Happy Birthday #PostCircle!

Hooray, #PostCircle is one today! What a year it's been. Just think how many thousands of letters must have crossed the world in the last year, how many smiles we have raised and how many friendships we have formed.

By now you'll know that tonight we're having a party on Twitter to celebrate. Join us using the #PostCircle hashtag between 8 and 10pm and you can expect the following:

• Special discount offers from some wonderful shops, including my friend Claireabellemakes, gorgeous craft supplies and stationery shop rikyandnina and Jessica Hogarth Designs. I'm mad about Jessica's coastal stationery range.
• A #PostCircle Awards ceremony
• Giveaways... including the below book by Liz Williams. Make sure you're using the #PostCircle tag to be automatically entered.
• Happy post chat from the biggest gathering of #PostCircle members ever.
• Tunes!
• Imaginary cheese and pineapple on sticks. What?

I fully expect to get banned for tweeting too much tonight - I suppose it's the equivalent of Twitter binge drinking. Binge tweeting.

See you there!

PS: All the offers tweeted during the party will be summed up on my Facebook page just after 10pm, to help you keep track. But they will only be valid for 24 hours!

#PostCircle Star of the Month: January

I'm not very good at getting this out on time, am I? Must try harder. Anyway, without further ado, it's time to announce the #PostCircle Star of the Month and the #PostCircle Team of the Month.

Ready?

Congratulations to Claire of Clairabellemakes!

I got a lovely email from fellow #TeamRabbit member Jo, telling me how Claire sends delightful letters, and had even taught Jo to knit by letter. I love a bit of snail mail skill sharing! Well done Claire, we of the happy post world salute you.

And the team taking the trophy this month? (There is no trophy, but hey, we can pretend)...

It's #TeamSparrow! I've been watching you guys on social media and it's been lovely to see the appreciate tweets among you. Well done!

That's it for another month - remember, it doesn't matter how new a group you are, how short your letters are or whether you post first class or second, we're looking for lovely, thoughtful post that makes a difference to those who receive it.

Happy posting,

Introducing the #PostCircle Angels!

I come bearing good news with this blog post.

#PostCircle launched nearly a year ago now (I have birthday plans too, watch this space!) and it all started because my friend Amy mentioned that it might be fun to reignite the lost art of letter writing and receive some happy post for a change, instead of tedious bills and circulars. We both live in Sheffield so it didn't make sense to only post to each other, and so I casually agreed to gather together maybe three or five people to form a 'post circle', and we could send cheery mail to brighten one anothers' days.

Eleven months later, and #PostCircle currently stands at 273 members. By the time you finish reading this post that number could well have changed again. It's been an amazing response, leading to countless new friendships, thousands of days made better, support given in tough times, and the lost art of letter writing well and truly revived.

#PostCircle has appeared in the latest issue of Pretty Nostalgic magazine

My problem is that I have become a victim of my own project. The emails arrive in such numbers that people are sometimes left waiting for weeks before I have the opportunity and energy to plough through them all. Putting the groups together is a time consuming and often mind-fuddling process, which I've been struggling to cope with around two jobs, a small business and this blog. And so I was delighted when I casually mentioned on Facebook a few weeks ago that I'd be needing to ask for a couple of volunteers before long, and three lovely ladies immediately emailed to give up their time to help out.

#PostCircle members and fans of post, allow me to introduce you to The #PostCircle Angels!

These angels are already prolific letter-writers, and passionate about spreading joy in paper form. Two are members of more than one #PostCircle group, and all three are going to help me to keep #PostCircle ticking over so we can all continue to enjoy it.

Clockwise from left: #PostCircle Angels Claire, Annee and Debbie

Welcome #PostCircle Angels! Tell us about yourselves...

A chat with Claire:

You’re already a #PostCircle super-member! What do you love about writing letters and sending happy mail?

I've always loved writing letters and had loads of penpals when I was younger - before email and mobile phones took over! Writing letters now brings back that same feeling that I got then - anticipation,  excitement and the joy of getting to know new people. I get such a buzz from receiving happy mail - it makes a change to get something lovely through the post instead of bills and junk - and being involved in #PostCircle lets me pass that wonderful feeling on to others!

What’s the best thing you have ever received through the post?

