13 ounces or less

Sprinkles are 13 ounces or less

02.11.13

At our house, we are all about the sprinkles.

I think it all stemmed from having three very picky eaters for children.

What? You don’t want a peanut butter sandwich on wheat? How about a peanut butter sandwich on wheat with sprinkles? Yes?

Now we pull out sprinkles more for special occasions, any time we need a little party to celebrate some accomplishment earned. Sprinkles on yogurt, sprinkles on breakfast. Sprinkles are the perfect instant party, aren’t they?

So we thought sprinkles would also make the perfect Valentine surprise. We mailed off a few over the weekend.

If you found sprinkles in your mailbox, what would you sprinkle?

/ / /

if you’d like to see more happy mail, here are a few of my favorites from the archives (or follow my 13 oz or less Pinterest board, or see it all right here):

{ 19 comments }

A Stocking Full of Goodies is 13 oz or Less

12.11.12

How are you doing on mailing your holiday packages? We spent an evening a couple nights ago wrapping and are so close to getting packages off, but not quite there yet. I love that feeling of sending off the final holiday package.

We did manage to get one surprise off in the mail last week.

I put together a stocking (as in I sewed it myself—you have to understand this about me, any time I sew any thing I consider it a major life accomplishment) and the kids and I packed it to the brim with goodies. (We had to live up to last year’s holiday happy mail.)

We packed it so full, it looked like a little stuffed sausage. But it still weighed in at 10 oz. (See current first class postage prices here). Just to make sure my mailing label didn’t slip off, I stitched it right to the stocking in the back. Then I did a quick stitch to close the top.

and off in the mail it went.

and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or follow my 13 oz or less Pinterest board, or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 2 comments }

Light Brites are 13 oz or Less

10.25.12

Tell me, did you ever play with these growing up?

Light Brites was definitely one of those things I was very excited to introduce to my kids.

Recently, while keeping my 3-year-old entertained, we discovered we could use our Light Brigtes to make this

I was surprised to discover how simple this was.

We took our recent booty from the pumpkin patch and hollowed it out like usual. Then we just had to scrape out a little extra to make the pumpkin walls a tad thinner than usual.

When we wanted to carve out some holes for our Light Brights, all it took was one of those handy safety carvers, and we were set.

The results were fantastic.
I did find I had to illuminate our jack-o-lantern with a night light instead of only a candle.

We decided the idea was too good not to share, so we piled some Light Brites in a tube, taped them up, and added some postage.

Now that I’ve mailed them off, there is is just one thing I’m trying to decide. I have several readers who have mailed coconuts. Do you see where I’m going with this? And I have a reader (hi, Angi!) who knows of someone near her who sticks postage on mini-pumpkins every year and mails them off as surprises.

So…do I mail the pumpkin too?
and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or follow my 13 oz or less Pinterest board, or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 17 comments }

A Tube of Burt’s Bees is 13 oz or Less

01.12.12

I just wanted to share a little something we have been mailing out for a couple of birthdays this winter and will be mailing as a few simple valentines. This time of year, there’s nothing like the gift of soft supple lips.

and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or follow my 13 oz or less Pinterest board, or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 46 comments }

A Disguise is 13 oz or less

10.20.11

This week, we decided we wanted to mail a disguise.

So we put together a few disguise pieces.
It is no good having just one disguise, you have to have options.
I stuffed everything in a clear box, but it was bulging with all those sneaky disguise options, I think I may just try using a ziplock bag next time and drop that in the mail.
We’ll be sending off this complete, master-of-disguise kit in the mail this afternoon. So someone we know can cloak herself in complete mystery.

And while I have you here, I wanted to share a couple extra notes.

I have a little interview over at Power of Moms in which I bear all about motherhood. It’s an honor to be mentioned among a lot of awesome moms on PoMs.

And speaking of amazing moms, a big giant thank you to Gabrielle of Design Mom for her kind mention. (I had a darling friend call me laughing and squealing as I was starting this post to tell me about the link. Thanks for making me look awesome, Design Mom.)

