Flourish Forum

Sharing and Caring Exchanges => 2020 Exchanges => Topic started by: Erica McPhee on January 14, 2020, 10:25:36 PM

Title: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: Erica McPhee on January 14, 2020, 10:25:36 PM
It's a bit late but our first exchange of the year is always a favorite! Who doesn't LOVE to get Valentines?!

This will be a quick sign up and turn around as Valentine's Day is a month from today. I wanted to give everyone a chance to recover from the holiday and get the new year started. I would suggest if you are signing up - start working on your actual exchanges now so you only have the envelopes left to complete once you get your list (typically 6-8 members on a list).
NOTE:
Sign Up Deadline: Wednesday, Jan 22, 2020
Post Mark Deadline: Wednesday, Feb 5, 2020


Sign up here: Love Letters 2020 Exchange Sign Up form (https://www.theflourishforum.com/love-letters-2020-exchange/)

YOU MUST SIGN UP VIA THE FORM ABOVE OR YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED SIGNED UP.

As always, the following guidelines apply:

1. Calligraphy should be used on both your exchange insert and envelope.
2. You will send a card to every member on your list (typically 7-9 members).
3. Must be related to the theme.
4. All skill levels welcome!
5. If you end up not being able to participate, please contact me ASAP. If you don't send your cards after the list has gone out, you will not be able to participate in the next exchange.
6. You must sign up before the deadline. No late sign ups.
7. HAVE FUN!
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: passionforwriting on January 15, 2020, 09:41:09 AM
Woohoo, excited for this one! I'm looking forward to the new exchanges for this year!! Thank you Erica!!   :)
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: Natalie419 on January 17, 2020, 10:00:13 AM
Yay!  I'm excited for this one, too!  :)
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: KimLamberth on February 01, 2020, 09:37:26 AM
I signed up for the exchange, but haven’t received a list of names.  Has this exchange been cancelled? Thanks!
Title: Re:Apologies to list 2
Post by: Doesy on February 05, 2020, 06:36:06 PM
I have to apologize to everyone on list 2. I posted everything today at my local post office but ran into a few issues. I did learn a lot more about mailing letters first class though.

I had read but misunderstood the regulations for sending first class mail and thought I would just need to add a non machinable stamp to each letter because they fell under the size/weight limitations for first class mail. I went to the post office with a bunch of extra stamps (including nonmachinable stamps) but found out my letters had to be sent as packages because of their rigidity. This would have been ok too but my local post office was completely out of higher denomination stamps (ie global and above). The long and short of it is that my letters will arrive with a really huge packaging label on them. The person at the post office was really gracious about it and tried to put the labels on as unobtrusively as possible.

Crossing my fingers that my exchange letters arrive on time. Sorry for the huge packaging labels (if only they covered my mistakes too - and while I’m wishing... had pretty flourishes, were much smaller and looked like stamps ).
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: KimLamberth on February 09, 2020, 09:39:07 PM
Posting again that I signed up and did NOT receive an email of names.  Given this fact, I will deduct that I wasn’t included in this exchange.  🙁
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: AnasaziWrites on February 10, 2020, 09:03:57 AM
Posting again that I signed up and did NOT receive an email of names.  Given this fact, I will deduct that I wasn’t included in this exchange.  🙁
@KimLamberth
@Erica McPhee
Hi Kim,
Sorry to hear you didn't receive a list for this exchange. There was a problem recently with posts/submissions being lost due to a change in servers for the forum which Erica is diligently addressing. My signup for this exchange was similarly lost, but I've sent a few cards out anyway to forum members I know and would be happy to send you one if you pm me your name and address.
Mike
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: Doesy on February 10, 2020, 11:23:56 AM
Kim,

I don’t know if my card would make it to you by Valentine’s Day but I’d be more than happy to send you one also if you’d like (pm your address).

