07.2011_Sandbook Pen Pal Magazine issue 9

SANDBOOK

July 2011 issue 9

PENPALS AND SWAPPERS

THE MAGAZINE

FEATURES : • Lammas • Pen Pal Interviews • Write Around the World • Letters from Behind Bars • Canada Day • July 4th

THE Swedish midSummer

Peace, love, unity, respect

moonstone shop giveaway

EDITORIAL July 2011

Dear Sandbookers, Summer time has always been my favorite season. I simply couldn’t ask for more – sunshine, cheerful people, the seaside and the cool breeze and lots of happy memories just waiting to happen. I always wanted to go an extra mile for the summer issues and make them feel special.

That is why we choose to host the Sandbook Mega Giveaway over the last couple of weeks and to announce the winners in this issue. We are also trying out a new layout of the pages with the intention to bring more style and fashion in our pages. Additionally, we have two surprises for you in this issue – a coupon for free shipping all summer long from our friends at Letter Parade (see interview for more details) and the news of a really amazing giveaway hosted by Laura and the Moonstone Shop (see her pages in this magazine for more information). Last, but not least, we tried to come up with interesting articles from the world of penpalling and correspondence.

Hopefully by next year by this time, we’d be able to present to you our magazine in a paper format that you can carry in your beach bag and enjoy while sunbathing! Don’t forget the sunscreen!

I hope this issue brings you much joy!

Yours truly,

Raia the Sandbook.Net Team www.sandbook.net

content Cover photography: JohnnyJoker, DeviantArt Editor in chief: Raia Alexieva Graphic Designer: GAYA DESIGNS IT administration: Jason Dimitrov Production Coordinator: Raia Alexieva Information is correct at press time.

4

cover story 18

letter parade www.letterparade.etsy.com

18 Letter Parade 24 PenPal Interview: Rach Gee 30 PenPal Interview: Wyn Pilosi 34 Moonstone Shop Giveaway 36 PenPal Interview: Kerry Ellis 40 PenPal Interview: Alyssa Riciglano 46 Kids’ Zone 48 PenPal of the Month June 2011 Contest 50 Lost PenPal 52 PenPal Ads 70 PenPalling Connections

Correspondence: 8 Write around the world 12 PenPals: How you talk 14 Letters from behind bars

gaya designs 8

graphic and web design

http://facebook.com/gayadesigns http://twitter.com/ajelin

http://redskyatmorning.net email: info@redskyatmorning.net

content 6

read more 94

Culture and Lifestyle: 74 Swedish MidSummer Celebrations 82 Canada Day 90 July 4th 94 Peace, Love, Unity Respect 102 Lammas 106 Samantha’s Thoughts 108 ADHD 112 Meeting Clava 118 The World Traveler: UNESCO Heritage 128 Birthday Twins 130 Next Issue 132 Contacts

34

74

sandbook mega giveaway winners will be announced on www.sandbook.net

JULY update Britain:

British nationals in Syria should leave now by commercial means, Foreign Office says

write Around

the world

Vancouver:

Riots after Canuck’s Stanley Cup defeat

Japan nuclear:

Radiation halts water clean-up

T

hose are just a selection of the dark and depressing headlines which have cropped up in the last few days.

Sad, huh? Sad that we live in a world that only

Other news:

No bail out for Southern Cross care homes company

8

New Zealand:

Quake dents reports Christchurch rebuilding w h e n hopes something bad is happening.

The national media rarely picks up on impressed what's good in (and scared) his cothe world. workers by turning T h e y didn't report up to work in a suit that H e a v y inspired by the film Load, a Iron Man was buried punk band at the bottom of c o m p r i s i n g a website. There's of people with something not right varying disabilities, with this world when, play sell out gigs every day, we're made wherever they to feel depressed and go. The inspiring worthless. Of course, story of the man who we have a choice

not to read, watch or listen to the news but we're always going to hear about it via co-workers, a family member having the news on or it being flashed up on billboards at the train station.

The final headline is especially poignant to me because that's the company I work for, the company who pays me a wage so that I can fund this film.

And this is where we 9

come in. We CAN make a difference in this world!

We may think we're only one person, but even a single person can make a huge difference. You may not think you can, but you CAN! Green Day said that nice guys always finish last. It's not true because we're going to finish first.

We're going to finish at the top as proof that we, those that the people in power believe to be at the bottom of the food chain, can, and will, make a positive difference to this world. This film is going to be that proof.

We're going to show them that we are making changes, that we're making people smile, that we're making each other happy. Happiness and love is infectious and it will spread. Our happiness and love with spread across oceans and lands, touching others on its way.

Interviews are now beginning to pour in and it's wonderful to see those who are taking part. If you're planning

on doing an interview, great! We can't wait to hear from you! If you're having problems, or not sure where to start, don't forget that you can get in touch. We're not going to bite your head off and we're most certainly not going to laugh. We're grateful for all that you're doing and will help in any way we can.

Similarly, if you're doing a written interview we'd also like to hear from you. If you'd still like to take part, either with a written interview (which will go into a book) or with a video interview, please get in touch! All our contact details can be found at the end of this article.

So I just did me some talkin' to the sun, And I said I didn't like the way he got things done, Sleepin' on the job, Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'.

With summer here, I've been really looking forward to doing some filming outdoors. But, in

typical British fashion, the interview. weather has turned on its • Photos of any head and it now feels like stationery shops, your the middle of March. As I personal stationery look out of the window, collections, letters, all I can see is rolling black post boxes – in fact ANYTHING clouds, heavy with rain connected to letter and wind battering the writing! You can trees. If there's anyone email them to the in warmer climes who address listed below. wouldn't mind hosting a Just remember to wayward film-maker for include your name a few weeks, get in touch! and the locations of (I'm joking! Or am I...?!) So, the photos so that we for now, I have to sit here can properly credit and plot what I'm going you. to do.

• Anything for the exhibition. It can On the upside we've had be anything letter a couple of enquiries for related. Just email me the exhibition. Thank you for my postal address. to those who've been in touch! Hopefully we'll • if you're a pen-pal related business. Get be off to Germany and in touch because Bulgaria at some point we'd love to include and we can't wait to you in the exhibition. meet you all! It's going to be fantastic!

For now, I believe that is If you're interested in all. I thank you for all your taking part, in any way, love, encouragement and please do get in touch! support. It's wonderful Here's a quick run down to find such amazing of what we're looking for: people in this world.

Take care and keep in • Anyone who has touch! For now, I am your any interest in letter friendly, neighbourhood writing to give an film-maker.

Email: rae@glasscompletelyempty.co.uk Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/GCE-Productions2 Our Office Manager: http://tinyurl.com/GCE-office-cat 10

Heavy Load: http://www.heavyload.org/ Iron Man suit story: http://alturl.com/q5vsi 11

I

have had several successful pen pals to this day, including Manami from Japan, Josefine from Germany, Gabrielė from Lithuania, and Gabriella from Sweden. As an American girl who has never been to Europe or Asia, getting to know these four girls was a big learning experience for me. I have learned about different cultures, different parts of the world, history, and four amazi n g young women.

But I have also learned something about penpals in general –

Pen Pals: How You Talk

by Rachel Brazeale lillypadgraphics@hotmail.com http://lillypadgraphics.wordpress.com/

12

the method of communication matters.

My first pen pal was Manami. We got each other’s name and address through the Japan Penpal Association. I was twelve years old, and she was fifteen. We wrote letters to each other, by hand.

Sometimes we sent each other pictures, or little, lightweight gifts.

I am sixteen now.

Manami is twenty. I am applying to colleges and she is currently in law school. I keep twelve of the letters she has sent me over the years on a box. But the letters have stopped coming.

But we are still in contact. Our medium of communication had switched to Skype, only for us to realize that she goes to bed when

student, a free method of communication is always better than paying for stamps and envelopes. Also, the letters used to take days to arrive, and if you forgot to reply immediately, the other had to wait even longer to hear from you. E-mail, on the other hand, is instant and your penpal gets the letter as soon as you write it.

This method worked nicely with Josefine “Fini” as well. We got each other’s e-mails in

similar things to talk about.

One would think this pattern would continue, and that e-mail would be the communication method of choice.

But that’s where one would be wrong. E-mails did not work well with Gabrielė. We were slow to write each other and the e-mails were pretty short. When we moved to Skype, the conversations lasted longer and we talked more. She probably just didn’t check her e-mails are regularly as Josefine,

I wake up. Instant chat was not very easy to maintain, so we went to e-mails. I do miss the feel of paper in my hands and the excitement of getting a letter in the mail, but e-mailing had an allure to it I couldn’t deny; I didn’t have to pay for postage.

For a broke teenager and a college

a similar way that I got Manami’s address, and we started e-mailing last year and have continued to do so at a continuous rate. It was a good method for us and we were well matched penpals with common interests. Our e-mails got longer and longer over the months. We talk more than Manami and I talk, probably because Manami is very busy with school and Josefine and I are closer in age, so we have more

or maybe the e-mails felt too formal for her. Either way, instant messaging worked much better.

Instant message also worked better for Gabriella, though through a different medium. She preferred Facebook. We talk the least out of the four, mostly because it’s hard to catch each other on Facebook. With Skype, a little message pops up in the corner of the computer screen to tell you your friends are

on their computers.

