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One of the things I've had alot of trouble with lately especially is mailing the cards I make. I find one little brad costs me a surcharge and my mother in Missouri tells me that most of the thicker or embellished cards that I send her end up torn apart by the time they get from Texas to her.
Do you use padded envelopes to mail your cards? and sacrifice the cute or custom envies in lieu of damage control?
If I use any embellishments or even a bow, I put a 1/4 sheet of cheapo cardstock over the front of the card, that way it is flatter and doesn't get caught in the machines.
I put a piece of thin "fun foam" that the Dollar Store sells over the front of the card that has brads or the like. Sometimes I put an embellished card in bubble wrap or a padded envelope. It may cost a bit more but worth it to know it will arrive in good shape.
I use a piece of cardstock with the card also. Another thing, be sure the back of the card is facing the front of the envelope which the address is on, with the cardstock/cardfront to the back. This will insure that the smoother side will be the one which runs through the mailing machines.
Also, if I do have a brad or button on the card, I try to position the card in the envelope so that any "bumps" from the embellishments are not on the corner of the envie where the stamp is. This is the part of the envelope that feeds through the cancelling machine, and if there is a bump there, it gets hung up and possibly torn.
I mail lots of cards and most of them have embellishments. They arrive in good shape, and I don't routinely pay extra postage.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
Is it just our post office? every time I take a card in now, they feel around on it for anything? and of course always find something that makes it an upcharge. so weird but I do live in Gtown, TX...and that's very close to "keep austin weird" so?
So far I have not had a problem with mine. I do use bigger envelopes. All of mine have arrived safe and sound. I am going to start using the cardstock trick though, makes a ton of sense to me.
Unfortunately, I always pay extra for postage. I usually make square cards (and use square envies), so there's a surcharge for that, but I believe square envies need to be hand stamped because the machines can't handle them. I haven't heard of any of my cards being mangled upon arrival.
Is it just our post office? every time I take a card in now, they feel around on it for anything? and of course always find something that makes it an upcharge. so weird but I do live in Gtown, TX...and that's very close to "keep austin weird" so?
No, not just you. My post office does the same thing. It's like they are looking for a reason to charge more!!
Oh, and I am in OP, FL so I don't think we can blame Austin...
Just a little info about the machines that sort the mail. Mail travels on a belt that at one point or another goes thru such contortions that the envelopes are sandwiched between the belt and a drum that is 11 inches in diameter. The mail has to be able to wrap around that drum...it has to bend with the 30 pounds of pressure put on it. That is the amount of pressure placed on your espresso by the barista before brewing.
What you pay a surcharge for is to have a person run that mail thru a cancelling machine by hand and avoid the automated system.
Can you imagine the mess in that automated system when one of our embellished cards gets caught and the whole system needs to be shut down to rescue it?
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I cut a piece of cheap cardstock in half and fold it over the card covering the front and back, face the card front to the back of the envelope and ALWAYS drop the card in a mailbox, never hand it to the postal worker...they will get you everytime;)
Every card I send has ribbon or brads or buttons and so far (3 years) they have all arrived safely without any postage due.
I sometimes use a piece of cardstock inside the envelope, but often will put my card in a clear envelope inside the regular envelope. It doesn't add much extra thickness and really protects the embellishments.
Yesterday I sent a sympathy card with a small bow and have worried about it ever since. I didn't do the extra cs as I don't know the recipient personally and wasn't sure he would understand about the extra cs. Maybe we should start a challenge to make a card with "faux" everything bumpy.;)
I use clear envelopes exclusively...I find that out of 40 or so cards I send for holidays...(it can vary) I might get one or two back with the sticker that says more postage required. This has only happed to me twice now since I started using clear envelopes. I always mail early in the event this happens. I peel off the sticker which leaves the envelope still looking just like new and pop them back in the mail box without additional postage. They get to their destination the second time around everytime. It is just weird. Blessings.
