TOP SHOPS FOR INEXPENSIVE STATIONERY: USA

If you're anything like me you will always be in search of a great stationery bargain. I try to find these gems literally everywhere I go. Whether at a craft shop or a supermarket I often have my feelers out for whatever I can find that can be used as letter paper or embellishments for my letters or even just as gifts for pals. I thought I would do a little shop showcase of what's available in several places where I am currently residing, right here in the United States. Later on, when I am back in the UK I will do a showcase of inexpensive finds in that country.

I live in a rather prime place for finding lovely bits here in Florida. Aside from having a Walmart within walking distance (seriously, Walmart is probably where I get about 50% of my crafting/snail mailing supplies and quite a bit of that comes from the clearance racks at the back of the store), I also have a Hobby Lobby across the street, a Bealls Outlet (local Florida chain--lots of great goodies though) also across the street, farther down the main drag there is Tuesday Morning, Big Lots and farther still Marshall's & Dollar Tree. Those are the ones I frequent the most and generally find loads of great goodies to use in letter writing, though I also find some lovely things at Target and TJ Maxx (same company as Marshall's and TK Maxx in Europe). I particularly love Target's Dollar Spot bins and last week found some really great items which I will share with you now.

Purchases from Target and TJ Maxx: Fabric tapes, page flags, 'hooray' note cards and dotted memo pad were all from the Dollar Spot at Target (each priced at $1). The 'hello' card set, woodland shopping list pad, Create Your Own Happiness notebook, and Adventure Awaits notepad were all from TJ Maxx and all under $6. Real bargains right there!

Here's a close-up of the fabric tapes in cool summer patterns.

All of these cost a dollar each! You really can't go wrong with that. 

Of course, I found a lot more than that at Target and TJ Maxx but those were the stationery related items I purchased last week that I was ecstatic about. Where else do you get your supplies from? What sort of supplies do you use in snail mailing that are not typically thought of as snail mail supplies? I hope to answer these myself soon and have a few projects up my sleeve to share with you as well!

I leave you with some fab posts from around the web! Tootles!

Who doesn't love stickers? Snail Mail Love shows off her latest acquisition here.

One Crafty Mumma shows us how to stitch up some fab stationery here.

Also from One Crafty Mumma, a showcase of pretty mail including one from yours truly under my other blog name, Walks in Beauty. Check it out here! 

Recently outgoing & incoming post...

I was a bit busy this past weekend but I did manage to write quite a few letters last week and photographed a few of the lovely letters and bits I posted out to friends. Since most have been received I'll post the photos for you all to see.

Above is some Jane Austen themed mail I sent a pal in Georgia who's as much a fan as I am. Aside from my letter I sent her some stationery items I made & printed as well as my favourite Dorset teas for her to enjoy. I made her some regency themed sticker flakes, printed some Austen heroines images I found on Pinterest onto blank postcards, and made some letter papers with images of screenshots and Jane Austen portraits for her to use.

I packaged and parcelled it all up using bits I had on hand. Don't they look fab? Who is your favourite Austen heroine? Mine is undoubtedly Lizzy Bennet but I also love the sisters in Sense & Sensibility!

I also sent out a Birds & Butterfly themed letter to a pal in the UK following my alphabet themed letters with the letter 'B'. Here's a photo:

Peacock paper, Inspire Lovely Postcards and some funky bird stickers from Hallmark were all sent off to Essex!

Also, last week in a pen pal group I belong to we had a new pal event and these are just some of the things I sent last week to new pals...

The one above was for a pal who likes cats! :)

For the one above I thought to send a mini mail art kit. I sent two more letters out but sadly did not photograph the contents.

I also received some lovely goodies from my husband last week for Easter and a nice little surprise of goodies from a pal in Germany. Also a lovely letter folder from a pal in Wales and a beautiful card from a friend in North Carolina.

Above are the lovely bits from my hubby and below the other mail I received...

Am I not very spoilt by my friends and family? :)

Incoming & Outgoing Mail Yesterday and Today

I count myself as one very fortunate girl as I'm very often spoiled by my lovely pals but this pal, she takes the cake! Not only did she send me ALL the goodies you see above included with the letter but the letter itself was a beautiful and heartfelt testament to our friendship and I can only say I feel very honoured and blessed. 

This was a very welcome bit of happy mail which I received! I look forward to putting together my reply and equally fun happy mail for her and sharing it here with you all after she's received it! :) Aren't all those stamps lovely? I can't wait to start using them! 

Yesterday I wrote to another pal in the UK as well (the one I received the above goodies from is in England) only she's in Wales. I have been wanting for a long time to do some themed letters and I've started using the alphabet as my theme so yesterday's letter was 'A is for apple'. Here's what I posted today:

Above you can see that I printed some apple themed illustrations as well as some illustrated apple cake recipes, I then printed some apple illustrations in sticker form and wrote the first page on a Susan Branch apple themed letter paper which seemed to suit the theme quite nicely! I hope she likes it all and I'm looking forward to hearing from her what she thinks! 

Today I received a letter from a pal in the Netherlands and I love the envelope she used! Kissy lips are a personal fave of mine! Have a look:

How was your mail day today? I'd love to know! :)

XOXO,

Nadia 

My First Pocket Letter

Hello again friends!

It's been a long while since my last post (again) but I hope that now that I've installed a blogger app on my phone I'll be posting more frequently! 

Today I had a pretty fab mail day here in Florida if I do say do myself! I may not have received a ton of letters but I did receive my very first pocket letter from my pen pal Maria Laura. I'd been seeing these on Pinterest for a while now so was curious to see her take on these. She did not disappoint! ☺️ She's one of the most creative pals I have so I was thrilled to pieces to see her envelope in my box when I opened it!

Let me just show you some of the details of this new creative form of letter writing/presenting:

Above is a photo of the entire page of pockets with sections.

Now for done details...

I love the colour scheme she chose for this letter! It's very Spring/Summer themed. 

Lots of goodies were included; stickers, decorative tabs, clips, labels and more!

Love these fab sticky notes!

The letter was tucked away here, cute right? ☺️ 

I'm off to enjoy this letter and hopefully make one of my own soon! 

Happy Snailmailing!

Nadia xo