Scientists stamp set.

This set honors chemist Melvin Calvin, botanist Asa Gray, physicist Maria Goeppert Mayer, and biochemist Severo Ochoa.

Melvin Calvin was the first scientist to trace in detail the process of photosynthesis and conducted pioneering research on using plants as an alternative energy source. He won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1961.

Asa Gray, one of the first professional botanists in the United States, advanced the specialized field of plant geography and became the principal American advocate of evolutionary theory in the mid-nineteenth century.

Maria Goeppert Mayer developed a theoretical model that helped explain the structure of the atomic nucleus; for this work she became the only woman other than Marie Curie to win a Nobel Prize in physics.

Severo Ochoa, a biochemist, was the first scientist to synthesize ribonucleic acid (RNA) and competed in the race to decipher the genetic code. Ochoa won the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1959.

For each stamp in this block of four, art director Ethel Kessler collaborated with Greg Berger of Bethesda, MD, to create a collage featuring a photograph and signature of the scientist, along with items such as equations and diagrams that are associated with the scientist’s research.

For more information about the stamps, visit the U.S.P.S. website story about the stamps.

Letter to Yourself Tips

2011-07-16T08:39:00.000-05:00

The Madame Noire website has a nice article by Veronica Wells about Writing a Letter to Yourself. Check out what she has to say about the letter she wrote to herself and the tips she offers for writing your own letter.

Top 40 Reasons to Write a Letter (Numbers 26-30)

2011-07-15T15:00:00.000-05:00

We're counting down the top 40 reasons to write a letter, and so far, we're up to Number 30.

#30 To ease someone's lonliness.

#29 So that you might get a letter in return.

#28 To connect with an older or younger generation.

#27 To accompany something that you need to mail to someone, clippings, a book, etc.

#26 To express your opinion.

Happy letterwriting!

Cute article about envelopes, mail art, etc.

2011-07-14T15:29:00.000-05:00

I get "Deliver" magazine, a publication by the U.S. Postal Service for people who do marketing, specifically direct mail marketing. The "Last Word" column in the latest issue in "The Envelope Opens Up: Interview with an Icon."

It's an interview with "the noble business envelope," aka "Enny." By the way, he speaks with a British accent, since Edwin Hill and Warren dela Rue, who patented the first machine to cut and crease envelopes way backin 1845, were British.

My favorite parts of the "interview":

DELIVER: What’s your opinion of Mail Art?

ENNY: Love it, love it, mate! I’ve got an ego like anyone else, ya know. I like to be special, colorful, to stand out from the pile. And the more distinctive I am, the more effective I can be as a prospecting tool. Hey, I’m like a pickaxe! A “prospecting tool,” get it?

DELIVER: Oh, we got it. Enny, what are some of your favorite things?

ENNY: Let’s see… Celebrity stamps. Pen pals. Successful marketing campaigns where I get to seal the deal. Windows — I’m the trans parent type, ya know? Barcodes. Thank-you letters. ESD, Electronic Stamp Distribution. Messaging on me outside. Being certified or registered — what power being all official! Being spritzed with cologne or some other pretty scent. Oh, and definitely, recycling.

DELIVER: And your dislikes?

ENNY: Too much saliva. E-mail strings. Poison pen letters. “Return to Sender.” Hot wax seals — how’d you like to have something all heated up and sticky pressed onto your backside, eh? Oh, and shredders. We lost Uncle Henry to a crosscut, high-speed job back in ’06. Me aunt went all to pieces.

If you want to download "Deliver," visit the website www.delivermagazine.com.

Kind of funny

2011-07-13T15:52:00.001-05:00

As a letter writer, as well as an emailer and "social media" user, I found this article on the Financial Post website a little amusing.

It ponders whether or not email is "going the way of snail mail." For those of us who have been battling those who call "letter writing" anachronistic, old fashioned, out-dated, etc., it's an interesting situation to suddenly have emailers clamoring to get in our lifeboat.

The main (but short) article includes a link to another post listing the best alternatives to email.

Sherwood Schwartz's Goodbye Letter

2011-07-13T08:19:00.000-05:00

Maybe you recognize his name or maybe you don't. If you're old enough, or even if you're younger but have watched a lot of old TV re-runs, you'd definitely recognize some of his work.... "Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip..." or maybe... "Here's the story of a lovely lady, who was bringing up three very lovely girls...."

Sherwood Schwartz, who created the TV shows "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch," died Tuesday, July 12, 2011. He was a writer, and he made arrangements so that after his death, a letter that he had written would be published in The Hollywood Reporter publication.

You can read Schwartz's farewell letter to his family and fans on the THR website.

Delightful Canadian Essay about Letter Writing

2011-07-12T15:33:00.001-05:00

I came across a great essay by Paige Raymond Kovach on The Globe and Mail website. "If you want a letter, you have to write one first" chronicles her interest in letter writing, especially her correspondence with her Auntie Anne.

Paige writes:

"I caught the letter-writing bug. While still home in Victoria and studying at university, I wrote to friends who were studying and living in France and China. We shared our hopes and travels, and chronicled our love lives. I have boxes filled with their letters, too."

Paige is now teaching her kids to write letters, too, passing along the do's and don'ts of letter writing:

"We need to always use the formal salutation “dear” and formal closing “love.” Because being dear to someone and telling them we love them is what we all want to get in the mail, especially when the sentiment is handwritten."

Click on that link above to read the entire, lovely essay.

Mark Twain Honored with U.S. Stamp

2011-07-12T12:19:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, U.S. author and humorist Mark Twain (1835-1910) was honored with a first-class (Forever) U.S. postage stamp.

The postage stamp features a portrait of an older Twain with a steamboat in the background, evoking a way of life along the Mississippi River that played a huge role in many of Twain’s works, as well as in his own life. Art director and stamp designer Phil Jordan collaborated with stamp artist Gregory Manchess, who based his portrait of Twain on a photograph taken around 1907.

The stamps cost 44 cents each and are available in panes of 20 or blocks of 10 and 4. Additionally, related products, such as first day covers, ceremony programs, etc. are available.

For more information about the stamp and the ceremony introducing the stamp, visit the U.S. Postal Service website.

Five More Reasons to Write Letters (31-35 of 40 Reasons)

2011-07-12T08:17:00.000-05:00

We're counting down the Top 40 reasons to write a letter. Here are the next five:

#35 As a random act of kindness.

