2.7 Contact - So Much Snail Mail

Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Each day we will write a blog post on a pre-determined theme chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the seventh day of the month is "Contact." 

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In a post I wrote about sending Thanksgiving cards, Kae asked about what types of cards I send. "Are these cards you send like all Hallmark type cards? Or are they blank cards that you buy big stacks of? Or handmade cards? Or simply a letter? Just curious, as I find actual cards in the store to be quite expensive..." is her direct quote. This is worth a detailed post. 

One of the things I love is stationery. I love a good stack of writing paper, lovely cardstock, fancy pens, stickers, and postcards. Some people collect magnets or shot glasses or salt and pepper shaker or whatever when they travel. I buy postcards and send them to people. I buy greeting cards at the museum gift shop. I skip over the books and the scarves and the games and the posters and I go straight to the card rack. 

So let's tackle Kae's questions by saying Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes. I send a wide variety of things. Sometimes I just go to Hallmark to buy birthday cards. Sometimes I buy blank cards in bulk. Sometimes I buy tons of handmade cards from Etsy. Sometimes I write letters on fancy paper I've purchased. Sometimes I send postcards. I buy cards at craft fairs and Farmers' Markets. I buy cards at gas stations. I buy cards at floral shops. I basically can't walk by one of those carousels of greeting cards without at least stopping to take a quick look.

And the people in my life who I stay in contact with via snail mail sort of just expect it now. I have friends who I will send a postcard if I think about them for one reason or another and when they see me, they frequently talk about how it brings them a little lift on the day they get it. I also end up getting lots of cards and postcards as gifts from other people, too. It's a cycle now that my loved ones know I will send mail and they sort of want to get it!

Random examples from my card box:

Dog with sunglasses (Hallmark)

Five dogs side by side (freebie from The Humane Society)

Pawprints are forever condolence card (Seedy Cards Etsy shop)

Mermaid birthday card (Rosie's Wonders cards)

Leaves (BeeDazzlesGifts Etsy shop)

Random writing paper. No idea where it's from, except the bicycle paper came from a shop that doesn't seem to be around anymore called Pink Loves Brown.

Animal suffragette postcards (SuffragetteLife Etsy shop - fun note, I have a bunch of these postcards framed in our downstairs bathroom - I'm so cool)

Still Standing pavilion from a set of postcards from the University of Iowa press

Old Mission Point Lighthouse from a packet of postcards I purchased after a lighthouse tour to help fund the preservation of lighthouses

Old school postcard from Williamson Street Bridge in Madison from Arcadia Press

 

My current favorites are these awesome postcards that showcase female artists. For $20, you get 100 postcards. I bought these when I was visiting my mother over the summer and try to send one to someone I love at least once a month. I'm a little bit obsessed with them.
 

I have enough stationary for me to never have to buy any again, but what's the fun in that?

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To see what Bestest Friend has to say about contact, go visit her at Too Legit To Quit.