Mail is Good.

Earlier this week I received this lovely card in my mailbox!

So blessed to have such lovely friends! Really, my heart just warmed when I saw the handwritten name and address. Oh and that lovely teal coloured envelope. But really it was the words inside and the person who wrote them that absolutely made my day. Thank you so much! You know who you are! Guess what people...you could be doing this for someone right now or who knows maybe there is one on its way to you!

The other cool thing I received this week was in this beautiful box.

This is a Tea-zer from Steeped Tea - I was lucky enough to be the recipient of this monthly mail out! I get two random 50g bags of tea for 6 months! So exciting to see what I will get and try something new. Looking forward to trying Strawberry Shortcake. I do love blank-of-the-month type gifts. Just really extends the love and there are so many cool ones out there (wine, cheese, beer, tea, treats/products for pets to name a few).  

Another great gift-of-the month would be a magazine subscription...my mom sent my daughter a subscription of Chickadee and she loves getting it every month! We talk about who sent it to her and then read through it together and man does she ever read through each issue a lot (well used). She talks about how she has a collection of them is quite happy about it. She also get a free monthly Lego Magazine which she adores as well. The mail can bring so much happiness, a break from the mundane (flyers, bills), a moment with a friend, a laugh, a smile...yep, mail is cool like that.

771/1000 Just one for now.

P.S. It's Mother's Day on Sunday. Do you have a mom in your life that would love a card? Your Mom? A single Mom? A Mom you admire? Make it happen!

Piper wins!

Earlier this year I "signed on" to receive a random act of kindness from my friend Tracie (I was one of five) and in turn offered to do the same for five other people, who in turn would offer to the same for five other people, who...you get it right. I did the same thing last year in January 2013 and it was a lot of fun. I have to say that I haven't had a chance to pay it forward to my peeps just yet for this round. I need to get my thinking cap on for sure! But now I am inspired because I received the coolest gift from Tracie last week!

Super cool for so many reasons! I love it because it is a great family piece, it is handcrafted (love the craftiness), and if you don't know...I love scrabble! So what an amazing and thoughtful gift! A big thank you to Tracie (who also happens to be the mom of Piper's pen pal). And she is on my list too...

And while a pay it forward challenge is cool you certainly don't need a reason to send out a random act of kindness - I sometimes think that no reason is the best reason - an unexpected kindness! And yes, the cost of postage has gone up but still under a dollar to send some domestically, under two dollars to send to the US and under three dollars to send letter mail internationally is really a great deal (it flies all over the world from your hands to a friend - less than a latte, seriously). So while I was initially bummed about the prices I know it won't stop me from sending out love to my friends and family near and far.

Send out some love, send out some kindness and send out some mail! You just might get some in return (words, photos, magazine articles, a recipe, coupons, favourite quotations, nail art, a lottery ticket, an old note from junior high, a copy of a yearbook message or photo, a poem, a picture of cool graffiti, a pressed flower, a gift card, a postcard of a favourite piece of art or place, scratch and sniff stickers, bookmark, art...I think there are a few new ideas in there since I last wrote a list). Do with it what you will!

760/1000 Seven more!

Where Does a Word of Thanks Lead...

Don't know if any of you accepted my challenge of sending a thank you note for good customer service but after posting that blog I sat down and wrote mine! Before I put pen to paper I sat and thought about my past interactions with Dan at the grocery store - he has always been helpful, pleasant, and geniune. And what makes him so great is that he is consistently this way (maybe I've missed him on his bad days or maybe he doesn't have bad days - either way, he's great). I addressed the note to the manager because I feel/felt like Dan should be recognized for what he does day in, and day out.

As I was writing my note I started to think that perhaps this type of mail is the best kind of mail I can send. Sure it's nice when friends and family members notice what you do and congratulate you on a job well done, but a stranger? An unbiased party? That is a whole different ball game isn't it? Somehow it is more legitimate (especially to your boss anyway). So I encourage you to try it.

Indeed!

Of course, you don't need to send mail to do this either. You can simply pipe up when you encounter great service or pop by the customer service desk and chat with the manager. Or simply start handing out compliments to strangers. I remember I was standing in line and the lady in front of me had a brightly coloured pedicure. I can't remember what the line was for but it seemed to be a bit of a wait. Anyway, I leaned in and said, "I love the colour of your toes." She gushed in return, obviously thrilled to let me know that her daughter and her had gone together and she had let her daughter pick out the colour (she was maybe even a little unsure about the bright colour). My comment had clearly made her day. A small observation. A few words off the tongue. And you know what, the exchange made my day too.

Are you looking for more/any ideas of mail to send? How about a thank you for a recent gift - traditional note or maybe a photo of you using, wearing, eating the gift (whatever happens to work). Manage to snap some great family photos over the holiday or have a few favourites - send them off to friends and family for the fridge (it seems we print fewer and fewer photos in this digital age). Send a Happy New Year card! A Have Your Best Year Ever card! An I Look Forward to Seeing More of You in 2014 card! Have some fun this January through the post. If you are snowed in, iced in or just choosing to stay cosy inside it's a great time to get creative.

Here are a couple of thank you photos I should send to my Sister-In-Law and her awesome family for one of the coolest/best Christmas presents my kids received this year (and homemade to boot)!

The Piper and Sam Show!

Oh my... is she ever at home
on a stage (or tv for that matter).

671/1000 14 fun pieces going out on this rainy Saturday! Inching my way to 700 and ever closer to my goal of a thousand paper letters! Woohoo!