July 15, 2017

Smiles Sent Saturday~7/15/17

I thought I'd try to go through some of the photos I took of mail I sent earlier this year, and share some of the envelopes here.  I take photos of pretty much everything I mail.  In part for this blog, but mainly to be able to look back at for inspiration and encouragement.
I'm not the best artist, but I think this turned out pretty cheerful & colorful for a new years card...and it went to a great aunt, who I'm pretty sure probably always views me a little as a little girl, so anything I draw will be great!  ðŸ˜Š

This card had kind of abstract flowers, so it was easy to come close.  Also one of the first times I used those cool "From me to you" stamps!


St. Patrick's Day envelope, simple but fun.

Had fun picking vintage stamps to match the color scheme of this card.  I then tried to mirror the card design on the envelope, so I'm sharing an up-close photo of the card and envelope design side by side.

 I really enjoy using metallic markers...so cool looking!  This card had a metallic, scalloped edge, so the card got the same thing, and wrote the name in a metallic pen, too! 

The name “Smiles Sent Saturday” denotes my hope these things I mailed made the people who got them smile.



July 8, 2017

Smiles Sent Saturday~7/8/2017

Well, it's July and this will be my second post for the year...a little slow, huh?  It's been a hard year.  I've been recovering from surgery and my sister has been recovering from a bad heart infection.  Then my grandmother who lives with us was diagnosed with dementia, so Hospice came in.  A few months later she died at home.  So, not only has it been hard to find the time and energy, not only to blog about writing, but to actually write and be artistic.  I think up until the last month or so, I only got one letter written this year, but I did pull off A Month of Letters Challenge with small note-cards and get my great aunts cards or postcards most months, and that's important to me...and I believe them.   But, I'm slowly getting back into writing people and decorating envelopes, so I'm hoping to get posting on here.  For now, here's some patriotic mail.

For the 4th of July I sent cards to my "short list" of great aunts, etc.   I've had a hard time over the years finding Independence Day cards, this year I was glad to find 8-packs of cards with blue stars on it at the Dollar Tree.  Was it supposed to be 4th of July cards? No, but with some red pens writing in them, and USA envelopes, they worked great!  I didn't do any big decoration this time, but I addressed with navy ink and returned addressed with red, and with the help of vintage stamps and stickers to seal, it turned out pretty nice I think.   One thing that is easy to find for 4th of July is stamps...there's lots of USA stamps!



I recently got to go to some Civil War historical sites, including Appomattox.  Since I'd gotten a few of the 150 anniversary stamps, when they came out, I stopped at the post office and had a couple Appomattox postcards hand stamped...including one I sent to myself! :)  Fun!  The lady working there was so nice, she lined it up just right, and sat it aside so that it'd dry well and not smear!


Well, that's all for now, hopefully I'll be able to post...& write more going forward!

The name “Smiles Sent Saturday” denotes my hope these things I mailed made the people who got them smile.




January 14, 2017

Smiles Sent Saturday~1/14/17

I haven't posted lately...nor have I really sent that much mail.  Our family has been having a number of health issues, so mail has taken a little bit of a back seat, things seem to be calming down now, so hopefully I'll be able to get back to doing it more...hopefully I'll be ready when A Month of Letters come around.  I was able to get Christmas cards sent out to a very cut down list.  Thanksgiving cards pretty much only went to my great aunts as we try to get something out to them every month.  I didn't have much time to decorate envelopes, but it's amazing how a few vintage stamps can really dress up an envelope and make it special.
Can I say I just love brown envelopes for Thanksgiving cards??




The name “Smiles Sent Saturday” denotes my hope these things I mailed made the people who got them smile.