Mailing cards

[ScrapperOnWheels]

I have a tip for mailing those thick hand stamped cards, and not have to pay extra for hand cancelling it. All you do is take a little bubble wrap and put it around the card in the envelope. That way you can still send it first class.

[IndyAngel]

OK, this is all a little new to me. Please help me out. Doesn't that just make the envelope thicker?

[ScrapperOnWheels]

Yes, but smooth in bulk. So it doesn't cost extra somehow. i was just told this by my mother.

[dtstampz]

I tried that with a card, and apparently the bubble wrap did make it too thick, and the receipient told me it looked like it had gotten caught in the machine! Now I use a card-front sized piece of plain white CS, and run it through the crimper. Seems to help protect the card's embellishments, and add a little cushioning.

[jtax]

I've done the "cs through the crimper" thing too and seems to work well

[stargirl]

I do the bubble wrap, a piece of the foam wrap, a piece of cereal box, or just paper. All work to varying degrees. I think I'll try the crimped CS, that's one I haven't tried.

[ScrapperOnWheels]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtstampz

I tried that with a card, and apparently the bubble wrap did make it too thick, and the receipient told me it looked like it had gotten caught in the machine! Now I use a card-front sized piece of plain white CS, and run it through the crimper. Seems to help protect the card's embellishments, and add a little cushioning.

I never thought of that one...good tip!

[wiggynine]

I never thought about what happens to my cards once they are postal. I do put them in plastic baggies, but to keep them dry just in case the mail carrier spills coffee while delivering the mail.

I didn't know you had to pay any extra charge for hand cancelling. I never even thought to ask for hand cancelling. I will try the crimped cardstock idea - I don't seem to use my crimper for card making so I won't feel so bad about purchasing it anymore.

Linda

[Mahloumel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stargirl

I think I'll try the crimped CS, that's one I haven't tried.

It is also great way to use smaller pieces of scrap CS, or weird colours that you've outgrown (like that Mental Ward Green pastel Fiskars CS that I've been storing for about 7 years).

[afancycat]

I cut up my empty cereal boxes to 4 x 5 pieces and run them through my crimper....works like a charm!

[Str8Fan]

Okay, let's see if I understand this correctly. If I place a crimped cardstock in front of my embellished card, it can run through the machine and not get damaged? I recently moved and this post office is requiring that I pay $.52 for just about every card that I have sent out because it has to be had cancelled. If I can eliminate that extra cost, it would be wonderful!!

[kthaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Str8Fan

Okay, let's see if I understand this correctly. If I place a crimped cardstock in front of my embellished card, it can run through the machine and not get damaged? I recently moved and this post office is requiring that I pay $.52 for just about every card that I have sent out because it has to be had cancelled. If I can eliminate that extra cost, it would be wonderful!!

Rebecca, If I take my cards in, I always have to pay, but I've found that if I add a little tape (so the flap part does pooch at all) and stick it in a blue box, I never get them back (and I've heard from the recipient that they've received it...and the one time I asked about the condition of the envie--it was a pretty thick one--she said it was fine).

Pick a card you don't care if it gets there on time, and give it a try...the worst it costs you is 1 stamp...but then you know.

[Str8Fan]

Thanks!! I will definitely try this. You ladies are a wealth of information!! This will be ideal for all the RAKs I send out a week!

[Mahloumel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Str8Fan

Okay, let's see if I understand this correctly. If I place a crimped cardstock in front of my embellished card, it can run through the machine and not get damaged?

Do you put the front of your card so it is facing the back of the envelope? Combining that and the crimped CS covering the card front, I find this is a very good way to make smooth envelopes that don't get damaged in the mail machine.

[stargirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Str8Fan

Okay, let's see if I understand this correctly. If I place a crimped cardstock in front of my embellished card, it can run through the machine and not get damaged? I recently moved and this post office is requiring that I pay $.52 for just about every card that I have sent out because it has to be had cancelled. If I can eliminate that extra cost, it would be wonderful!!