#34 To exchange items of interest

#33 To introduce someone to the joys of letter writing

#32 To vent your frustrations about something (this type of letter may or may not be mailed)

#31 To practice your penmanship

Counting Down 40 Reasons to Write a Letter (36-40)

2011-07-11T14:54:00.000-05:00

We'll do this backwards, like David Letterman does.

Top 40 Reasons to Write a Letter

Reason #40: Because you love to write letters.

Reason #39: To request something.

Reason #38: To brag...about someone else.

Reason #37: To spread joy.

Reason #36: To share stories and photos from your vacation.

New stamp set features typewriter

2011-06-29T15:52:00.000-05:00

Today, at the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, the U.S. Postal Service introduced a new sheet of first class postage stamps featuring 12 of the nation’s most important and influential industrial designers.

The designers who are honored on individual stamps include Peter Müller-Munk, Frederick Hurten Rhead, Raymond Loewy, Donald Deskey, Walter Dorwin Teague, Henry Dreyfuss, Norman Bel Geddes, Dave Chapman, Greta von Nessen, Eliot Noyes, Russel Wright and Gilbert Rohde.

“Encompassing everything from furniture and electric kitchen appliances to corporate office buildings and passenger trains, the work of these designers defined the look of modern America, and in doing, revolutionized the way we live and work,” said Dean Granholm, Postal Service vice president of Delivery and Post Office Operations, at today’s ceremony.

One stamp showcases an item that might be of particular interest to letter writers — the 1961 Selectric typewriter, designed by Eliot Noyes. The USPS also released some information about each of the designers. Here's what they had to say about Noyes:

Eliot Noyes
(b. Aug. 12, 1910, Boston, MA; d. Jul. 18, 1977, New Canaan, CT) Eliot Noyes bridged the gap between business and art, transforming the industrial design profession into more than just a commercial venture. Rather than continue the practice of changing a product’s design every year, Noyes persuaded his corporate clients to adopt long-lasting design principles instead. He is best remembered for his long working relationship with IBM, for whom he designed buildings, interiors and a range of office equipment, like the iconic 1961 “Selectric” typewriter pictured on the stamp. He also helped IBM and other companies develop a distinct and consistent identity.

In 1940, two years after earning a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University, Noyes became the first director of industrial design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. His relationship with IBM began after World War II, when he designed the company’s 1947 Model A electric typewriter as design director for the Norman Bel Geddes design firm. When the Bel Geddes office closed, IBM retained Noyes as a consultant designer, eventually appointing him the consulting director of corporate design in 1956, a position he held until his death in 1977. Noyes also ran his own office in New Canaan, Connecticut, serving as consulting director of design for Westinghouse and Mobil. He served as advisor to the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1972 to 1977.

For more information, visit the USPS website.

US Postal Service seeking financial assistance

2011-06-29T10:02:00.000-05:00

It's no surprise to anyone who's been following news of the U.S. Postal Service that the post office is in financial trouble. If you're a letter writer, you know how few of us there are out there, compared to past generations.

Here's some information from a recent USPS news release:

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has asked members of Congress to enact legislation to return the organization to financial stability.

In a letter signed jointly by Board of Governors Chairman Louis Giuliano and Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, USPS urged Senator Hutchison to support action to:

· Eliminate current mandates requiring $5.5 billion annual retiree health benefit pre-payments;

· Allow the Postal Service to access Civil Service Retirement System and Federal Employee Retiree System (FERS) surpluses; and

· Give the Postal Service the authority to determine the frequency of mail delivery.

USPS is in “a dire financial predicament” according to Giuliano and Donahoe, despite ongoing aggressive cost-reduction initiatives. Over the last four fiscal years, the Postal Service has reduced its size by 110,000 career positions and saved $12 billion in costs.

Absent legislation this fiscal year, Giuliano and Donahoe said making the mandated $5.5 billion pre-payment due Sept. 30 will not be possible. “This pre-payment for future retiree health benefits is no longer tenable given present-day financial challenges,” they said.

Federal retirement law also has resulted in a $6.9 billion surplus for Postal Service contributions into the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The letter calls for these funds to be restored to the Postal Service to help avoid insolvency. The Postal Service informed the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that it is suspending employer contributions for the defined benefit portion of FERS annuities effective June 24.

The Postal Service will continue to transmit employees’ FERS contributions to OPM, as well as employer automatic and matching contributions and employee contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan, and employees will continue to receive service credit. The annuity payment suspension is an emergency cash conservation measure expected to free about $800 million in the current fiscal year.

The letter states a cash shortfall is projected to occur as early as October: “The Postal Service is facing the real prospect that it will not be able to meet payroll next (fiscal) year, thus disrupting mail delivery.”

The Postal Service has been communicating regularly with Congress and the Administration about its serious financial position, expressing support for provisions of two separate pieces of legislation introduced by Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) and by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), respectively.

“The need for legislative change is immediate,” Giuliano and Donahoe said. “We urge your support of this vital postal legislation and ask that you work for immediate enactment this fiscal year to avoid the possibility of mail and package delivery disruptions.”

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

"Love Letter" Song/Video

2011-06-23T15:43:00.000-05:00

Just when the old-timers get to thinking that the younger generation doesn't even know what a pen and paper are, something like this comes out.

Rapper Shwayze and hip-hop duo The Cataracs team up in a video for the song "Love Letter," which features a love letter being written in the background. The website Pop Crush has an article about the video, "Shwayze 'Love Letter' Video Explores Lost Art of Letter Writing."

And, the video is online in several places, including YouTube. For my more conservative readers, I will warn you, the song does include a potentially objectionable word and some love-is-like-a-drug references, but overall, it's a cute song. And, it's about writing love letters!

Letters in the News

2011-06-22T16:57:00.000-05:00

Before she was the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton wrote a letter to the All England Club, thanking the club for its hospitality during her trip to Wimbledon. The letter was written in 2008 but has recently been put on display at the club.

Unfortunately, the letter contained a couple of spelling mistakes, and that is garnering all of the attention now. I hope all of the negative publicity doesn't discourage Kate or anyone else from writing letters.

I'm a professional editor, but I take that hat off when I'm reading and writing letters. OK, so maybe back in my younger days I might have said something to my brother about a spelling or grammar mistake he may or may not have made in a letter he wrote to me. But that was just the big sister in me. And, as a mom, I do try to convince my 11-year-old to read over emails and text messages before she sends them out. But, I'm sure even my own letters, emails, text messages and even blog posts have mistakes in them. So, I try not to judge others harshly.