My replacement engagement ring! (Replaced because I lost it - a very long story!)

You’re in the Sparrow group. Do you identify with that creature at all?!

I don't identify with a sparrow because I am actually a Fox! (I say that as Fox is my maiden name and not because I think I am a supermodel!! )

What do you think your handwriting says about you?

My handwriting is pretty ordinary and always starts off neat and tidy but the longer I go on the messier it gets - which pretty much describes me every day!

Without post we’d have to find new ways to send paper messages over long distances. What would your message in a bottle say?

My message in a bottle would most likely be 'send more wine!'

What would your carrier pigeon be called?

My pigeon would have to be called Whiskas as he'd end up as cat food (I have two cats!)

A chat with Annee:

Tell us a little about yourself

I’m a wife and a working mom of three; I also run my own little graphic design business. I love lists, planning and organisation and have been known to break into a cold sweat around clutter!

I used to be a ballet dancer (before my cherubs arrived). I have 9 and ¾ fingers (amputated a finger in a letter box... oh the irony). I love Paris!

You’re already a #PostCircle super-member! What do you love about writing letters and sending happy mail?

I’ve always loved to write and had a ‘thing’ for stationery for as long as I can remember.  When I was little I saved up my pocket money to go to John Menzies (just like WH Smith) and I had an eraser collection to die for!  I wrote to all my friends, even if they stayed a few streets away, we’d make up names for each other and be excited when the letters arrived and I loved decorating the envelopes.  I still wrote letters up until I was in my thirties (ahem)... Then it changed and was just a little note on the blank side of birthday and Christmas cards as e-mail and Facebook arrived and the art of snail mail slowly drifted into the distance… THEN #PostCircle was born and my love for writing was re-born!

There’s just something magical about writing a note and knowing that whilst you sleep it’s making that journey to brighten someone’s day.  Some simple words of encouragement, acknowledgement and telling someone about your day or special news… you know that when they open the mail they are absorbing your words and (hopefully) enjoying that little piece of happy mail.  I know that each #PostCircle letter I receive brightens my day!

All thanks to you Anna!

What’s the best thing you have ever received through the post?

There’s so many to choose from… one of my favourites was from fellow #PostCircle Angel Debbie, her fabulous letter stretched nearly the length of my living room! I’ve never seen a letter that long and I possibly never will again… oh and, it was double sided!

You’re in the Vole and Otter groups. Do you identify with those animals at all?!

I didn’t know much about the mighty Vole when I was placed in this group. When I researched I found that “the Water Vole is Britain's fastest declining wild mammal and has disappeared from many parts of the country where it was once common.” (source: http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/species/water-vole)... Not too long after that I was contacted by the Scottish Wildlife Trust to tell me that they have found lots of voles near to where I work, they are living nearby in a place that isn’t common for them to live!  How amazing is that?  They are a protected species now, Go VOLES!

My second group is #TeamOtter which I’ve just recently joined… an Otter’s den is called a couch, that’s my favourite place to be too, on my couch!

I also write to some wonderful ladies from other groups, we hooked up on Twitter via the #PostCircle hashtag.

What do you think your handwriting says about you?

My handwriting can be quite sharp but soft at the edges and often little hearts or birds as I ‘dot the i’s’ …. I think that means I can be quite strict and I do like things in order but I really am a big softy!

Without post we’d have to find new ways to send paper messages over long distances. What would your message in a bottle say?

 My message in a bottle would say (along with my contact details):

I’ve been lost at Sea,

But now you’ve found me,

How much time has passed,

Since my pen touched this last?

Am I breathing the air,

That surrounds everywhere,

Or am I sleeping a slumber,

As above called my number…

A chat with Debbie:

Tell us a little about yourself 

I’m a married mum of two from Somerset, whose life revolves around her family and a multitude of family pets, which includes a cat with thumbs. When I get free time you can either find me out riding my horse, walking the dog, geocaching, or sat at my bureau writing letters.  

You’re already a #PostCircle super-member! What do you love about writing letters and sending happy mail?

I find using a pen very relaxing, be it writing, drawing or doodling.  So I have always enjoyed sending snailmail.

I started writing letters when I was at primary school when my best friend moved away and we agreed to stay in touch by sending letters.  At secondary school I took part in a French exchange and corresponded with my allocated partner before I went to France to stay with her.