Facebook is a little harder to catch someone on, but it is easier to follow your friends on it. I can see her pictures and check up on how she’s doing (if I break out the Swedish-English dictionary) even if she’s not online.

In the end, the method of communication that works best will depend on how old you are and the penpals themselves.

Some people prefer different methods of

communication than others and you just need to figure out which works best for both of you. The most important thing is to like each other and get along. If you are both open minded and eager to learn from each other and enjoy each other’s conversation, then I am sure you both can find a good medium with which to converse.

13

“Dear Red, I always love receiving your letters...”

Letters from behind bars rae@glasscompletelyempty.co.uk 14

by Rach Gee

from one person on death row. I was already writing regular letters to people in the free world and, to me, it made sense to write to someone behind bars. I'd been brought up to show compassion to my fellow man and decided that I could show someone that out here, in the free world, an unknown person cared.

want what you can give them. Like penpals who send you nasty letters, again, there are those kinds of people behind bars. As with the free world, it's all about being wise and making good choices.

one has promised to send me flowers, whether as Dear Red, artwork or real, every I always love receiving your year on my birthday. letters...

I've received the most beautiful, hand drawn That's how each of his cards for Christmas letters to me begins, words and birthdays, cards sent across the planet to which they either draw my own, little mail box. themselves or trade “Red” is their nickname for But I carried on and now, food and stamps for. me on account of my hair over ten years since I While I send photos and colour. But they've not first dipped my toes into postcards, they send me just come from anywhere. such a strange pool, I art work and poems. I They've come from a My first forays into inmate now have two wonderful know that they make prison somewhere in the penpalling weren't so inmate penpals. They are sacrifices to send me heart of the United States. great. All I wanted to do supportive and caring, what they do. It's a normal penpal friendship, except Recently I've noticed People ask how you deal with for one thing; their address a lot of chatter on the and the fact that they live your penpals’ crimes. Just because behind bars. penpal groups about inmate penpals and those I write to them doesn’t mean who write to them so I People ask how you deal that I support the crimes they ’ ve thought I would broach with your penpals’ crimes. the subject. There's a lot of committed. I never ask them Just because I write to gossip and heresy about them doesn't mean that about their crimes , nor do I writing to inmates, and I support the crimes those who do so. Some Google them. I leave it up to them they've committed. I never of it is right, some of it is ask them about their to tell me . just that – gossip and lies crimes, nor do I Google and stories which have them. I leave it up to them been twisted out of all was supply friendship to listening to me and to tell me. Thankfully, proportion. So I'll begin. I someone who had been offering advice, as I do the two I write to are write to inmates and I'm forgotten. I didn't want the to them. We chat about completely apologetic for proud of it. Why? Because, letters begging for money, the normal things that what they've done. One just like us, they're human asking me to import drugs we chat about – life, love, of them is an ex-addict beings and everyone, no or writing sexual letters. loss, hopes and dreams. and I'm thankful for every matter who they are, do But I had them all. Like We laugh together and letter I receive from him. something wrong. out here, there are good tell jokes. We share our Through him, I have I began when I was 18. A and bad people in prison. experiencesandtalkabout someone I can speak to friend of mine showed Like people who flake on what's been happening in about my own struggles me the folders of letters swaps, there are people our lives. After I said no- with addiction. We help she kept. They'd all come behind bars who only one sends me flowers, each other, offering the 15

hope and support that recovering addicts need. It makes us feel as if we're not alone in this world and we know that the other will completely understand.

I was asked to give some advice on writing to inmates, so I shall dispense that advice now...

Oneofthebiggestconcernsis whether whoever you're writing to will find you once they're released. There are several ways around this. You can use a PO Box. If you can't afford a PO Box (I use my normal address), choose someone 16

with a life sentence (frequently abbreviated on websites to LWOP – Life Without Parole). You may also choose to write to someone with a death sentence. This is a whole other kettle of fish and you need to know in yourself that you're emotionally ready to take on those responsibilities.

The chances are, at some point, you will have to say goodbye for good. If you're still worried about using your own address, choose an inmate that lives in another country, or in the US, another state.

As with the real world, it's all about choices. You can choose who you write to and who you don't want to write to. Like with normal penpal relationships, you can break it off at any time. Always listen to your “gut reaction”. If it's saying “no”, then stop. If you choose to stop writing to someone, it's polite to drop them a note.

Inmates don't have access to the internet and it can be distressing for someone to suddenly disappear from their lives, especially if they're on death row. You don't have to say why you're stopping writing, just say that you are. (Some prisons do have email but

the inmates have to pay for it. Death row inmates will not have access to this.)

You choose what to write. You can say as much or as little about yourself as you want. At the beginning, you may want to lay down some rules, i.e., you're not looking for a relationship, not able to give money etc. Make it clear that you're writing for friendship and nothing more. However, treat a first letter like you would to any other penpal – write about you, your loves, your life etc. If you don't feel comfortable talking about a particular subject, say so.

Just because they're behind bars does not mean that you have to take whatever they say to you. If they say something which makes you uncomfortable, tell them so. The same goes if they ask you to send money/ photos/internet print outs etc. I have been used as a secretary, researcher, print job setter etc and, once I said no more, those requests stopped. You have to be firm.

Inmates aren't allowed what we take for granted. No computers, no cell

phones, no CD's, no DVD's etc. If you choose to send gifts, check with the prison before you do.

Some will allow you to send books, some won't.

Nearly all allow photos to be sent in but some have limits. What is and isn't allowed will be on the prison's website. You will also need to check for what books to send as, obviously, some are banned.

The same goes for money. Never feel like you have to give money. If you do want to send money, only send as much as you can afford and state that it is a gift and will not be a regular thing. If you want to make it a regular gift, that's completely up to you. If you get pestered for money, tell them that you can't afford it or don't want to.

If you want, you can check an inmate's crime before you write. This is easy to do. Either run their name through Google or go to their prison website and use the Inmate Locater to find them.

Don't panic if an inmate takes a long time to reply between letters. They may not have a job inside and, even if they do, they

may have run out of money to buy stamps and paper. Prison jobs are badly paid. As well as that, prison mail rooms are notoriously slow. If you're worried, send a card between letters saying that you're thinking of them and can't wait to hear from them. Like in the free world, mail goes missing while in transit.

While this is a normal penpal relationship in every sense of the word, patience is an absolute virtue.

Never be worried about talking about your life in the free world. You'll be adored for talking about it, especially if you live in another country. If you go travelling, send postcards.

You'll be loved for it!

If you want to try writing to inmates, the most reliable website is: http:// www.prisonpenpals. com/ They list everything, including their crime and whether an inmate is looking for money or not.

Most of all, have fun!

I shall end here, but should you have any questions, please feel free to email me. Until next time, peace and love to you all!

Keep smiling and keep writing!

17

Tell us more about Letter Parade. How did the idea of opening an e-shop come to you? Tell us a little bit more about the people behind Letter Parade – where 18

you are based, your hobbies, etc.

Hello. I’m Cindy and I run Letter Parade solo, a paper goods Etsy online shop based in West Los Angeles.

Letter Parade is one of my heart’s

major arteries, I’d like to think of it as the culmination of my love for letterwriting/receiving and print designing coming together. Perhaps every letter-writer I know has a soft spot for stationery so Letter Parade is the

marriage of both. If I’m not tinkering on anything letter-related, I am usually hanging out with my husband, Dan running around So. Cal watching some of our favorite bands and working on our website www.

wesawthem.com or working on a art here in the US. project helping creative Filipinos get exposure and recognition for their How long is Letter Parade 20

online and working? Share with us some of the history behind the brand name.

Letter Parade was GKkards when it started in September 2009 while I worked as a Marketing Communications Specialist for a fashion retailer. It had all the mistakes ever achieved by an amateur shopkeeper. The photos were tacky, the product descriptions vague, the pricing off, the packaging unprofessionally

done, etc. I pondered and pondered on why I wasn’t getting any hits and sales, frustrated, I abandoned the prospect of running a business but kept the shop open.

Finally in December 2010, I scratched off GKkards and rebranded my biz with a new name, new look, new approach, invested in a decent camera and amassed tons of “handmade-selling how-to’s” online. Within 24 hours from setting shop one of my first three products got featured in a treasury and I was mak-

ing sales before I had the chance to blush!

I think changing the name made the business more personal. GKkards sounded too corporate, too boring while Letter Parade evokes the short but happy trip back from getting mails (not bills!) from the mailbox or heading downtown to watch the parade. Excitement is wafting in the air so that it feels like play instead of work.

What products can we expect to find on your e-

shop?

At the moment, you can find note cards, postcards, book label and envelope sealers. Sometime in the future I’d love to add letter sets, prints, recipe cards and other fun letter-writing supplies.

11:59 PM PST, just type in code SANDBOOKSUMMER2011 during checkout.

I am also giving away downloadable stationery designs that work for most if not all at-home printers every Monday through my facebook page Letter Parade.

Are there any sales/promotions What kind of paygoing on right ing system do you now?