More reasons to hand-write letters

2011-06-17T12:55:00.000-05:00

Despite the many reasons we have nowadays for communicating in non-handwriting ways — the speed of a text message, the convenience of a phone call, the ease of an email — there are a few good reasons to keep on writing by hand and to encourage youngsters to do the same.

According to a recent LA Times article, The Many Perks of Good Handwriting, "handwriting increases brain activity, hones fine motor skills, and can predict a child's academic success..." Additionally, the article states, handwriting instills confidence and improves memory. All good reasons to keep writing those letters!

If you're interested in practicing your handwriting or helping someone else with their handwriting, do an internet search for "handwriting practice sheets" or some similar phrase. The website handwritingworksheets.com lets you make practice worksheets using any word(s) you want to practice.

If you're looking for some examples of some old-fashioned handwriting styles, visit the website of the International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting. There are all sorts of styles of handwriting illustrated there, as well as some lined pages you can print out to practice on.

(Clip art courtesy of http://www.free-clipart-pictures.net)

Goin' Green with the Mail

2011-06-14T15:47:00.000-05:00

In April, the U.S. Postal Service released the new "Go Green" postage stamps, along with a wide variety of great items to complement the stamps.

There's even a special section of the U.S.P.S. online store dedicated to the "Go Green" line of products.

According to the "USA Philatelic" publication, the development of the "Go Green" stamps and other products was a major undertaking. After considering many different designs and options for the stamps, the U.S.P.S. decided on 16 different stamp designs, each showing an action you can take to "reduce our environmental footprint."

“We’re creating a culture of conservation at the Postal Service that will have a lasting impact in our workplace and our communities,” said Ronald A. Stroman, Deputy Postmaster General. “The Go Green stamps carry 16 simple, green messages that have the power to help make the world a better place for us and future generations.”

The stamps are "Forever" stamps, for use on First Class mail. The stamps and philatelic products can be ordered online at usps.com/green.

The U.S.P.S. has been environmentally friendly since 1899 when it tested the first electric vehicle in Buffalo, NY. Today, the agency operates more than 44,000 alternative fuel capable mail delivery vehicles across the country, including ethanol, biodiesel, compressed natural gas and electric. Since 2005, USPS has increased its use of alternative fuels 133 percent, and since 2003, has reduced its facility energy use 28 percent. To learn more about USPS sustainability initiatives, visit the USPS green newsroom and usps.com/green.

The Postal Service chose the Go Green stamps as this year’s social awareness stamps to help raise awareness about helping the environment.

In addition to offering the stamps and the typical philatelic products (first day covers, digital postmarks, etc.), the Go Green line also includes tote bags, postcards, playing cards and a family activity kit, which includes stamps, a poster, fold-and-mail stationery and access to online games.

Letters in the News

2011-06-13T16:08:00.000-05:00

The BBC published a story today about an upcoming auction of a letter written by Elvis Presley. If you click on the link, there's a picture of the letter.

It seems that a British woman who was a long-time Elvis fan kept the letter in her handbag for many years. After she died, the family discovered the letter.

What an impact that letter must have had on her life!

Stories about Letters

2011-06-08T09:56:00.000-05:00

I recently came across a little paperback that I couldn't resist buying. With a title like "Across the Miles: Tales of Correspondence" and an author like Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of "Anne of Green Gables," how could I turn it down?

I've been reading a little bit every night, and I've been enjoying it. Too often, I read non-fiction in an attempt to solve some problem or further educate myself on a topic, but this little book is just a collection of fun to read, happy ending short stories.

From what I've read online, Rea Wilmshurst compiled a collection of Montgomery's previously published short stories into a small book. The 18 stories all deal with letters, journals, messages, etc. You can read more on the very interesting website LMM-Anne.net . There are links to the stories there. You can also read those and other Montgomery stories online at The Project Gutenberg.

If you're looking for some light reading and enjoy happy endings and stories about letter writing, I'd suggest "Across the Miles" for your summer reading list.

Beautiful New Love Stamps

2011-06-06T10:49:00.000-05:00

Last month, the U.S. Postal Service released another set of stamps in its Love series, which started in 1973. The "Garden of Love" stamps feature an abstract garden of bright flowers, a butterfly, a strawberry and doves, interlaced with vines that run from one stamp to another. Each prominent element of the design is in the shape of a heart. The deep blue background is reminiscent of a brilliant summer sky. The word “Love” sits on top each stamp.

The stamp was designed by award-winning illustrator José Ortega of New York City and Toronto. He said, "Garden of Love depicts the abundance of life, its generosity, whose spirit is to be shared by all its creatures. Love's definition is broader than romantic love. Love is that colorful, full feeling you get when you enjoy being a part of and sharing in the generosity of life."

The stamps are appropriate for Father's Day cards, love letters, birthday wishes...anytime the sender wants to add an extra message of love.

“At the Postal Service, we understand the power our stamps have in helping to celebrate special events that require a special stamp of approval,” said Ellen Williams, a member of the Postal Service’s Board of Governors, who dedicated the stamps during a special ceremony held at the Yew Dell Botanical Gardens.

“As you celebrate all of the wonderful events of spring — Father’s Day, graduations and weddings, or whatever the occasion, remember the Garden of Love stamps,” Williams said. “They’re a nice little extra on everything you mail. They’ll also serve as a reminder that no matter what the season or what the reason, the Garden of Love stamps are the perfect way to send love, spread cheer, say congratulations or show you care.”

The Garden of Love stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.

In addition to being available as a pane of 20 or a block of 10, the new stamps are offered in five philatelic products:

576163, First-Day Cover Set of 10, $8.80
576168, Digital Color Postmark Set of 10, $16.00 (at right)
576191, Ceremony Program, $6.95
576194, Notecards Set of 10, $14.95 (pictured below)
576199, Keepsake Pane and Digital Color Postmark Set of 10, $24.95

Looking for some new stationery?

2011-06-01T14:33:00.000-05:00

The Smithsonian's National Postal Museum has a "create your own stationery" page. Visitors to the website can choose themes, such as "Airmail" or "Pony Express," as well as a border and background color. Once the stationery is designed to your liking, print it out and write a letter!

To get started, go to the Write a Letter page on the museum's website.

Interesting story about communicating with soldiers

2011-06-01T11:14:00.000-05:00

Since I mentioned the American Experience episode "War Letters" earlier this week, I thought today I would point you in the direction of another article about writing letters to soldiers. Doug Zellmer wrote "Communication from the frontlines: Letters used to rule, but now troops are just a click away from home" for The Northwestern in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It's interesting to read Zellmer's story about how communication has changed over the decades. (Note: I'm having a little trouble with the link, but it seems to work from time to time. Keep trying, if it doesn't work the first time.)

