End of a project

Hi guys! It's been a while since I last updated you. I have been very busy, but now Spring has begun I can't wait to start writing letters again. I still have to reply to some of you, so if you haven't got something back - don't worry!
My temporary hiatus got me thinking.. it has been fun to write all these letters with people from all over the world but I think I want to start a new project. I'm not sure what kind of project, but I decided to remove my mail form which means I won't accept new pen pals or pen pal calls.
I will keep on writing, but just with the people I know. I'm always interested in swapping, but I prefer to swap with people behind blogs I already 'know'. I hope you understand this, and who knows - maybe I'll replace my contact form in a couple of months!

My last outgoing mail, to Kelly and Rin. Looking at these parcels makes me so happy! 

Letter hiatus

Dear snail mail lovers, as you might have noticed there weren't many updates on here lately. I have been so busy but new requests keep coming every day. I don't want to dash off my letters but honestly I can't keep up with this tempo!
So I made the difficult decision to close my project for new entries. This won't be forever, I have had a little hiatus before. I just want to have fun at writing, at the moment it feels more like a job than a hobby. For example: I still have to reply to letters I received in late September!
So, if you're reading this and you're still waiting for me to respond: I will, but it takes a little bit more time than I thought. If you want to write with me: please come back in a month or so, I won't be answering mails according this project the next few weeks. Please check out the pen pal calls or send in your own pen pal call (just write down your basic info, take a picture of it and send it to me).

I will keep updating this blog the following weeks with letters I received and sent lately, I just won't add new pen pals until I have the time to write everybody back. So don't worry, there will be updates on here!

1 year anniversary give away #2

Last month my letter writing project turned 1 and to celebrate that I'm hosting a couple of giveaways on my personal/lifestyle blog. This time you can win a €15 voucher of vlindersinjebuik.eu! Go to lastdaysofspringblog.com to enter the giveaway!

Mention in Flow Magazine

Ik vertelde het al een tijdje terug: ik was geinterviewd door Flow Magazine! En nu is het dan eindelijk zo ver,  er staan twee volle pagina's over mijn brieven project in het winterboek van Flow. Helaas klopt de tekst niet helemaal, mijn project is niet ontstaan uit briefwisselingen met vakantievriendjes (??), maar ik schreef vroeger wel veel met vrienden die ik had ontmoet op vakantie ;-). Desalniettemin ben ik ontzettend blij en trots op deze vermelding, en om dat én het 1 jarig bestaan van mijn blog te vieren komen er binnenkort leuke winacties aan!
Het winterboek is vanaf vandaag te koop voor €12,95, je kunt hem ook hier online bestellen. Voor alle nieuwe lezers die mijn blog ontdekten door Flow: welkom! Kijk eens in de archieven naar oude letters, en laat vooral van je horen. Ik ben benieuwd hoeveel mensen van Flow komen :-).

Translation: Woo! I've been featured in a Dutch magazine. Isn't that awesome?

Lastdaysofspringblog.com

At the moment I'm so busy with school, which resulted in a lack of updates on this blog. Apologies for that! I'll keep updating this blog but it might take me a little longer to respond to all your (e)mail. In the meantime, you might want to check out my personal/lifestyle blog: Lastdaysofspringblog.com.
My personal blog is filled with inspiration for your home, your daily meals, everything creative and a lot more. It's written in Dutch but it has short English summaries (and it's mostly pictures anyway).
Below some pictures from my personal blog, let me know what you think about lastdaysofspringblog.com!

How I write letters

Inspired by this post of Marlou (from Hei Marlou Writes), I wanted to show you how I write my letters! A little look behind the scenes!

Usually I don't write back immediately, so I have to reread the letter and see what that person sent to me. My reply usually depends on what I received: if someone sends a beautiful postcard, I try to find a nice one too. And if someone sends me a whole package, I'll send a package back! 

Here you can see a beginning of a letter.

I'd like to add little treasures (mostly stationery) to my letters, so I go through my boxes full of lovely things, to find something special.

My letter is almost finnished, I've found some things to include (I'd like to send vintage ephemera such as vintage stamps and old papers, tea bags (in this picture: tropical fruits, my favorite!), air mail themed things and.. well anything suitable that I find in my boxes).

I love wrapping and beautiful packages so I put all the extra goodies in a cute polkadot bag. 