If I use any embellishments or even a bow, I put a 1/4 sheet of cheapo cardstock over the front of the card, that way it is flatter and doesn't get caught in the machines.
Yesterday I sent a sympathy card with a small bow and have worried about it ever since. I didn't do the extra cs as I don't know the recipient personally and wasn't sure he would understand about the extra cs. Maybe we should start a challenge to make a card with "faux" everything bumpy.;)
Haha - I never thought about that! I'm guessing they would figure it out. Or you could always write a note on that extra paper explaining why it's there ;)
I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing this happening. I worry that the "presentation" as it were of the card itself will be reduced if I add card stock, etc. In swaps and in 1-4-1 swap situations we all understand, but the ordinary citizen may wonder about it and it may take away from the overall beauty, am I just over the top in worry? LOL
It's interesting though that clear envies are getting through, most likely because they do not go through the automation by virtue of their material. I hadn't thought about it but all my clear ones go through fine to the swappers I know. Maybe I'll try this on my next card to Mom? (Course she will probably freak that everyone can see her mail! She's very old fashioned!)
My mail lady loves to look at all the cards I send. I send out lots and lots of cards and only rarely does one come back with the sticker on it. It doesnt bother me anymore because I just peel the sticker off and pop the card back in the box. Second time is always the charm.
Blessings.
The reason that some envelopes come back for extra postage and identical ones sent to another locations do not is that it is (or used to be) up to the *delivering* post office whether or not to send it back. I found this out the hard way when I got married 18 years ago. My invitations where in big square envelopes and the invite company didn�t tell me that big square envies cost more to mail. Some were returned for extra postage, some were delivered with postage due (embarrassing! :( ) and others were delivered with no problem. I thought it was odd, so I contacted the post office and they explained the procedure.
So, I guess I'm a little dense, but I had not heard about clear envelopes... Just like a regluar envelope, I would put the card in the envelope, how do you address it? With a label/sticker? Use the back side of the card for the stamp and address?
I thought clear envelopes required more postage, but I'm not sure why.
For embellished cards, I use the "snap, crackle, pop" plastic that gets
sent in purchased UPS etc packages, pop them to reduce the thicknes
and put on the front of the card when sending off, lighter weight then cardboard.
I also agree faux embellishments are a good alternative; that would be
cardstock die cut metal look embellishments etc, take a look in the gallery and
you may get an idea on them. More of my embellished cards go for hand
delivered gifts.
__________________ Carolyn
my avatar: (such desparation), Dear God, if you can't make me thin; make my
friends fat"
I use bows, brads, button etc. on my cards and just put a piece of CS over the bump and face to the back. I just drop them in the blue mail boxes and all have gotten through and I mail to Florida with no problem or extra postage.
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If I have an envelope that's especially thick or bumpy, I take it to our local post office for them to hand cancel it. They don't charge me extra for that. The envelope has to be able to pass easily through a 1/4 inch slot; if it does that, they don't charge me extra. The last time I was there, the clerk told me as long as the envelope is flexible, there's no problem!
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I don't embellish a lot....but I do put on ribbons with bows that make it bumby. I also do more more CAS cards and I don't layer a lot either. I always put on an extra 20 cents or so to make sure it gets through. I'd hate to think friends and relatives on the other end have to pay for it when it comes. I'm also a card angel and would not want the person I angel to, to have to pay extra. Maybe I'm OVER PAYING!!!! The postal worker in my tiny town always says I need to pay extra. Now that I think of it I've mailed other places and they say it's ok. I do turn them around and put an index card over them. I also LOVE clear envelopes but sort have forgotten about using them. I think I'll take over a card with a ribbon bump to my other post office and see what they think about extra postage. Thanks for the info!
I always use brads and ribbon, along with other embellishments, and I only add extra postage if the ribbon knot makes the envelop really thick. I place the card so its front is facing the inside back of the envelop and I put a piece of clear packing tape over the outside if there are any bumps made by the brads or bling. That helps the card slide through the PO's machines and prevents them catching and ripping the envelop.
Mailing cards