Saving the Vanishing Species Stamps

2011-05-31T14:31:00.000-05:00

Earlier this month, the U.S. Postal Service released a new stamp that will benefit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support the Multinational Species Conservation Funds. Net proceeds from the sales of the stamp will be divided among the African Elephant Conservation Fund, Asian Elephant Conservation Fund, Great Ape Conservation Fund, Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund and Marine Turtle Conservation Fund.

The stamp features an illustration of a tiger cub by artist Nancy Stahl. The artwork on the full sheet of 20 stamps is dark green and includes silhouettes of a rhinoceros, a tiger, a gorilla, Asian and African elephants and a marine turtle. Stahl based both the stamp art and the silhouettes on photographs of wildlife. The phrases “Save Vanishing Species” and “Amur tiger cub” appear on the left side of the stamp. Derry Noyes served as the art director, designer and typographer for the stamp.

This is a "semipostal," a stamp that is sold at a cost higher than the rate required for a first class letter; the excess money collected is used to benefit a specific cause. In the past, semipostal stamps have benefited breast cancer research, FEMA and programs to stop family violence.

The Vanishing Species stamp costs 55-cents each but is a first class letter stamp, worth 44-cents in postage.

For more information, visit www.usps.com.

War Letters

2011-05-31T11:39:00.000-05:00

The PBS program "American Experience" showed a segment on "War Letters." It is a documentary-style film that features actors and actresses reading the real letters written to and from Americans serving during wartime, from the Revolutionary War to the Persian Gulf War.

I just watched the 52-minute film online, and I can tell you that it is heart-wrenching and, at times, heart-breaking. Additionally, some of the things they write about and some of the pictures and videos that accompany the letters show the graphic violence that is war.

I think the film also illustrates the importance of writing letters, especially to those at war, as well as the benefits of saving letters. Like few other formats, letters preserve what someone is thinking at a specific time and place. Reading them years later gives us more insight into history than the text books can possibly offer.

But, I think the lessons learned from the film can be carried over beyond soldiers and wartime. Writing, saving, reading and re-reading letters from and about all aspects of life is something that our society needs to keep everyday life in perspective.

You can watch "American Experience: War Letters" online. There's also a website with additional video and interviews, a book, a related initiative to preserve correspondence from U.S. veterans — The Legacy Project, information about preserving your letters, and much more. Follow the links on the two main websites (PBS and The Legacy Project).

2011-04-26T11:11:00.000-05:00

On April 21, 2011, in Washington, DC, the U.S. Postal Service issued the Wedding Roses commemorative stamp, which shows two white roses resting atop a piece of wedding correspondence. A white ribbon is visible in the background.

The new stamp is a “Forever” stamp, priced at 44 cents. in one design in a pane of 20 stamps. It is also available as a block of 10 stamps or a block of four stamps. For collectors, the stamp is available as a First Day Cover for 88 cents, as a Digital Color Postmark for $1.60, and as a Keepsake package that includes the Digital Color Postmark and a pane of 20 stamps for a total of $10.95. You can order online now.

Designed by Ethel Kessler from Bethesda, Maryland, the Wedding Roses stamp features a photograph taken by Renée Comet of Washington, DC.

The stamp is meant for use on the RSVP envelope often enclosed with a wedding invitation and on announcements, thank-you notes and other correspondence.

Wedding Roses can be combined with the Postal Service’s other wedding-themed stamps, including the 44-cent Wedding Rings stamp and the 61-cent Wedding Cake stamp (for letters up to two ounces, such as wedding invitations). There are also several custom stamps with wedding themes, but they are priced higher.

Letter Writing Topics 107-113

2011-04-21T16:48:00.000-05:00

Here in this part of Texas, we've been overwhelmed by wildfires this week. Thousands of acres not far from us have burned. We wake up every morning to a house that smells like a campfire. Everyone is on edge, hoping that the fires are put out soon.

Many people who live near the fires have been evacuated. We have city fire departments, volunteer fire departments, out-of-town and out-of-state fire departments, the Texas Forest Service and now federal firefighters here helping to extinguish the wildfire.

People from the communities in this area are making donations upon donations. They're giving clothing, toys, bedding, etc. for the evacuees and those who have lost their homes, and they're donating water and other drinks, food, eye wash, etc. for the firefighters.

Last night, we started getting a little bit of rain, and it's been cloudy and humid for most of the day, so hopefully, they'll be able to get this situation under control.

All of that brings me to the first letter writing topic for this posting:

Letter #107: Write a letter of thanks to someone who might not hear "thank you" often enough. Consider firefighters, police officers, deputies, police department dispatchers, 9-1-1 operators, ambulance drivers and other emergency workers. Tell someone how much you appreciate what her or she does.

Letter #108: What is your favorite way to relax? A warm bubble bath? New age music? A hammock in the shade? Write about it in a letter today.

Letter #109: Do you spring clean? Or, is your house always clean? Tell someone today how you keep house.

Letter #110: On my desk is a paperweight that my cousin gave me for my birthday. It is a crescent moon featuring a quote by Anais Nin: "Dreams are necessary to life." It's a greatly inspiring quote, and I enjoy reading it every day. What quote inspires you? Write about it in a letter today.

Letter #111: As I mentioned above, neighbors have been helping neighbors around here this week. From giving a place to stay to plowing up a firebreak around someone's house, everyone has come together to survive the wildfires. Who are your neighbors? Do you know them? Do you share a cup of coffee every morning, or are you more like nod-and-wave neighbors? Tell your penpal about your neighbors.

Letter #112: Do you talk to yourself? I don't, usually. But, all around me, people talk to themselves. When I'm in the same room with someone, and I hear them talking, I think they're talking to me. So, I'm constantly trying to answer people who say, "Oh, I'm just talking to myself." Is it normal to talk to yourself all the time? Is it normal not to? Discuss it in a letter, maybe even a letter to yourself.

Letter #113: Are you a copy cat or an original? Do you love to spot a new fashion trend that someone else is wearing and then try it out yourself? Or, do you prefer to be like no one else and do your own thing? Write about your personality in a letter today.

Happy letter writing!

Typewriter Revival

2011-04-15T10:44:00.001-05:00

A recent New York Times story tells how today's generation of young people are fascinated with manual typewriters, using them to write, among other things, letters!

The Digital Generation Rediscovers the Magic of Manual Typewriters says, "At a series of events called 'type-ins,' they’ve been gathering in bars and bookstores to flaunt a sort of post-digital style and gravitas, tapping out letters to send via snail mail and competing to see who can bang away the fastest."

