Handmade Series- Envelopes

I thought I might start a new blog series, since the point of this blog is crafting, and share my handmade envelopes. They are mostly used for pen pals, but I think I'm going to make them for my scrapbook and to send cards and stuff home to family and friends.

 These were my first attempt at making my own envelopes. I took one I had bought, opened it up, traced it onto the red paper on the bottom left, cut it out, and glued it together. I quickly fell in love with being able to make my own envelopes! Plain ones are so boring!
The airplane one and the one on the right are made from scrapbook paper, the red one is made from Christmas stationary!

 More scrapbook paper adventures.

 Kinda crappy picture... but these are all made from some random pad of 8.5" X 11" blue and brown patterned scrapbook paper. Rather fond of how these turned out and almost don't want to use them. Haha.

This was my first attempt at decorating a plain envelope. I saw the idea on Pinterest ((see my pen pal board)) and wanted to give it a try. I wrote her name in a blue cloud, mine n some odd shape, and the drew the hearts. I then decided to add lines to it... dunno why.... but I love how this one turned out and I was slightly sad to see it go.

Do you make your own envelopes or decorate plain white ones?

Currently

Hilo! So as I am writing all these blog posts this week (two days off have been AMAZING), I realized that while I started to share my scrapbook pages on here, I hadn't shared my Currently Journaling Cards (oh no). I tend to do these cards on Monday, since Sunday and its "I Love" Sunday posts are the last day of the week here on the blog, I figured the Currently cards were a good way to start my week. Here are all my Currently cards since the start of the year:

 This was the first journaling card of the year and the first one in my book. I just so happened to find a Project Life Holiday card that said Currently and decided that it would be perfect to start my book. I instantly fell in love with the idea of jotting down these little prompts quickly, it hardly takes any time at all, and then putting them in my scrapbook each week!

 Week 2 I used very colorful gel pens (my favorite pens) and had the urge to try to make it rainbow like (at least until the last one). I've been progressing through the seasons of CSI: NY on Netflix. I have this weird habit of when I find a show I like on there, I will watch it all the way until the last episode there (even though there are like 9 seasons).

 Week 3. Not so creative. :( But it got the job done and has its place in my scrapbook.

 Week 4: I usually don't like lime green colored pens, but this one isn't too bad!

 Week 5: Like I said I usually do these cards on Monday, but I totally spaced this week because of homework and drama with my now ex-roommate. I was sitting down working on stuff yesterday and was like "OH! I totally forgot to do my card this week!" Haha, I am silly like that!

You can find out more information about the Currently Journaling Challenge on Kristin's blog. If you don't already do so, you should join us!

Snailmail organization

Hello! Happy Thursday!
I hope this finds you well! It snowed here Wednesday night and I got yesterday and today off from work due to the snow and the ice and I finally decided to get my butt in gear and work on this little blog!

Today I wanted to share how I organize my snailmail stuff because someone asked me how I keep track of my inbound and outbound mail when its sent. That and I just love taking pictures of stuff and being organized! And I want to make my snailmail stuff more common on this blog!

 This is my little station. I bought the little holder thingy at like Walmart or something I think. It has three sections, one for my stamps and tracker, another for my handmade envelopes and a stationary set someone bought me, another for all my other blank envelopes and my sticker seals. I also currently have post cards in there until I get a little album for them. Next to it is also a note card set someone bought me that I occasionally use for mail tag and other random writings.

 Until I figure out my pen pal album, this is were I hold my inbound mail! I had dividers set up for each person with their letters behind it- but they fell down because I don't have enough letters to keep them standing. Haha. The top one is a letter from Patti who embroidered some triangles on the top. One of my favorites!

Because someone in the facebook group had asked how people keep track of their inbound and outbound letters, I had taken a picture of my little book. As you can see.... it is little (I put the pen next to it for comparison) Each day I get or send mail, I just write the date, whether its inbound or outbound, and who its for/from. Its pretty simple and its worked pretty well for me so far.

How do you keep track of your supplies and when you send/receive mail? Check out the group for more friends and ideas!

Incoming Snailmail pt. 1

Hey there again friends! Two posts in one day, who knew? And another snailmail related post? Good lord.... I was on the Snailmail Friends FB group and someone mentioned blogs and it got me thinking. One of the things I have been meaning to work on was this silly little blog of mine, and figured why not post about one of my biggest loves- snailmail and letter writing?!? I can probably make an entire series out of it with all my letter decorations, inbound and outbound mail, how I keep my stuff organized, and stuff like that. Later this week I may share how I got into it in the first place (my roommate and I were actually just talking about it).

