Keeping the Post Office Solvent

I think that's a fitting title for this post. I used to go out to lunch, bought a lot more fabric and then I started blogging and there were giveaways and swaps so lunch and fabric went by the wayside so I could mail packages. :-) I got lucky and won one of the first giveaways I signed up for over at Mr. Monkeysuit. I was hooked on giveaways and couldn't wait to host my own. SO, in August I hosted my first giveaway. Connie, our Postlady was new (via transfer) and we got to know each other better every time I mailed off a swap or giveaway package. Then there were Christmas cards to send and now Valentines!!! Wow! I have seen her a lot the past week just trying to get all my goodies mailed. First package I sent off last week was one to my son and his girlfriend. I called it the "Good Humor" package as I crammed a $10.35 flat rate box full of everything from Spam to Monkey snack plates and all sorts of stuff. They loved it. :-) Then last Friday, I mailed off the package that contained my swap items for a "Choose 3" pincushion swap.



Here's what I sent off (my partner has received it so I think it'll be okay to share)....... a little cupcake pincushion (that plastic cupcake comes in a two-pack at JoAnn's), a little bundle of spring fat-eighths and in the drawstring bag are about two dozen buttons from my vintage button collection.
I received from Carol, my partner, two fat quarters and those beautiful pieces of tatting that I will either use on a pincushion or in my crazy quilt blocks. That's Propbear doing the "show and tell". :-)
Last weekend, I got serious about sending out Valentines. Here's the result............
On Monday I took these 14 pink envelopes to Connie to mail. Can't tell you what is in them as then the folks they are going to would know what they are getting..............

Monday afternoon I cut fat quarters and then filled 24 envelopes with the fabrics you see in the photo below. Can't give you a clue where these are going either but I can tell you that with Connie's advice, I put them in #10 business envelopes to keep the cost down. I stuffed the envelopes full and took them off to the post office along with............

another $10.35 flat rate Valentine box for my mother. She doesn't read my blog so I can share these things.............

I found a cool puzzle of a covered bridge because my folks lived in southern Iowa for a couple of years, not all that far from some of those old covered bridges. She loves the work of Thomas Kincade so this fat little picture book is perfect. There's a vanilla sachet and in the gold box is a pretty ceramic heart. And I stuffed candy and jam and all sorts of stuff in the box for her to enjoy, too. I'm betting she'll like it just like my son and his girlfriend did. :-)

With all that stuff in the mail, you'd think I'd be done sending off packages but not so. I just finished stuffing seven more little envelopes, some with fat quarters I cut from the fabric in the photo above and on the right, plus wool and other gifties. Then on Thursday, I'll mail a couple wintery themed packages, some patterns and I will have done my part to keep the post office solvent and support the economy. Not bad, huh?

I have one more "show and tell"........Denny from my "Wooly Buddies" group sent me this fabric postcard and the cute coasters and heart. I wasn't expecting anything so it was really fun to see the package in my mailbox.

I have shared a lot of fun with you and now I have a serious note to share with you. Last Friday when I took some of those packages to my Postlady Connie, she had sad news to share. Her little grandaughter, Emma, who is just seven years old has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. I am so sad for her and so, if you wish, please send comforting thoughts or say a little prayer for Emma and her family, too. I'll see Connie often and she will keep me updated. She's working on a quilt for grandaughter, Abby and when it's finished, she's going to bring it in so I can take a photo and post it here. She has to be the coolest Postlady ever!!

End of a long day.........almost tomorrow........

Sandi