Happy mailing.

and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or follow my 13 oz or less Pinterest board, or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 28 comments }

School Supplies are 13 Ounces or Less

08.11.11

I have a couple things I’d like to admit.

one. I am in total denial that school is going to be starting. Is anyone else feeling this? Summer, oh summer, where did you go?

two. Despite that, when I walked into Target and and was met by all the school supplies last week, and then saw all of this back to school goodness pop up on my google reader, I couldn’t help but get just a little of that back-to-school buzz.

So, even though I am going to spend the last days of summer cramming in all the swimming, snow cones, and late night reading I can, I am kind of getting into the back-to-school thing on the side.

I thought you’d like to see something I mailed off yesterday.

Remember when my friend Sherry and I exchanged bottles of goodies via post? Well, when I came home with a bag full of school supplies, I couldn’t help myself.
I started with colored pencils.
I wrapped up a few other back-to-school goodies in tissue paper and stuffed them in too.
And of course, with all those colored pencils, there had to be something to color. So I rolled up a few coloring pages.
In it all went,
and the lid went on.
On went the stamps. (I checked USPS postage rates, and 5 first class stamps were enough to mail my 5 ounces of goodies.)
And the only thing left to do was drop it in the big blue mailbox.

and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or follow my 13 oz or less Pinterest board, or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 61 comments }

A Pair of Flip Flops is 13 Ounces or Less

07.14.11

Since starting my series about happy mail, I have heard a suggestion from a few of you I’ve been dying to try. And finally this week I did it. I mailed a flip flop.
Just four stamps, and in the big blue box it went.
The other flip flop goes out next week.

and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or follow my 13 oz or less Pinterest board, or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 53 comments }

Those Balls Your Kids Always Want to Play with at the Store are 13 Ounces or Less

05.12.11

I opened my email one day to find a note with these adorable pics in it.
You are looking at two little cousins, one who decided to mail her cousin a ball, and the other who opened her mail box to find it. Thank you, Brenda, for sending these. I do not think these sweet cousins could be any cuter.

Of course that put me over the edge and we had to try this ourselves.

Sharpies were essential so we pulled out our favorite colors. We stamped a couple balls and decided we needed extra decoration.
So we scribbled on foil with our sharpies and cut out a few stars and ran them through the sticker maker for a little extra flash.
This is my daughter and her cute friend who came along with us for icees and then to the post office to get postage.

I asked my post office worker to just give me stamps so I could take a picture for you before I mailed them. He gave me two 98-cent stamps for each. And now we have the balls all set to send out. We are waiting for a couple certain occasions and I am getting near giggly just thinking about it.

and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or follow my 13 oz or less Pinterest board, or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 46 comments }

Eggs in the Mail

04.07.11

It worked.
If you missed it, you can get postage details right here.

I am now sending more little eggs on their way.

and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or follow my 13 oz or less Pinterest board, or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 46 comments }

Plastic Eggs are 13 Ounces or Less

03.31.11

There is something I love about bright plastic Easter eggs. I picked up a row of jumbos at the grocery store last weekend.

I got thinking about the fun of discovering eggs during an egg hunt, and thought it might be fun to discover one or two in a mail box.
So I packed a few up with goodies,
stuck on a label and a few stamps,
and am dropping them in a big blue mailbox today. For all the happy mail I’ve sent up to now, I’ve had postage added at the counter. Mostly because I like to walk up and nonchalantly drop a shovel or something else on the counter, like mailing plastic shovels is just something I do. Also because I love the workers at my post office and because I always meet the nicest people in line. But today I’m trying stamps. We’ll see if they go.

If they do, I will be filling a few eggs for grown ups too. Because when else do you get to be surprised by a plastic egg after the age of 12? I’m just needing a few good things to tuck inside? Sudoku? Hmmm. Any ideas?

<<UPDATE >>
It worked!! I ended up having to change postage, here’s what I used:
I mailed 1-ounce eggs using a 98-cent teton stamp + a postcard stamp
I mailed 2-ounce eggs using a 98-cent teton stamp + a forever stamp
You can see US postage rates for first-class mail right here (scroll down to “packages”).

and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or follow my 13 oz or less Pinterest board, or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 100 comments }

Silly Putty is 13 Ounces or Less (+ Printable Label)

03.03.11

It has been a while since I’ve done a post about happy mail. I am brimming with all kinds of new ideas, so I think you’ll be seeing more happy mail around here. (If you’re new here, you can see more happy mail ideas at the end of this post.)

