by Linda | Oct 11, 2016 | DIY printables
I never thought that I would need to record a history of the snail mail cards and letters I send to family and friends. I mean, wouldn’t I surely remember the heartfelt words I have written and the times I’ve dropped off the post or stood in line at the post office? How complicated can it be, right?
Umm, enter life. Parenting, school, work, laundry, groceries, dinner, errands… it all gets mashed up from day to day and suddenly I found myself not really remembering my postal activity. It’s not that I go to the post office every day, but even weekly trips are often enough to warrant confusion in my brain. Did I send out that birthday card already or did I dream about sending it? Did I reply to that letter already or was I just thinking out my response in my head. Everything turns into a blur. Maybe I’m getting old? Uh oh. It’s embarrassing to resend greetings, but even worse to forget or skip on sending something out.
I know there are plenty of people who send out WAY more snail mail than me, so they must have a system to keep track of things. Then I learned it’s as simple as an outgoing mail log.
Keeping track of snail mail activity will ensure that you send your greetings and reply promptly to incoming mail. No more mix-ups or trying to remember… not to mention the anxiety of wondering if you actually sent something or dreamt it up. It really only takes a few minutes, either before you head to the post office or immediately after so you don’t forget.
I decided to create myself a snail mail printable log to record my outgoing mail – a simple record of my mailing activity. This snail mail log is a printable PDF but also editable electronically. Either way works and of course, you decide if you want to include all the detailed information or shorten things up a bit.
snail-mail-log-letter-log-form | snail-mail-log-a4-log-form
While I was at it, I decided to also make the design as printable blank pages or lined pages, so you can use it as stationery as well – double uses! You can also customize your own mail log if you prefer other fields, rather than what I use specifically. The PDF files have no watermark btw!
snail-mail-log-letter-blank | snail-mail-log-a4-blank
snail-mail-log-letter-lined | snail-mail-log-a4-lined
For my personal use, I just put in the recipient name, quick description and date I actually send it. For now that’s all the information I’m looking for, but you certainly can also log more information or even include a snapshot of the mail itself, if you like to scrapbook or journal your snail mailing hobby. There are those who also log incoming mail, postmark dates, etc. It’s up to you!
BTW, if you like this design you can also download the FREE coordinating snail mail printable stationery set here.
I hope you find this snail mail log useful and please share how you log your own snail mail activity. Would love to know!
by Linda | Oct 6, 2016 | DIY printables
This month on the Petit a Petit Family blog I contributed a quick post with a clean graphic art printable – kiddo and wanted to let you know! It was inspired by Celina’s kiddo in my room pinterest board and Toya’s room decoration.
The cool part is that the text is customizable. It’s a PDF with editable form field, so you can type in whatever you would like before printing it out. Or even just delete the text and print it out without words. I’m definitely wanting to experiment more with including customizable printable PDFs!
What will you create with the printables? Download the kiddo art printable here and tag photos of your creations with #pinandcreate on social media. Enjoy!
by Linda | Oct 4, 2016 | DIY printables
I’m not sure what it is, but everyone seems to love the look and feel of vintage maps. I’m definitely no exception and one day would love to have a variety of vintage maps framed in my house. Besides the fun of learning a bit of geography when we look at maps, it’s also fun to discover what has changed since the map had been created. There are so many party games that can come out of having a few maps on your wall too! Anyway, I thought it would be cool to use a vintage world map as part of an airmail design that you can print and fold to become a postcard. I found this cool map that has different routes drawn out – like you are sending your postcard across the world.
I realize that a postcard needs to be of a certain thickness, so make sure you print this on thick cardstock that can be sent by post. Otherwise, you can even wrap this around an existing postcard to be sure it is sendable. Just download the file below in the paper format your prefer.
vintage-map-airmail-postcard-letter | vintage-map-airmail-postcard-a4
I would love to know what you think about printable postcard designs. Is it feasible for actual snail mail? Or will you use the design inside other packages? To decorate your planners, pocket letters and other correspondence? As always, would love to hear any design requests you might have as well.
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by Linda | Sep 21, 2016 | DIY printables
Nothing like a manly woodgrain patterned stationery set for your next round of correspondence! I thought it was about time I shared a free printable again and decided to go with an everyday design that anyone can use.
I recently made a trip to the post office and realized that international postage has increased here in Italy. It was a bummer, but then I realized that the cost enables me to send a letter across the globe. Many miles of transportation, so of course there is a cost! When my recipient gets my handwritten snail mail, I know they will appreciate it, so it’s totally worth it. Even an everyday message of hello can really brighten up someone’s day. Letters create connection that no email, text message or even video message can do. It’s just not the same.
So please enjoy the set of woodgrain stationery below, provided in both LETTER and A4 paper sizes. The PDF contains the envelope template, a page of lined stationery and a page of blank stationery. You can download and use whichever combination is to your liking and even share with friends. What if you created a gift set of stationery for your pen pal?
woodgrain-stationery-set-letter
woodgrain-stationery-set-a4
I hope you enjoy this printable woodgrain stationery set and please remember it’s for personal use only. You can certainly share with friends and direct them here to download as well. Enjoy!
