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I am new to all this and thought I posted a question on the forum. However, it never showed up! I was wondering if anybody else had trouble with their post office not wanting to send cards with embellishments? Here, they say they won't hand cancel, and I want to use bows, eyelets, brads, metal edge tags, etc. What to do?????
Being an embellishment freak, I usually put very embellished cards in a padded envelope just so it does not get killed in the mailing. You can try taking the card to another PO as each one is usually different about what they will and will not do for you. Hand stamping is not out of the question. If you have anything on the envelope that might get caught on the PO equipment then the PO will probably frown on it besides you may run into troubles with the card surviving the trip.
Does that help any??
BTW Welcome to SCS.
__________________ ~Melissa
"I am what I am because of the choices I made yesterday."
You can always go to www.usps.com. There are some pretty cool features there, like buying postage online, finding zip codes. . .we use it pretty often!
I have sent cards out with embellishments on them and if I think there is going to be a problem, I just add an additional stamp. There is only one card that I haven't heard back from, so I don't know if the person I RAK's got it or not.
There is an extra fee for anything that is over a certain thickness. I don't remember what the extra amount is, but if I think mine are too thick I add a .23 cent stamp to it. (For me it's usually a bow made with grossgrain ribbon that puts it over the the limit.) Jenn's suggestion of the website is good. If you put the correct postage on it - the PO is required to take it. It represents payment for the "special handling". (My SIL works at the PO.)
grrr....a fellow stamper (insomniacred) made my daughters birth announcements, before Id started stamping myself. She made very lovely cards with just one tiny button embellishment on the front of the card. We asked the guy at the post office if they needed to be hand canceled and he said no, they would be fine as is.
Out of the 50 cards I sent, about 7 didnt make it, that I know of.
If I knew then what I know now, Id
a. opt for a rounded edge button, not sharp -or-
b. send in padded envelopes -or-
c. demand hand canceling
It amazes me that some cards survived the trip to tiny islands off the coast of Australia, yet others couldnt make it from Indiana to Minnesota!
Thanks, everyone for your ideas on mailing embellished cards. My cards usually just contain eyelets, bows, or brads. They aren't too thick or anything, but maybe I'll just start putting more postage on them to be sure. I make cards to sell, tho, and don't want to scare my few customers off :( Well, anyway, I will keep trying!
Hi Bemidjibelle! Is that where you're from? I sooooo miss the lakes! I'm in NW Iowa, but my parents used to live on Gull Lake. Every summer was a nonstop party! That was before I was married and had kids though. Anyway, I'm pretty new to sending handmade cards, but I have seen some torn envelopes on cards with embellishments. What I've done to prevent mine from getting torn, and maybe not making it to their destination, is cut a piece of white cardstock the same size as the envelope I'm sending the card in, and stuffing that between the side of the card with the embellishments and the envelope. It seems to make the bumps smoother, and I think they go through the postal machines easier. I just sent some cards that had metal-rimmed tags with two pieces of ribbon knotted through a hole in the tag, and they all made it fine. They didn't even require extra postage. I hope that helps!
I have been sending my cards in the clear envelopes.... everyone loves to see the cards that I make and this way everyone at the post office gets a "peek" and they tell me they enjoy the cards coming through the mail..
when i send out regular cards, I only put the 37 cents on and it goes through the mail just fine. I just sent out an accordian card in one and it took 60 cents.
Hi, Dejah, (I think that is your name) Yes, I live in Bemidji, MN. Love it here! Although we can't seem to have summer this year -- It was in the 40's this morning and it has rained for 5 days! I am originally from MO, but have lived in Bemidji since I was married in 1968. Thanks for your ideas on embellished cards. I have had trouble with my post office, and think I am going to be brave and call the post master and just ASK what I should do. Because I WILL continue to use embellishments, 'cause I like them on cards.
I run a piece of cardstock (to match the card, of course!) through the paper corrugator and place it on top of the embellished side. Just gives a little padding and looks nice. Someone else told me they use a piece of bubble wrap just placed over the embellishment.
I will try those, although the small piece of bubble wrap seemed bumpier to me. I called my post master and he said he needed to see what I am talking about. He said some things we NOT mailable in regular envelopes. So I am trying a bunch of methods and will take and show him. Hopefully he will approve one of them!!
Sue
mailing cards with embellishments