When my letter is completed I put it on a scale (I bought this little letter scale in a thrift store) to see which amount of stamps is needed.

I used old stamps (from 1980-2000, they are still allowed - you just have to put enough stamps on your letter to get the right amount of postage), it doesn't only look better, it's also cheaper! I get mine at postzegelsmetkorting.nl.

And when my letter is finally completely finnished, I put it on a pile of letters waiting to get posted (I usually post a couple of letters at one time).

How do you write your letters?

My desk

First of all: sorry for the lack of updates lately! I've been busy moving into my dorm room. And I'm finally done with moving and styling! Next week is my first week of university, so I'll be still very busy. See that pile of letters on my desk? Those are the letters that came in the last couple of weeks, which I still have to show you (and reply to!).

So if you haven't seen your mail featured on my blog, this post probably explains it all ;-) I ordered new washi tapes and stamps so next week I will start writing back. 

For now a little preview of my room!

Right shipment

Just a quick little note: I'm getting emails from people with 'have you got my mail yet?' lately, when in fact I haven't received anything. It's not the first time something got lost in the mail so please make sure you always write your own address on the back of the envelope so it can be returned to you.
Also, please make sure you frank your mail right! If you don't, I have to pay for it to get it delivered. So weigh your mail before you frank it or just frank it at the post office.

Likes and dislikes

Of course I appreciate everything that comes in my mailbox, I just love mail. But I do have my favorites (and there are things I just don't really like..). I thought it might be fun (and handy) to show you my likes and dislikes if it comes to snail mail. Please let me know about your likes and dislikes in the comments!

Likes

Images via Lovely Paper

Vintage

I really like vintage themed mail, especially those little polaroid postcards but random ephermera and vintage stamps are also well loved by me.

Image via Papered Thoughts

Air Mail

I love everything air mail themed! I don't know what the thing is about air mail, but I really like it.

Images via Flickr and Papered Thoughts.

Custom mail

I really like selfmade things and well decorated envelopes. Mail that wasn't written in two seconds. A real surprise in your mail box!

These are just a few examples, I also like really colorful mail or mail filled with things typical from your country. Or long letters with sweet notes in it. Oh and maps!! I love maps! Just surprise me :-)

Dislikes

Images found via Google

Dinsey/Hello Kitty

I don't really like Disney/Hello Kitty things. I know there are a lot people (above 12 years old haha!) who still like Disney/Hello Kitty but I don't. I don't really have a reason for it, I just find it more suitable for little children.

Image via Scrapbook.com

Scrapbook

Scrapbooking seems to be very hot these days in America? I've seen mail in scrapbook style on other blogs, and I don't really like it. Just as the Disney/Hello Kitty mail, it has something 'childish'? I can't really name it but it's just not my thing.

I also don't really like letters that were written without much attention. Sometimes I really like short notes (the kind from Esther for example) but I don't like quick written letters without putting effort in it, just to get something back. Luckily I haven't received such letters yet!

So.. that wasn't bad, was it? Now I'm really curious: what are your likes and dislikes if it comes to snail mail?

A Flood of Memories Shop - Discount code

Have you ever taken a look at my shop, where I sell handmade stationery items? I really like creating and designing stationery, that's why I started this webshop. With summer break coming up, I have lots of time to update the webshop with new things. But first I need to clean up a little and that's why I'm offering you a 10% discount code. Just go to the A Flood of Memories webshop and use 'ldosb' to get 10% off your order.

New layout + exciting news!

I'm so happy to finally show you the new layout for A flood of Memories! It was designed by me but drawn by Paleumber, a Thai girl I found through Instagram! Her drawings are so beautiful, I'm really happy with the result! I still have to fix some html/CSS things and I need to make a new banner for my personal blog and shop but I just couldn't wait to show it to you guys! I hope you like it too!
In the future I want to make more snailmail related posts such as DIY's, free printables and tips & tricks next to pictures of incoming and outgoing mail of course.

Another exciting news.. A week ago I was interviewed for the Dutch magazine Flow! Flow is one of my favorite magazines and they're doing an issue about letter writing (somewhere in September/October I guess?), I can't wait too see the results! And I'm also going to be featured in a free diary that comes with the December stamps (for the Dutchies: de gratis thuisagenda van PostNL die je krijgt bij 3 velletjes postzegels). How. Cool. Is. That. ???!!! I just can't believe it!
I'm so so happy and I want to thank you all for checking out and commenting on this blog and of course those who wrote letters to me. I never expected all this.

