Snail Mail...Loads of Fun!

The serendipity of snail mail is my favorite element of this most magical hobby.  That unexpected joy that a letter or package brings is a beautiful thing.  It's easy to get swept up in the fun factor and want to send some really stupendous snail mail to every recipient, every time. But snail mail surprises do not have to be big and flashy nor must they be sent for a major life event.  That is the wonder of snail mail. It makes the everyday events of life more major and therefore, magical!

As an example, I recently sent some post in honor of ... LAUNDRY!  One would be hard pressed to find a more mundane topic, but allow me to show you how snail mail can make anything fun and special...even laundry.

The elder Murphy Brother was planning a quick weekend trip home from college to visit us, pick up his new suit (he has interviews coming up) and grab some paperwork he needed at school. His routine is to bring his dirty laundry home during visits so he can do it for free while he's home. A predicted winter snow storm changed his travel plans, however and he wasn't able to visit. I was sad, but thought it would be a perfect opportunity to send him some clever snail mail.

I created a "bad laundry day" card based on this image I saw (I don't know the original artist).  I laughed so hard when I saw it I knew I had to base my laundry card on it! I wrote a quick letter and enclosed a little laundry money so he could do a few loads courtesy of mom and dad.  Here's hoping he thinks snail mail is loads of fun and suffers no "super" bad laundry days.

Go postal, people! It'll make your mailbox April fresh! Well...maybe!?

XOXO Mrs. Murphy

List Letters

Who doesn't LOVE to make lists? Let me give you my top 10 reason why lists are so great!  Just kidding, but seriously, lists are handy and brief and totally awesome!  So why not translate that lovely listy-ness into a letter?

Have you heard of LISTOGRAPHY? It's a website and book series that helps you create your autobiography through list making. Listography is chock full of ideas to get your creative juices flowing...

1. List pets you've had and their names.
2. List places you've lived.
3. List your favorite websites.
4. List your best purchases.
5. List all your past hang-outs.
6. List your crushes.
7. List your most embarrassing moments or habits.

Start making a list of topics for lists!  Collage your lists together on a larger piece of paper or write several lists on individual list paper to combine in one jumbo pack envelope of listy goodness!
To keep the fun going, include a few blank lists for your pen friend to fill out and return to you!

I hope I've inspired you to make some list mail today. Don't forget to put it on your "To-Do" List. It's magical!!

Go Postal, everybody!
XOXO Mrs. Murphy

Three Ring Post!

We all have seasons of life that are especially crazy and hectic. I was recently inspired to create some "when your life is a circus" mail. 

I had some of those fabulous USPS circus stamps and a droll circus pun that needed sharing!  It was the perfect recipe for mailbox magic!
 I wrote an encouraging letter to my frazzled friend and included some circus themed illustrations throughout my letter, and of course my favorite...the pun. "Has life turned into a bit of a scary circus? Just remember this advice: Keep calm and go for the juggler." (Hee Hee! That one cracks me up!)

Always be on the lookout for inspiration! I enjoy keeping a journal of snail mail ideas and I have a pinterest board called "mailbox magic".
I also keep a notebook of recipients. When I hear about someone going through a tough time, a new adventure, a change of any kind...I write it in my notebook, sending some spontaneous snail mail at just the right time is definitely magic!!!

Go postal, everybody!
XOXO Mrs. Murphy

Pushing The Envelope

One of my favorite activities is walking out to my mailbox, opening that cute little door and peeking inside.  I love the anticipation. Did I get any "good mail" today? If so, from whom? What mailbox magic does it contain? Often times I can tell with just a cursory glance.  The envelopes tend to give their contents away.  Is it a plain, white, business envelope? Probably a bill or something decidedly non-magical. Boo!

So in an effort to bring greater joy to my pen friends...AND because it's super-duper fun, I like to decorate my envelopes!  Now, the truly gifted folks out there create masterpieces known as mail art. These pieces are a joy to behold and would be wonderful even if they were empty, but in my experience, ten times out of ten, they contain a letter! Bliss! No major artistic talent is needed to create envelope art.  Simply add a little doodle, sticker, tape, stamps...anything you have! Get those creative juices flowing.

Here's a little something I just posted...

I am always eager to use up what I have on hand in a new and creative way. I found this great vintage picture of a lady eating watermelon in a magazine. She's a little out of focus, but I think that adds to her charm.  I added a little decorative tape, a doodle and some old postage stamps. (I love postage stamps and save interesting ones from the letters I receive from my pen pals. It's fun to reuse them to decorate my new outgoing post.) A few rubber stamps and a "mail art" sticker are the finishing touches. Nothing fancy...just fun!

Why not try decorating your outgoing envelopes? It's like sending a present within a present! In a word...magic!

Go Postal, Everybody!
XOXO Mrs. Murphy