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I was wondering how you mail your cards with lots of embellishments? Do you use a regular envelope or do you use a padded/special envelope?? I rec'd a card from a friend last week,,,it only had one layer and 2 lil brads..and I mean little...the envelope had 2 holes ripped in it and one of the brads was completely gone. How do you know that your beautiful cards make it to your special person without it being destroyed at the post office??
I LOVE embellishment and am a little compulsive! I actually cut an additional piece of cardstock the size of the envelope and run it through my paper crimper. This added layer in the envelope has made a big difference in the way my cards arrive in the mail
A friend at work brought in a Christmas card she recieved in the mail just to show it (as inspiration) and it also had a piece of paper over the front to protect it in the mail. I thought that was a fabulous idea!
i sometimes do what MetalCharm does, fold them backwards, but I find that this sort of ruins the fold and they "flop" and don't stand up.
You could probably slip a thin piece of card, cut to size in the envelope to stop the embellishments getting caught on anything in the journey.
xx
I usually slip in a piece of thin cardboard or card stock over the front of the card also. Our post office has a template that has slots cut in it. A First Class card or letter has to be able to slip through the 1/4 " slot all by itself and weigh less than an ounce in order to go for $0.42. If it is too thick to slide through (due to bows, ribbon tied in knots, big brads, etc.) or if it weighs more than 1 ounce, you will be charged either the "surcharge" for being oversized, or for a second ounce. It makes you think twice before adding a lot of embellishments if you are sending more than one of a certain card, say for Christmas or Easter.
I may have a lot of layers but I don't do much with embellishments so most of mine go in a regular envelope. If I do have brads, I put packing tape on the outside of the envelope over where they are to prevent them from poking through or tearing in that area. If I did have a more heavily embellished card, I would either wrap it in a sheet of the thin foam packing sheets (saved from packaging of electronics) or put it in a padded envelope. Yes, it would cost more that way. But that's a decsion you have to make when you create your card. If you want to ship it for the regular rate, don't add embellishments.
I just suck it up and pay extra to have my cards hand-canceled. No worries at all that way. Sometimes, if it's just a single brad or something like that that might cause a problem, I place a piece of crimped cardstock over the card when I put it in the envelope -- I've never had a problem doing that. Other than that, I think it's just worth the extra 20 cents to not have to worry about the card getting damaged.
I sent out most of my Christmas cards with an extra piece of heavy cardstock that had been run through the crimper. Some cards had little crystals on them and others had bows made with a thin ribbon, but still caused a bump. My hope was that the extra piece of c/s would cover any bumps/lumps and prevent envelopes from being shredded. The one extra piece of c/s really does not make the envelope any thicker, so I did not put extra postage on it. So, far I have not heard of anyone having to pay extra postage.
__________________ Martha
"When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life." Jean Shinoda Bolen
I just suck it up and pay extra to have my cards hand-canceled. No worries at all that way. Sometimes, if it's just a single brad or something like that that might cause a problem, I place a piece of crimped cardstock over the card when I put it in the envelope -- I've never had a problem doing that. Other than that, I think it's just worth the extra 20 cents to not have to worry about the card getting damaged.
If you have them hand canceled...do you have to take them into the post office or do you write something on the envelope....??
Does it cost extra postage when you do that? Lots of embellishments sometimes makes the cards rather heavy.
Good question...to me, it appears that just the added piece of crimped cardstock does not add postage as it has been regular price when I have just had layers and brads. This Christmas I sent out my 150 cards of OF COURSE they were too thick with the extra piece of crimped cardstock, ribbons, brads, beads and layers. I had to pay 59 cents but it was worth it once I had done all the work to make the cards
I do the same as susanhorn. Chipboard works great to protect envelopes from embellishments. Depending on how bumpy the embellishments are and how thick it makes the envelope once you add the chipboard, it may require an additional .17 cent stamp (here in the US anyway). If in doubt, I always add extra postage. I don't think it has to do with increased weight as much as it does the thickness of the envelope. If the post office has to hand cancel the envelope (as with thick envelopes) they charge extra.
Another thing that helps keep envelopes from catching and ripping, as in the op's card with the tiny brads, is to put a piece of scotch tape over the little bump the brad makes. Keeps the paper from ripping, and the envelope will go through just fine.
The crimped paper is good, and shouldn't add to the cost UNLESS the card is already getting close to the 1 oz. limit. Then it might just be enough to push it a little over the line...and need another add'l oz. postage.
