For the second year in a row, I took part in my awesome pen pal Fabrizia‘s Secret Penpal Scavenger Hunt. It’s so fun! You’re matched with someone and you are to pick a few things off a list to send to them. Turns out I got lucky in that I know both who I sent to and who I received from, which I thought was cute and exciting. This year’s hunt was to pick five things from this list:
- 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 you can wear;
- Something not square or rectangular;
- something to use when traveling;
- Something seasonal;
- Something to read;
- And an extra little gift.
I was excited to be matched with one of Toronto’s letter writing champions, Andrea Raymond-Wong, aka @dreyray and @qandaletterbox. For her, I chose to send a bad day survival kit, something not square or rectangular, something to read, a postal freak’s kit and something that represents me.
![the secret penpal scavenger hunt via paper trail diary](http://papertraildiary.chromewaves.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/IMG_9642-1024x1024.jpg)
Something to read – one of my favourite books – and a gift – macaron erasers! Andrea is a big fan of letters and sweets, so I thought these were perfect!
![the secret penpal scavenger hunt via paper trail diary](http://papertraildiary.chromewaves.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/IMG_9640-1024x1024.jpg)
The Postal Freak’s Kit – some stationery packs, scrap paper, lil ephemera and a bunch of cards from Kikki K and Target. Andrea is all about the cards. I wanted to find some she might not have already!
![the secret penpal scavenger hunt via paper trail diary](http://papertraildiary.chromewaves.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/IMG_9635-1024x1024.jpg)
The Bad Day Survival Kit – a box full of different kinds of sweet tea and macaron-flavoured chocolate bar from David’s Tea! It took a lot of willpower not to consume these myself.
Now here’s the package I received from the awesome Michelle aka @mopeshroom! Michelle is a fellow letter writer and zinester. She sent a note along with the package saying she knew just what to get me, and I have to totally agree! Thank you so much Michelle, I love everything <3
![the secret penpal scavenger hunt via paper trail diary](http://papertraildiary.chromewaves.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/IMG_9713-1024x1024.jpg)
So this was the gift – an amazing notebook made out of an old book! Also this fabric of the houses was in the package too. So gorgeous.
Thanks again to Fab for hosting another great swap!