I'm sealing the envelope + dashing to the post-box before the last collection: the end of Going Postal 2013

Hello there.

My title for this post was going to start: I'm licking the envelope etc ...

... but I didn't think giving you a mental image of my tongue was quite the tone I was trying to set here ... so let's move swiftly on ...

This is my final post about all things postal, at least for this year ... maybe I'll be tempted to open the envelope and go postal again at some time in the future, but until then ...

... the Going Postal Pinterest board is where you can [permanently] find:

•  all of my own postal-themed blog posts and craft projects from the 3 years in which I've been Going Postal;
• plus all of the posts which other people have contributed via their own blogs ....
• and ... a fair few other mail-ish projects, supplies and inspirational images I've stumbled across online.
• [just click on the image you're interested in reading more about until you're re-directed to the individual post].

I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to all those bloggers who managed to find the inclination and the time to go postal along with me this time round.

As I mentioned, you can catch up with all of their contributions via the Going Postal board, but I wanted to just take a minute to introduce you to them all here so I can thank them 'in person'.

So 'thank you' to:

• Alexa from 'Trimming the Sails'
• Bernice of 'Newly Creative'
• Deb of 'Deb's World'
• Hetty from 'Roses in December'
• Jennie of 'Jeant-Jinnag'
• Katie of 'A Grown up Gap Year'
• Kirsty Neale at 'Ginger & George'
• Louise at 'Boys, Bugs and Beautiful Buttons'
• Mel of 'Let's Get Scrappy'
• Nicky at 'Creative Flourishes' 
• Sally of 'Sally Makes Art'
• Sian at 'From High in the Sky'

Thanks ladies! It was a treat to have links to each one of your posts drop through my [metaphorical] letter-box over these last 6 weeks.  I hope that through pinning your posts and sharing [most of, forgive me if I missed yours] them on my Facebook page that I've played a part in matching you up with some new blog readers along the way.

I'd also like to thank Gabrielle from The Green Gables who provided the great special offer on her eco-stationery during the final week. Make sure you follow Gabrielle on Facebook, Twitter or via her blog so you can be the first to hear of upcoming discounts and special offers from The Green Gables.

And I wouldn't dare end the series without thank all those who read, commented, repinned, retweeted and shared anything at all to with the series! Thank you so much!!

I thought I'd draw things to a close by sharing two fun packages of mail I received while Going Postal was running [I'll spare you any photos of the Electoral Registration form and myriad take-away menus which also landed on my doormat in the last 6 weeks!].

The first is the card I received as part of the 'Do What You Love' Great Big Stitched Postcard swap.  Remember when I shared the card I made? Well this is the work I received in return:

Inside that fab text-print envelope there was also that rarest of things: a handwritten letter from my 'swapee' and a lovely bundle of papery gifts:

 ... all of which had travelled safely from Shannon in Florida, right across the water to the North East of England where it's all now nestling cosily in my craft-room. Thank you Shannon!

And finally ... I was gifted yet another bundle of papery goodness and another handwritten letter, this time from Heather, one of my lovely shop customers: 

Now then ... as gorgeous as Heather's gift of an envelope-filled hand-bound art journal [which I've already started using] and a great selection of postal ephemera was ...

... perhaps the most noteworthy thing about her parcel was the envelope it all came in. As I mark all my outgoing shop orders with only a brief return address Heather found a rather striking way to make sure her gift found its way to me ...

And, hurrah for the Royal Mail, because it worked! It made it to me without a problem ... and I do hope it raised a smile with the postal workers along the way!

Thank you again Heather!

So, there we have it, the 6 weeks of posty fun is now over and regular non-postal-service will now resume.

I plan to gently drift back into my usual blogging schedule ... just as we all begin to wonder about those all-important last mailing dates before Christmas!

See you very soon.

Julie x