In my twenties my boyfriend, at the time, was in the Army and when he was posted abroad I would write letters to him several times a week.

Since having the children, I wanted to get back into letter writing and Twitter has given me the opportunity to find likeminded people who enjoy putting pen to paper and creating happymail. 

#Postcircle has allowed me to connect with some fantastic people in my groups and by searching for #Postcircle tweets.

What’s the best thing you have ever received through the post? 

I don’t think I can narrow this down to one particular item, as every letter, postcard, notelet or card is as individual as the person sending it.

When writing letters some people like to be very creative and others like to just put ink on paper and I am very happy to receive either.  As far as I am concerned if someone has taken the time to put pen to paper and write to me, and in doing so have recorded their feelings, shared some news (be it good or bad) or described a particular event that has happened to them, then that is very special to me and I treasure every letter that I receive.

You’re in the Hare and Ptarmigan groups. Do you identify with those creatures at all?!

Some would say I am as mad as a March hare and I do always seem to be dashing around here and there like a hare would be in Spring.  The ptarmigan is described on the RSPB website as a plump gamebird, so I would say I can relate to the plump description, as I am about to embark on a weight loss regime!

What do you think your handwriting says about you? 

I don’t particularly like my handwriting, but people have commented that it is neat, tidy and easy to read. I find my writing varies depending on my mood, what pen I am using and the quality of the paper I am writing on and has definitely varied in style over the years.  My current style of writing is quite big and rounded, so I like to think of it as friendly and bubbly, which I hope sums up my personality too.

Without post we’d have to find new ways to send paper messages over long distances. How would you send post instead?

If there was no post, I would set up my own horseback delivery service, thus allowing me to enjoy both of my hobbies (snailmailing and horse riding) at the same time.  I would recruit others to do the same and create a network of deliveries covering the UK.

If you'd like to say hello to the new #PostCircle Angels you can find them on Twitter:

Claire

Annee

Debbie 

and they'll be using the #PostCircleAngels hashtag for their #PostCircle-related tweets.

 

Introducing #PostCircle Star of the Month

I'm slowly starting to clear the backlog of #PostCircle emails which have been building up since my house move.

One of my favourite things to do when I'm feeling a little bogged down with it all is to amble onto Twitter or Instagram, tap in the #PostCircle hashtag, and spend some time looking at all the lovely post you've been sending to one another. It really makes me smile to see all the excited 'look what arrived in the post this morning!' photos, thank yous, and even nicer, members checking up on one another during difficult times and life changes. #PostCircle may be my invention and mine to administrate, but it's you, the members, who keep it going and I genuinely think some of you are changing people's lives, and bringing them comfort, excitement, friendship and gorgeous stationery (yes, it's an important thing!) through a series of special paper kindnesses whizzing their way around the world.

It's pretty darn amazing.

Emma sent her #PostCircle pals an ice cream party in a box! AMAZING.

And as I scroll through social media, feeling like a proud #PostCircle parent, I notice that certain names and groups crop up over and over again. Some of you are really prolific when it comes to writing lovely letters. Others of you might send less post (which is fine), but the post you send makes me gasp when I see the amount of thought and care that has gone into it.

Sarah Doyle sent some cheery happy mail this week.

So in these difficult times, when it's easy to become isolated in a sea of worries, world disasters remind us just what horrors others have to fight through, and most post still consists of ever-increasing gas bills and annoying leaflets about PPI compensation, I have decided that these #PostCircle stars deserve some recognition. So from now on, once a month, I'll be publishing a blog post where I celebrate one #PostCircle group, and then one individual #PostCircle member, and that member will be receiving a little special something through the post from me.

This isn't a competition in who can send the most post. Postage can be expensive, so there will never be pressure placed on members to send more post than they can afford. But the groups and individuals sending each other regular, thoughtful post, generating joy and friendship will be noted.

Laura Weiller of #TeamKingfisher got an iconic London postcard

So how to take part and build on this fantastic #PostCircle community we've created?