Today I just wanted to share all my incoming mail to this point! There have been lots of great letters and an awesome package since I started back in November of 2013! I know that seeing pictures of other peoples inbound mail gives me lots of ideas for things that I either want to share (mail tag questions) and even ways to decorate or package my outbound stuff!

 It all started with the Christmas cards- two from my family and one from my first pen pal Patti (hers is the far right one)

 Next was a shirt I ordered online (counts as happy mail) and a letter and christmas card from my friend Lisa!

 

This was my "Pen Pal Starter Kit" from my pen pal Patti that I recieved on New Years Day. I had mentioned how I really didn't have a lot of stuff so she went out and bought me all of this wonderful stuff! ((I actually forgot about that Snailmail stamp until right now...))

 This was a lovely letter from my friend Emily and another little letter from my friend Rachel. I love how Emily drew all over the back of her letter. She is quite talented!

This was one of my latest inbound mail from Melissa and Liza! Liza wrote on some super pretty stationary and she is one of the only people I have seen write in cursive! I loved Melissa's mail tag questions, because other the Patti, she is the only one so far to do mail tag!

I absolutely love getting snail mail in my little mail box, I check my box frequently now just to see if I have anything! I know that i have at least three letters inbound at this time from various people and I can't wait to get them and reply. I've been really good at replying almost instantly to letters and sending them out the next day!

Do you like snail mail? If so, please check out the facebook page above and join us!

Snailmail Facebook Group

Hey there friends! I was on instagram the other day and was looking at all the friends that I have there that do pen pals and snailmail and it got me thinking. I then went to Facebook and went looking to see if there was a group there for snailmail and sharing stuff--> AND I COULDN'T FIND ONE! I was shocked! On Facebook of all places, how was there NOT already a snail mail group?

I knew I needed to change that! So I created the group Snailmail Friends. I wanted to have a place where people could come to share ideas, share their inbound and outbound mail (who doesn't love seeing all the awesome stuff people are getting), mail tag (a lot of people don't know what that is), and just a place to ask questions or get advice related to snail mail.

Holy crap did that group grow quickly! I was SO excited! Like you have no idea. Haha. Within the first 24 hrs there were already almost 50 people. And now, just a couple days later, there are almost 80! And there have been TONS of questions asked and information shared, pictures of snail mail shared, and just new friends made! I absolutely LOVE it!

I had hopes for the group, but didn't know I was going to get the response that I thought I was. I can only hope that it continues to grow past my expectations!

It also got 3 of my friends that I know to get involved in it too! That made me jump for joy!

And one of the admins actually had the great idea to give us a IG hashtag! YAY! Haha

So if you like snailmail and getting happy mail in your box, join our newest group and go exploring in the world of snailmail and pen pals!

"I Love" Sunday's V4

Hello! It seems I am not posting as much as I want too, but I'm having a hard time remembering to post. Haha. I am keeping up with my scrapbook for the most part, which sometimes is easier then remembering to blog. I need to get better about doing ALL of it. Haha. That's another post though.

Here is what I am loving this week:

♥  Hung out with my boyfriend all weekend. We hung out at his place because his roommate is in a month long field training exercise, and both of mine picked this weekend to not stay with their boyfriends. Its been a little weird because there is less for me to do while he is sleeping when I am not around my stuff

♥ <--- Just remembered how to make those symbols (I felt like an idiot for forgetting)

♥ Watched The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug last night (finally). I think I am going to watch Frozen today while he is still sleeping.

♥ These half days at work have been amazing. Gives me time to get stuff done, like work on my scrapping and pen pal letters.

♥  It's been a four day weekend, thanks to tomorrow being Martin Luther King Jr. day. Get to spend another day wit my boyfriend. He leaves to go home soon and with my future so up in the air as whether I stay at Bragg or go to Germany, we want to spend as much time together as possible before we're possibly separated for a long time.... It depresses me to think about that part, but its nie to spend time together.

♥ Been catching up on Dexter this weekend too, mostly because he's been sleeping most of the mornings and I can't remember what CSI:NY episode I'm on.  He hasn't been able to sleep very well at night, so I wake him up at lunch and spend the morning watching tv and messing around on my computer.

♥ Last but not least, I've been working on some ideas for the blog and stuff to keep me interested. I've got some plans in the work, they just need more tweaking and perfecting. It kinda sucks that I am such an OCD perfectionist when it comes to my craft work and all things related.

What are you loving this week? Share your list and leave a link in the comments or share on my B page.

"I Love" Sunday's v.3

Hello all and happy Sunday!

I hope you're all having a good weekend. Saturday was super stupid rainy here and we were under a tornado watch. Boyfriend was getting his back tattoo worked on since he'll be leaving soon.

