A collaborative blog post
Thank you to everyone who contributed to create this post!
I tend to doodle around the address and scribe a few warnings on the back. 😀
Malika
I have no talent for drawing, but I do have a substantial collection of stickers, washi tape, and wax seals! I try to choose decorations based on what I know about the recipient. Cute kittens for the cat owners, bookish themes for the readers, etc. In the US, many folks are using USPS Informed Delivery (you get an email with an image of the front of the envelopes in that day’s mail) so I like to keep the front clean (with my name and return address, so they know it’s from me) and decorate the back so it’s still a surprise!
I have a lot of rubber stamps with fun designs, so I sometimes use them to make borders or corner decorations. I also swear by my Tombow Brush Pens and like to make different designs on the envelope using them. Finally, I use lots of unique stamps. My current postage stamp rotation includes freshwater fishing lures, baby animals, love birds, trains, horses, and piñatas.
Ashlyn E
Yvonne H.
Stickers and washi tape are my go to’s. I am not an artist so I don’t draw on the envelopes.
If I don’t have a lot of time I use stickers and washi tape or some ink stamps. However, when I’m feeling more creative I decorate my envelopes with paper collages or simple drawings like geometric patterns, flowers etc. (I do wish I could draw better than that! 😀 ). Sometimes I make my own envelopes using old calendar sheets or gift wrap, magazine pages (only if the paper is not too thin), gelli-prints or already coloured pages from old colouring books.
Sandy
I like to write the recipient’s name large and in script with flourishes. I also like to color coordinate the stamp, envelope and any collage/doodle/ mark-making/ washi tape that I use in the composition.
I have some stickers I ordered, and I place them on the envelope. One says Smile. Happy Mail. I have stickers for birthday celebrations that I place down the left side of the envelope. I also have Valentine stickers which I am using this month. On the back of the envelope, I place a snail mail sticker. I have received some wonderfully decorated envelopes. One way my pen pals have surprised me is writing my name in calligraphy! It makes me feel so special.
Fonda R
@Books_paper_nature
Using vintage stamps (for mails beyond domestic), using a rush/flex pen to write the recipient’s name, and using my air mail stamp to give it that “official mail” look
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Very nice! I have been watching those FB reels that describe unique address labeling. I do love my stickers and washi tape. I have also been known to use the outline of stickers (works great with heart stickers, for example – you get the heart outline) or I use the straight edging of color from a used sheet of address labels I often get from charities. Or, the edges from a sheet of stamps to seal an envelope when the glue is old.
Vintage unused stamps as part of the postage, rubber stamps and washi tape to decorate. Generally prefer rubber stamps over stickers, but I occasionally use those too. All of my envelopes are addressed using a dye based ink (Sailor Seiboku) in a fountain pen.