I've written a few blog posts about typewriters. Click here for a list of posts on this blog that have the word "typewriter" in them.

New U.S. Postage Prices

2011-04-15T08:57:00.001-05:00

The good news is...the price for mailing a regular, 1-ounce or less letter will not go up. On the other hand, the cost of mailing postcards and heavier letters will increase a few pennies.

Beginning Sunday, April 17, 2011, the cost of mailing a regular-sized postcard within the United States will cost 29 -cents. Additionally, the postage for a 2-ounce letter will cost 64 cents, and the cost of a 3-ounce letter or a square or odd-shaped 2-ounce letter will increase to 84 cents.

First class 1-ounce letters will remain at 44 cents, and square or odd-shaped 1-ounce letters will stay at 64 cents. There are a few other increases, which you can read about online at the USPS website. For all US postage prices, click here.

I love these new stamps!

2011-04-14T16:53:00.000-05:00

Have you seen the new postcard stamps? I love them!

Earlier this month, the U.S. Postal Service issued the new 29-cent Herbs stamp in five designs, featuring various herbs used for fragrance, flavoring, medicine, and/or decoration.

According to the USPS, artist Teresa Fasolino, of New York, N.Y., created original oil paintings for each stamp. Each stamp depicts a particular species in bloom, as well as a typical leaf and flower or seed capsule. The species shown are Origanum vulgare (oregano), Linum perenne (flax), Digitalis purpurea (foxglove), Lavandula angustifolia (lavender), and Salvia officinalis (sage). Only the common names appear on the stamps.

The stamp was designed by Phil Jordan of Falls Church, Virginia.

The stamps are available in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps and a roll of 100. They also are available in a pane of 10 or a strip of 5.

The new stamps will be necessary to mail postcards within the U.S., beginning Sunday, April 17, when some postage prices go up. Postcards will cost 29 cents to mail domestically.

National Card and Letter Writing Month

2011-04-12T14:09:00.000-05:00

Did you know (I know many of you do...) that April is National Card and Letter Writing Month.

It's a month recognized by the U.S. Postal Service as a time to make an extra effort to send out handwritten letters and cards. Often, the observance is extended until Mother's Day, which this year, in the U.S., is on May 8.

Be sure to share the news so that more people will send "real" letters.

Magazine Article About Letter Writing

2011-04-11T14:25:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite magazines is MaryJanesFarm, a publication dedicated to the "Farm Girl." It has all sorts of good articles, mostly about gardening, organics, raising animals, cooking, making things, and many other things that farm girls do and enjoy.

In the Aprill/May 2011 issue of the magazine, Editor-In-Chief MaryJane Butters writes about letter writing. In a column titled "The Handwritten Life," she writes about the joys of sending and receiving letters. MaryJane prefers to write with a mechanical pencil with a 0.7 lead.

Also in this issue is an article on how to make a quill pen. Interesting.

Pick up an issue at the newstand.

Letter Writing Topics 100-106

2011-04-11T12:52:00.000-05:00

Try some of these letter writing topics:

Letter #100: Write to a former teacher. Let him or her know what an impact he/she had on your life.

Letter #101: What's your favorite flower? Do you grow them in your yard? Do you receive them on special occasions? Write about them in a letter!

Letter #102: Write about something that frustrates you and what you're doing about it.

Letter #103: Be a little crazy today. Write a letter on "nontraditional" stationery. Write a letter on a paper sack or the inside of a cereal box or on any other piece of "paper" that is normally used as stationery. Sure, your letter's recipient may think you a little nuts, but it'll be fun.

Letter #104: Write a letter forgiving someone. If it isn't appropriate to say, "I forgive you," make it clear in the letter that's what you've done.

Letter #105: Are you a Scout troop leader? Do you feed the animals down at the Humane Society? Do you serve up meals at a shelter? Today, write about some volunteer work that you do. How do you help out? Share what you do, invite your recipient to join you.

Letter #106: What's in your wallet (or billfold)? Do you have pictures of your family? The password to your email? Expired credit cards? Write a letter today about the stuff that you carry around with you every day.

Happy Letter Writing!

Have you seen this blog?

2011-04-11T12:39:00.000-05:00

Oh, Write Me! is a well-written and interesting blog about letter writing and stamps and Postcrossing and more.

It's written Limner, and I think that you'll enjoy it.

Letter Writing Topics 93-99

2011-04-11T12:04:00.000-05:00

Try some of these letter writing topics:

Letter #93: There are just a few more weeks of school left for most U.S. school districts. Those with traditional summer vacations will be getting out in 6 to 8 weeks. That seems like such a short time for most adults, but for kids, it can seem like "forever." Today, write a letter to a school kid who needs a little encouragement. With spring in the air and warmer temperatures outside, it's more and more difficult for a youngster to keep his or her mind on school work. Share some memories, offer some tips, be positive about school.

Letter #94: What's your favorite salad dress? Thousand Island? Ranch? Bleu Cheese? Oil and vinegar? The house dressing at your favorite restaurant? Write a letter today about how you like to dress your salad.

Letter #95: Write a letter today about the biggest challenge you've ever faced.

Letter #96: Write a letter on a postcard.

Letter #97: Are you a neatnik or a clutterholic? Write a letter about it today.

Letter #98: Do you have a nickname? Write about it today.

Letter #99: Are you eco-conscious? Do you recycle? Reuse? Write about your "green" efforts.

Happy letter writing!

Neon Celebrate! Stamp

2011-04-11T11:36:00.000-05:00

Do you send a lot of greeting cards? Or, do you have a party coming up for which you’re planning to mail invitations? Or, do you just have a reason to celebrate?

If so, the Neon Celebrate! stamp might be what you need to jazz up your envelopes.

The stamp was released on March 25, in Cleveland, Ohio, by the U.S. Postal Service. It is a Forever stamp, priced at 44-cents and available in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps, a strip of four stamps or a block of 10 stamps.

The Neon Celebrate! stamp was designed by Art Director Phil Jordan of Falls Church, Virginia. Inspired by a visit to the Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles, Jordan began to think about the possibility of using neon to depict a stamp subject. He decided that a “Neon Celebrate!” stamp, with its imagery of vivid colors, fit the bill.

“Most neon is huge and stamps are so small,” said Jordan. “The mechanics would be a monumental challenge. Not everyone thought we could pull it off.”