For my new friends at use? Paypal or bank Sandbook.net I am offer- transfers or any ing free shipping for local other forms of and international orders payment? good until the end of By default on Etsy.com this month, August 31st buyers have the option to

21

use Paypal, Amazon payments, check or money-order.

you add little touches it really does go a long way!

How are the shipping costs calculated?

I base the shipping on my orders on postage (from $0.44 local to $0.98 international) and add the expenses for packaging and gas for running to and from the post office.

Any tip or advice you want to give to our readers?

For the letter-writers, you already know the joy this art form brings us so never stop writing!

For the would-be small business owners, I wish I had enough experience in this department to give you a more extensive advice but I am still learning the ropes myself.

What I can say is probably as follows: 1) Make good use of the readily available resources online from creating things, cheap supplies, setting up shop, basic product photography, incorporating sustainable materials, etc. And apply what you can learn to set up your own shop.

2) Keep improving your skills, it’ll show in the product you create! Know that there’s a difference between poorly sewn sorryexcuse-for-a-clothing to professionally tailored wearable art!

3) Be confident about your product! Don’t be down

Do you ship worldwide?

Yes! As far as the mail man can go :0) Have you ever been into Penpalling yourself? how did you start Penpalling? share a tip or two about decorating a letter or just making the letter more intriguing.

I’ve always been fond of writing and receiving letters since I was in grade school. It was the only (fun) way to communicate with my cousin who lived in a different island. That was long before cell phones and the internet, at least in our part of the world.

In college life got a little too hectic to keep up with the letters but when I moved out here in the US, being a foreigner and missing home badly, I found solace through letters. No matter how busy I wind up getting, this hobby is for life and something I always find time for, as you do with every friendship you keep.

Mail Art is a project I’ve yet to tackle so my letters come mostly in regular unadorned envelopes. From time to time, whenever mood strikes, I would draw a quick sketch or cut out magazine clippings like I did here (http:// letterparade.blogspot.com/2010/11/ going-sock-monkey-crazy.html) because I’m quite big on recycling! Letters are special enough, but when

if you see someone else’s work and think their concept is better than yours no matter how 100% amazing you made your product to be. Remember, people have very varied taste so if you don’t put your work out there, no one will ever know what you have! There was never a demand for a non-existent supply.

4) Pay attention to details.

Expect your customers to

be highly discriminating as we do when we purchase something. We don’t settle for less, so do your customers. This is why Mom & Pop businesses thrive because people, like you, appreciate the personal touches small businesses give.

5) Lastly, ace customer service satisfaction. Go the extra mile to please each and every customer; you will be surprised how far this will take your business. In

this day and age, information spreads over fast and one disgruntled customer can do your business a lot of harm.

Now my advice for life in general, is to just simply be happy about yourself. If other people can see that about you, trust me, you won’t ever have to worry about being lonely.

Thanks for the opportunity!

Cindy

OUR contact information : Letter Parade the shop URL: http://www.letterparade.etsy.com/ Letter Parade the blog URL: http://www.letterparade.blogspot.com/ On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?fbid=101502555 65183576&set=a.308898053575.150115.287918133575&type=1&theater http://www.facebook.com/pages/Letter-Parade/287918133575

23

Hello there! How are you doing? Tell us more about yourself, your hobbies, personal life, interests.

Hi! I'm doing well. It's the weekend so it's time to chill out! My name's Rachael, Rach or Rae for short and I hail from a small town in the heart of England. You asked me to describe myself, so here it goes...

Crazy, tattooed, pierced, gum chewing, chain smoking, tea swilling, fiction writing, day-dreaming, world creating, randomly blogging, cross-dressing, gender disorientated, red-eye travelling, engineering loving, little rock chick.

By day, I'm a kick ass events manager. By night, when I'm not saving the world, I'm an author, photographer and documentary film-maker. Sorry! It's me again! I promise I won't take up too much of your time!

I share my life with my wonderful family and our crazy, loveable extended family. Oh, and the neighbours cat. Obviously the grass is greener on our side of the hedge...

PENPAL INTERVIEW: Rach Gee

24

If you have to describe yourself in only 5 words what would they be?

Doesn't play by the rules!

Tell us something about your town, city or country.

The town I live in used to be the heart of the textile industry. Interestingly enough, my surname (different to the one I use online before anyone makes a noise about it!) is associated with French artisans, in

rae@glasscompletelyempty.co.uk http://tinyurl.com/GCE-Productions2 particular textile workers. So winding up living in a town associated with clothes and textiles is an interesting addition to our history.

I've lived all over England but I always wind up coming back to the Midlands and my family. Home is

where the heart is!

How did you start penpalling? When was that?

And why did you decide to start Penpalling?

I started penpalling around 1998.

25

Are you searching for new Penpals?

If yes, please give us some contact information that we can publish in the magazine so that people can write to you back.

I might be... Why, are you asking?!

among people who are into letter writing and it's what prompted me to make the film.

Dislike - I think it would be returning full FB's. I've lost count of the amount that have been returned to me because the addressee no longer lives at that address. Please, if you're into FB's (or label bags, decos, slams, crams whatever!), include an email address so we can check your address! It would be much appreciated and save a lot of hassle and money.

How do your friends react when they discover you are into Penpalling? Are they also into it or they give you the “strange� faces?

I've converted some of my friends over to penpalling! In truth, I rarely tell anyone. It's not one of those things which really comes up in conversation. Only if a similar topic comes up do I mention it. And all the friends who know are very supportive. They know that I'm a creative person and Because I've moved around a getting a letter rather than a bill penpalling is just another extenlot, I used to keep in touch with through the post. sion of the crazy things I like to old friends. When they fell away I missed it. One day I was search- What do you like / dislike do! One of my closest friends, ing an online bulletin board and about Penpalling/corre- even though he would never write a letter, always picks me up came across someone looking spondence? for penpals. I replied to her and, I love everything about penpall- nice stationery and pens when over 10 years later, we're still ing! From the stationery and he sees them. Yes, when HE sees in touch. For me, I like the per- stamps, to becoming family with them! It shocks me as well! sonal side of it. As many people people across the globe. There say, there is nothing better than is a great sense of community Do you still stay in touch with your first penpal?

26

What are you looking for in a penpal?

Someone I can relate to.

Will we click? Do they have a good sense of humour? Can we relate to each other in any way, even just a small way? From small acorns grow huge oaks!

Where do you find new Penpals from?

Do you rely on FBs or Facebook or other websites/ blogs.

Mainly from penpal websites like Sandbook.

Tell us about your first penpal even if you have lost touch with them.

We might be able to help you locate him/her.

As I mentioned above, yes, I'm still in touch with my first penpal.

How many Penpals do you have?

Where are they from?

I probably have about 15 penpals. I like to only have a small number so that our correspondence becomes very personal. I'm not a big fan of short letters be-

cause, for me, penpalling is learning not only about other places, but also about making deep and lasting relationships. Obviously this doesn't work with every person you write to, neither is it everyone else's opinion.

Tell us a funny/ interesting story from your Penpalling experience?

This was a recent one.

Someone emailed me and I got a bit of a strange feeling from them. But I'll give anyone a chance and told 27

Glass completely empty productions

me laugh is they mentioned that their last penpal had mysteriously stopped writing.

I wonder why...?!

28

How do you keep track of your mail? Share your tip on how to organize ourselves.

I'm actually quite disorganised!My mail sits on top of my printer. I stack it in the order it's received and reply to them in that way. All my stationery is stacked on a shelf to the left of me and all my pens are in a mug in front of me. Let's put it this way - the hard drives with my footage and photos on are more organised than my letter writing! Although I do hope that them that I'd prefer if we it would be nice to write my disorganisation emailed back and forth letters and visit them shows through in my for a couple of weeks as they didn't live far letters. In a good way of before starting to ex- from my sister so I could course! change letters. Anyway, spend my time with two in their second email lots of people. Then, in Do you swap they gave me their post- their forth email, which things? Do you al address. In the third came two days after like sending gifts one they demanded their first email to me, to friends? If yes, to know why I was tak- they demanded to what is the funing so long to reply to know why I hadn't sent niest gift you emails (I'd explained them a letter yet! My gut have ever sent/rethat, like them, I had a instinct had been con- ceived? day job and wasn't per- firmed and that email Of course! It's always fun manently attached to address has since been to send things! I swap my computer). I thought spammed. What made FB's, decos and goodie

bags. As for gifts, I send whatever takes my fancy. The funniest gift I've ever received was a blow up guitar. It goes with me when I go to concerts!

Have you met a penpal? If so, let us know how the meeting went.

Oh yes! She has become a sister to me and her, and her family, have been there for me through the good and the bad. We're never off the phone to each other and now I'm making plans to move closer to her, even though I only live an hour away now!

I'm looking forward to the day I can call her up and we can go out without having to spend weeks arranging it. That will be a great day!

But all of my penpals are family to me. I'm so blessed to have wonderful and supportive pen-friends. I hope that I appropriately reciprocate the love they give me.

What do you usually like writing/ reading about in the letters?

