Some new hobbies

Anyone who has read this recently will know  that I am working on a secret-squirrel project for a friend. I am getting very close to completion and hope to post next week when I have given it  to my friend.

I set myself a a target this year to make a new brooch for each month of  the year. I'm afraid what with my new hobby, and preparing  to go into hospital at the end of March I didn't get a new brooch made. I think I will start on one this week tho, any ideas??

So on to my new hobby. I came across Postcrossing by accident. It is a free website, you register, make a simple profile and request a few addresses to get you started. You then send them a postcard, a few days after your postcard is received and registered you will get a postcard from someone else. I LOVE snail mail. It is  so good to get colourful interesting mail from across the world. Everything else is just bills, so few of us send letters anymore.

I got this lovely card from a 9 yo girl in Russia, she asked me  to send her one specifically and I was happy to oblige.

I have sent and received cards from Russia ( including a really cool Sochi stamp), USA, Canada, Netherlands, Norway, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Germany and others.

This is one of  my favourite cards from Latvia, dig those shamazing weather vanes, and the stone sheep!

From a postcard I received from Canada I was tipped,  off to try Swap-Bot. This is another free to register site. This time you send through the post little gifts, things you have made, sweets, stationery etc.

 For a stationery addict like me this is highly compelling. There are many online free swaps you can sign up to, posting things on Pinterest, or visiting another's website or blog and commenting. I have learned that international postage is EXTORTIONATE, and have vowed to be  a little more selective in my swaps from now on.

It is fun though and who doesn't love to receive surprises in the mail? I love to see all the colourful stamps and the creative way people use the space on the envelopes. The last one I sent was to 3 partners, France, Canada and Brazil and the swap was to make your envelopes look pretty. These are the ones I sent ( before addresses and stamps)

And these are two that I received

 

Aren't they lovely? I was delighted.They were sent with a few small bits of stationery inside too- LOVE LOVE.

My current swap is to write a letter to your partner and tell them about 5 separate years in your life. This was quite fun I have to say. I chose 1976 (the hottest British summer on record), 1985 ( when I left boarding school to return to school in N. Ireland ) 1996 ( when I met the father of my first daughter and her birth in 1997) 2007 ( the year my dear mum passed away) and I am unsure about the last year, either 2009 when I met my lovely partner and turned 40, or last year, which was difficult. I will write the last bit tonight .

It has been interesting to revisit  those years, as they were all important to me, but  thankfully are all past. It has made me have a renewed gratitude for  the interesting life I have led, so far.....