Happy 2015!

Hello friends, family, loyal readers and accidental readers!

Birthday Flowers!

During our last episode/instalment/post our lovely blog writer (that's me) was about to turn 40 and then, cliffhanger, dropped off the map for a season...time didn't stop, I didn't stay 39 (darn it didn't work) but seriously life happened (as it always does). 

Forty has been quite wonderful so far, if you happen to be 39, I highly recommend it. And since that fateful day, my days have been filled with work, family, friends, work, work, work....so yes, getting back into the classroom was tougher than I had hoped. In some ways it felt like I had never left and in others, it felt like it was my first year (which was a good 15 years ago). The good news is that I feel like I've turned a corner!

Birthday Cake in Vegas!

 We had a wonderful Christmas. I challenged myself to spend zero dollars on Christmas this year and I managed to come in just under $40. (that's gifts, baking, decorations, and so on) - it was fun and busy. We sent out fewer Christmas cards this year than I had hoped (with my work, a girl in kindergarten and life...things were different). I've been craving those moments of quiet, when I can sit down and send a note to a friend, a thank you, and soon, some Valentine's Day cards. And I've been longing to get back on the blog. And looking at my numbers, I'm getting close to finishing my challenge of 1000 paper letters (notes, packages, surprises...)  and I'm excited about that milestone. 

Hearts are starting to pop up around here and I have my thinking cap on for Valentine's Day card ideas! It is one of my favourite days on the calendar (you probably know this by now). My daughter has already started hers (spoiler alert: they have a pirate theme).  I even have a few things planned  for my classes and creative writing club (even though I teach high school - sometimes, you have to let them be kids/be silly and definitely let them share in a Valentine's Day that doesn't have to be all about boyfriends/girlfriends).

A few ideas to get you started on getting some mail out (just in case you need any):

• Go to a photo booth, get silly, and then send the photo strip to a friend and dare (or double dog dare) your friend to do the same
• Blow up a balloon, write a message on it, deflate it and then send it to a friend
• Send your favourite comfort food recipe for cold, wet, snowy or rainy days, or your favourite summer recipe to lend a little warmth to someone's day
• Send recent photos of your family to someone you haven't seen for a while (for their fridge)
• Send a formal invite for a coffee date just for fun
• Stickers to a little friend (perhaps with a Valentine's Day theme before the big day)

Thank you for tuning in. I'll leave you with my numbers and this smiling boy!

Sweetest boy! Turning 3 soon!

811/1000 was my last count...and with Christmas cards, thank you cards, pen pal letters and more my new count is...

869 (that's an additional 58 and only 131 to go)/1000

A Little Reading Material...

Back in November I posted Snow Mail where I mentioned that I was "hand" making Christmas presents for my nieces (aged 12, 11 and 9) but it was top secret because it was before Christmas (clearly). So I thought I would take today's post to share what I made for them. My nieces like to read before bed and I wanted to "make" books for them to read before bed that was personalized for them. And then I thought they could trade after they had read their own.

I started with three journals. I first thought of the idea in January but didn't get started until September. My goal was to fill the whole book but I probably ended up doing about 50 pages (next time I will start earlier - which is why I am posting this now in case anyone else wants to give it a go).

Three Awesome Journals for Three Awesome Nieces!

I filled them with magazine articles, jokes, craft instructions, inspiring quotations, favourite photos, interesting facts, How to's, poems, comics, top 10 lists...all things I could have potentially sent them in the mail too. And all short, bite-sized bits so they could pick up and put down at their leisure. I did a lot of reusing and recycling - going through old magazines and catalogues & picking up more at my local thrift shop.

A few sample pages.

I even wrote each of these sweet girls a poem.

I had my husband draw a comic - his go to is always a skeleton (he says it is the one thing he can draw). He picked a sport each girl is involved in.

Soccer.

Gymnastics.

Swimming.

I also "spelled out" their names. Here is an example of one. 

J-A-Y-L-E-N

And while I wish I could have filled every single page (I just ran out of time), I'm not sure the journals would have been able to close if I had.