Thank you!

I started this letter writing project on October 9, 2011. Since then I have gotten so many lovely letters and I have met so many nice people via mail. I already received more than 50 letters! I get a lot of mails, about the project but also with sweet words. It makes my day.
It's good to see that more and more people are starting their own project, just like I did. That was my main goal (next to having a mailbox filled with loveliness of course ;-)): getting more people into writing real letters again. And I guess it has worked.
I just want to thank all of you who have participate (and who will in the future) in this project. I have some thrilling news (which I unfortunately can't share right now.. but I will do!), and I have plans for a new, better layout.
I also want to thank the lovely stationery webshops such as moosmade.nl, lettersets.com, postpapierenzo.nl and vlindersinjebuik.eu for letting me host those wonderful giveaways. If you're looking for stationery, these are the places to go to!

Although I am quite busy at the moment with school, I won't put the project on hold. It might take a little longer before I can answer all your mails, but I promise I will answer everyone! Don't ever stop writing! :-)

Marlous.

Giveaway: Vlindersinjebuik.eu

And yet again: another stationery giveaway! Yes I keep them coming! ;-) I'm giving away a €10 voucher to spend at the Dutch stationery webshop Vlindersinjebuik.eu. The giveaway is open for all readers from all countries, so head over to my personal blog to join the giveaway!

Give away: postpapierenzo.nl

I know it's crazy but I'm hosting another stationery giveaway on my personal blog! This time you'll have the chance to win a €15 voucher to spend on a Dutch stationery webshop, postpapierenzo.nl. The giveaway is open for all readers! So head over to my personal blog to read more about it and enter the giveaway!

Give away: lettersets.com stationery set

I'm hosting a very cool stationery give away on my personal blog. It's open for all readers so don't hesitate to enter! Head over to my personal blog to read more about it. 

Give away: €15 voucher moosmade.nl

Moosmade.nl is a Dutch webshop which sells lovely handmade stamps. I'm hosting a give away on my personal blog. The good new is: this is an international give away so it is open for all readers! If you want new stamps to decorate your mail, head over to my personal blog to go check out the give away: click here!

There's also a discount code: use 'ldosb' to get 10% off of your order.

Open for new entries

Mail/package swaps I sent out today

Although I'm still quite busy with school and other things (also with writing, last week I sent out 5 letters and today another 5 letters!) I decided to open the project again. Please read this article so you know what the project is all about.
It might take a little longer for me to response to your mail, but don't worry, I will always send something back. You could also comment on a pen pal call or place a call (via my contact form) if you'd like to find new pen pals. And don't forget to check out other letter writing project blogs in my menu (under 'links'). If you have a similar letter writing blog, please leave a comment and I'll add you to the list.

Stationery webshop update

I updated my webshop with new paper goods! Some notebooks but also vintage stamps (as requested). I also updated my facebook page, I you like the page you'll get an discount code for the webshop. Click here to go to the webshop.

Gratis Hema valentijnskaart versturen

Dit berichtje is voor Dutchies only! Hema heeft een superleuke actie waarmee je een gratis valentijnskaartje kunt sturen naar je geliefde! Kies uit 5 kaartjes, vul NAW-gegevens van je (geheime) lover in en schrijf een leuk berichtje. De eerste 10.000 mensen mogen helemaal gratis het kaartje versturen. De actie loopt van 1 t/m 9 februari en geldt alleen in Nederland. 1 kaartje per emailadres. Ik heb het net al even geprobeerd en hij accepteerde het gewoon, dus wie weet geldt de actie nu al!
Er is ook een mogelijkheid om te kiezen uit 5 'break-up' kaartjes, al vind ik dat een ontzettend stom idee. Ga jij een kaartje sturen? En zo ja, naar wie? ;-) Klik hier om je kaartje te versturen!

From 1 till 9 february you can send 1 free valentinescard at valentijnskaarten.hema.nl, HEMA is a Dutch department store.

DIY: Fold & Mail

I just posted an DIY for Fold & Mail envelopes on my personal blog. Click here to see the full DIY. Might be useful for all of you who are into letter writing!