I like my letters to be like a normal conversation,

so anything and any- some tips on how thing. I try not to follow a to make the letformat, so to speak. Just ters more interestput the pen to the paper ing. and see what comes out. To me, it's not about what the letter's written When it comes to on. However, I like mine making cute and to look nice. It's always better if it turns up in personal letters, everyone has his/ something other than her own style. Tell a white or brown envelope. Whenever I see us your trick how to make a letter/ white envelopes, I think envelope unique? of bills and credit card Do you decorate it? statements! So I buy coIf yes, how? Give us loured envelopes and I

always try and get interesting ones. The most recent ones have roses embossed into the paper.

And I'm a real sucker for nice paper. Again, it's that personal touch of being able to pick something nice that your friend will appreciate. Whenever I'm shopping, I'm always looking for cards and bits and pieces that my friends will like. But if it's a great letter it could be written on toilet roll for

all I care!

Where do you buy your stationery supplies from? Do you prefer traditional shops or eshops? If so, give us some links.

I buy all of mine online, mainly from ebay and Janet Store ( www.janetstore.com ). However, if I see something I like when I'm out and about, then I'll pick it up.

29

in only 5 words what would they be?

Funny, faithful, loves life, not a back stabber, always there for a friend or family. Hmm that's more than 5 words!!!

Tell us something about your town, city or country.

Palm Bay Florida is located in Central Florida on the Space Coast, we are south of the Space Center and East of Disney. I think Palm Bay is the largest area growing in Florida right now. We first moved here 27 years ago, the changes and growth are unreal!

PEN PAL INTERVIEW

Wyn Pilosi

snowb53@aol.com

Hello there! How are you doing?

Tell us more about yourself, your hobbies, personal life, interests.

Hi!! My name is Wyn, 30

I'm a 58 year old female, looking for pals 40 and above. Live in Central Florida. My hobbies are my pals, chatting on the computer, traveling, reading, latch hook rugs,

walks on the beach. My collections are snowmen, lighthouses, tea pots, stickers and stationery.

My family is my life. I have 2 daughters and 1 grand daughter who is

the love of our lives. My pals are my family as well.

I cherish each and every one of them.

If you have to describe yourself

How did you start penpalling? When was that? And why did you decide to start Penpalling?

I started pen palling when I was in 5th grade.

I love to write and found an article in a teen magazine about palling.

I have never regretted it at all!!!

experience.

US, Alaska, Ireland, UK.

How do your friends react when they discover you are into Penpalling?

Are they also into it or they give you the “strange� faces?

A lot of people give you the strange face, but when you tell them about it they go, wow that does seem very interesting!

Are you searching for new Penpals?

If yes, please give us some contact information.

Yes I am looking for pals!!

I'm looking for anyone over 40 and will write to all who live in US, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, I only know English.

You can e mail me at snowb53@aol.com NO INMATES!!!

Do you still stay in touch with your first penpal? Tell us about your first penpal even if you have lost touch with them.

We might be able to help you locate him/her.

I do hear from my first pen pal, she and I just talk on the phone once in awhile. She lives down in Fort Lauderdale. We started writing when we were in 5th grade. She is going thru a hard time so I'm a very good listener.

What do you like / dislike about How many Penpals Penpalling? do you have?

I love the friendship, Where are they laughter with people. from?

Love to meet my pals, I have about 30 or so pals, only had one bad they are from all over the

know until months later, for some reason I thought that was funny!!!

How do you keep track of your mail? Share your tip on how to organize ourselves.

I keep all my letters together and write down the day I receive it. That's how organized I am!! HA!

Do you swap things? Do you What are you like sending gifts looking for in a to friends? If penpal? yes, what is the Friendship, laughter, and funniest gift you just enjoy letters from have ever sent/ each other. received?

No I don't.

Where do you find new Penpals from? Have you met a Do you rely on FBs penpal? If so, let or Facebook or us know how the other websites/ meeting went. blogs.

I have met several pals I get most of my pals and all went great from other pals, I don't except for one. She was sign or do FB's anymore, I crazy literally and I didn't find when I do that I hear realize it until it was too from Inmates. late. Luckily she lived only 20 min from me so Tell us a funny/ I left quickly! interesting story from What do you your Penpalling usually like experience? writing/reading I was writing to a pal and about in the the pal had a male or letters? female name and I didn't Everyday life makes you 31

Penpallling finally has its own soundtrack!

On her Penpals music show experiment, Georgia will be blasting music up to 11 from as diverse genres as the world we live in! Send in your comments, requests, questions for the show!! As Georgia sums it up: “You are the music, your wish is my command!”.

Georgia’s penpals Music Show

on air since March 20, 2011 Get in touch on powerofthesun89@hotmail.com and on the FB page of the show!

realize that you may not be the only one with something going on.

When it comes to making cute and personal letters, everyone has his/ 32

her own style.

Tell us your trick how to make a letter/envelope unique? Do you decorate it? If yes, how. Give us some tips on how to make the letters more

interesting.

I use stampers or stickers. Try to make it cute!

Where do you buy your stationery supplies from?

Do you prefer traditional

shops or e-shops? If so, give us some links.

I get most of my stationary from Image Shop On Line, staples, Fed Ex/Kinko's and now the dollar store has great stationary!!!

moonstone 34

giveaway

Visit Moonstone blog and find out the rules to this amazing contest! Be sure to hurry! all ends on

July 15th, 2011!

http://laura-moonstone-shop.blogspot.com/2011/06/giveaway.html#comments

PEN PAL INTERVIEW:

Kerry Ellis Hello there!

How are you doing? Tell us more about yourself, your hobbies, personal life, interests.

Hello I am Kerry Ellis-Ouimette I am 36

35 yrs. old. I am married what would they to Jason. We married Oct be?

29th 2005 in a Halloween Crazy funny great Themed Costume Party listener helper loving Wedding. We have no kids but want some.

Tell us something about your town, city or country.

If you have to I live in Syracuse NY a describe yourself in only 5 words pretty big city many

famous people have locate him/her. lived here gone to Yes I have met two college here or were wonderful women Kelly born here Brocato from Rhode Island and Denise How did you start Owen from England. I pen palling? When still email Facebook and was that? And why twitter them to keep in did you decide to contact. start Pen palling?

I was 17 or 18 when How many Pen I started pen palling pals do you have? to get to know other Where are they nkotb fans around the from? world I have 50 from all over the world. USA Canada What do you like / France Poland checz dislike about Pen republic England palling?

I dislike when people Are you searching ask you to be pen pals for new Pen pals? and never writ If yes, please give us some contact How do your information. friends react Not right now I am not when they looking for any new pen discover you are pals. into Pen palling?

Are they also into What are you it or they give looking for in a you the “strange” penpal? faces?

Someone that has some Nope almost all of my of my same interests friend pen pal also and will write me back.

Do you still stay in touch with your first penpal?

Tell us about your first penpal even if you have lost touch with them. We might be able to help you

Where do you find new Pen pals from? Do you rely on FBs or Facebook or other websites/ blogs?

When I look for new pals I make F.B.’s or f.s. or

o I write an ad on a pen pal site.

Tell us a funny/ interesting story from your Pen palling experience?

I had 5 bad experiences from Africa where I was asked by pen pals to sell their wares or send them money and when I said no they said mean things about me and told people not to write to me.

Do you swap things? Do you like sending gifts to friends? If yes, what is the funniest gift you have ever sent/ received?

I love to swap stickers stationary and postcards.

I even made a page on my website called Kerry’s Trading Post.

Have you met a penpal? If so, let us know how the meeting went.

I have met two of my past pen pals and we have stopped being pals back in 1996.

What do you usually like writing/reading

about in the letters?

I type out my pen pal letters with cute pictures because my handwriting it horrible.

When it comes to making cute and personal letters, everyone has his/ her own style.

Tell us your trick how to make a letter/envelope unique? Do you decorate it? If yes, how. Give us some tips on how to make the letters more interesting.

I find pix on the internet I like and place them at the top of my letters and then write my name and address so no one can ever say they don’t know my address.

Where do you buy your stationery supplies from?

Do you prefer traditional shops or e-shops? If so, give us some links.

I don’t always buy it I make my own or swap what I have. I buy my stuff from THE DOLLAR TREE or WALMART. Please check out K & B Accessories: http://goo.gl/TVGPL 37

http://www.facebook.com/Penpalsforlife Please join our page: http://www.facebook.com/Penpalsforlife, where we are a friendly, family oriented and friendship everlasting page of pen pals. We have daily communication (alsmost 24/7), over 1550 members and growing everyday. We have Giveaways, contest, virtual friendship book, Daily question of discussion,member of the week, photos, tips on pen paling and newsletter. Join us today and become part of a great pen pal page. We love to be your pen pal.

Thanks,

Yanelis Gourrie

38

Pen Pals For Life Owner/President 39

PEN PAL INTERVIEW

Alyssa Ricigliano aricigliano@ymail.com Facebook user:Alyssa Rae BLOG:http://livingcraft.blogspot.com/ ETSY:http://www.etsy.com/shop/jarofdreams 40

Hello there! How are you doing?

Tell us more about yourself, your hobbies, personal life, interests.

Hi! I hope everyone is doing splendid! I certainly know I am.

My name is Alyssa, I'm 19, and I hail from New York, USA. Not New York City, mind you, though someday I'd simply love to live there. I am a college junior studying Television and Film Arts.

I plan at some point on getting a dual degree in Interior Design as I finish up my film studies.