After reviewing the work of a number of artists, Jordan chose Michael Flechtner to craft the U.S. Postal Service’s first neon stamp design. Interested in neon from an early age, Flechtner honed his glass-bending skills while working in a neon sign shop after graduate school, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture. This background enabled him to create neon tubing that depicted three-dimensional objects instead of the two dimensional forms typically found in signage and other graphic neon displays.

Working Flechtner of Van Nuys, California, they developed an exciting and vibrant stamp reminiscent of a fireworks display on a summer evening. Brilliantly colored images of swirls, circles and dashes in pink, blue, orange, yellow and green seem to erupt from the ground to illuminate the darkness. Each letter of the word “Celebrate” and the exclamation point that is part of this stamp’s official title, are highlighted in bright white light.

Flechtner came up with the idea for his stamp design while watching a fireworks display. “I felt that fireworks, with all their color, light, and motion, were the embodiment of a celebration,” he says. “Since neon is all about color and light, it was the perfect design for the medium.”

The 2011 Neon Celebrate! stamp is the first U.S. Postal Service project for Flechtner.

Other items for sale include the Digital Color Postmark for the 44-cent Neon Celebrate! for $1.50 and the First Day Cover for the 44-cent Neon Celebrate! for 82 cents.

Letter writing topics 86-92

2011-04-11T11:20:00.000-05:00

Here are some letter writing ideas:

Letter #86: Write a letter to a cousin. In some families, cousins don't keep up with each other too much. In other families, cousins, second-cousins, first cousins once removed -- they're all cousins, and they're all important. Today, pick one of your cousins and write him or her a letter.

Letter #87: What's your favorite sport? Golf? Did you watch The Masters? Basketball? Did you watch the NCAA Tournament? Baseball? Who's your favorite team? Write a letter about it today.

Letter #88: Write a letter seeking advice. Think of a trusted friend or family member and write to him or her about a situation you've been dealing with. Be open about needing some direction.

Letter #89: Write a letter about your hobby. Do you collect stamps? Rocks? Knit? Write? Tell someone about what you do in your spare time.

Letter #90: Have you made a mistake? Recently or in the past, it doesn't matter when it was. Was it a big mistake or just a silly little goof-up? Write a letter telling someone about your mistake.

Letter #91: Wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods...the news is full of natural disasters every day. Write a letter about the dangers associated with your area. Around here, in north-central Texas, we have all sorts of pending doom, such as wildfires and thunderstorms/tornadoes. And, though we're often in drought, we also have floods. And, then in the winter, there are ice storms. What's it like where you live?

Letter #92: Does your given name suit you? Do you use your first or middle name? Did you change your name? Write a letter about your name.

Happy letter writing!

Oops!

2011-03-29T10:52:00.000-05:00

If you have written me a letter recently and sent it to my post office box, I apologize. I pulled a "Samara" and didn't get to the post office in time to pay it before they locked me out of it and then closed my "account." (Samara from the LetterLover blog got locked out of her post office box and then lost it a couple of years ago...) Samara eventually got another post office box, but I'm not sure I'm going to right now. I think I'll see how it goes without one. If you've been writing to my P.O. Box and need my other mailing address, just send me an email to 365letters@inbox.com, and I'll email you the address. In the mean time, I'll try to get some letters written with the other address on them. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

Final winner!

2011-03-29T10:20:00.000-05:00

Olivia won those Mary Engelbreit cards! Congratulations!

Thanks to everyone who commented and entered the notecard giveaways! I had a good time sharing them with everyone!

Basket of Roses Notecards Winner

2011-03-26T08:39:00.000-05:00

And, the winner of the Basket of Roses notecards is Sara! I have sent her an email and will be sending her the notecards as soon as I get her mailing address.

There's one last giveaway this week. It's for some Mary Engelbreit cards that were in the mixed bag of cards I found at a thrift store last weekend. Be sure to go to that posting and leave a comment to be entered in the contest. Please leave an email address or a link to your blog or website so that I can contact you about your address.

And, since this is the weekend, I'm extending the entry deadline until midnight Sunday night. I'll announce the winner Monday morning.

Happy letterwriting!

Last 365Letters Giveaway This Week!

2011-03-26T08:31:00.001-05:00

To win these seven Mary Engelbreit notecards, leave a comment on this post by midnight tomorrow (Sunday), and I'll include you in the randomized drawing. I'll announce the winner Monday morning. The notecards are blank on the inside and feature the quote, "Success consists of getting up once oftener than you fall down," on the front, along with a typically cute Engelbreit illustration. I'm sure you'll enjoy them if you win!

Kittens and Puppies Notecard Winner!

2011-03-25T11:04:00.001-05:00

Today, I used a site called Stat Trek to pick a random number for the contest.

The winner of the Kittens and Puppies notecards is Carla from the blog Tiny.Angry.Crafter. Carla, please send me an email at 365letters@inbox.com with your mailing address, and I'll send you these cute notecards!

Don't forget...there's another drawing today, and one more tomorrow! Be sure to leave a comment, so you can have a chance to win!

Win Some Notecards Today!

2011-03-25T09:51:00.002-05:00

Would you like these five elegant notecards featuring a basket of roses? Just leave a comment on this blog post before midnight tonight, March 25, 2011, and I'll pick a winner.

I'll have one more set of notecards to give away tomorrow....don't forget to come back!

Winner #3

2011-03-24T10:50:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments in your giveaway entries! I'm enjoying them all.

The winner of the Songbird Notecards was the seventh commenter....Randi! But, I don't have your email address, Randi, so please send me a message at 365Letters@inbox.com with your address, and I'll send these delightful cards your way.

Today, I used the Custom Random Number Generator at www.mathgoodies.com.

One of the most fun parts of this giveaway is finding many more new letter writers!

Don't forget to enter today's giveaway! Just leave a comment on the blog post.

Puppies and Kittens Notecard Giveway

2011-03-24T09:43:00.001-05:00

Awww! Aren't they cute! Do you want them? The notecards, I mean, not the puppies and kittens. This is the fourth day of my Spring Notecard Giveaway! This is a quick and easy contest. Just leave me a comment on this post by midnight tonight, and I'll count you in. A randomizer will pick the winner. I found a big bag of notecards at a thrift store last weekend, and these six puppy and kitten cards were in there. They're blank cards and have white envelopes.

Tulip Notecards Winner!

2011-03-23T14:28:00.000-05:00

The winner of the Tulip Notecards Giveaway, posted yesterday, is "EMP," aka Elaine Mary Phillips.

