Inside the Secret Penpal Scavenger Hunt

One of my lovely pen pals, Fabrizia, is a champion of snail mail. Besides running The Postal Society and curating many projects, she also hosts the Secret Penpal Scavenger Hunt. When you’re matched with someone, you are to send them one thing from five of these categories:

• the City Explorer’s Kit: take a day off and collect little things of your city for your partner. Can include, but not limited to: maps, flowers & leaves, postcards, tiny souvenirs, photos, interesting newspaper clippings & pamphlets, etc  – just don’t grab a bunch of random junk within arm’s reach, put some effort in it;
• Something that represent you: for example – are you an artist? Send your partner a little painting. Do you love to knit? Send your partner a hat.. and so on;
• A mix CD with your favorite tunes. (Pro Tip: create a cover for it);
• the Postal Freak’s Kit: Can include, but not limited to: postal goodies such as address labels, used stamps, envelopes, stationery, a mail art kit etc.
• the Bad Day Survival Kit: assemble a kit of nice things that may help your partner to feel better when they’re having a bad day. (Ideas: your favorite candy, a poem/story, bubble bath, a list of  happy songs/movies etc);
• Something quirky;
• Something with – your partner’s – monogram on it;
  
• Something oddly shaped;
  
• Something old fashioned;
  
• Something to read;
• a gift for your partner based on their preferences

The package I made was for Remi. While looking at her blog/Instagram to get a sense of who she is, I was trying so hard not to contact her right then and there to ask if we could be friends! I’m glad I kept it together though, because otherwise I’d just be creepy 😉

Here’s what I sent her. But for even better pictures, check out her blog post on it!

Instead of boring packaging supplies, I tried using Easter bag scrunchy paper. It was kind of a messy disaster, I hope it didn’t explode all over Remi’s house!

Remi loves bees, so I scavenged my supplies to find I had some cute bee things!

A must-read (in my opinion).

Inside was lots of ephemera for collaging.

And practically all my zines!

Now for the package I got! Andrea sent me the most wonderful goodies. She’s so talented at calligraphy and art, I can’t wait to check out more of her stuff! Thank you, Andrea!
George enjoyed the package just as much as I did after I ripped into it all Christmas-morning style.

That handwriting <3_<3 (Also, the box smelled so good!)

Soo pretty!

*Adds to Goodreads before physical shelf*

Yes, I think I’ll put her up on my spring door decoration!

Imma feel so fancy.

I had such a great time participating in this hunt! Can’t wait to do it again in 2016.