Sign-up for my weekly newsletter if you would like more printables and don’t hesitate to comment with your design requests below. I’m always looking for ideas more stationery goodies for everyone!
by Linda | Aug 22, 2016 | DIY printables
Today I wanted to revive a printable I created years ago when experimenting with traditional mediums. I work primarily in a digital format but ideas always start as pencil and paper sketches. Sometimes I just stick with a traditional medium, like watercolor because it has such a unique look.
I have pretty shaky hands, so it’s a challenge to watercolor and by no means do I really know my stuff! But its fun to create anyway and wanted to share my early girl illustrations with you below.
Download Printable Buy More Cookies Shopping List PDF (631 kb)
Cookies always make me feel better, so we must stock up, right? That’s why I created this shopping list reminder… cute, yes? Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the freebie for your personal use.
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by Linda | Aug 8, 2016 | DIY printables, my creative journal
It’s hard to believe that summer is nearly coming to an end for many of us – yikes! I’ve been cleaning up my blog posts (slowly, but surely) and also finding my retired digital products here and there – so I thought why not share them as freebies on the blog, right?
My summertime printable embellishments are great for decorating snail mail, penpal letters, art journals and scrapbooks. I originally used them in my own scrapbook page of my little boy when he was only 5 months old.
Just download the free printable PDF in your preferred paper size and print away. There’s a variety of designs, tags and decorations to choose from with happy, summertime sayings.
I think that printable graphics are versatile and a great way to add little bits of pretty paper to all your crafty projects. Mini embellishments are always a great addition, whether in your next outgoing mail stack or your planner spread. Enjoy!
Download Summertime Printable PDF LETTER
Download Summertime Printable PDF – A4
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by Linda | Aug 1, 2016 | DIY printables
As part of the Coastal Bookmark challenge, I quickly whipped up a design from some coastal elements I had already created and wanted to offer it as a free downloadable to everyone. You can print my design of the coastal bookmark – perfect for your summer reading.
Download LTieu Coastal Bookmark PDF
The challenge was created by ArtLicensingShow.com as a way for members like me to showcase our artwork and get the word out. I was definitely interested to create a little something, because with the hectic life of parenting… there’s this crazy satisfaction in creating something and putting it out in the world. I suppose design is my salvation?
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by Linda | Jul 27, 2016 | DIY printables
I’m pretty sure you have witnessed the adult coloring book trend. It’s no surprise, since art therapists have been using similar techniques to help patients deal with anxiety and stress.
I think crafty folks like you and me have been doing this kind of therapy all along! Scrapbooking, cardmaking, playing with pretty paper – like coloring – can be another form of meditation, right?
However, I was surprised to learn learn that coloring allows us to switch off our brains from other thoughts and focus on a simple activity whereas doodling and other forms of creation might not.
Apparently, when there are options and too many decisions to be made, it can be overwhelming. Coloring is much more simple with repetitive movement and simply filling in of areas.
Okay, maybe there are some people that do such fancy coloring, it might still be stress inducing for me – hah! But I thought Kathy Rac’s 30 Day coloring challenge over at TheDailyMarker.com would be a nice way to color your stress away! I’ve totally missed a huge part of it, but better late than never, right?
I also realized that I used to make so many black and white line drawing illustrations as digital stamps. It’s like a free library of printables that are great for coloring, so feel free to print and color along – link to a whole bunch of free printable designs below. It’ll be fun to join in on the challenge and super easy to color a little bit every day with these images…
I hope you are inspired to color away your stress with just a few minutes a day. Let me know what you think!? If you enjoy printables, sign up for my weekly newsletter to get the latest updates and freebies!
by Linda | Jul 25, 2016 | DIY printables
Sometimes good things happen – yay! But inevitably, bad things happen as well. Whatever the facts may be, I’ve realized that how we feel about a situation is ultimately a choice. We must mourn and do what we have to do, but we always have the power to be happy in the end.
We always have the choice to find the good, turn towards the light and make our own happiness.
Especially during this time when there is even more terror in the world, I immediately thought of creating a “Let Us Be Happy” art printable. Super simple and direct… because that’s how it can be. It’s not complicated to understand.
Let it remind you of small, simple moments and the power you have to choose how you want to feel. I often think of my children in these times of fear and remember that I don’t want to raise them in fear. I want them to know love, possibility and the happiness we can create for ourselves.
Download Let Us Be Happy Art Printable LETTER
Download Let Us Be Happy Art Printable A4
I know there’s also more that we can do, to take action and make change in this world, but I also believe it all starts with having love in your heart and soul… so that you can be happy yourself… in order to spread it. I hope this printable will remind you of that. First, let us be happy!
Show me how you use this free art printable and tag @tortagialla on social media. For updates on my printables sign-up for the newsletter here!
by Linda | Jul 11, 2016 | DIY printables
This month on the Petit a Petit blog I shared a post with sunny side up printables and wanted to let you know! It was inspired by Celina’s sunny side up pinterest board and the happy egg motif is just too darn cute. I immediately printed out the papers to craft with.
I used the patterned papers to make a set of pocket notebooks and they are so cute and happy – it just makes me smile.
What will you create with the printables? Download the sunny side up printables here and tag photos of your creations with #pinandcreate on social media. Enjoy!
