nothing's better than a handwritten letter!

[Mermaid Momo]

just curious, how many mers like to write and recieve handwritten letters? I love them! i'm even planning on buying a wax seal and a fountain pen to write my letters in (and my notes, i just love fountain pens!) I usually write letters to my Grandma, she may not reply to them, but i know she reads them and i know she loves seeing them in her mail box, so i keep sending them. Most people who see me writing letters in class always ask why i send them when i can just send her an e-mail, or a text or call her, But it's all in the thought of it. I mean, i feel that there's more thought put into something that someone takes the time out of their day to write by hand and take out to the mail box or post office to send.

[MerEmma]

My mom has always brought me up to handwrite letters, but I make a LOT of cards. More than letters, really. I feel worse giving a store-bought card than none at all, at this point...lol. It's a bit bad. I probably make over forty cards a lot, which is a lot for a thirteen year old. xD But I also always have to make handwritten thank you cards after birthday/Christmas/etc.

[Bellasea]

In the summer my friends and I always send each other post cards and other notes.

[SeaGlass Siren]

I like giving and receiving little love notes :) it's so cute and i can always keep them in a box to read them after!

however i much prefer email. quicker and less time consuming .__. is that wierd?

[SekhmetsSiren]

I love snail mail! I have about a dozen pen pals and I'm looking for more, it's so much fun! I got a small set of fountain pens for Christmas, my writing with them doesn't look like much yet, but I'm having a blast and it's getting better ever so slowly.
Where are you getting your wax seal from? I tried one from Barnes and Nobles and it was absolute junk. So disappointing!

[Mermaid Momo]

I'm making my own (you use a wooden dowel and burn your image in with a wood burner) I'm looking for a pen pal too! Most of all the one's I've had before stopped writing back :(

[AniaR]

I actually find hand writing extremely stressful. My hands are weak from an illness, so what usually happens is that I start out neat and tidy but within a minute or so it gets sloppy. I have an equally dumb excuse for not being able to read it as well. I was sick a lot in elementary school and literally missed when they first started handwriting, so I missed all the basics. (in terms of cursive) I type everything as much as I can, though I still keep a hand written journal... I just can't read my own writing half the time haha.

In my province, in school, we no longer teach cursive writing

[Mermaid Momo]

That happens to me a lot too. Being that I draw too, it's not really a good thing at all LOL (I have arthritis so sometimes my fingers get stuck in a position and its really painful to try and unstick them so usually I just stop writing and get my mom or dad to massage my hands. It hurts like a mofo but at least they'll get unstuck sooner :/)

[SekhmetsSiren]

That's a really good idea with the wood burner draggersprez, I don't really care for a lot of the designs for many of the seals, so it would be nice to have more options.
And I'm very sorry that you and AniaR have so much trouble with your hands.
Arthritis runs in my family as well. Sometimes I find when my hand gets stuck like that giving it a 20 minute epsome salt soak seems to help. Might just be the warm water, though, lol.
As for looking for penpals, Julie from penpaloftheweek.com posts pen pal ads on her blog. I like those because people have to send her an actual letter to get their ad up. For me, seeing someone's handwriting, stationery and letter writing style give me an idea of if we would get along as pen pals. I have met some wonderful penpals through her blog.
Another thing I have recently started is swap-bot, it takes a little time to get established and I would highly recommend getting a po box before you start swapping, but I appears well worth it. Also, I see by your signature that you are into lolita fashion, so I assume you likely have a livejournal account :). There are a few nice penpal communities you could try on lj, but they have been slowing down recently. Honestly, I would avoid interpals. Occasionally, you meet some serious writers there, but it also seems to attract really creepy people.
Sorry if I just rattled off a bunch of websites you already knew about, but it always bothers me when people stop writing for no apparent reason. And the best remedy for that is new letters in the mail. :) :)

[Usagi]

I sent my "boss" (I volunteer at the Renaissance Faire, and she's the director for our section) a letter a couple of weeks ago, telling her how amazing I think she is, and she said it made her cry. It was nice knowing I made someone cry in a good way haha

[Mermaid Momo]

Actually I just found a Lolita pen pal but I want more pen pals ( can never have enough LOL) so I may try that blog you're talking about because I love seeing how other people write first (I don't really want to stare at a letter for hours because I can't figure out what they're writing )

[Alveric]

Fountain and dip pens are not an option for me. Since I'm left handed, I drag my hand through the wet ink! :) That's why Da Vinci wrote in reverse, not to be mysterious.

