Happy, happy, happy mail!

Wow, long time no talk! All of us here at Writing Across the Lines have been dealing with a ton of different things in our lives. Plus, the pandemic didn’t help. Yes, we were home most of the time, but we still were crazy busy.

I, for one, have been distracted the past few months with making what is called “happy mail.” Happy mail is essentially a penpal letter with extras. For example, I like to include stickers, washi tape samples, tea, and Project Life cards. I also like to make different things such as “loaded cards,” “envelope flipbooks,” and “shaker cards.” Shaker cards are fun because they add an extra element to your happy mail.

I tend to go through phases when I am making my happy mail. I watch my favorite YouTuber, Vivian of “The Paper Letter Blog,” and I see what others have sent her or what she herself has made and I put my own twist on it. I usually make all of my penpals a certain style and then when I have sent one to everyone, I find a different style to try. Currently, my style is making “flipbooks” out of macaroni and cheese boxes. I do this by covering the box with pretty papers, tape or glue envelopes inside, fill them, then decorate the outside. The featured image of this post is my most recent happy mail to my co-moderator on here, Cym! She hasn’t gotten it yet, but I hope she loves it.

Now, you may think that you need to spend a lot of money on things to make pretty mail, but that’s not true. Yes, you can get things like a “fuse tool” or a “crop-a-dial,” which fuse plastic and set eyelets, respectively. However, there are a ton of things you can do to make your happy mail look extra lovely! For instance, as I mentioned before, I like to recycle macaroni and cheese boxes for my flipbooks. I also have been saving all of my cardboard because it can be covered with scrapbook paper and cut into shapes. You can also use things like yarn and Elmer’s glue, which can be found in a lot of households. Vivian has done a few videos on how she also recycles things to make into pretty mail.

One other tip is to visit thrift stores if you have them in your area. I have gotten so many things at my favorite thrift stores, including a bookbinding machine/laminator, scrapbook paper pads, stickers galore, and my beloved electric typewriter (99c!!!). Not only do you get supplies for insanely cheap, but you also get to help out the charity connected to the thrift store.

Of course, you can also visit your local craft store, but they can be kinda pricey. One store I like to visit for craft supplies is Tuesday Morning. They’re kind of like a Ross or HomeGoods, but they have a HUGE selection of craft items at insanely discounted prices. For example, I got a Sizzix “Big Kick,” normally a $100+ device, for $49. They have a ton of dies there for it, which aren’t cheap. I’ve gotten a big set of crafting tools that included a hot glue gun, fuse tool, and Dremel-like tool for $30, whereas it would normally be much higher than that. Heck, the fuse tool alone costs that much! If you have a Tuesday Morning near you, I HIGHLY recommend you take a visit. They also have things like home goods, toys, fancy snacks, and bedding, but I go for the craft aisle.

If you are interested in starting on happy mail, that’s awesome! Getting more people reading and writing to each other helps us connect in these uncertain times. I have penpals in NJ, MD, TN, PA, NM, even Australia and Finland! I’ve grown so much closer to some of these friends because of our correspondence, and I treasure their friendships.

If you want to take a look at Vivian’s videos, including her P.O. Box openings (where I get a ton of inspiration!), you can find her YouTube page here. If you want to see the things that I have made myself, you can check out my Instagram @box5crafting. If you need help or are unsure where to start, you can feel free to message me on there and I will gladly point you in the right direction.

I can’t wait to see what you guys create! Keep crafting!