Someday I would like to be somebody's personal fashion consultant or personal shopper. I am a crafter of jewelry and journals and I have my own Etsy shop called Jar of Dreams, for each little thing I create is like a dream coming from the jar that is my imagination.

I am a creator of films and videos. I prefer to shoot 16mm and I have my own Bolex, but due to the expenses required to shoot in film, I only use it for experimental movies. I have a YouTube

channel but my blog is where I post everything I've worked on, including some things others have posted on their channels.

As a blogger, I also include fashion, crafting, cooking, shopping, organizational, and selfimprovement tips and advice. I am the youngest of two kids. My older brother is a chef and cooking is something my entire family enjoys, myself included. Sushi is my favorite food! I love eel and squid more than a normal person should.

I also love to write. Short stories, novels, poems, letters, scripts... I am working on my second novel at the moment.

I tend to write in the supernatural or urban fantasy genre, though the novel I am working on now is regular fantasy.

I have completed a feature-length script and after some tweaking I will send it out to contests.

My secret confession is this: I am a HUGE geek. I play video games, board games, card games, roleplaying games, and I collect Pokemon cards.

Now all I need is a Magic: The Gathering deck.

If you have to describe yourself in only 5 words what would they be?

Random. Quirky.

Independent.

Imaginative. Sarcastic.

Tell us something about your town, city or country.

My city is where the Erie Canal neared completion. We also have this huge art festival called the Allentown Art Festival which is held annually in the heart of the city's art district.

It's an incredible event.

Vendors sell their jewelry and paintings and sculptures and soooo much more for an entire weekend. There's also Thursday at the Square, which is a live music event every Thursday of the summer where different bands come to play the whole night.

How did you start penpalling? When was that? And why did you decide to start Penpalling?

I spent a month in Ithaca, New York as a part of the

New York State Summer School for the Arts film program during the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, I believe in 2008. I wanted to receive letters from my friends and family to keep me close to them since we weren't supposed to use our phones during classes and lectures which ran most of the day and night. So I gave my address to my friends and family and wrote letters back to them, and that got me thinking. What if I could write letters to strangers who were similar to my friends?

What if I found people who had interesting stories to tell who would want to know about my life in exchange for sharing their unique experiences? I made friends at the program and we lived from all parts of the state, so we exchanged addresses and numbers and began writing letters. I guess ultimately I decided to seriously start a search for new pen pals during the start of my senior year in high school. I

41

realized I wanted to see what other people were like in other parts of the country and, in some cases, other parts of the world. I wanted to hear these people talk about their daily lives, their interests and opinions, and see their creativity come out to play.

What do you like / dislike about Penpalling?

I like creating or buying stationery to write my 42

letters on. It's so much fun to design something myself or discover new ways to write letters to my friends. I also like waiting. I know that sounds weird, but I love to wait for a letter to arrive. There's something magical about it, like developing film. You have to wait for it to finish developing and even then, you still don't know what's going to show up in the frames. That's how I view letter exchanges. As for what I dislike about the art, I'd have to say when you get a pen pal who doesn't seem to put in as much effort as you do. For example, when you find someone who writes less than a page for each letter, responding with one sentence answers or less. It becomes obvious they are only collecting pen pals and that bothers me.

much for penpalling.

My parents, luckily, let me exchange letters without much concern, but my friends are always on my case about how expensive it is and they always ask me, "How is it you have a stronger bond with someone you've never met than with me?" I have a friend or two who find it interesting, and that's all I ask for. Not someone to smash the dying art of penpalling, but to embrace it and consider the possibilities.

Do you still stay in touch with your first penpal?

Tell us about your first penpal even if you have lost touch with them. We might be able to help you locate him/her.

I still stay in touch with my first real pen pal. As in, the first person I never met but found online.

How do your I have been buddies friends react with her for almost two when they years now. Her name is discover you are Winslow and she is one into Penpalling? of the coolest people I've Are they also into ever had the chance to it or they give communicate with. We you the “strange� exchange little gifts with faces? our letters which can My friends don't care be written on anything

from handmade paper to index cards to Alice in Wonderland stationery to strips of paper to little journals.

We have this ongoing recommendation list where we put down our favorite movies, music, and books. We're both huge indie fans, so any music and movies we find tend to be obscure or of the indie variety. I love Winslow dearly and I would love to meet her someday and just go on an epic road trip across the country, living in a tent at night and just having a blast.

How many Penpals do you have?

Where are they from?

I have about 12 pen pals who I still keep in touch with. I know, it sounds like a lot but I can tell who each person is usually just by their handwriting and what their envelope looks like. I used to have over two dozen pen pals but unfortunately most of those people were one-timer pen pals and stopped writing after their first letter. The pen pals I currently have are from all over the USA from places such as California, Georgia,

New York, Nevada, and Texas, and I have one from Australia, one from Europe, and two from Canada. Some are about 17 or 18, some in their mid-twenties, others past their forties.

Are you searching for new Penpals?

If yes, please give us some contact information that we can publish in the magazine so that people can write to you back.

Yes, I'm searching for new pen pals. See below for my e-mail address.

What are you looking for in a penpal?

Someone who isn't afraid to talk to me about their personal problems, but who is willing to give advice when I talk about mine. I look for equality in a pen pal friendship, and for something unique or different in each person. Sharing something in common with me is nice, but not necessary.

Where do you find new Penpals from? Do you rely on FBs or Facebook or 43

other websites/ blogs.

I usually find my pen pals from www.Interpals.net or LiveJournal groups.

44

Tell us a funny/ interesting story from your Penpalling experience?

I was having a rough

time dealing with some personal issues once, and my second oldest pen pal who is from Georgia sent me a letter that was made up almost halfway

of stickers. She wrote the words she didn't have stickers to represent and used what stickers she did have as the words for me to read. It made me so happy and honored that she had spent so much time finding the right stickers to replace the right words, and I could only imagine how many drafts she went through of the letter before she made the final draft to send to me. It was, hands down, one of the coolest letters I have received to this day.

And of course I keep all

my letters, but that letter will always have a special place in my heart.

How do you keep track of your mail? Share your tip on how to organize ourselves.

This is my old system as I'm in the process of switching to a new, more efficient system. I have colorful photo boxes I bought on sale from A.C.Moore in which I keep my incoming letters that I've responded to. When I receive a letter, I write the date on an index card that has the person's name written on the top of it. I keep stickers and stamps and deco tapes in a small snap-lid box, my big stationery in a large snap-lid box, and my small stationery or kawaii stationery in photo organizers, sorted by category (fairy tale, Hello Kitty/Sanrio, Disney/cartoon, animals, and miscellaneous). I have a snap-lid box full of envelopes to use, as well. My new system will include the computer, somehow. I'll probably make an Excel sheet and list my pen pals and the dates they've sent me

letters. I'll get folders or binders for each person and put their letters inside, as well as note the gifts they give me. I have a binder already which has the name, address, and e-mail address of each pen pal I have, as well as their username from wherever I met them and a profile if they had one up. The names are listed alphabetically so I can just pop in the information of a new pen pal easily.

Do you swap things? Do you like sending gifts to friends? If yes, what is the funniest gift you have ever sent/ received?

Yes and yes. The funniest gift I ever sent wasn't necessarily funny, but it was pretty neat. My pen pal Winslow is obsessed with anything Alice in Wonderland. So I made her a pair of Alice in Wonderland earrings out of Scrabble pieces, paint, and pictures. I used the A and W Scrabble pieces, pasted a picture of Alice and a picture of the Cheshire cat on each earring, and sent the

pair to her on a queen of hearts mini playing card in an organza bag. Her reaction was pretty funny. She wrote in all capital letters for, like, three lines. It was awesome.

Have you met a penpal? If so, let us know how the meeting went.

I have not yet met a pen pal but I have plans to meet my pen pal Suzanne from Georgia and my pen pal Adam from California.

What do you usually like writing/reading about in the letters?

I love to read about the unique experiences each person has. What makes their day work or what people they meet, or how they've been influenced by certain things. I like to write about unusual things that happen to me sometimes, or ideas for movies and stories, fashion designs, etc.

When it comes to making cute and personal letters, everyone has his/

her own style. Tell us your trick how to make a letter/ envelope unique?

Do you decorate it? If yes, how?

Give us some tips on how to make the letters more interesting.

I like to ink stamps I've carved myself and stamp them on the envelopes, or decorate the envelopes with lots of stickers. If carving stamps sounds hard, it's really not too difficult.

With the right tools and the right rubber pad, you can make just about anything.

Where do you buy your stationery supplies from?

Do you prefer traditional shops or e-shops? If so, give us some links.

I like JanetStore and some shops on Etsy such as Xiwang (http:// www.etsy.com/shop/ xiwang). I also make my own stationery sometimes.

Aside from Target, I rarely find stationery I like in a store. I guess there aren't too many places for stationery in my city.

45

zone

KIDs' 46

Emilio De la Tejera (age: 6) from Mexico / USA Emilio loves to read books, draw, play video games, climb trees, watch TV. He is very friendly, speaks both English and Spanish and would love to have a penpal from any country in the world!!!

Email: carmen_delatejera@hotmail.com

Vikki Lawson: My daughter Raven is 9 years old and is looking for more pals. She loves stationery, stickers hsm and lots more.