Here is what I am loving this week:

((It may be a very short list))

• I found a template for my "I Love" Sunday's to put in my scrapbook
• I spent the other night getting caught up on my scrapbook pages up to the 10th, so now I just gotta add in this weekend's pages. I'm amazed that I am that caught up... I usually never am.
• I've made a decision as to which way I want my life to go, I just have to see what the doc says and we'll go from there.
• Making some new friends through my blog and my instagram. Through the 30 Days of Lists, the Currently Journaling Challenge, and all my new pen friends on Instagram, I've met some great people.
• Have a co-worker who has taken an interest in purchasing some of my shelving units and a coffee table I have in storage. He gets stuff he needs, and I get paid to get rid of stuff I no longer want.

"I Love" Sunday's v.2

* I'm teaching myself how to make graphics for this blog, and although this is simple.... I am just happy to have made this much. Haha. Now I just need to perfect it. Add some stuff, like a heart or something, and make it a little more fancy!

* Spending New Years Eve with my boyfriend and some of our friends. It was a nice night (for the most part) and for the first time in my life... I had someone to kiss once it hit midnight. :)

 *  Finished Season 1 of CSI: New York ---> I love Gary Sinise (and it doesn't hurt that I met him once!) He was totally awesome! He came to Fort Bragg to talk to us about his Non-Profit Organization that helps Soldiers. He also had a concert on post that night.

* Patti M sent me a wonderful little "Pen Pal Starter Kit" because I mentioned how I really didn't have a whole lot of stuff. If you follow Patti on Instagram, then you'd know she makes some pretty amazing pen pal letters! See the purple envelope she sent? She stitched on the design (which I am totally in love with by the way!) and its probably my favorite part! As soon as I got this package, I just had to write back to her!

* Doing pretty well on a quick return time on my letter correspondence! A week at the longest is all I am comfortable with, and the hardest part seems to be getting to the post office to mail the letters off! I have also written quite a few introduction letters today!

* Got my first Project Life kit, Honey Edition! I'm beyond excited to use it in my 2014 Scrapbook! I have a lot of plans for this scrapbook, like I've mentioned. I have also decided (thanks to talking with someone-can't remember who- to have Zeke add his own little insights -maybe it was Patti in her latest letter. I think I shall start with today and ask him to share something that he loves about this past week. I think it will make this whole experience more special. Gonna ask my mom and some other people to add their little tidbits as well!

This week is a kind of short list, it was back to work this week so not a whole lot is worth mentioning. I still have to finish this week's scrapbook pages. I've been keeping tabs during the week of stuff to write or add in. I shall share pictures once I complete it. And hopefully next week I have a better headline next week!

Recap 2013 ((pics))

Hello all! And a Happy Saturday to you all!

I am working on my scrapbook and doing a recap of 2013, and decided I should share the recap here. :) I'll try to make it short and it may be out of order! My scrapbook should hopefully have more details, I just don't want to bore you guys to death and overload you with pictures!

* New Years Eve 2012 spent with Sarah D (can't find the pictures :( )

* Zeke and I started Dating --> This is one of the first pictures we have together. We went to the local country bar with a bunch of our friends (Will is the weird guy in the left corner photo-bombing) and we had a blast. I like dancing with him and it is nice to have a boyfriend that likes country bars too!

* Founded The Quirky Craftsters as a business --> Sarah and I decided to try our hands at selling our handmade fabric flower hair clips and headbands. We also make tulle tutus.

* First Craft Fair with Sarah --> Our table. That day was stressful and we still didn't have a lot of orders, but it was fun and it was a nice taste to get us going!

* Took Zeke to meet my family in FL --> My older brother Terry and his family visited, Zeke and I are in the middle, and my youngest sibling Jordan is on the far right. We coordinated it so that we were all there together!

* Recieved my Good Conduct Medal for 3 years of service without incident--> This is m best friend Kolby as we both got our GCM's. We've been in for almost the same amount of time so we got them together.

* Got rated on my system (finally!!!!)

* First active duty unit to field a new system that is the new big brother to my old system --> collage of training

* Started penpaling! I've met some awesome new people --> Just one of my inbound mail sets.

* Thanksgiving with the K's and then the N's! Zeke helped cut the ham at the K's house.

* Christmas with Zeke. Dinner at my coworker Kelli's house --> The only picture I really go was of the cupcakes at dinner. Haha

* New Years at the K's--> I loved that I got to spend the holiday with him and I finally had someone to kiss after midnight

This is just a small collection of memories from 2013. I know there are a lot more things I could have added, but these are the ones I remember and I would rather have pictures to share. There are lots more pictures I have saved, but I tried to find the best of them.

Doing this short recap has definitely told me that I need to be better at documenting life and keeping pictures. Which is my whole main goal in 2014!!