[Mermaid Momo]

Fountain and dip pens are not an option for me. Since I'm left handed, I drag my hand through the wet ink! :) That's why Da Vinci wrote in reverse, not to be mysterious.

they actually make fountain and dip pens for left handers :) (i can post a link to a few of them if you'd like, once i find them again.)

[Mermaid Momo]

here's (http://ragehaus.com/?p=1215) the link to the tutorial for making your own wax seal, if anyone wants it.

[Mermaid Momo]

this is the picture for the link above
http://assets7.designsponge.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/seal-2.jpg
or you can use this (http://phesine.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-to-make-wax-seal-stamp-from-sculpey.html) one.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JaCW2edL4_I/UCB6l2hvboI/AAAAAAAAZDA/a3gM1HjOYeU/s640/IMG_4837+how+to+make+a+wax+seal.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JaCW2edL4_I/UCB6l2hvboI/AAAAAAAAZDA/a3gM1HjOYeU/s1600/IMG_4837+how+to+make+a+wax+seal.jpg)

[SekhmetsSiren]

Cool! I can't wait to try it out. Thanks for sharing

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[Alveric]

Sure Draggersprez, send the link. Thanks!

[Mermaid Petronella]

LOVE your wax seal! I also write letters to my Grandmother and she doesn't usually write back, but it makes me happy thinking she will get a letter to keep her company! :)

[Mermaid Momo]

LOVE your wax seal! I also write letters to my Grandmother and she doesn't usually write back, but it makes me happy thinking she will get a letter to keep her company! :)
My grandma doesn't write back usually either haha. But she always calls me and is super excited and tells me about the letter and such. I actually just sent her a package for valentine's day and when she received it she told me she was smiling like a school girl and almost cried when she opened it.
27841
Also, some of the letters I've sent to penpals
27842

[Amphitrite]

I remember having a pen pal (or two) when I was a kid. Loved it. I want to write more letters but I need to write myself reminders in my planner to get anything done (silly memory!). My handwriting probably isn't that good but I do know that it is at least legible. Sometimes my mom and I will write letters/cards to each other. I fear my letters would just go on and on, but it might be a good change of pace vs always on the phone (can't see them) or fb/email/ect (which can lead to poorly-thought-out messages).

[AnnaAbyss]

Yes! I LOVE handwriting letters and just handwriting in general. It's so satisfying and has more time and heart out into it than an electronic message. I guess because it's physical and you really pour out your heart and emotions onto the page. And lolol I think I have a stationery fetish. xD Ahaha it just makes me happy.
And I agree, fountain pens are awesome.~ ;)

[Kishiko]

Totally amazing inspiration from this thread!

What do you guys think about matching up merpen pals? Like how spindrift did secret Santa, and then you'd get a new pen pal every few months. Then mers can post pictures of their rad stationery and everyone and also MERMAID PENPAL

Edit: lol just reread this. I make very strong arguments at 1 am


Sent from my shellphone using Mertalk

[BriannaPixieDee]

This would be fun actually. I miss handwriting letters. And I have a ton of special paper I inherited. Would be cool to do.

[Mermaid Pickles]

I would so totally do a pen pal thing! I even have some paper and envelopes. Generally, if I'm at home and writing something, I use my dip pens or my really rather cheap but cute and fairly okay fountain pen. I have multiple different ink colors, too...Sooo, yeah, sometime this week, I'll drag my sister off to get stamps and stuff and I can then do pen pal stuff. I also forgot most of my cursive until I started using it in my senior year of high school to write note because it was faster. I'm a lefty too, but I hold my hand AND paper weirdly so I don't drag my hand through the ink...makes my writing look like its all slanted sometimes. BE WARNED, letters from me will come in different colors. >,O

[Merman Chatfish]

I was informed back in 5th grade by a teacher to avoid hand writing when possible...my hand writing sucks. Now I'm to a point where writing more than two lines really hurts my hand because I am not use to using a pen or pencil.


BTW, Amphitrite, your inbox is full so I can't respond to you.