I'm happy to report that they loved them. The next day after Christmas they flew to India for 2.5 weeks so this turned into something they could read on the plane or during a layover. I know they liked them because when I went over to see them the other day my oldest niece asked if I could fill in the rest (aw that felt so good!). 

I'm thinking I'll do something similar (but start now) for next Christmas but this time I will do more of an interactive book with areas for them to fill out and things for them to do and so on. Right now I'm brainstorming and thinking word puzzles, journal entry type questions, scavenger hunts... I did something like this for my husband when he decided to go on a trip to Europe for the summer after we'd been dating for a short 4 months. He still has it.

He used the second half
as a journal for his trip.

A Sampling...

Lots of ideas if you want to start your own or if you want to just send a few things in the mail to friends. You could even start a journal and send it back and forth to each other - each filling in a few pages at a time (of writing, photos, or bits like I put in the books for my nieces). What fun!

707/1000 25 pieces of "heart" mail this week...and just like that I broke 700!

Blustery Day

     It truly is a blustery day out there! I went out walking in it, then I was working in it and finally, I am writing (my blog) in it (the coziest by far).  A perfect evening to curl up with a book, some stationery, one of my many idea books/journals...do you know that feeling? If I am anything, I am a list maker...can you relate? I do make lists on my phone sometimes but I really do prefer paper and pen, because there is nothing quite like striking out a completed item with a pen stroke. Grocery lists, gift ideas list, Christmas list, the never ending (but ever popular) To Do list...

     Now just thinking out loud here but why not send out some lists in the mail...okay, not your grocery list but perhaps...let me just put it into a little list for you:

Or maybe your grocery list is a good read - feel free
to send that out too!

   
     Would love to hear more of your list ideas (feel free to 'list' them in the comment section)! It's always great to share ideas. Community is a good thing. See you on Mailbox Monday Advent Calendar Monday! Super excited to showcase some cool finds from Etsy to start with. Off to do some writing (or rip up some magazines - I do that too).

As for mail...
555/1000 - adding a small two to the count (but they won't be small to the receivers).

Crunching Leaves and Change

     We've been out crunching leaves on our walks this week - a clear sign of change (and an incredibly satisfying sound). When we aren't walking we are driving around and looking at all the decorated houses - my daughter is loving this! She says, "Mom when you see a decorated house yell out 'Haunted House!'' So she is definitely in the spirit of things! And it may just be a pumpkin patch kind of day today and then a date day with her Daddy to the movies. They've both grown to really love this tradition (Cloudy with a chance...)

     Halloween may be next week but the deadline for European surface delivery is now. So we've been wrapping presents even though it is not even November yet. So excited about getting to the post office today to send my packages on their way (feeling a little bit festive). Speaking of cool packages...we received a really cool box of goodies the other day and they included this really awesome Cozyband for Piper (and one for me too!) from my friend Kristy. Kristy has decided to give it a go at selling them too - check out her Etsy page! She can do different sizes and colours too. Lots of fun.

Staying Warm!

     And speaking of Etsy...if you have never purchased anything from there before you can use this link to get $5.00 off your first purchase - which is very cool! My Christmas shopping (for others and myself) wouldn't be complete without shopping there and I've picked up some great stationery and stickers throughout the years as well. I also have a shop on Etsy -  Paperroute - up and running since 2008.  I'm just updating my photos and adding some new things too. It's been awhile since I've shared my store info and thought it was time for a little self promo.

Cool things to send in the mail (in case you need some new ideas)...

I just picked up a variety pack of hot chocolate with Coffee Crisp, After Eight and Rolo flavours - not sure if Coffee Crisp will make it out the door - but what cool hot chocolate flavours to send out to friends!

Recent family, pet, baby, trip photos to friends and family!

A great article you just read - funny, inspirational or educational! Hand picked by you for someone - how thoughtful!

Puzzle pieces - a few at a time!

Jokes, riddles, comics (from the newspaper, Internet, hand drawn - lol)!

Monster drawings (we've been getting a lot of these lately and they are pretty cool so we might be sending some out soon)!