I KNOW!!! I just got a gorgeous RAK from you today and I saw the $.52!! I thought that was crazy!! I think they are yankin' your chain! Your card has layers, but no ribbon, no metal of any kind, it's just card stock! Beautifully done!) But there is NO WAY this card won't go through their machines. You need to put up a stink about this!!

[kthaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stargirl

I KNOW!!! I just got a gorgeous RAK from you today and I saw the $.52!! I thought that was crazy!! I think they are yankin' your chain! Your card has layers, but no ribbon, no metal of any kind, it's just card stock! Beautifully done!) But there is NO WAY this card won't go through their machines. You need to put up a stink about this!!

Oh wow - just layers - then yes, she should question that. I know at my old post office they had a cardboard template slot that they would test to make sure it would go through...I've had lumpy ribbon & hardware make it through that template.

[IndyAngel]

This past Christmas, my friend and I made the same card. It had several dimensionals on the front and a piece of cording tied into a bow. We both use the same post office. She took her cards to the counter to ask if she would need to use extra postage. The clerk told her they were too bumpy to make it through the machine and would therefore require 52 cents in postage. I put my stack of 75 cards with normal postage stamps into the blue box outside of the same post office and mine made it just fine.

The lesson I learned: If you think it will probably get there fine and it's not a life or death item, don't ask if you need extra postage!

Lisa

[housefan]

Fold your card inside out and then all the bumpy stuff is on the inside.

[blueheron]

I have had to pay extra postage for the following reasons:
Too thick
Too bumpy (even with bubble wrap and crimped cardstock)
Too stiff!!!!(Several layers on the card front) I had to pay extra even though there were no embellishments and it wasn't too thick!!
I have complained at my P.O.--loudly--and they don't care.

[StampinAK]

Oh boy, can I get on my "soapbox" with this one!! My postal worker gave me on of the officia Postal Service mail dimensional standards template. It has the slot someone else has mentioned with is 1/4 inch thick. I used this for my Thanksgiving cards last year and decided to use a 39 cent stamp. I received the whole bundle back in my mail box with a sticky note saying extra postage required. ARG! A different postal worker told me about the "special handling" charge -- additional 13 cents because of brads, ribbon, etc. Of course, when I went to a different post office to request the 13 cent stamps I got a strange look and asked why I wanted them! When I explained that I made my own cards and they sometimes had "bumpy" surfaces he said that I better quit making them!!! Thanks ladies for the information ... crimped cs may be a definate option for me. Almost all of my cards are mailed out of state and this will be a great money savings.

[kthaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by StampinAK

When I explained that I made my own cards and they sometimes had "bumpy" surfaces he said that I better quit making them!!!

Hmmm...he must not have any crafty people in his life - what a shame lol

[stargirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by housefan

Fold your card inside out and then all the bumpy stuff is on the inside.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? You are brilliant!! It's embarrassing how in the box most of us are most of the time!! I never thought of that, and I've never received one folded that way, so I don't think anyone else has, either!

[SophieLaFontaine]

The post office has automation machines that run all your cards and stuff. Each and every single machine is different in quality. Some will totally mess up a card, and some will pass it right on. Some are really, really sensitive and will keep stopping itself before it messes up any mail. Some will keep running even though every letter is being crumpled/bent. It all depends on the automation machines (there will be a lot) that your card gets processed on. Sucks.

But what really helps is to make sure the surface is smooth (whatever you use - crimped paper or bubble wrap etc.) and to make sure that the flap (especially on the postage-stamp side of the envelope) is taped down and is not loose. That is the edge that is fed first into the machines, and the little levers and "gates" will sometimes catch on those flaps.

When an envelope is really thick, it sometimes gets caught in the parts of the machine that curves. If it is thick but can bend easily, it won't be as likely to get caught. Also, your mail sometimes gets messed up through no fault of its own; sometimes the machines just jack up and crunches a bunch of letters. Many (if not all) of these machines have a little container underneath for the clerks to put torn/destroyed mail into. These go to another clerk who tries their best to put the pieces back together.

