The World Needs More Letters !

Today I'm thinking back (or thinking again, no: actually thinking still) about that Pile Of Postcards Exchange. I know I said I was going to put the cards I received in an album, or a scrapbook, or file them away somewhere pretty: I just can't bear to do it yet! They're all out on display where I see them every day in our kitchen.

I have a couple of the cards I sent out too; and I look at those and imagine them arriving across the world. I had thought long and hard about what I wanted to send

Prize Pack from Arbee cards

It had to be local, so that meant something with a hint of the "Norn Irn" (as we tend to say round here when we mean our very own Northern Ireland), mixed with something High In The Sky-ish. Arbee Cards definitely fitted! 

"We love all things vintage, retro and quirky"

Rachel says on her website. So I bought a stack. And then Rachel and I got talking and I went back and pored over some of the other lovely cards and bits and pieces she makes; and she told me that she was a big fan of snail mail, and I told her about the Postcard Exchange and how I was hoping to do another one, and we decided to do a giveaway. 

Everything here is in the Prize Pack

The pictures you can see here are all part of the very generous prize pack Arbee Cards are offering today.

I enjoyed sending a little bit of my "Norn Irn" out into the world with the swap. For years, you know, honestly, most of us kept our heads down here when the world came calling. But times have changed, changed a great deal, and we're proud, now, to say - here we are! Come and visit us! We have lots for you to see, lots of interesting characters for you to find out about. And Rachel loves to shout about them on her cards too

She makes the most of wise words from our local heroes - from Van Morrison to the engineer Lord Kelvin to CS Lewis.

Did you know CS Lewis was born here? There's a little blue plaque I pass sometimes: it marks the spot, on a block of flats which stands where he arrived in the world. Come to tea and I could show you the door knocker everyone says was the inspiration for Aslan!

Over the past few years, as I've had the pleasure of meeting up with blogging friends personally, I've been able to show them little bits of my Northern Ireland. Next visitor, we're going to the Market to say hello to Rachel from Arbee and talk to her about the pleasures of proper post.

But first I'd like to thank her for her generosity today and invite everyone to join the draw for a big pack of her gorgeous stationery. I'd love everyone who took part in the swap to say hi today, and everyone who'd be interested in swapping again, and everyone who simply loves the sound of proper post dropping through the letter box. All you have to do is leave your name - like this: "I'm -  and I love snail mail"

The draw will be open for a week and I'll post the prize pack anywhere in the world. Good luck!

Arbee Cards can be found on their website here, Etsy Shop and Facebook and they have a stall at St. George's Market Belfast every Saturday morning.

Disclosure: Everything I received from Arbee is in the Prize Pack. I paid for all of my cards myself and I'm linking up with Rachel simply because I love her local products and her enthusiasm for proper post.