Email: vikki75@btinternet.com

Wilona B채ckman (age: 4) Wilona draws her letters and loves to send and receive small gifts. We also make her letters with different craftings. She loves to dance and does gymnastic. Email: fam.backman06@hotmail.com

Sally Courtney: My daughter is 14 and would love to write more people her age. Boys or girls. Just e-mail me for info.

Email: scoobysgang5@yahoo.com 47

PENPAL OF THE MONTH CONTEST

1

Julie Priest, England nominates Salome Biver, France “I have been penpals with Salome for a couple of years, since this time our friendship has grown, and although Salome is many miles away I feel like I have made a true friend.

Salome is a very special young woman who, like myself, loves stationery, cute writing sets and stickers, and she spends her time decorating her letters, which I must say always look lovely. I wish that Salome would believe in herself more as she is a lovely, honest and loyal person. I’m sure that one-day she’ll come to realize this. Salome is a fantastic penpal and that’s why I nominate her.”

It all starts with filling out an application that’s available on our website and your nomination is done in no time. And one day, you are a Winner!

To vote for your favorite nomination go to our website www.sandbook.net.

2

1 1 0 2 June

Lora Gibb, United Kingdom nominates Kerrie Foulsham, United Kingdom “Kerrie is almost 6 months pregnant ,mum of 4 and an absolute treasure .

She still makes time for her 52 ( a few more now I think ) penpals and always writes gorgeous , kind hearted letters that make me LOL . She’s recently had tummy pains and been in a lot of pain due to this but she still makes time to write beautiful letters on lush paper decorated with beautiful stickers & deco tapes . I saw her talking about Label Bags on Facebook and I was intrigued ,when I received her letter the other day she had popped in some label bags for me to look at and understand ! She’s amazing ! So understanding & patient , and we’ve got so much in common ! We’ve got 8 ( plus one ) kiddies between us so we’ve lots to talk about ! I truly think she’s brilliant and this and all above is why I think she’s got to be Penpal of the Month .Winning would cheer her up immensely && the prize would suite her down to a tee ... she’s obsessed with cute stationary , and now that’s she’s had to limit herself to buying any more due to saving for baby , I think winning would be the cherry on the cake :) Thank you for reading and letting me enter Kerry . :) X”

3

Andy Hoang, United Kingdom nominates Mim, USA “I met Mim through the mailart and postal networks after opening my blog at www.myrealwall.com Mim started writing regularly and I wrote back, but it was when we started chatting about mailart that we really hit it off. Both of us make and send mailart, but additionally both of us also teach classes about sending mailart and we found we had so much in common. This year, when I got married, Mim came over with her husband and attended our wedding - we were so excited! She brought gifts of rubber stamps and postcards and we had a blast! Mim then went on to visit a number of other mailartists across Europe and made mailart with each one. Not bad for a 71 year old huh! She was exactly as I imagined her, but with even more energy than I could ever have dreamt of! Next year we hope to go and return the visit, by going to see her in the USA. In the meantime, we are both arranging mailart shows and talks on our respective sides of the Atlantic and really keep each other going!”

Heidi Rundle, Great Britain nominates Barbara Nemecek, Austria “I’ve been pen palling with Babsy for about 4 months now. Babsy found me on interpals and I say she is the best thing (person) that came out of it :)Iwas just losing faith in interpals than along came Babsy :) She messaged me and i new instantly we would click :)and boy do we click :) We have exchanged so many letters in the last few months I feel we have an amazing bond; we are soul sisters we say she may live miles away but she is in my soul night and day so is her gorgeous daughter kim :)A nice story about our friendship would be Babsy mentioned Kim asking why she doesn’t get mail so I decided to send Kim a postcard :) Few days later it got to her and it was a great suprise I’m told. I even had a beautifull picture drawn by Kim for me :) Now everytime Kim and Babsy go to the mail she asks mummy has Heidi sent me something :) Isn’t it cute :), Why should babsy be member of the month, well she is incredibe friend and sister also an incredible mum and she needs a pick me up as she’s been going through a tough time this month so motm would be amazing,also she’s an incredible person and friend and I am so so excited she’s coming to visit me in August for a holiday, also Babsy is one very loyal friend. She’s caring, loving loyal and true to herself and to her friends. She’s always there for you when you need her just what you need in a pal. I’d say no ones perfect but I think were Babsy’s concerbend I am biased.”

4

LOST PENPAL Then this is the section for you. Place your story about your Lost penpal and we will try to help you

a t n e w s l a t e s t t h e c h e c k i t ? l i k e

Tammy Albertson Dupont, USA (via Facebook) I have been looking fofr a friend of mine who I lost contact with along time ago and I really miss her. Her name is Kim Bear and she lived in Texas. I would love to get back in touch with her. Her maiden name was Heiliman.

Jules Muni (via Facebook) My penpal of 15 years Jacqueline Mcinnus who last known lived in Kingston, Jamaica.I hope that I will be able to get back in touch with her.

51

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

Katarina Långdahl, Sweden gulliolli@yahoo.com I'm looking for two lost pen friends.

Mauy Burr who used to live on Taylor Avenue in East Brunswick, NJ. She's born 1973.I'm also looking for Ellen Blaze who used to live on Kane Street in Lackawanna, NY.

Marlene Miller, Ohio, USA, marlene159@ zoominternet.net Hello, my name is Marlene Miller, 55 and I am in Ohio in United States, have a favor to ask, am looking for friend I wrote to about 8 yr s or so ago, we lost touch, when she divorced. Her name was Jennie Smith. She lived in Australia, has son and daughter ,grown now, We wrote and taped letters on regular bases. We were doing email then lost my computer( blewup) and lost contact as well as her addy as never had it when she moved. Anyone able to help, please email me at marlene159@zoominternet.net and put in message about her,thanks for any help you can give.

a t

Sarah Trewhitt, UK therose1972@hotmail.co.uk Hiya , This is not really for any one in particular .. but i used to pn pal about 5-6 year ago and had to give up for many many reasons .. i have started pen palling again over the past year and if there are any of my old pen pals out there that would like to get in touch then please do so.

Tina Jacobs (Nieman) ,USA tina70mercer@yahoo.com I had a pen pal from Greece who I wrote up to 5 years ago and we just lost touch. Her name is Helene Anastasopoulou. I have wrote her old address a few times and no response. I have searched her on the internet and still no success.

She is 39 and lived in Patras as her last address I had. I’m hoping we can reconnect.

n e w s

michelle [voyles] lowe, usa lwmcll@yahoo.com Christina Santos - she was living in Chicago, IL, if I remeber right. I miss her letters and would love to find her!

Beverly Kuttler Rampero, USA (via Facebook) I’m trying to find a good friend of mine. Her name is Aimee Plunkett. We have been writing for about 17 years. She use to live in Tracy, California but then moved away to another state and I lost her new address. I havent heard from her since.

l a t e s t

Trisha Stevens, USA TStevens918@friendshipxpress.net Not looking for anyone in particular, just wanted to let all my lost pen-pals know that I have not forgotten them. I have recently moved. Please contact me by email or at www.FriendshipXpress. net to get back in contact again. Thank you!

Nanda S. Gaikwad (born 24-02-1973) 26-A-Sarnath Anushaktinagar IND-Bombay (now Mumbai) 400094 India (address valid until 1993) Additional information: her father worked at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Bombay (Mumbai).

t h e

Maria Nieves (or Maria Neus) Estébanez Gutiérrez (born 29-03-1974) Carrer Briquets 1, entlo primero E-Barcelona 08033 Spain (address valid until 1991)

c h e c k

Sonia Hardoin (born 08-08-1973) 461 Rue de la Trapinière F-50000 Saint-Lô France (address valid until 1993)

Samia Oumohand, France samgunsjovirow@yahoo.com Hi all! I’m looking for my former penpal Jerry Lynn Daniels. She was a huge fan of French supermodel Laetitia Casta and is from the USA (from Tennessee, if I’m not wrong). If you know her, please let me know at: samgunsjovirow@yahoo.com

i t ?

Reconnect!

Theda, Germany info.tiehsvd@forum-artium. net

Katharina Nöhring (was: Melter), Germany KathaNoehring@aol.com Actually I am looking for a couple of former pals: Nike van Heeswijk from the Netherlands, Josephine (Joyce) Camilleri from Malta (Gozo island), Vivienne Hunter from England, Zenildo Rosa Jr. from Brasil. We lost contact a LONG time ago, and I would love to get back in touch. Does anyone know about them? Any help is appreciated!

l i k e

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

HAVE YOU LOST A PENPAL? YES?

Tom Todd, England lustywinos@yahoo.com Kara from Wichita Ks. We wrote for about 10yrs in the eighties.

Queen fan.

PenPal & Swappers Ads How to place an ad in the magazine?

Go to www.sandbook.net and click the Magazine section. Then simply select “Place an Ad” and you will have to fill out the form that loads on your computer screen.

Ads placed on pages/groups/walls on Facebook will not be printed. Please note that the ads on our website are ads for the website itself. Unless you fill out the form under Magazine --> Place an Ad, you won’t see your ad here.

