Proof of concept

Today, I posted 3 letters to different corners of the world. One of the envelopes is sealed with wax (below). 

Last year, I had the idea of making my own seals. I bought some modelling stuff and made this. I had left it to dry and forgot about it. I found it last night and thought I would try it on a letter to the US. I had surfed online for ideas about them and one suggested using an oil to prevent the wax from sticking. I lightly covered this with vegetable oil and took the plunge. OK, one of the petals stuck but otherwise, it looks to have turned out rather well. I hope it arrives safely.

Also on the subject of wax, I usually use a ballpoint pen for fear of the address running in the rain if I use a fountain pen. Sometimes I protected the address with sticky tape. A couple of correspondents have suggested/used candle (not lit) rubbed over the address - looks like it works nicely. 

Cheerful post.

 Today, I came home to 2 letters. I just love these stamps used for postage. One of the letters was sealed with wax, and came from a correspondent who has used other seals on letters to me.

The bottom seal is the latest one I have received. Which seal is your favourite out of these?

Earlier in the week, I received this letter also with fab stamps. I hope to reply by May the Fourth!

I have finished writing a reply to this letter, and will post it tomorrow. I love the Valentine's stamp.

The letter I replied to had this little pretty drawing in. My talents for drawing are limited!

I celebrated my birthday this month and my mother used this stamp on her card to me. Eastbourne is somewhere I have visited.

While on the subject of places visited being on stamps, I didn't realise Kedlestone Hall was on a stamp. I went there earlier in the year and only just discovered I had the stamp in my for-postage collection.

I am annoyed

With the postage rates rise at the end of March, I thought I had already memorised the prices and a few combinations to make up those rates. For some reason I thought First Class stamps were 64p! On some of the letters I posted last week and maybe the week before, I put 2 firsts and a 5p. 64p x 2 plus 5p would be £1.33. However, those first class stamps are only valued at 63p. So, I have put insufficient postage on for the airmail rate. The letters should still get to their destinations as the postage is more than sufficient to cover surface mail rate....

New correspondence comes of age...

InCoWriMo has been a success and some of the correspondence has been back and forth enough for me to justify allowing some correspondents to have their own little file (or plastic resealable food bag) for letter storage, and for being included in my address book. Congratulations to those lucky correspondents !!

For InCoWriMo, you don't know who is writing to you until you receive their letter. Sometimes, you have written to them too and your letters have crossed waving to each other on their travels in opposite directions. This has happened for a second time with one correspondent! Soon, we'll have this sorted so letters do not cross.

Paper, again

I have been away for the Easter holidays but have also been busy writing letters. More were posted today than I received on my return today.

 I just love this Diddl paper, although my fountain pens do not splodge ink everywhere.

When I receive a letter, I am on cloud nine, though the occasional letter could see me roll off the cloud in laughter!

 The other week, I came across some new writing sets. I love the back of the boxes with sample letters.

The designs are fantastic too. I bought a new set by the same people yesterday but I haven't yet taken a photo of it.