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| This is how things are looking around my studio......Santa's Little Workshop. Oddly enough I don't even like Xmas. But I like my friends and I like to mail them things. I like wrapping presents and making things look pretty too. (and, of course, I LOVE getting mail) BTW, I recommend listening to Snow Angels by Over The Rhine while wrapping gifts. Best Xmas music ever. Let me know if you like it.... |
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| I bet you've got presents to send..... Do you know some of the best ways to mail them? (via USPS) |
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| I'm betting most of you already know about the USPS Flat rate Priority Mail boxes......but on the off chance you don't...they come is Small, Medium and Large and no matter what the heck you stuff inside or how heavy they are there is a flat rate -- AND -- $50.00 insurance and tracking included. And there are delivered in one to three days. What's not to like? |
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| Ready to fill! But how many of you now about these babies? Flat rate padded envelopes are in Santa's workshop ready to fill. See below at the very end of the post on bow to get them. Blogger is screwy and won't let me get that photo inserted where it should be.... |
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| Santa's Notes I had just been thinking I need to keep track of what I send to people when I spotted this little charmer in a shop in Redlands, CA. Only $4 so how could I resist? I send out a lot of surprises and sometimes forget what sent to whom....so this file is just what I needed. And it's really cute. |
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| Of course, thanks to ScrapSF (and JU) I was fully prepared with with lots of cool old 3x5 cards with tabs and index cards. I've already typed them up for this year's Xmas offerings....now if only I could remember what I gave my friends last year... |
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| At the same shop I also found vintage tags and an unused packet of Dennison Xmas stickers for $2.50. My husband couldn't understand my excitement.... For someone who doesn't even like Xmas I was still happy -- I love vintage. |
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| Redlands Postal Museum My pal Monica alerted me to the Redlands Postal Museum on her blog a while back so I stopped in. It's tiny but fun to visit. |
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| Don't you think Santa should have these USPS mail sacks to deliver presents? |
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| I thought this was a riot! |
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| Check out that fabulous ironwork -- do you see what it says at the bottom? So cool. I wish I'd be standing in line at that post office to mail all my Xmas boxes and envelopes. I could gaze at that USPO for a while. |
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| Coming home from a quick LA trip I got three days of mail on Sunday night. Yes! After a BAD mail week (three days with nothing at all) this was a happy night. |
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| How many of you know about the wonderful Priority Mail Flat Rate Padded envelopes? I am using LOTS of them this holiday season -- and I use them all year to mail surprises to my mail art pals. They can also be as heavy as you want and I can stuff A LOT inside. You have to order them -- FREE -- at the USPS website right HERE They ship them in packs of ten -- trust me, you will use them. $6.45 to mail off with $50.00 insurance and tracking. My secret mailing weapon. LA was fun but am very happy to be back in SF and settle in with my long TO DO list. I want to get all the wrapping and mailing out of the way so I can make art and bake cookies. Sadly, a lot of us here in the Bay Area, especially in the art community, are feeling very sad about the horrible tragedy in the artist space the Ghost Ship in Oakland. It seems to be hanging over our whole community and there is much sadness for the lives lost and the remaining friends and families who are suffering. A moment of silence for all that was lost on December 2. Take care, friends. |
I was sad to hear about the fire in Oakland too...
ReplyDeleteYou're right about those boxes... I once used the smallest size to send rocks I found in the Nevada desert to a friend in NY and it was less than six bucks even though it was fairly heavy. Didn't know about the envelopes though. Thanks for the info.
I seem to be able to stuff a lot more in the envelopes than in the flat rate box -- but I'm not sure about rocks -- lol.
DeleteI'd never even heard of Ghost Ship before now. I am so sorry about the tragedy and the loss of artists' lives and works. My condolences to the Bay Area community. And Happy Holidays to you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Connie. Everyone here seems to know someone involved. So very sad. And a lot of newspaper stories about why the young artists had to live in such a place -- crazy rents and no places to live.
DeleteI have used the flat rate envelopes and boxes before, but I have found I can send first class cheaper. I'm all about saving money, and when I can send first class for around $2.00 to $3.00, that will always be my first choice.
ReplyDeleteI read some horror stories about the Ghost Ship and everything I read was quite negative. So, I went to the internet and read about all the people who lost their lives. You are right. This is a tragedy, since so many of them were highly educated. Too bad there had to be such a negative connotation to the fire.
Elizabeth -- hum....I am not sure what you are reading. I suggest the SF Chronicle.com for good coverage. The negatives are -- a firetrap building with no smoke detectors or sprinklers or fire escapes -- and young, creative people having to choose to live there because rents are so incredibly outrageous in the Bay Area. The building owner turning a blind eye to the live in studios and the building manager who is a complete nut case and pig. The innocents were all the creative people who lived and worked there and died in that awful fire because of all the greed in the Bay Area. They are created art and music and worked other jobs to live -- teachers, in coffee shops, etc -- just trying to live the creative life where tech and money is valued more than the arts, So very sad. We are all touched by this loss in the Bay Area arts community.
DeleteHi Pamela! Thank you for the mail tip and so sorry about the loss of lives. Terribly sad. But on a lighter note, my favorite pic in this post is of the iron USPO and the PO Boxes. It reminded me of this...23 1/2 years ago I graduated from college, and we had PO boxes similar to the ones in your photo in our campus post office. The campus PO remodeled after I graduated and sold off the vintage boxes. I soooo regret that I didn't buy one and even recently looked on eBay to see if I could find something similar. (Not much luck). I'm on the lookout now. :-)
ReplyDeleteOooOooo you didn't buy a PO box? I would think they would have them on eBay.....good luck in the search. I love that ironwork USPO too......
DeleteAs usual I love your photos, Pamela. The one with the pricing on the USPS boxes is going to come in handy for me :-) My letter to you is on its way. Keep an eye out for it ;-)
ReplyDeletethanks Margarete -- I got your mail and it is charming!
DeleteHi Pamela,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your tips on USPS Priority Mail boxes. I might add that I enjoy using the "Click-and-Ship" feasture on the USPS.com website where you can print out the postage for the package and avoid standing in line at the post office. And, as one of your other commenters points out, for very light packages, first class mail may be the way to go. Priority Mail enters the picture when weight goes above 13 ounces or you want to have a 2-day or 3-day delivery and be able to track the delivery. Having a postal scale at home is indispensable to getting the right postage, and for the first-class mailings I keep a stock of $1 and a few $5 denomination stamps in my postage drawer.
By the way, Cascadia Artpost has sent you several pieces of mail that you should receive shortly.
All the best,
Jack @ Cascadia Artpost
Hi Jack! Thanks for the comment and the tips. I certainly do have a scale at home and I agree -- it is indispensable! And I got a delightful, artful Holiday card from you today -- loved it and one will be wing its way to you very soon. You sent SEVERAL pieces of mail? Oh! There's more coming? How wonderful.
DeleteSee you in the mail -- Pamela
You should be receiving a package on Monday or Tuesday (sent 1st class!).
Delete~ Jack
Oh -- how exciting! I can't wait . Thank you.
DeleteJack -- loved the rubber stamp -- a thank you is in the mail.
DeleteWhat a fantastic little elf you are, Pamela! Lucky Santa. Oh and I love those mail sacs!! XXx
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of a big elf........
DeleteI enjoyed the Snow Angel song!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad, Garci -- the entire cd is good....at least I think so...
Delete