Paper and Crayons

     Drawings and pictures and journals and books and treasure maps...I have a drawing maniac over here right now! It's really neat to watch how excited my daughter is about creating because she always used to say, "You draw it," if we suggested drawing anything. And suddenly a switch has been flipped because she is constantly asking for paper (which I am happy to give but seriously need to up my supply). She started out with monsters but now she is working on hearts (and doing a pretty darn good job of them I have to say - may need to hire her as a freelancer for my Valentine's cards), houses, trains, castles, crowns, whatever strikes her fancy. She likes to make books of her drawings and stories as well (which she used to do with stickers but now does all her own illustrations - lol).

A small collection.

Speaking of amazing handmade drawings. My daughter received a hand delivered piece of mail from her friend Andy. So sweet - he knocked on our door (sadly Piper was not home) and dropped it off with my hubby. Piper was pretty excited to open it when she got home. It contained a very cool drawing on a piece of cloth!

Here is a little mail she's made in return - love it! It will be on its way shortly!

Christmas is getting close (at least it suddenly feels that way!). If you have any children on your list think about crayons and paper (simple but wow, the things they can do with them...endless and dare I say, priceless!). In fact, crayons and paper for everyone on your list - there is something incredibly relaxing about picking up a crayon and doing a little doodling. People with kids have an excuse and opportunity to do this all the time so if you don't have kids or your kids aren't 'crayon colouring age' anymore go buy yourself a new pack (fresh tips, untouched, brand new colours to do with what you will). Not embarrassed to say I even have my own colouring book (hands off kids!) because it gives me an excuse to sit still every so often. I quite enjoy a new pack of pencil crayons as well.

Of course, stationery, pens and postage are always great gifts too. What kind of mail blog would this be if I didn't mention that!

561/1000 - 4 important pieces - some may include crayon drawings...

Advent Calendar Monday

Advent Calendar of Goodness: A Flurry of Ideas

     When I was teaching Writing 12 one of the assignments we worked on as we got close to December was an Advent Calendar of Goodness/Kindness. They had to craft their own calendar and write a good deed they could do for someone else behind each door. I encouraged them to be creative and go beyond the typical. They came up with some great ideas and their calendars all looked so different from each other.

     I thought I'd better make one myself if I expected them to do it (that's mine above - cardboard box, stickers, buttons, green paper and glue).  Mine is actually called 'Advent Calendar of Goodness: a Flurry of Ideas" with the buttons representing snowflakes. It was a lot of fun to make.

     There are a lot of DIY advent calendar ideas out there! Good deeds are a great thing to put behind each door (bake cookies for the firehall, help a neighbour put up their Christmas lights, drop off canned food to the Food Bank). Another option is to put Winter/Christmas activities to do together as a family/couple (decorate the Christmas tree, go ice skating, make bird seed ornaments).

     And you don't need kids to have an advent calendar my husband and I would alternate days and fill them for the other person long before any kids came along. What a fun challenge to see what we could fit behind each door. More to come about this next Advent Calendar Monday.

Here is a cool DIY Advent Calendar
from Erlend at Creative Morning -
a cool DIY craft blog from Norway.

     If you click on the photo it will take you to the Advent Calendar tutorial but check out the rest of his blog too - lots of neat ideas! Some cool crafts with buttons up right now. For other great collections of DIY Advent Calendars check out Tip Junkie or Pinterest (of course). There are lots of ideas floating around out there. Or you could just look around your house and see what you have and put something together like I did. You could even make it a competition (we do a gingerbread party with my family every year - we kind of make it a contest - it's a lot of fun but this could be fun too). Make one for your kids, for a friend, for you. Get your craft on! You could even send it in the mail! Oh yes, now it's all coming together.

Another Look

Are you just tuning in and 

wondering what my blog is all about? 

First of all - welcome! It's cool to have readers from countries all over the world (Norway, Germany, Australia, Ukraine, Poland, South Korea, & Saudi Arabia to name a few). It is really amazing to me that a little challenge I gave myself in 2010 has reached so many people far and wide. I'm really enjoying the creative outlet and the push to connect with people via letters and the Internet world.

Here are the basic deets...

I've always been a fan of mail and a very serious letter writer. I challenged myself to send out 1000 paper letters (packages, post cards, just all around personal mail) to friends, family and in some cases, strangers. I like where it has taken me personally so far and I hope that maybe I'm inspiring a little letter writing in others and perhaps some kindness acts as well - these are my passions.

For a more thorough picture - check out my very first post from January 2010 aptly named 

I Love Mail!

Hello!

I've had a couple of friends find my blog for the first time in the last week. So I decided to go back reread all of my entries and imagined what it was like to be seeing them for the first time. It was kind of a neat reading journey. It reminded me why I took on my challenge and why I keep sharing it with others. It's always good to self-evaluate and check in to see how things are going.

And to those who have been with me for a while - thanks for joining me, encouraging me and sending me some very cool mail along the way (you get me, you really do).

Advent Calendar Monday happened for the first time this week and that was exciting. It also coincided nicely with my birthday (love it when a plan comes together...if you get this reference it might be a clue to how many years I've been writing letters now - lol). We had a dinner of appetizers (my favourite, really I could survive on appetizers alone) with family and had a lovely time.  I have to share one of the coolest gifts I received (from my husband who totally gets me) and I can't believe I have never seen this before...

Uppercase: a magazine for the creative and the curious

The Stationery Issue - Spring 2013!

I'm totally in love with this! It comes out quarterly and runs about $18 per issue. It's even Canadian - based out of Calgary! I've already marked a thousand pages (I might be prone to hyperbole here due to extreme happiness). Remember I mentioned on Monday that I rip up magazines? I do this for ideas, to make things, and to reuse before I recycle. I will not be ripping up this amazingly beautiful magazine. The thickness of the pages...oh I could go on but it would be better to enjoy an issue rather than me go on and on about it. 

Are you creative? Are you curious? Check out Uppercase - it really is quite lovely. 

557/1000 a couple for the count!

Advent Calendar Monday

Advent Calendar Monday is here!

I thought I'd start out with a cool collection from Etsy (it also gives people enough time to do a little searching themselves and order in time for December 1st).

Thank you to Karen at ArtfulTea for letting me post
 this unique advent calendar for the tea lover in your life.
 Seriously two of my favourite things - tea and advent calendars!
In love!

  

Thank you to Shawna at Tricyclecrafts for letting me post
her cool Magnetic Advent Calendar! Love it when you can
reuse year to year - and doesn't it look cute!

Thank you to Gregory at SlippinSouthern for letting me post this
fantastic advent tree! You can choose what you add to this
advent calendar base - photos, treats, ornaments.
Your options are endless!

Thank you to Liz from Dandeave for letting me post her
printable advent calendar boxes - they are beautiful! 

Thank you to Anissa from thymbldesigns for letting me post her beautiful
Matryoshka Advent Calendar! She ships from Europe
(so time is a bit tighter on these). Precious!

Just sharing a little handmade/homemade love this fine Advent Calendar Monday! 

And again, if you have never purchased anything from Etsy before -

 you can use this link to get $5.00 off by using this link.

It's a gorgeous day here in the Pacific Northwest!

Enjoy your Monday wherever you are!

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).

Mailbox Monday (the late edition)

Even Goofy has a Mailbox!

It's been a fun, goofy weekend with movies, costume making and pumpkin carving! This is a throwback to our spring break but it seemed to fit with things here lately (and can I say - I love the details that Disney puts into everything).  Enjoy today's (tonight's) mailbox - it's going to be a great week!

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.