When the random number picker chose her number, I decided to click on her links to see what EMP was all about. The first thing I saw was her profile statement on Blogger. I was immediately intrigued. Here's what she says in the profile:

"Since I was 7, I knew I’d be a letter-writer-poet when I grew up. Once I ventured out on my own (after hap’ly co-authoring and publishing a book of letters in 2007), I set up a baker’s dozen blogs as a discipline to record my thoughts and type up all the random bits ’n’ pieces composed in coffee shops and on silent retreat days."

EMP has a lovely website, and you can read more about her book, "The Hippo and the Unicorn: A Rainbow of Words" there. Browse around; she has some interesting stories!

Congratulations to EMP for winning the cards!

In case you're interested, today, I used the Truly Random Number Generator to pick the winner. Interestingly enough, both yesterday and today, the winning number was "2." To choose the winner, I write down the names of the commenters, in the order in which they commented, and then number the names, beginning with "1." If anyone posts twice for any reason, I just don't count that second post. Then I use a random number generator online to pick the winning number.

I'll do it again tomorrow morning, so don't forget to leave a comment today for the Songbird Notecards.

Songbird Notecards Giveaway!

2011-03-23T09:22:00.003-05:00

Did I mention that I have enough notecards to giveaway some every day this week? That's what I'm doing! Just leave me a message by midnight tonight and let me know that you'd like to write some letters on these Songbird Notecards! There are 10 of these cards with white envelopes. Don't forget to make sure I have your email address so that I can contact you for your mailing address.

Happy letter writing!

First Giveaway Winner....

2011-03-22T13:39:00.000-05:00

The winner of my first Spring Giveaway is Stephanie of the Sunbeam Soapbox blog! Congrats, Stephanie!

There's another giveaway today! And, sure, enter this one, too, even if you entered yesterday. (Hint: there are more coming!)

In case you're curious, today I used www.randomizer.org to generate the winning number.

Flower Notecards Giveaway

2011-03-22T09:12:00.003-05:00

Like I said yesterday, I'm sharing some notecards I found at a thrift store last weekend. Here are today's giveaway cards:

Like yesterday, this is an easy giveaway....just leave a comment letting me know that you'd enjoy writing letters on these four notecards, which come with matching white envelopes. I'll randomly pick a winner from the list of commenters who leave a comment before midnight tonight, March 22, 2011, and send you the cards. Be sure to leave me your email address so that I can contact you to get your mailing address.

Happy letter writing!

Spring Giveaway!

2011-03-21T11:09:00.002-05:00

Hello, Blog Readers!

In honor of Spring, which started here on Sunday, March 20, I'm having a Notecard Giveaway.

As a way of recycling and reusing things that are still usable, I love to shop at thrift stores. This past weekend, I was "junking," as my husband and I like to call it, when I came upon a big bag of notecards. There were so many, that I've decided to share some of them with my blog readers. I've sorted them all and have found several themes that go great with the start of spring.

Now, this was a mixed bag of cards and envelopes. Some cards had matching envelopes, and some had almost-matching envelopes. But, maybe you won't mind.

Today's giveaway is for these four blank notecards featuring a colorful painting of flowers and pears. They have matching white envelopes.

There's not much to do to win, just leave me a comment on this post, letting me know that you'd enjoy these notecards. I'll count the number of commenters who leave comments before midnight tonight (March 21, 2011), according to the information on the comment, and then have one of those online randomizers pick a number for me. Then, I'll contact the person whose comment number (based on the time the comment was left) and get their address. Don't forget to make sure I have an email address so that I can contact you tomorrow!

By the way, I'm giving away more notecards tomorrow, so be sure to come back!

Letter Writing Topics #79-85

2011-03-21T10:27:00.000-05:00

Here are some letter writing topics for this week:

Letter #79: What does spring look like at your house? Or, is it autumn where you live? Wherever you are, the calendar says the seasons are changing. Does it look like it to you? Here in Northcentral Texas, it seems to have gone from winter to summer with predicted temperatures in the mid- to upper 80s for this week.

Letter #80: Today, write a letter and send it with a card. It can be a store-bought card or a homemade card. It can be a special occasion card or a blank card with a nice picture on the front. It'll add a little something special to your letter today.

Letter #81: How do you listen to music? Do you have the latest mp3 player? An iPod or some other brand? Or, do you listen to CDs? Cassette tapes? Records? The radio? Write a letter today about how you like to listen to music.

Letter #82: Write a letter about your favorite photo of yourself. If you can, send a copy of the photo to your penpal.

Letter #83: Are you growing a garden this year? Write a letter about what's going to be in it. Tomatoes? Peppers? Squash? Cucumbers? Herbs? Write about it!

Letter #84: Do you do Mail Art? Are the envelopes you send your letters in simple and plain or all decorated? Do you decorate your envelopes with your own drawings? Collage materials? Rubber stamps? Write about how you send your letters and why.

Letter #85: When you mail a letter, do you choose specific stamps to convey a message, or do you just slap on the correct postage? Write a letter about your stamp choices.

Happy letter writing!

Good Mail Day

2011-03-15T16:10:00.000-05:00

I finally bought a copy of "Good Mail Day: A Primer for Making Eye-Popping Postal Art" by Jennie Hinchcliff and Carolee Gilligan Wheeler. I've just started reading it, but so far it's very interesting.

I know not everyone who enjoys writing letters is also interested in Mail Art, but if you are, this is the book to buy! It's quite inspiring.

Letter Writing Topics #72-78 (March 13-19)

2011-03-15T15:53:00.000-05:00

I hope your letter writing is going well and that you are receiving lots of mail in your mailbox!

Here are a few more topics to write about:

Letter #72: On a weekly basis, you probably visit several places in your community -- the bank, the grocery store, a gas station, the post office, etc. This week, take a look at your area from an outsider's point of view. What is there to see and do in your town? Write about it in a letter !

Letter #73: What's you CQ -- that's Celebrity Quotient? Do you follow every move of the stars of TV, movie and music? Do you refer to celebrities by their first names, as if you know them personally? ("Can you believe what Charlie said week? And, did you see that dress Lindsey wore to court??") Or, do you feel left out of such conversations? ("I thought Paris was a 'where,' not a 'who.'") Write about your level of concern with celebrities.

Letter #74: Write about the easiest meal you cook. If you do more than pop a frozen dinner in the microwave, include the recipe for your simplest dish.

Letter #75: Today, write a letter concerning something you're struggling with. Whether it's the homework for that college class you recently signed up for or a monumental life decision, there's probably something in your life that is causing you a little bit of trouble. Write about it in a letter to a caring friend.