Have a great Halloween this coming week everyone! We will be escorting a robot and FBI agent around (and then likely eating most of their candy - this parent thing is working out nicely).

553/1000 Packages and more! And just like that I'm over the halfway mark to my goal. It's been fun so far - thanks for all your encouragement, feedback and love.

Mailbox Monday

Look at this lovely collection! 

Now alone, each of these would be a straightforward painted mailbox but someone took the time to do a little organizing with their neighbours (maybe, even volunteered to do the painting!) and it just makes me smile every single time I drive by them. Thought they might brighten your Monday too!

408/1000 - one going out this holiday Monday (which probably means it will really go out Tuesday).

Operation Postcard

Quite a few years ago when I was teaching Creative Writing our school principal was off for a month after an operation, so as a class we all wrote postcards of encouragement and sent them off to her. She was thrilled.  I sent them all at once but I wish I'd staggered them a little bit so she would receive them little bit by little bit. Although I guess her mail box was flooded on that particular day. There were at least 30 in total and I dubbed the assignment "Operation Postcard." A few kids weren't too sure about the assignment but I think we need to give kids kindness opportunities often - then it becomes normal and easy.

I had a friend who recently organized something similar for a friend of ours who is going through chemo (she told us her idea about sending a postcard from our hometown with words of encouragement for our friend - whom I'm sure has been flooded with cards from around the world - facebook can definitely be a good thing). What a simple, sweet idea! Kindness and the written word go hand in hand! I know this friend is feeling the love!

Do you have a friend that could use some encouragement (because they are missing home or going through some struggles)? Gather up a group of people and create your own postcard blitz! Or maybe, you gather up a group of postcards and send them weekly to that someone who could use some lift to their week. I'm doing my own little blitz of postcards today (going to various people just to say hello). I bought these postcards below in the Ikea 'As Is' section - 5 cents for a package of 5! Woohoo - mail and a deal!

364/1000  **Postcard Blitz** That's 8 cards zipping around out there...now!

Have you had the opportunity to send an rsvp reply to a wedding invitation recently...do anything fun with it? I like adding my own writing/comments and playing around with the fill in the blanks. But it is also fun to put something in the envelope (a cool picture of you and the couple, some tea, a magnet of a cool quotation about love, a coffee gift card for a treat during the stress of wedding planning, an article you clipped about marriage tips...well you get the picture).

Seven to Ponder...

Thought I'd throw some kindness possibilities your way this week...

1. I'm a big fan of the "pay for the person behind you" in the Starbucks drive through - this also works for Tim Horton's or any drive through where you pay and pick up at the same window. But for something different...buy a gift card from 'bucks or Tim's and put it under the windshield wiper of a parked car for someone to find later. Surprise!

2. Gather all those unwanted items in your household (de-cluttering feels great) and advertise a garage sale and make everything free - how fun would this be! Free Garage Sale! Early Birds Welcome!

3. When you are cooking or baking it is often easy to just double whatever you are making - do it and share it with someone who could use a treat or a night off from cooking. That might just be everyone you know!

4. Keep extra umbrellas in your car and on a rainy day pass them out to people waiting at bus stops without umbrellas/shelter or someone walking home without one. Stock up at the dollar store to make this one a go!

5. Bring treats to your local school, preschool, daycare, firehall, care home or maternity ward for the staff - these can be busy, crazy places where the adults could use a boost. And store bought isn't cheating by the way!

6. Take coupons that you don't need and place them on the shelves of the grocery store by those products. You will surely make someone's day! I posted briefly about this here in a post about sending cool things in the mail.

7. Writing encouraging words on post it notes (I like heart ones) and post them on lockers, bathroom stalls, bus shelters, and/or wherever you feel they will make a difference. Stick it!

These were posted on two bus shelters in Vancouver - at least 8 post its! Awesome!

 I've tried to share 7 ideas that might not be your regular go to ideas when you think of random acts or purposeful acts of kindness. Please add your brilliant ideas in the comments on this post.
I'd love to hear some more!

300/1000  Two pieces of facebook post pay it forward mail going local to make it a nice round number!