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For all the social butterflies out there, the internet can be such a great tool. In just seconds you can be video chatting with someone across the world that you have never met for free. It's very convenient and just shows us how advanced things have gotten over the years. When I was a kid the internet was just breaking out in homes and for me chat rooms and online karaoke rooms were the best thing since sliced bread. However, with all the ways to be connected and updated on any little thing, one lost art has always intrigued me and will always hold a special place for me... and that is penpalling. Huh? You know... corresponding back and forth via pen and paper in the mail! Some of you may laugh at me but there are people (more and more now-a-days) that don't know what it is! Because of this, it is extremely hard to find decent stationery to write on.
I remember when I used to get more stationery than I would ever use. When I was younger it was Lisa Frank which I still think is freak'n adorable! With my husband getting a new job out of state and my youngest just starting school *sad face* .. I get a little lonely and nostalgic at times. This is why I have decided to break out the pen and paper and get myself some pen pals again. Who doesn't love to get letters and packages in the mail? There is nothing like receiving a hand written letter that someone far away has spent their time on especially for you.
This blog will be for me to sort of journal my penpalling experiences and I am doing this for a few reasons. A) To get more people interested in this wonderful hobby!
B) To help me get organized and keep track of my incoming and outgoing letters...and
C) To share different ideas that I have come across or ways to save money and be creative so even the ones on the tightest of budgets can do mail art and enjoy this hobby.
To send a standard letter sized envelope out of the country is less than $2. I spend more on my cup of coffee than I do on sending out a smile to a foreign friend! I have actually seen that snail mailing may be bubbling under the surface waiting to come back.. it is starting to catch on with some people and ones that I have talked to about it seemed excited that people were still doing it. What about you? Do you want to start writing letters again? Here are a couple of resources to get you started.
- Penpal Of The Week - This site is owned by Julie in Canada. She has her own stationery shop on Etsy called LaPapierre. I highly suggest you add her blog to your blogroll or at least follow it. It is a daily check in for me and her stationery rocks!
- Interpals.net has it's pros and cons to it. It can be a great tool to get some fantastic pen pals but beware that with it you get your marriage proposals and scammers. You will want to set your privacy settings to only receive emails from the people you want to hear from.