Our Ad Policy: 1) We are not a dating site/community - write appropriate ads to have them published.

2) No inmates - we have kid members in our community!

3) No money requests - such ad will result in your permanent ban from our community.

4) Snail mail addresses - if you want you can leave your snail mail addresses but please note that the SandbookNet Team is not responsible for any spam (junk) mail that that may generate. We urge you to submit only digital contact information to protect your privacy!

5) Religious, racial or discriminative materials would not be tolerated.

6) Any form of abusive or rude language is forbidden and will result in your ban from our community.

7) Ads are printed as they are submitted. We are not going to correct your messages, so please note to write them in “clean” way.

What is the policy on Commersial Ads? If you would like to place a commercial ad for products or services, you will need to get in touch with us (email us at magazine@ sandbook.net ). These Ads are going to be reviewed and negotiated with the respective companies.

PenPal and Swappers Ads

55

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t a t n e w s l a t e s t t h e c h e c k i t ?

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

name : Angela Benton nkotbfan@live.com age : 29 country : United States Ad : I am 29 years old. Married and have 3 kids. I love nkotb.

Facebook. Making new friends.

Hot summer days, swimming, and birds chirping. I have 2 cats. I enjoy taking pictures.

I enjoy concerts. I love music

a t

name : Katarina kat.sweden@gmail.com age : 41 country : Sweden Ad : I’m looking for pen pals aged 25-55, esp. from USA, New Zealand or the Latin American countries.

I love cats, writing letters and swapping. I enjoy to go shopping, watch TV, search for ancestors, read books & cartoon magazines and just have a nice time.

n e w s

l i k e

country : Greece Ad : Hi! My name’s Gina, I’m 21, Greek, rather humorous and a senior-year student of Ancient Greek & Latin Literature. I’m looking for fellow female penpals from any countries that speak English or French.

Apart from penpalling, I love heavy metal, collecting postcards and vinyls, reading international literature, writing poetry and crime novels!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

l a t e s t

a plus in my pen pal searches, too! ^__^.

Here’s a little bit about me. I am a female (I had to specify because I once had a penpal when I was younger, and her mother said we couldn’t write anymore because she thought I was a male due to my unisex name) and I’m 19-yearsold. I major in Linguistics and the Indonesian language at university. I love languages.

Biiiig fan.

My hobbies and interests are: crafting, sewing, listening to music (indie rock, indie pop, alternative, classic rock, etc.), watching films, thrifting, kawaii, going to alternative music festivals, politics, designing my own clothing, cooking, vintage, anime, culture, travel, languages, history, science, religion (I’m an atheist, however), Name: Kimi philosophy, kitsch and geeky Age: 19 things like dinosaurs, sci-fi, hacking Country: Australia (Though I don’t know how, argh!

E-mail: kimberley.

I just think it’s great.), studying jensen91@gmail.com voluntarily and video/computer Hello, potential future penpals! games.

I’m Kim from Australia. I’ve If you’re interested in my attempt been pen palling since I was at an appealing pen pal ad, don’t 9-years-old, and I’m looking be afraid to send me an e-mail! for serious pen pals of any age, Though, I will get a tad grumpy sex, race, religion and species (I if I receive requests for romance or welcome you, extra-terrestrial money. I have a boyfriend, and I’m friends!). Ones who won’t a poor university student. :D stop writing but who aren’t overly demanding, either - life name : Gina does get in the way of things, powerofthesun89@ sometimes. Intelligence and/ hotmail.com or open-mindedness is always age : 21 (close to 22)

t h e

name : Natalie EMAIL: natkenfloppy@ hotmail.com age : 37 country : Canada Ad : Hi my name is Natalie and I’ve been paling for about 25 years (started when I was in grade 6) I like snail letters (I do still swap Fbs from time to time) and emails so either way is perfect for me. I love hearing from new people. I am married and have a 3.5 year old daughter who is the apple of my eye.

Please email me at natkenfloppy@hotmail.com and we will go from there.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Please no prisoners.

Name: Radhia Age :43 Country: Tunisia akrimi.0208@live.fr A warm hello to you all! Is there anyone who is interested in snail mail penpalling?

I am a Tunisian woman, happily married, have only one daughter; I am stay at home mom, looking for FEMALE snail mail pals from all over the world. I like movies, reading; crocheting, cooking, listening to music, postcards, stickers, Kawaii things, writing letters and swapping; I like sending and receiving little surprises in the letters. There’s nothing more joyful than getting a letter from a friend ;Enough of bills in my mailbox! So! Let’s start penpalling!.

c h e c k

name : Martina EMAIL: Martina_J_@gmx.at age : 25 country : Austria Ad: Hello! I love it to find nice and long letters in my mailbox... you too? Then we should become penpals.

My name is Martina and I am from Austria. I am looking for penpals around my age from anywhere in the world (female penpals only!). My hobbies/interests include: name : Cécile writing/ reading letters (of EMAIL: course), shopping, surfing ciloune@gmail.com the internet, traveling (I LOVE age : 27 it), reading, movies, PS3, Wii, country : France Nintendo DS, spending time Ad: Hello everybody, I’m with my boyfriend, going looking for new penpals out and lots of other things... from all over the world, no Interested? matter where you come from Please contact me at :) I can write in french, english, Martina_J_@gmx.at spanish or romanian so feel I am looking forward to hear free to contact me in your own from you!

name : Jolene Whiterose232006@yahoo. com age : 28 country : USA Ad: Hello Everyone, I’m looking for new pals & swappers. I swap anything from FBs to Stickers. I’m not accepting any new penpals from overseas at this time but I take any amount of pals & swappers. I’m always taking new pals from Canada & USA. So feel free to drop me a line & I’ll get back to as soon as I can.

My email is: Whiterose232006@yahoo.com Thanks, Jolene

i t ?

54

language if it’s one of above.

I love writing and receiving long letters. I love swapping things (stamps, stickers, magnets, stationery), sending small gifts from time to time ...

I’m a school teacher, mum to be (in january) and I’d love to know you, you who are reading this ad :) Just contact me by mail at: ciloune@gmail.com and I’ll send you my snail mail address.

l i k e

NAME: Gregory Lentz EMAIL: gj.lentz76@gmail.com Your age : 34 Your country : USA Ad: Hello! I’d be interested in trying out some E-Pal correspondences with folks from all over the world and all walks of life! I like to learn about other cultures, a little bit of a history buff, foodie, self taught artist and aspiring writer of many genres. I like to swap postcards, nothing in particular as long as they are stamped and written, as I relish the personal connections as much as the beauty of the cards. I enjoy all kinds of movies, tv shows I keep up with are: any Law & Order, CSI, Fringe, The Event, House, Lie To Me, Castle...I’m a huge Bon Jovi fan, I like to read Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and I’m hooked on George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones.

PenPal & Swappers Ads videos.

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t a t n e w s l a t e s t t h e c h e c k i t ? l i k e

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

57

a t

name : Louise louisexmarie@gmail.com age : 21 country : UK Ad : Hello! Hobbies; reading, writing, penpalling, letters, music, films, walking, socializing, drawing. I am looking for email or snail mail. I’m looking for a penpal that will write for a long time as i’m hoping to form a long-lasting friendship. I’ve never swapped or collected anything but if you want to send me something then feel free. Anyways, email me and we can chat some more :) Everything isn’t going to fit in here. Louise x

n e w s

name : John Ferguson jferguson92200@ yahoo.com age : 26 country : USA Ad : I like snail pen pal only in the USA, & e-mail pen pal from all over. My hobbies are collecting postcards, collecting wrestling cards, & many more. Especially writing to people.

l a t e s t

name : Yvonne inkytrailers@yahoo.com age : 37 country : Netherlands Ad : Hiya! Thought I would give this a try as I am looking for a few new pals :). I am specifically looking for long letter and somewhat regular pals from Italy, Portugal, the Middle East (Iran in particular) and Asia, Japan in particular but all countries are fine :) as long as have something in common. My only request being you can express yourself in English or Dutch well enough to have a decent conversation. I don’t want to get stuck in sole conversations about the weather.As for the meaning of regular, I don’t expect you to write every name : Meli month but I do like to receive manzalone@hotmail.de (at least) 3 to 4 letters a year age : 28 so I guess I’d like you to write - country : Germany and I will do the same :) - once Ad: Hey everyone, I’m

looking for pen pals from New York, Las Vegas and the Bay Area - California. I love long handwritten letters, swapping, horses, traveling, stationary, crafts and the USA. Feel free to email me.

t h e

name : Victoria G nekrobows@yahoo.com age : 18 country: USA Ad : Hello im from socal! I love all kinds of music im looking for all postcards and basically to start swapping picture clippings stickers surprise

every two to three months. If you are more regular, then so am I :). Also I like you to ask and answer questions and I can tell you upfront I tend to ask many questions - you’d better be prepared *LOL*.

A quick word about me, I am in my late 30s, married without kids and work fulltime. When I am not working I have plenty to keep myself busy with *laugh*. I love books and would not be able to live without them. They are great way to relax as well as to learn from! I enjoy watching movies though I find that at this stage of life, I need to see them in the cinema as I am not having peace of mind watching them at home :(. Also I love cooking and like to experiment with different ingredients, I love walking, taking photos, travelling, keeping up to date with (and form an opinion about!) what is happening in this world, I enjoy going to the theater, like to listen to music, socializing with family and friends. Quite a normal person I would think *grin*.