[Vixy]

I write to some penpals and do postcrossing, I'm planning on joining some of those penpal groups sometime. I love writing letters and getting either postcards or letters in the post. It's so nice to know that something is on the way to you, and the opening it and sitting down to read the letter :D

[Mermaid Momo]

I would so totally do a pen pal thing! I even have some paper and envelopes. Generally, if I'm at home and writing something, I use my dip pens or my really rather cheap but cute and fairly okay fountain pen. I have multiple different ink colors, too...Sooo, yeah, sometime this week, I'll drag my sister off to get stamps and stuff and I can then do pen pal stuff. I also forgot most of my cursive until I started using it in my senior year of high school to write note because it was faster. I'm a lefty too, but I hold my hand AND paper weirdly so I don't drag my hand through the ink...makes my writing look like its all slanted sometimes. BE WARNED, letters from me will come in different colors. >,O
I do the same thing too haha, except I don't use dip pens or fountain pens (though I want to!) I use the really fine ball point pens meant for note taking and that come in a rainbow of colors. Usually every single letter I send is themed haha (so I make my own stationery, like in the pics I up loaded earlier the rilakkuma, narwhale, and donut paper and envelopes I made myself)

Would you all like to do the matching here? or with a facebook group? I already manage a penpal group already (a mori penpal group that I made after some mori girls asked about how I find my penpal) I think It'll be easier that way since every mer can post their own penpal ad, can look at other's profiles, and we can do events in the group (for example, in the mori group, I arranged an ATC postcard swap for spring.)

[Kishiko]

I was thinking we could do it like the secret Santa thing so we'd just get a list of everyone who wants to participate and use a program to randomly match mers


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[Yulia]

I would like to be in this too!
A facebook group could be neat, if everyone else finds that ok.

[Echidna]

I used to have several pen pals in different countries too far away for phoning (that was in the days before the internet, children).
It was a good way to keep my language skills up to date, and stay in touch with friends the only way possible then :p

Sadly, after many years, the letters became less and less, and one day I received no response to my last letter.
Or maybe it was the other way around, because their last letter was a demand for me to fly over and marry their cousin.

At any rate, it was nice while it lasted.

I'm not sure if FB/twit and such is really an improvement over sending a letter overseas, which travelled with horse carriages and ships for over a year only to get lost somewhere.

Ok, maybe it is an improvement. But less romantic.

[Mermaid Pickles]

Hrrrm, sounds nifty! And ouch, a marriage demand by letter.

[Amphitrite]

I like the idea of a fb group. How can it stay safe though? Closed group or something?

[Mermaid Momo]

I like the idea of a fb group. How can it stay safe though? Closed group or something?
Yeah, all penpal groups I'm a member of are closed groups. The one I manage has a rule that the facebook profile has to have been there for more than 4 months, and have a certain number of pictures and friends and I advise members to never give out personal information straight away, to chat with their potential partners before swapping info and come to me if they have any problems.

[Merman Chatfish]

Yeah, all penpal groups I'm a member of are closed groups. The one I manage has a rule that the facebook profile has to have been there for more than 4 months, and have a certain number of pictures and friends and I advise members to never give out personal information straight away, to chat with their potential partners before swapping info and come to me if they have any problems.

How many friends is needed? I only have about 50...don't have many friends in real life and 10 of my friends are family.

[Mermaid Pickles]

Hrrm....to use roleplay FB or real FB...real FB hasn't been used in over a year.... XD

[Mermaid Momo]

How many friends is needed? I only have about 50...don't have many friends in real life and 10 of my friends are family.

It doesn't matter if the friends are irl, family, or just internet friends, as long as they're there. For the penpal group I manage currently, It's more than 5 friends and more than 5 photos of yourself. (so this does not include photos that don't belong to you like art and things, it has to have you in it or tagged somewhere in it) It's to make sure we don't get spam bots, or weirdos making accounts trying to get into the group and get personal information from the members.

[Mermaid Momo]

You can see the setup of the group I already run here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/morigirlpenpal/
(I know it's a closed group so you can't see posts in it unless you're a member, but you can read the rules and description)

[Amphitrite]

Thanks for the link. :)

[Mermaid Pickles]

Just warning, if I join a group on FB, it will be on a cosplay/ roleplay profile, because I no longer use the one under my actual name. I had a stalker, sooooooo...I don't get on that profile anymore.

[Mermaid Momo]

Just warning, if I join a group on FB, it will be on a cosplay/ roleplay profile, because I no longer use the one under my actual name. I had a stalker, sooooooo...I don't get on that profile anymore.
I guess as long as you let me know it's you otherwise I might think you're a mervert or something and not add you haha. I'll go make the group now though and link everyone :)
Just thinking, should there be an age limit to joining? I feel like everyone should be at least 16 or 17 if they'll be giving out personal information.