Clear envelopes have always been required to have a surcharge; it's just that a lot of branches have never bothered. Still, it's been that way for several years now. Sometimes if you just drop those in a drop box instead of at a post office, they'll go through the system without getting flagged. ('Course, it might end up at your recipients' postage due, too...)
[quote=MSBetsyZ;12578757]Another thing that helps keep envelopes from catching and ripping, as in the op's card with the tiny brads, is to put a piece of scotch tape over the little bump the brad makes. Keeps the paper from ripping, and the envelope will go through just fine.
I will usually put a piece of CB'd CS the size of the card in with it to help protect it a bit. I've not known of any of my cards getting torn up, but I wonder if recipients are too "nice" to tell the sender their card was received in an awful condition. I would hope someone would tell me.
I made some envelopes out of an old calendar and the pages were not as heavy as the standard envelope. I specifically asked the recipients to let me know when they received the cards if they were in tact and all were.
I LOVE embellishment and am a little compulsive! I actually cut an additional piece of cardstock the size of the envelope and run it through my paper crimper. This added layer in the envelope has made a big difference in the way my cards arrive in the mail
This is what I do too...thanks to my demo's suggestion!
I spend the money and get cardboard a photo mailer for each card. I try and place it in the original envelope but if it doesn't fit well, I use plastic mailers that I bought off EBAY. The "package" then goes into the photo mailer. Sure, it costs more money for both postage and the photo mailer but I figure if I spend all the time making the card, I want it to arrive undamaged.
I got charged extra for a card with some layers and a bow, because it was too thick. I wouldn't have needed to to take it to the counter if it hadn't been the week postage went up!
I like the crimped paper idea to protect the card.
I just recently had a card returned to me. It had a ribbon and some brads on it but wasn't overly thick. It is expensive enough (here in Canada) to mail a letter but I ended up adding more postage and mailing it again although the receiver got it late for her birthday which made me mad.
It seems lately we can't depend on the mail....I just rec'd a card mailed 2 weeks ago in the same city.
If you are not sure if you are over the 1/4" thickness allowed, try to pass it through the slot on your paper trimmer (where the blade slides). It is a good estimation of thickness allowed by USPS.
My PO told me they don't "hand cancel" any longer..was too time consuming for them....just another service that has been removed..
Well they're wrong. The PO DOES offer hand-canceling -- that's what they're charging the extra postage for! Maybe that particular branch doesn't like offering that service, but they're supposed to do it. My closest PO explained to me that they'd rather hand-cancel items than take the risk of it jamming up the auto-sorter . . . if that happens they have to take the time to clear the jam and also make sure there was no damage to the machinery.
And yes, I do take my items that need hand-caneling inside and they'll do it right then and place it in a different bin.
If you are not sure if you are over the 1/4" thickness allowed, try to pass it through the slot on your paper trimmer (where the blade slides). It is a good estimation of thickness allowed by USPS.
My demo had said that the SU! word window punch also could be used as a guide to see if it needs extra postage. I have never used it as it seemed much wider then what the post office uses. Can anyone validate this or give more info? THANKS!
I do padded envelopes and extra card-whatever it takes. I always layer and embellish a great deal and my card is a gift. I want it to arrive as though I hand delivered wherever in the world it's going. A few extra pence or even a pound or so on ensuring safe delivery is not something I object to. I certainly would not turn the card inside out or use less layers (no offence) etc and UK post is really costly in my understanding compared to other countries and ever increasing and unreliable.
I put my card in a normal pretty envelope, lined etc and then all that goes in the functional envelope-the postal system has no affect on my cardmaking-I have heard of people using thinner dimensional layers etc but not for me-as I say-my card is a gift, sent with love and all my family and most friends live miles away if not in another country so the postal system delivers 99.9% of my cards and presents-I wouldn't dream of letting the postal cost influence the card I send to those I love and care for.
All first class too and I take them all to be weighed at the Post office so i'm certain the postage is right even though huge queues!!!! Not a good system in the UK I have to say.
My demo had said that the SU! word window punch also could be used as a guide to see if it needs extra postage. I have never used it as it seemed much wider then what the post office uses. Can anyone validate this or give more info? THANKS!
The word window punch IS wider than the official post office guide. I would recommend that you get your own guide from the p.o. (the guides are free). I asked at my local p.o. and they ordered one for me that I picked up about a week later. These might be available to order on the postal website for no charge - I've never checked to see if it is there.
I have gotten at least 2 cards that had the dew drops on them. COuldn't tell at first because it was crumbled glass in the bottom of the envelope. Had NEVER had this before.
__________________ Carol "Poota" in IN Proud Fan Club Member A Kota's Kid
Cards mailed with embellishments...
