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SeaStar
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| Posted: Dec 26 2014 at 6:48am | IP Logged
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I recently discovered the world of Happy Mail and am so in love with this idea 
A few great things about Happy Mail... the packages are under 13 oz, so they can be mailed from your home mail box 
Happy Mail is fun... can you imagine how excited your kids (or you) would be to get a frisbee in the mail, or a box of junior mints, or a bottle of sprinkles?
(Sprinkles are absolutely being mailed from my home for Valentine's Day  )
Happy Mail makes people happy. Picture this scenario: Grandma goes to the mailbox, and instead of another flyer or bill, there is a tube of lip balm waiting for her with a happy note from her grandkids. Yay!!
Happy Mail requires minimal packaging, which is part of the fun. Pinterest has a couple of HM boards, and if you Google Happy Mail, you will find many ideas from around the blog world.
I am looking forward to much Happy Mailing in the New Year!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Dec 29 2014 at 1:42pm | IP Logged
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Sent out my first Happy Mail today!
It was a package of paper straws, red and green polka dots and swirls, that can be used for many upcoming holidays (from Hobby Lobby, 80% off. My cost was $1).
My oldest sister has 8 grandchildren living nearby. This pack of 48 should last her a little while.
My package weighed less than three oz. My goal is to send out one HM a month for the next year
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Kathryn
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| Posted: Jan 06 2015 at 5:21pm | IP Logged
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Ok...you've intrigued me. I'm not willing to give up getting goodie bags in the mail (or giving them!) 
Thanks...I, for one, will absolutely check it out. Sounds awesome!
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Kathryn in TX
(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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Kathryn
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| Posted: Jan 06 2015 at 9:26pm | IP Logged
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I would imagine almost anything from the dollar store would be game.
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Kathryn in TX
(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Jan 07 2015 at 6:02am | IP Logged
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Yes, I was just thinking that a trip to the Dollar Store would be a good idea for this project.
I just sent out my second Happy Mail... a thank you note to our priest for the the inspiring homily he gave on Christmas Eve. It was wonderful and funny and spot-on. The next day my kids repeated large portions of it for my parents! Apparently they were listening
Anyway, I decided that I would include random thank you notes in my Happy Mail project. Too many times I let opportunities to say thank you like this slip away....
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 5:26pm | IP Logged
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I canvassed the Dollar Tree today... 
Found some interesting items that will work for Happy Mail.
I love the rolls of Valentine's Day duct tape that could be mailed as is... the choices at my store were hearts, zebra print and leopard print (so not strcitly confined to V Day).
We have several long distance family birthdays in January. Usually I just send a card, but today I bought boxes of Good and Plenty to mail with a note that says, "Hope your birthday is Good with PLenty of fun!"
So corny, I know... but fun, yes? Total cost to me, with buying the candy and mailing it, will be about $3, which is less than buying and mailing a card from Hallmark.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Jan 31 2015 at 1:36pm | IP Logged
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It just dawned on me that I can use Amazon Prime as a happy mail accomplice
When the Pope Francis book went on sale for $2 and free Prime shipping, I happy mailed a couple of copies.
I can hunt around in the bargain book bin for kid's books also for my godchildren and happy mail them via Prime
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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SeaStar
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| Posted: March 06 2015 at 7:03am | IP Logged
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Dover sticker books are also cheap and ship free with Amazon Prime... and they come in so many fun themes. Right now you can send the Dover Owl sticker book to someone for 93 cents via Prime.
There are also tons of Easter/spring/garden/bird/flower books to choose from, all $1.50 or less.
I love my stickers... my mail goes out pretty slathered.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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Kathryn
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| Posted: March 07 2015 at 12:42pm | IP Logged
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So you ship them via prime for "free" for you to your recipient?
What do you mean your mail goes out slathered? LOL
If just mailing the Dover books from home, do you just slap a label on the back? Would it just take one regular stamp?
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Kathryn in TX
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SeaStar
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| Posted: March 07 2015 at 5:11pm | IP Logged
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I just send the item straight to the recipient via Prime... so it does get to them in an envelope, as do any books I send out via Prime, but that helps keep the mailing costs down.
If I were to order a sticker book from Amazon for $1.50 and have it sent to me, then I would likely pay another $1-2 to mail it back out, as the post office would count even a bare sticker book as a package and charge more than a stamp to mail it.
Although Happy Mail technically is mailed without wrapping, I take liberties with that- as long as it can go for under $3, preferably under $2, and as long as I know it will make someone smile, I count it as Happy Mail. 
As far as slathering mail with stickers...
My kids got me hooked on this... when they were little (and still to this day) they love to send and receive mail with stickers decorating the outside. It's been so much fun that we just keep doing it.
I put a pro life sticker on just about everything I mail. On top of that I like to add seasonal stickers or themed stickers. I mail (and receive) a lot of books via Book Mooch and Paperback Swap, so I try to match the stickers to the book. Ex. If I am mailing a book about bugs, I will try to find some happy bug stickers from my stash to put on the package.
I get a lot of feedback from recipients saying how much they enjoyed the package inside and out, or how excited their kids were to get mail with fun stickers. So, I will likely be a crazy old lady some day still putting stickers on my mail. .
ETA: Dover has a Grumpy Cat sticker book for $1.50.
Oh, my- any Grumpy Cat fans out there?
(and yes, I did so order one!)
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Happy Mail