[Mermaid Momo]

Here's the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/merfolkpenpals/

[Mermaid Pickles]

Also, anyone have any ideas of what to look for for nice stationery? Because most of what I'm finding is kinda plain or meant for little kids.....I want something cute, but also something that I don't have to wait weeks to get.

[Mermaid Momo]

Also, anyone have any ideas of what to look for for nice stationery? Because most of what I'm finding is kinda plain or meant for little kids.....I want something cute, but also something that I don't have to wait weeks to get.
Go to pinterest and look for Kawaii memo pads (if you're looking for the ultra cute kind) Almost all the images will have to be scaled up. I do that in my drawing program and then print them out. I also just use random textures and images i find, edit it a bit to be light enough to write on and print it out.

[Mermaid Pickles]

Well, I guess I'll have to convince my sister to let me use her printer, then!

[Amphitrite]

That's a cool idea I hadn't thought of before Momo. :)

[Mermaid Pickles]

I'm probably going to end up being that one who uses parchment writing paper because I use calligraphy pens and dip pens. XD

[Mermaid Pickles]

((I don't use my actual name on facebook, not since I had a stalker. So yeah.

[Skytroque]

Oh hey handwritten letters...I have about 3 penpals and it'd be awesome to have more...how did I miss this thread before?

[Mermaid Pickles]

Dunno. XD

[Mermaid Momo]

Oh hey handwritten letters...I have about 3 penpals and it'd be awesome to have more...how did I miss this thread before?
It gets eaten up by all the other activity on the forum most likely haha.

[Mermaid Pickles]

Oh, Momo, I requested to join the group on my roleplay/cosplay account since I don't use my personal FB anymore. Profile pic is the same pic as my forum avvie here.

[Skytroque]

Yeah, overrun by other topics is about write. (haha-...ok that was bad.)

[Mermaid Pickles]

SO punny! ouch!

[Skytroque]

I've made worse...but it could be cool to write other merfolk..granted I don't use calligraphy that often except fancy occasions...most letters I write with the fountain pens or dip pens I have.

[Mermaid Pickles]

My family always referred to dip pens and fountain pens as calligraphy pens, so it's how I refer to them, but yeah, those are what I use. I can't even do calligraphy anymore. XD

[Mermaid Momo]

Oh, Momo, I requested to join the group on my roleplay/cosplay account since I don't use my personal FB anymore. Profile pic is the same pic as my forum avvie here.
I added you already :) I'm Laronda there

[Skytroque]

Oooh...see, to me the nib is what makes it calligraphy versus handwriting...might just be me though.

[Mermaid Pickles]

Nah, i see what you mean. I think my family just thought of them a different way. My current favorite pen is an antique one.

[Skytroque]

Oh that's really cool. An old dip pen then? Actual feather or no?

[Mermaid Pickles]

It's got a mother of pearl handle.

[Skytroque]

:hail: Very nice...

[Mermaid Pickles]

Thanks. XD

[Skytroque]

I have a feather pen..one feather pen with a converter to amodern nib, an oak handled with nib, an injection molded plastic handle with changeable nib, and then 3 fountain pens with ink cartridge covnerters, and about 30-ish ink colors to choose from. But nothin' as fancy as a mother of pearl antique

[Mermaid Pickles]

I have a few plastic ones, a feather with the metal bit to use with a normal nib, and a handmade one bought in galveston. I have a fairly cheap fountain pen with a converter. I don't have that much ink. I have about five different shades of green, though. A few purples, a few blues, black, a gold, a copper, and a brown. I need more colors. XD

[Mermaid Eliina]

I love handwritten letters ^_^ At the moment I have five penpals and it it so much fun and it feels so much more personal than messages sent through internet. It would be so lovely to have a mermaid as a penpal but my english is so crappy -_-'

[Mermaid Momo]

Just boosting to let everyone know that the group is live and we could always need new members :) https://www.facebook.com/groups/merfolkpenpals/
and don't worry Eliina, I have a few penpals who don't know much english, but it's still so much fun! (they probably laugh at my crappy attempts to write in their language haha)

[Mermaid Pickles]

I got a sealing wax thing too! XD