5 ways to spice up a letter

Now that it costs 62p to send a letter first class in the UK, I can understand why people are less inclined to write to one another. I have friends who don't understand why I still love sending and getting mail the old fashioned way. But a letter on the mat from a friend makes such a change from the brown envelopes containing bills. I have a few pen pals as well as people who share my love of snail mail. With that in mind, here are some ways to spice up a hand written letter.

1. Cool stationary

Letter sets make all the difference! I get most of mine at Artbox, but places like Paperchase and most quirky gift shops stock cute themed envelopes and writing paper.

2. Stickers and tape

Use these to brighten up envelopes and letters.

3. Origami!

Peace cranes are a symbol of... well, peace, and can be flattened into an envelope, making them an ideal little addition to a card or letter.

4. Postcards

I buy postcards when I am out and about, or pick up cool free ones. Put one or two into a letter for your friend to stick up on their wall.

5. Zines

My penpal and I make and swap zines. For those who don't know, zines are simply handmade little books, made to be cheaply reproduced via photocopier. They can be about anything under the sun - poetry, photography, feminism, your novelty pen collection, stories, anecdotes... Find them on Etsy or wemakezines, or make your own to give your penpal something to read on the bus.

Any more ideas for spicing up a letter? Leave a comment or get in touch :)

Upcycled paper - Make your own scrapbook

Make your own little book containing lots of different types of paper in this easy project.

You will need:

Scraps of paper (old maps, pages from old books, lined or squared paper, tracing paper, magazine pages)

Long-armed stapler

Card for outside cover

Once you have your pages all arranged, fold them in half and attach them using a long-armed stapler. I used a plain piece of card for the outside cover which I then decorated using a paper-cut style decoration, but you could also use stamps, stickers or pens to customise it, or personalise it for the intended recipient if it is a gift. :)

Write, draw, or stick stuff in it. It's up to you!