When these machines are running at normal speed (sometimes with clerks who can't care less), they process about 35000 letters/postcards an hour. It's every letter for itself!

[SweetMissDaisy]

When I mail cards with doo-dads, I place the front of my card towards the back of the envelope, and then put a piece (sometimes 2) of clear packing tape across the backside of the envelope -- making sure that the tape covers the areas of the envelope where the bulkier items are. The tape seems to help protect the paper envelope from the grabbing mechanisms of the postal machines. I haven't had any complaints so far!

[kthaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SophieLaFontaine

The post office has automation machines that run all your cards and stuff. Each and every single machine is different in quality. Some will totally mess up a card, and some will pass it right on....

Wow that is a lot of cool information - thank you!!

[emmiestamps]

I always have to put two stamps on mine they always tell me they are too tick, and I always tell them the need to change the thickness policy, I can't mail a card with ribbon without paying double, that's sad.

[kthaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SophieLaFontaine

The post office has automation machines that run all your cards and stuff.

OK, I have a question. If you pay to have a card hand cancelled, since it is still card sized, does it go through the machines or is that extra postage so it will be literally handled by hand...like a package? I suppose that is a silly question, but I've seen more ridiculous things happen!

Thanks!

[SophieLaFontaine]

Sorry! I didn't see this until you pm'd me LOL. I really don't know.

[MikiBee]

My Christmas card was FULL of embellishments this year. I had not only the several layered card with brad and ribbon embellishments, I also stuffed a photo and a letter in with them all. I was paranoid this was going to be extra postage and I'd be mortified if everyone had to pay extra postage on delivery, so I took them in and all they did was weigh it and said it was fine.. regular postage. (Felt like a pound to me!) I have never ever had to pay extra, even for square envelopes. But besides my Christmas cards, I never take them to the post office, I just put them in my mailbox for the postman to pick up. I've often asked the recipients if they had to pay extra postage on delivery and they said no. I wonder if it a lot depends on the post office too? Maybe some of them have different machinery or something?

Quote:

Originally Posted by craftymomof4

This past Christmas, my friend and I made the same card. It had several dimensionals on the front and a piece of cording tied into a bow. We both use the same post office. She took her cards to the counter to ask if she would need to use extra postage. The clerk told her they were too bumpy to make it through the machine and would therefore require 52 cents in postage. I put my stack of 75 cards with normal postage stamps into the blue box outside of the same post office and mine made it just fine.

The lesson I learned: If you think it will probably get there fine and it's not a life or death item, don't ask if you need extra postage!

Lisa

[marciad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtstampz

I tried that with a card, and apparently the bubble wrap did make it too thick, and the receipient told me it looked like it had gotten caught in the machine! Now I use a card-front sized piece of plain white CS, and run it through the crimper. Seems to help protect the card's embellishments, and add a little cushioning.

I do the crimper thing too.

[The Gardener]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtstampz

I tried that with a card, and apparently the bubble wrap did make it too thick, and the receipient told me it looked like it had gotten caught in the machine! Now I use a card-front sized piece of plain white CS, and run it through the crimper. Seems to help protect the card's embellishments, and add a little cushioning.

Thanks for the great idea!

[synamon]

OO Ihave to go to the p.o. tomorrow anyway, so I'll be tryin the crimped cs thing.. Thanks for the great tips!

[Mahloumel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by synamon

OO Ihave to go to the p.o. tomorrow anyway

I'm so sorry to hear that. DH and I spent half an hour at the PO today. It would have been ten minutes, but the lady in line ahead of us had an MIA item to pick up and the postal worker looked through literally five hundred pieces of mail trying to find it before giving up and moving on to the next person in the "quick pickup line." [/vent]

I've been doing the crimped paper for a while now, and so far so good!