Letter #76: Write a letter about your favorite artist. If you can, send a picture of his or her artwork.

Letter #77: Does someone in your life need help with something? Offer your help. Think about it...how can you assist someone? Write a letter sincerely offering to help.

Letter #78: Write a letter about the wildlife around your home. Are you surrounded by deer, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, skunks and rattlesnakes, like we are at our house? Or, is the wildest thing you see all day the ladybug on the windowsill? Whatever you see, your life and surroundings will be of interest to a pen pal!

Happy letter writing!

Latin Music Stamps to be Unveiled in Austin Next Week

2011-03-08T10:01:00.000-06:00

According to the U.S. Postal Service website, the new Latin Music Legends stamps will be unveiled Wednesday, March 16, in Austin, Texas.

Five legendary musicians and performers of the Latin sound whose contributions have had a lasting impact on American music —Selena, Carlos Gardel, Carmen Miranda, Tito Puente, and Celia Cruz – will be honored on the stamps. Among the distinctive musical genres and styles represented are Tejano, tango, samba, Latin jazz, and salsa.

The stamps were designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, Maryland, and feature the work of artist Rafael Lopez, of San Diego, Calif., who painted semi-realistic portraits of each musical artist designed to evoke their personality, vitality, and even their sound. He used a warm palette of colors to suggest the flavor and energy these artists brought to their work. Each musician is depicted in mid-performance. Kessler says, “My goal was that when you see the stamp, you hear the music.”

The Latin Music Legends stamps include:

Texas-born Selena Quintanilla-Perez (1971-1995)—known to fans simply as Selena—helped transform and popularize Tejano music by integrating techno-hip-hop beats and disco-influenced dance movements with a captivating stage presence. A Grammy recipient, the “Queen of Tejano” broke gender barriers with record sales and awards. Even after her tragic death, Selena remains an important representative of Latino culture.

A superb and evocative singer, Carlos Gardel (1890?-1935) was one of the most celebrated tango artists of all time. Raised in Argentina, Gardel helped popularize the tango in the United States, Europe, and throughout Latin America through his performances and recordings. “The man with the tear in his voice” also achieved fame as one of the stars of the Spanish-language cinema.

Born in Portugal and raised in Brazil, Carmen Miranda (1909-1955) achieved fame as a samba singer before moving to New York City, where she gained instant celebrity in theater, film, and radio. The “Brazilian Bombshell” appeared in 14 Hollywood musicals and recorded more than 300 songs. Her exotic signature outfit and persona are an inexhaustible source of inspiration.

Born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, Tito Puente (1923-2000) was a musical virtuoso popularly known as El Rey, “The King”. With dynamic solos on the timbales and orchestral arrangements that have become classics in Latin music, Puente helped bring Afro-Cuban and Caribbean sounds to mainstream audiences. He performed for more than 60 years, and his legacy includes more than 140 albums.

A dazzling performer of many genres of Afro-Caribbean music, Celia Cruz (1925-2003) had a powerful contralto voice and a joyful, charismatic personality that endeared her to fans from different nationalities and across generations. Settling in the United States following the Cuban revolution, the “Queen of Salsa” performed for more than five decades and recorded more than 50 albums.

The new Latin Music Legends stamps are "Forever" stamps, which means that they cost 44 cents each and will be good to mail 1-ounce, First Class letters "forever," even if postage rates go up in the future.

For more information on the stamps, visit the USPS website at www.usps.com. The stamps will be available March 16, but you can pre-order them online today.

Notecards in an Etsy Treasury!

2011-03-07T11:00:00.000-06:00

My "Musical Notes" stationery set is featured in a treasury on Etsy.

Musical Notes

Bonny, who has the Pinon Grove shop on Etsy, created a treasury called "Unplug Yourself," and she included my notecards in it.

If you're not familiar with Etsy and its "treasury" feature, I'll try to explain it, briefly. Etsy is an online site where individuals set up online shops and sell handmade and/or vintage items. A treasury is a list of items that an Etsy member likes. Often, the treasury has a theme, such as a color or mood. This "Unplug Yourself" theme features other items that might encourage someone to slow down and take a deep breath -- candles, herbs, bath soap, a journal, etc.

It's nice that Bonny considers letter writing a good way to "unplug"!

Letter Writing Topics #65-71 (March 6-12)

2011-03-06T13:09:00.001-06:00

Here are some letter writing ideas:

#65 (March 6): Write a letter about why you write letters. Tell your letter's recipient why you enjoy the old-fashioned activity of correspondence. Encourage him or her to write letters, too.

#66 (March 7): Write a letter about a vacation you fondly remember. Where did you go? What did you do? Who were you with? Have you ever been back?

#67 (March 8): Write about a problem you have and how you handle it.

#68 (March 9): Write a letter to a child. Write on fun, brightly colored stationery. Send it in a non-traditional envelope. Add some stickers. Make it a joy to receive.

#69 (March 10): Write a letter with your favorite pen. Tell why it's your favorite.

#70 (March 11): What do you wish for? What do you want? What do you need? Write a letter to someone today, sharing your wish.

#71 (March 12): St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner. Today, write a letter and include an Irish saying in it. Maybe you'll want to say something like this:

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.

Happy letter writing!

Write an encouraing letter

2011-03-04T16:25:00.000-06:00

One of the most popular topics on this blog, according to the statistics I receive about how people get to this site, is about writing an encouraging letter.

Apparently, the citizens of the world feel the need to encourage their friends and family, and that's a good thing. Everyone could use a little boost every now and then, I'm sure.

Maybe many people are a bit shy about saying such encouraging things face-to-face. They think a letter will be comforting and encouraging without being embarrassing. And, they're probably right.

With that thought in mind, I think the most encouraging letter is written from your heart. Write down your feelings and let your friend or relative know that you care. Offer to help, if you can.

In this case, it is especially important to proof-read your letter before you send it out. Read it closely, looking for missing words, wrong word usage, etc. One little slip and your encouraging letter could turn into a slam. Also, try to read it from the perspective of the other person. Is there anything in your letter that will be taken the wrong way? This is a situation where you may have to write the letter several times before you get it just the way you want it.

Now, don't hesitate another minute. Write that encouraging letter today!

New Items in Etsy Shop

2011-03-03T16:49:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I listed any new items in my 365 Letters Etsy shop. But, I posted a few things there today. If you get a chance, drop by and take a look. Thanks!

Here are a few of the things I posted:


Funny Papers Stationery Set

Vintage Postcard


Quirky Envelopes