Stats of the Month - February 2013

How have you been doing? I'm (as always...) a bit in a hurry. Somehow I never seem to have too much time. Do you feel the same about your life?

Well, February is already over! Did you participate in the Lettermo? And if so, did you accomplish sending a piece of mail every day? I did not participate, but I did manage to send more mail than the last month! So it was a good mail month for me. So let's see the numbers...

I sent out 18 letters, four postcards and one package, which adds up to a total of 23 pieces of mail. Quite a few of these letters were sent inside Germany, but the destinations also included Finland, USA, Sri Lanka and Luxembourg. I spent an amount of 21,88 Euros on postage this month, so an average of 0,95 € per sent item. If you don't count the package I sent to Luxembourg, that would be only 0,66 € per sent item.

I received eleven letters, two packages and one postcard, which totals up to 14 pieces of mail received. But - actually I haven't been to my PO Box in almost a week, so I guess I'll have some more mail waiting for me. I know a friend sent me a letter, and Jennifer from the UK as well as Laura - so I'll have more mail to answer soon. I'll go check my PO Box tomorrow.

 The last package I got was from my mother - she sent me some leftover-fabrics she won't use any longer, so that I can sew more. I love them! She also included a postcard, tea and lots of other stuff.

 Can you see the drops at the bottom? Whenever I see them I have to think of the advertisement for the brand (so I guess it worked quite good...) - do they have the same advertisement-style in your language? Or do you not know them at all?

Anyway, how was your month mailwise?

Alles Liebe,
Caddi

Monday's Mail

How have you been doing? I hope everything is great.

Let me show you the mail of the last days....

Firstly, I sent a reply to LR, with an envelope made out of super cute owl paper. It's actually wrapping paper. (Confession time: I have too many wrapping paper rolls... There are even a few which I haven't even opened yet. I'm such a hoarder when it comes to paper. Are you the same? The thing is, only two designs are for Christmas - which is when I wrap more gifts than any of the other months. Would you be confused if you'd get sunflowers under the Christmas tree?)

A postcard-reply to a postcard I got from Lisa via sendsomething.

And here's the accumulated outgoing of today - plus a package to my brother, which is not pictured here. The letter in the back is for Dil in Sri Lanka and the one on the far left is for my host-mother in the USA. It has been ages since I've been there (8 years actually), but we are still in contact, so I thought I'd send her a card to let her know how life has been for me. The cards (and envelopes) are extremely pretty! There even is a picture of a butterfly on the inside of the flap, so I had a hard time sealing the envelope - thinking she might not see that.

I also received some mail today! A cute Valentine's card from Laura, the text says "Love at it's height.". Ain't that sweet?

Also, another envelope from Sendsomething! This time from Erin. The envelope looks great, the paper is gorgeous!

The envelope was filled with a short letter and lots of paper goodies! I'll send something back in the next weeks :)

How was your weekend?

Alles Liebe,
Caddi

Incoming mail

Yesterday I went to check my PO Box once again, and I received some great mail!

The first letter is from one of my German penpals. I love the letter paper! Actually - I have the same paper as well, my penpal from Italy once sent it to me as a gift :) It was great to hear from her again and catch up on all the news.

I also received a letter from Fish. I love that she always includes postcards and explains everything she sees on her travels. 

A letter from Stephanie from the USA. The first time I see the LWA-paper being used :) It looks so classy.

Lastly, a letter from Sri Lanka, from dear Dil. I have no idea what that thing with the kid means - but I do think it looks cute in a way :)

A close up on the different stamps - on the bottom left you can see the 3-cent-stamp the German Post issued yet that the price went up for domestic mail in January.

Oh, and lastly: A reply to Jennifer went out yesterday as well. :)

How have your mail days been? Did you receive any Valentine's mail? To me it was just another Thursday, so nothing special happened.

Alles Liebe,
Caddi

Places I'll go - Costa Rica

Currently I'm dreaming a lot of travelling.

As you might know by now, my boyfriend and I are leaving for Costa Rica in March. Even though it won't be a long holiday (I'm convinced that 2 1/2 weeks are actually way to short), I am already so much looking forward to it!

I still have to wait a whole month before getting everything ready for our travels (we are leaving Germany on the 16th), but I already started dreaming with pictures I found online.

While looking for pictures of Costa Rica, I also found many other pictures of places I want to see as well - caves in Greece, mountains in Japan, beautiful cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, castles all across Europe, ruins of the pre-Columbian time in Latin America, waterfalls in Iceland... To be honest, I started a folder with beautiful images of places I will one day see and explore.

But I have to take one step at a time. So right now I'm mostly dreaming of Costa Rica.

And while I'm there, I will make sure to enjoy the pleasures this country has to offer. I'm looking forward to lots of nature, to good food and kind people.

But as soon as I'm back - I'll start dreaming of my next adventure.

 What's your dream location right now?

Alles Liebe,
Caddi

Monday's Mail

I finally have some more mail going out! I mean, I had written mail during the last weeks as well, but this is the first time in days that there's actually a small stack of them going out :)

These are penpal letters going out to Heidi (Finland), Lucas (USA) and Sabrina (Germany), but there are also two letters going out to family - one of them is for my cousin and the other one for my grandmother. The one for my cousin is actually the letter I wrote for the Fumi no hi project from Aya.

A closer look to the letter on it's way to my cousin. Super cute paper, right?

In Germany the price for letters sent in Germany increased in January, so it's now 58 cents to send a letter. I really like the stamp with Nofretete, I just went to see her on December 25th in the "New Museum" in Berlin. And I like castles, so the stamp series of different castles in Germany (you can see another stamp of the series in this post).

Flower stamps! The top right one also bears the new denomination.

And some of the stamps from last year, the top one being one of my favourites.

Like I said in the beginning, I sent out some more mail in the last days and even though I didn't take pictures of everything, I do have some pictures on my camera....

This letter went out to Laura  last week, I really like the stamps here as well!

A postcard going out to an old friend of mine....

 ... and the corresponding stamp.

Oh, and I also made something for the boyfriend - he was writing a difficult exam last week, so I sewed him a love not to tell him everythings going to be okay no matter what :)

How have you been doing? Those of you that participate in the LetterMo - did you manage to send mail every day?

Alles Liebe,
Caddi

Sarahs' 365 Mail Art Project

I'm sure some of you have already heard of this mail art project Sarah over at xo.sorcha.ox is doing. She started back in October and since then has sent more than 50 pretty things around the world.

I was lucky enough to receive # 28 - a beautifully created postcard.

I especially like - well, everything :) The saying is really great, don't you think so? And oh, the washi tape! Did I mention I really would love to have every washi tape mail or geography related? I recently saw one with featured a map - too bad my birthday and Christmas still almost 11 months away.

The stamp also was great - a Christmas stamp! I love how they are always so festive.

So, make sure to check out Sarah's blog - it's definitely worth it :)

Alles Liebe,
Caddi

Stats of the Month - January

Yes, I'm late, but on the other hand - January was a slow month mailwise and a quite busy with classes and exams. Luckily I only have one exam left now, so I hope I'll be able to breathe a bit more the next weeks. Still, I don't have much time right now, so this is going to be a short post.

In January, I received 9 letters, 3 postcards and 4 bigger letters / small packages.
I sent 12 letters, 6 postcards and one small package. I spent 16,26 € (the numbers have been quite odd due to the postage increase for letters in Germany from 0,55 € to 0,58 €).

Apart from not sending much mail and studying, I'm also working, getting immunization shots and looking for a new apartment, yet that we have to move in either March or April. Has your life been busy as well lately?

All the best and take care!
Caddi