1. Use the force er, hashtag: #PostCircle. Share the post you send and receive on Instagram and Twitter. I check them reqularly so I can smile at what you've all been up to. You may want to include a hashtag for your team too, so it's easy to identify you. For example, #TeamSparrow or #TeamBadger. Be proud of your team!
2. Post your #PostCircle photos to the Miss Beatrix Facebook page. Tell me who sent it and why it makes you happy.
3. Some of you hate social media, which is why you joined a letter-writing group in the first place. No problem. Pick up your pens and send me a letter telling me why you think another #PostCircle group member, or your group, deserves Star of the Month. You can email me at: hellopostcircle@gmail.com for my details, or of course cut out the letter bit and tell me by email.

The more we share our happy post, the more we can inspire others to send more happy post of their own. #PostCircle provides two-way happiness; the therapeutic effects of sitting down and writing by hand, and connecting with someone is a more considered, slow-paced fashion, and of course the excitement and joy of receiving a thoughtful scribble. There are more than 250 members in #PostCircle now, so the possibilities are endless. The first #PostCircle Star of the Month will be announced in December!

Happy posting,

P.S: I have been lucky enough to receive some really lovely, thoughtful post since my house move. Thank you so much for your cards, emails, tweets and blog comments :) xx

A Guest Post by Laura: On #PostCircle

My name is Laura, and I run a Tumblr crafting and lifestyle blog called LaLau Land.  I had the great pleasure of joining #PostCircle several weeks back, and have enjoyed it immensely ever since.  It’s taken me back to a time when I wrote to family and friends, and received replies.  We were taught this was common courtesy -- that it was rude not to reply.  But then came the Internet and its illustrious email.  People seemed to have lost their letter-writing etiquette and eventually, forgot to write at all.  This bothers me -- because it’s communication, and thus affects every aspect of life.  Communication is no longer as meaningful as it once was.

“I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction.  The world will have a generation of idiots.” -- Albert Einstein

After months of arguing with myself over my network and social outlook, I happened to read Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People.  I enjoyed it, and was reminded of something important which I’d ignored.  Invest in others and they will invest in you.  You may wonder how I could have forgotten something so simplistic.  Like all of us, I’ve been hurt before; so I inevitably slammed shut some doors and windows of my life.

I committed to open myself up to letter-writing again, but had no idea where to begin.  The most challenging parts of modern day snail-mail are knowing who to write and what to say.  There’s also the big question: If I spend time and effort and mail it, will anyone actually reply?  I started by posting on Facebook that I was looking for penpals.  I don’t think people took me seriously at first.  There were also a few close friends whose addresses I outright requested, and received - few questions asked.

As I researched and learned more about the benefits of networking, I realized that the best way to network is be a friend.  To talk, discuss, share life in general. Relationships are not about business or money for me.  I have a shop, and I hope to make money from it.  But ultimately, I want to make people smile.  To know their passions, what excites them.  The rest will fall into place gradually as people take a personal interest in me based solely on what I invest into their lives.

In the short time I’ve been a part of #PostCircle, I’ve received several personal compliments on my blog, crafts, and ideas.  These comments were posted not to my blog or Etsy shop, but to my mailing address.  The letters my #PostCircle group have sent are now treasured possessions carefully compiled into a paper book of memories.  I hope I’m never parted from all the reasons I’ve learned to love people, but I trust that I’m making friends that will last a lifetime.  And I’m doing it through the mail.

Thank you for reading.  Do you have a story about how sending and receiving mail changed your life for the better?  I’d love to read it in the comments below. ~_<3  Also, thank you to Anna, Beatrix and the Miss-Beatrix readers for having me as a guest here at Miss-Beatrix.  I’ve sincerely enjoyed the opportunity.

With love,

Laura

Make Your Own Letter Rack

If you're one of the one hundred and eighty lovely people to have joined #PostCircle, you're hopefully getting a lot more happy post than you used to. But what do you do with your post once you've opened and admired it? How do you keep track of the people you need to reply to, and if, like me, you don't live alone, where does new post wait for you until you have time to sit down and enjoy a good read? 

Enter your very own handmade letter rack!