Did you ever do this with silly putty as a kid? It was my favorite. I also liked to make bubbles in the putty and pop em.
This week I put together a package to mail that was nice and simple. I used an empty plastic spice canister, tucked in a roll of newspaper and couple eggs of silly putty, and mailed it off.

One little canister, hours of fun.

I’m including the label, incase you’d like to use it. I originally made this to send out with my Christmas cards this year, but now I use it for everything. Do you like it?
(I like to print on this full-sheet label paper,which is a complete steal, 100 sheets for ten bucks.)

Either Download from DropBox by clicking here: Mailing Label
or download here: Printable Fold-over Labels (3916)

and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 17 comments }

You Made It: Birthday Suprise by Mail

08.18.10

Nikkala of the Crafting Chicks sent me a note this morning about the gift she packaged like this and mailed to her niece. I promise you I will be doing this within the month. If you’ve been around for a while you know how I feel about happy mail. Thanks, Nikkala.

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p.s. Tomorrow is a big day for me. I will be turning 32, which isn’t really an important number, but feels big, like I’ll officially be well into my 30s. I am treating myself in two ways (I had plans for a birthday dress but didn’t manage to get one in time).

Treat 1. I am rereading Anne of Green Gables. I just can’t help myself. I’m always in the mood for it this time of year.

Treat 2. I’ll be featuring my next kitchen guest. An all-time favorite I’ve followed for years for her impeccable fashion advice, her elegant but real meal plans and recipes, and oh yes, looking at photos of the cottage she renovated and lets out in Beynac dosn’t hurt either (see more here). Thanks to her, I have my next trip to Paris planned to the minute. I even know what to pack. Now all I need are plane tickets and a couple grandparents who are looking for a some kids to hang out with for a week or two.

{ 6 comments }

A Shovel and Bucket are 13 Ounces or Less

06.02.10

It’s beginning to feel like summertime here. So to celebrate, today I am going to the post office and mailing a shovel to a little girl I know. My local post office is starting to know what to expect from me, and all of the workers have a great sense of humor. But if they look at me strange, I’ll just explain that tomorrow, I will mail a bucket.

If you decide to give this a try, you can print postage at home and just drop your shovel in a mailbox, but it’s so much more fun handing it to a postal worker and waiting for them to say, um, I guess there’s nothing liquid, perishable, or potentially hazardous?

UPDATE: Just as a little FYI, the shovel was $1.22 to mail. Not bad. And the postal worker didn’t even flinch when he had to find a place for the postage sticker. The bucket goes out tomorrow.

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and incase you’d like to see a little more, here is my favorite fun mail inspiration from the archives (or see it all right here):

find postage rates for happy mail right here along with other mailing details

{ 18 comments }

DIY Ribbon Sticks are Thirteen Ounces or Less

05.12.10

I love May. I’d love to spend the entire month outside. In honor of May I thought we’d do a project that is reminiscent of May poles and of frolicking in the spring sunshine. We put together some DIY ribbon sticks.

When I first saw these clear tubes from Garnish, I was giddy with the possibilities. So I ordered a few.

Then I pulled out some leftover craft supplies: a few jewelry fasteners, leftover ribbon, one-foot wooden dowels, and some tacks I found out in the shed.

I started putting it all together. Ribbons sewn to fasteners and fasteners nailed to dowels. (If you don’t want to sew, tying knots works just as well). My fasteners allowed for three ribbons on each stick, which I thought was just right.
We did some test frolicking. The best ribbons are definitely the light, silky ones. (And as a side note, I decided to do this tutorial during my all-things-wedding weeks, because I can’t help think that a bunch of little girls frolicking with ribbon sticks would totally add to the scenery of any wedding. Or picnic. Or backyard barbeque. Or school yard. Or anything.)

Then we packaged up our creations in our tubes and added some labels (available for free here). We’re excited to spread some May sunshine. We’re off to the post office to see how the mail clerk likes them, but more importantly, the little girls who will be receiving them in the mail.