Jackie
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: Erica McPhee on February 11, 2020, 03:08:13 PM
@KimLamberth Since things have been wonky, I will post again as well. Please accept my sincere apologies for this issue. This is the first time we have ever done a migration to a different webhost and it appeared things were all good but have since discovered there were some issues. I believe it has been corrected as of this afternoon. So we will have to wait and see.

I have also put you on my list so keep your eyes out for a Valentine from yours truly!   :-*
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: Inked botanicals on February 11, 2020, 05:39:04 PM
Hi there! Seems my posts are lost (or at least I can't see them, so sorry if I am repeating!).

First thing, I am so sorry for being a little late for this exchange. I had something planned but my Silhouette Cameo did not collaborate (yes, there is a Cameo involved!). I had to redesign everything, and it was not ok for my Cameo again. But no worries, envelopes are already mailed, just some days delayed!! Hope you liked my plan C  ::)

And second, I did receive an envelope from @AnasaziWrites but you were not in my list Mike. From your post I understand that you sent your envelopes to some people but without being in any list, right? Or did I miss something?? I'll make one for you too (always a joy to exchange with you! Thanks for including me!!) but it is going to be a little late for Valentines Day, hope you don't mind!
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: Erica McPhee on February 12, 2020, 11:30:11 AM
Mine went out late as well. Folks in the US should receive before Valentine's Day. Folks in other countries, I am sorry it will be late.  :-*
Title: Re:Apologies to list 2
Post by: handmadeletters on February 14, 2020, 10:15:09 AM
@Doesy  Jackie, I got your little package just in time. (I haven't opened so that I can enjoy with the others yet to come.) I was pleasantly surprised by the bulk of the letter, thinking you really went above and beyond. I'm sorry to hear that the post considered it like a package, and you had to pay more than expected. Nevertheless, looking forward to seeing what's inside. (Btw, thank you for the kind message about my Valentine! It's nice to go with a different approach once in a while.)

List 2 international folks: Sabrina and Gloria, I may not have put enough postage on mine. Hopefully, it either gets to you anyway or comes back to me for more postage. Sorry!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: JanisTX on February 14, 2020, 10:23:05 AM
@Inked botanicals Hi, Alba!  I have a Silhouette Cameo, too!  Don't you just love it?  I have a new one & am fighting with it over the blade & rollers, but am hopeful that I'll get the kinks worked out!

Janis
Title: Re:Apologies to list 2
Post by: Bianca M on February 14, 2020, 12:41:52 PM
@Doesy  Jackie, I got your little package just in time. (I haven't opened so that I can enjoy with the others yet to come.) I was pleasantly surprised by the bulk of the letter, thinking you really went above and beyond.

@handmadeletters @Doesy Jackie definitely went above and beyond!  Such a beautiful and clever mailing, and such effort went into it.  <3
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: Jennifer J on February 15, 2020, 08:41:03 PM
@Bianca M Right?! That was so fun to open. And open. And open.  :D I kept thinking that I wish I was that kind of a person because birthday and Christmas presents would be probably be amazing! Thanks @Doesy!
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: Doesy on February 15, 2020, 11:12:08 PM
@Bianca M @Jennifer J - Thank you both for the really kind comments! You are way too generous.

I’ve been in awe of all the beautiful cards I’ve received from all of you. The calligraphy and designs have been so different and creative and each one has been amazing. This was such a fun exchange to do!
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: Erica McPhee on February 16, 2020, 01:20:58 PM
@Doesy Your exchange is above and beyond! What a treasure - literally! And your calligraphy is beautiful! Thank you so much!
Title: Re: Love Letters 2020 Exchange
Post by: Doesy on February 16, 2020, 11:20:41 PM
Thank you so much for the really generous comments @Erica McPhee .

I had so much fun putting together a card for the Valentine’s exchange and it was such a great opportunity to see the wonderful artwork and ideas of other forum members. I think the real treasure in all of this is you Erica - all the work you do to keep the forum up and running, the organizing and coordinating you do to make certain the exchanges happen throughout the year and the time you spend trying to help others follow their own calligraphy path. And all of this is in addition to everything else you do. Thank YOU Erica!