You will need: 

• 2 sheets 1/8" x 4" x 36" balsa wood - available from craft shops (I went to Hobbycraft)
• Wooden letters (optional) - I got mine from the kiddies' craft section in Hobbycraft for £1 for a pack of 20
• A glue gun or wood glue
• A craft knife and cutting mat
• Paint in your chosen colour - I used white gloss spray paint for easy, even coverage but this is entirely up to you. I find spray paint is less likely to warp your wood when wet. 
• A pencil and ruler - use a metal ruler for cutting if you have one
• Decorations of your choice - washi tape seemed like a fun idea for my letter rack

1. Measure and cut five pieces of wood, 22cm long. Your wood is already about 10cm wide, and we're working with this width right the way through, so no need to measure that. 

2. Cut two squares, 10 x 10 cm. These will be your sides. Take one of your squares and make a pencil mark one cm in from the left, and 4cm down from the top, on the right, as shown below. Draw a line between these two marks, then cut. Repeat with the other side in exactly the same way. 

3. Hooray, that's all your pieces cut out! Now we just have to give them a trim so they fit together. Set aside two of the lengths you cut out. They will make the back wall and the base of your rack. Take the other three and one of your side pieces. Line up the bottom edge of one of your lengths with the bottom edge of the side piece, where you would like the first slot of your rack to be (my first is 3.5cm from the back of the side piece). Where the length sticks out from the top of the side piece, make a pencil mark. (See image below). We're trimming the slots of your rack to line them up with the sloping diagonal of the sides. 

Draw a straight line across the top of the length at the height of the pencil mark, and trim. Repeat for one of the other lengths, again around 3-3.5cm apart from the last slot. The last length will be your front, so that will line up with the height of the front of the side piece. 

4. Next it's time to glue the letters onto the front panel! I used my trusty glue gun for this bit. 

5. Paint time! Cover your work surface in newspaper, and work outside if you're using spray paint. Give all your pieces an even coat of paint, on both sides, repeating if necessary. Try not to let your wood get too wet - it's better to do more thin coats - so you don't warp the wood. Go and have a cuppa and a cheeky biscuit while that lot dries. The paint has now strengthened the wood so your rack will be nice and sturdy. 

6. All we have to do now is assemble the letter rack! You can use a glue gun or wood glue for this bit. I used a combination of both because a glue gun got me strong, fast results, and the wood glue gave me more time on those joins that needed a bit of adjustment. Glue the front on first, placing the front piece on top of the base, not in front of it. The same goes for the back. If you need to do a little trimming at this point don't worry, we're going to give everything a last spray of paint to clean up any raw edges. 

Construct the actual 'box' first to give it structure, then glue in your slots last. Once you're happy and the glue is dry, give everything a last coat of paint. I chose to spray my finished rack with a coat of clear varnish too, but that's up to you, depending on the type of paint you used. 

7. The fun bit! Decorate your rack however you like. I used washi tape and printed some labels for the slots. You could paint flowers onto yours, or add stickers or stamps, whatever you wish!

I've chosen to keep my rack on my desk, but it's also lightweight enough to use sticky foam pads to attach it to a wall, bookcase or door.

Another way I'm displaying my post is with a baker's twine washing line in my workspace!

Have a well organised Wednesday,

The New #PostCircle Stationery Range by AnneeApple

When I started #PostCircle I had no idea that over one hundred and seventy of you would be as enthusiastic about sending and receiving happy post as I am. Neither did I know what other sorts of wonderful things could come out of it! I'd like to share one such thing with you today. Introducing the brand sparkly new AnneeApple stationery range!

Inspired by all things #PostCircle, the talented Anne McBride has designed her very own range for fellow post lovers. And this is just the tip of the iceberg; she has many more design ideas up her crafty sleeve!

I love the idea of lettergrams (above), as after all this is how original written communications started out, with none of this separate envelope business! 

Who wouldn't love something so cheery to land on their doormat in a morning? (Much better than the tax return forms I received yesterday. Sigh.) Annee has cleverly merged bright, modern colours with vintage-style themes to make something for everyone.

Annee's stationery range will soon be available in her new Etsy shop (keep your eyes peeled for listings appearing soon!) with prices in the region of £6 for 20 sheets of writing paper, personalised linen writing paper (20 sheets) at £8 and five lettergrams at £5 (prices subject to slight change as the range is fully developed). For the latest on the range's launch, and news of a giveaway soon, follow Annee at her blog and on Facebook.  

Personally, I think my fellow otters are going to be very happy to get some of this #PostCircle stationery in the post very soon!