Letter Writers Alliance

Snow & Ice Removal Reminder

For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, we'd like to remind you that you need to clear snow and ice from sidewalks, stairs and mailboxes, to help letter carriers deliver the mail.

From the U.S.P.S. themselves: “Snow and ice make delivery dangerous and slow,” said postal spokesperson Tim Norman. “Maintaining a clear path to the mail box – including steps, porches, walkways and street approach – will help letter carriers maintain consistent delivery service.

Customers receiving door delivery should make sure their sidewalks, steps and porches are clear. Customers receiving curbside delivery should remove snow piles left by snow plows to keep access to their mailboxes clear for letter carriers.

Delivery service may be delayed or curtailed whenever streets or walkways present hazardous conditions for letter carriers or when snow is plowed against mailboxes. “The Postal Service curtails delivery only after careful consideration, and only as a last resort,” says Norman. “Any curtailed mail is attempted the next delivery day.”

Blue collection boxes also need to be kept clear for customers to deposit their mail and for the Postal Service to collect the mail for delivery. Residents and businesses with collection boxes near their property are asked to keep them clear of snow and ice. Adopt your local box! Keep it clear for your carrier and you may notice that your mail service improves.

Holiday Calligraphy

Lindsey at The Postman's Knock has tons of calligraphy tips, tricks, tools & tutorials. I love her seasonal offerings. Nearly every year she has a new holiday worksheet for sale and it is definitely worth your while. Her instructions are accessible to all levels, and she's always experimenting and sharing new things. She also kind enough to offer a sample holiday worksheet for free. What a perfect way to really fancy up those cards and letters! Plus, her whole website is a delight. Mail Art, anyone?

L.W.A. Book Club Newsletter Volume 03

The third volume of our L.W.A. Book Club Newsletter is available. You can download it or send in a S.A.S.E. This volume has our comments from Meet Me at the Museum. It also announces our pick for our Summer reading, Sister Love: The Letters of Audre Lorde and Pat Parker 1974 - 1989. Thanks to everyone who sent in comments and especially to those members who held a meet-up. How cool is that? They met! In person! And talked! About a book! So great. If you already sent in a S.A.S.E. your copy is in the mail.

Quill: A Letter Writing RPG

I've gotten a number of recommendations to look into an RPG called Quill. For the unfamiliar, an RPG is a Role Playing Game. Letter writing and role playing game are part of the Venn diagram that is my life; so this is something that I clearly should know more about. Maybe you should too! Let's learn together!

From the Drive Thru RPG blurb:

"Quill is a solo role playing game with a twist. Instead of hacking goblins and looting caves, you are writing letters. Rather than having attributes like strength or dexterity, characters in Quill use Penmanship, Language and Heart. In a game of Quill you will write real letters, with the aim to craft the best, most beautiful missive possible in order to get a favorable response. You will use words from the Ink Pot to inspire your letter - but be warned, should you roll badly you could end up writing a bad letter."

From the rules:

"In a typical game of Quill the aim is to impress your recipient into responding favourably to your letter. You will accomplish this through deft use of language and presentation, rolling dice to determine whether or not you succeed in using the right words, the best descriptors and the most beautiful penmanship. Once you have completed your letter – one which you will actually physically write yourself – you will count up your total score and discover how your letter has been received."

In the interest of science, I did download the PDF. To start, it's a little different from what I'm used to because it's a solo, meaning one player, game. My experience with role playing games has always been collaborative.  This game basically asks you to play along with the scenarios and characters presented in the rulebook. There are dice to be rolled to determine whether or not you can use the "Superior" word or add a "Flourish" to your point-winning phrase. It's all self-policed, but I find it a charming concept. I am unsurprised to read that teachers have been using it as a learning tool. People have been doing really fun things with it. Look at this!

Quill goes on the list of things that I would be all over if I had the time. How about you? Have you played? Would you play? 

 

A History of Love Stamps

The Portland Stamp Company is a favorite of mine. They are making cool stamps with cooler people. Maybe one of them could be you? You can get pre-perforated and gummed paper from them as well as sending them your own designs to produce. They love stamps, as do we all. For the recent holiday, the "Chief Perforation Officer" Niko Courtelis put together a downloadable poster following the history of U.S.P.S. Love stamp issues. It's delightful, and I hope you all enjoy and consider The Portland Stamp Company for your philatelic needs.

Valentine Printables Round-Up

Taylor over at Maple Post has an exciting and exhausting listing of some truly excellent printable Valentines. There are some really choice options out there, all the way from complicated 3-D creations to your traditional, easily-passable rectangles. I'm really digging on the shaped ones. Break out the scissors! Dust off the printer! Get to making and mailing!

P.S. And don't forget that there is a Heart Award stationery for download from our site too!

Year of the Pig

In celebration of Chinese New Year on February 5th, I've made a new artistamp. You can download it here. Happy Year of the Pig! May we all be fat, happy, and have stuffed mailboxes.  Remember, artistamps are not valid for mailing (unless you're doing hand-delivery or using some sort of alternate reality postal system); so be sure to put regular postage on your letters as well. Also, here's a link to a guide on making stamp-like edges if you don't have pre-perforated paper like I do. You could also order pre-perforated paper to print on from the Olathe Poste or use the perforating service offered at Philosetlian Post.

Halloween at the Postman's Knock

Lindsey of The Postman's Knock has a fantastic round-up of her Halloween projects from the previous years. There are nine paper and calligraphy ideas for your eerie enjoyment. It's got printables and how-tos. All treats here, folks, no tricks. 

P.S. And congratulations to her and her family on their recent special delivery. 

Autumnal Printables Round-Up from Maple Post

Taylor Jordan at Maple Post has an excellent resource up for a ton of swell free printables that are Fall-themed. It's okay to start getting excited as Fall officially starts Saturday! I always like the Autumn and find it a very inspirational season for my letter writing and mail art. Based on the breadth of available goodies here, I am not alone. Enjoy! And do remember to check out all the goings-on at Maple Post. Everything there is a delight. 

Happy 4th of July!

I found a bunch of printable vintage postcard images for the occasion over at House of Hawthornes. Have a lovely, mid-week holiday, U.S. members. And if you don't celebrate it, have a nice Wednesday.