If it did get you interested, I would love to hear from you!

Have a great day!

c h e c k

name : Petra Schmied p.schmied02@gmx.at age : 40 country : Austria Ad : Hi, I am a 40-year-old Austrian with an 8-year-old daughter. I love snail mailing and have various interests including travelling, reading, dancing, languages (German, English, French and some Spanish), sports etc. Please send me an email if you are interested and I will send you my address.

donated books anything really for my penpal swapper scrapbook to remember my youth when i age. Here’s my main interest: Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Punk bands John Waters! Courtney Love Kurt Cobain & Nirvana Seria Killer(anything works) Bette Davis Ariel(the little mermaid) anything 1950s anything is welcome and appreciated email me: nekrobows@yahoo.com .

i t ?

56

name : Anastasia aja23@yandex.ru age : 29 country : Russia Ad : Hello people! I’m an active penpaller for many years already and used to have many penpals but recently most of them stopped writing me or writing too seldom because they are too busy and I understood that I have only a few left. Thought these ones are very important for me, I still want to find some new friends About me: My name is Anastasia, I’m 29y.o. and I come from Saint-Petersburg, Russia but I’d love to move to Europe at least for some

and answer tons of different questions. I love letters in a form of a conversation. I don’t mind typed letters, if they stay sincere and personal. I can play stamps back, if you ask me. If you like, we can exchange postcards, photos, fbs and other small things.

I would prefer, if you speak fluent English or German and won’t have troubles expressing your thoughts and feelings. So, this was my introduction and now I’m waiting for a letter from you

l i k e

name : Bev Email : BlondieBear75@ hotmail.com age : 35 country : Australia Ad : Hi All.....I am a stay at home mom of 4 from sunny Qld who would love to write to other Aussie’s. I have a wide range of interests and hobbies including reading, scrap booking, card making, pen palling, spending time with my hubby and children and heaps more. I am willing to write to both men and women. Look forward to hearing from you.

time soon. For sure, I like my country but it would be exciting to live in other places of the world to see how people live there. At the moment I’m working as a secretary. I have lots of hobbies, just a few to mention: watch movies, tv, read books, write letters, meet my friends or chat with them online, paranormal things, etc. I’m quite open-minded and chatty girl, so I can talk about almost anything. Just give me a subject^).

I’m not very much into clubbing and prefer an evening with a good book or movie but sometimes it’s a real fun to go out I’m looking for: I am looking for female penpals at any age from everywhere, with absolutely different hobbies, who write long letters (e.g 2 pages of A4 papers or 2-4 pages of B5 papers, well it depends on how your life is) at least once in 2 months and I won’t stop writing after a few letters. The way of a letter may be quite long but there’s nothing we can do With my future penpal I’d love to discuss not only life events, but also share our ideas, thoughts, dreams, feelings and everything. With whom we’d share our attitude to events, happening in the world around us.

There are no forbidden topics for me and I love ask

a t n e w s l a t e s t t h e c h e c k i t ? l i k e

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

59

a t

Name : Melissa G Holland melissagholland@ hotmail.com Age : 35 Country : USA Ad : Hi my name is Melissa and I’m 35 yrs old. I’m looking for new pen pals in the USA only for right now. I enjoy collecting recipes,cookbooks, postcards,recipe postcards, stationary, Hello Kitty items, and so much more. I have Name : Fabi been penpalling since 2006. writing-fabi@web.de My hobbies are making new Age : 23 friends, facebook, watching Country : Germany tv/movies, listen to music, Ad : Hello everyone out there, penpalling, and hanging out my name is Fabienne, but with family and friends. Please everyone says Fabi. I am 23 email me if you want to pen years old and a female. I am pal with me. Sorry no prisoners searching for LONG LETTER or men plz. pen pals. No matter where you are from. My hobbies are Name : barbara glisczinski writing, photographing and yumyum1948@yahoo.com a lot more. I don’t mind your Age : 62 age or your gender. Just write Country : united states me an email which makes me Ad : Hello from Wisconsin.I am want responding right away.

62 a Type 2 Diabetic also am And mention Sandbook in disabled.Looking for women your email (best would be: from 35 to 80 to write to by snail “Sandbook - pen pal” as your mail.My interests are counted email subject). I would love to cross stitch, needlepoint, get to know you before writing plastic canvas, knitting, latch

n e w s

Name : Karen leahrosesmom@cox.net Age : 48 Country : Georgia, USA Ad: Hello, my name is Karen. I am a 48 year old single mom of a 7 year old daughter and a 23 year old son, living in Middle Georgia USA. I am new to penpalling and hope to share this hobby with my 7 year old daughter. I love reading books (and reading long letters), classic rock music, arts & crafts (making jewelry, crochet & cross stitch), and blogging. I write poetry and I love to take digital photographs. I hope to eventually swap FBs, and postcards. I am looking for a female penpal, preferably around my age, in the US,

Name : Stefanie stef.langenberg@web.de Age : 45 Country : Germany Ad : I am looking for poeople from around the world to swap postcards with. Besides in swapping postcards I am interested in reading, travelling, photography, genealogy and history. I prefer my postcards written and stamped, not in an envelope.

letters to you. I am not sure if I can answer all messages, but I will sure try to. Write me a long email and your chances are getting better. I hope I will find some nice friends.

l a t e s t

Name : John Ferguson jferguson92200@yahoo.com Age : 26 Country : USA Ad: collecting postcards, collecting wrestling cards, listen to music, reading, coloring, play my ps2, collecting wrestling magazines, & much more.

a mom and a Christian is a plus. I can write short, long or medium letters. I can be reached at leahrosesmom@ cox.net. Thanks!

t h e

58

Age : 27 Country : usa Ad: I’m Seeking To Make New E-Pal Friends And New Facebook Pal’s Aswell. Send Me Msg If Your Seeking The Same Or Like To Be Pal’s..xoxo

c h e c k

Ad: I am disable gentleman houseplants, and so much looking for e-pals in USA only, more! Email me for my address I like WWE wrestling, and law if you are interested! books and action movies and country music.

Name : alison hepworth malin@malin.karoo.co.uk Name : Rosita Druijf Age : 44 roos.chimene@upcmail.nl Country : england Age : 38 Ad: hi there i am alison 44 Country : Netherlands mum to 4 23 to 16 live in Ad: hello penpalfriends , im town called hull uk hobbies looking for long letter penpals are palling travelling reading who write regular about music tv computer family i am anything , love to hear your after pals to wrtie from asia all story`s . im almost 38 years old europe usa canada australia (12 february) , but feel more new zealand, worldwide like 30 hahaha . my hobby`s females for now. and likes are : writting letters swapping, walk with my Name : Samantha Stroy dogs, photography, facebook, itsapenpalworld@gmail. kawaii, diddl, disney and com manny more, i will tell that in Age : 27 my letter .

Country : USA Name : Phyllis Estep if you want to write with me, Ad: Hello everyone, Im looking phyllisestep@live.com give me a message. happy for some long letter penpals Age : 60 writting everybody. greetings who enjoys a little bit of Country : usa Rosita numerology,astrology,tarot, Ad: Hello I am a 60 year old and twilight and vampire wife, mother and grandma. I Name : Stephanie Fatta novels. SOmeone who likes to would like pen pals any ages. I aveggiemom@yahoo.com swap various things that fit in will answer all. I will also swap Age : 30 an envelope. I am a married fb, slams, post cards, recipes Country : USA stay at home mom of 3. I and many other things. write Ad: Hi everyone! I am a married promise to write back. Long me if you want a faithful pal. mom of one son. I love pen letter pals only please.. I love phyllis Estep P.O. Box 6311 palling and looking for new reading,writing,shopping,divi christiansburg, va. 24068. pen pals from the USA only nation,hello kitty, and so much please. I am looking for long more.. Hope to hear from you Name : Henry term/sincere pals around my all soon. hbaker@rochester.rr.com age. I enjoy reading, travel, Age : 57 pen palling, working out, Name : Mandee Country : USA healthy, beauty, blogging, southernfaith@live.com

i t ?

name : Colleen contact me at: Colleen Penpal on Facebook. Add me! age : 45 country : USA Ad : Hello Friends... Colleen from the USA saying hi to everyone!! Love this magazine!!

I am 45 and am from Wisconsin in the USA. I have been penpalling on and off since 1989. It’s an awesome hobby. I love reading, 70s and 80s rock music, crafts, scrapbooking, journals, history, thrift stores, travelling, the paranormal, penpalling, and swapping fb’s/ stickers/stationary. I also swap postcards. Short or long letter pals welcome. Hope we can meet....

l i k e

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

PenPal & Swappers Ads

PenPal & Swappers Ads

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t a t n e w s l a t e s t t h e c h e c k i t ?

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

l i k e

a t

61

n e w s

Name : Briony mercianphoenix@gmail. com Age : 28 Country : United Kingdom Hi ! I’m 28, a mum of 2. I live in a small village in the middle of England and I’m due to marry my partner of 10 years in September. I’m slightly crazy, but all the best people are and I don’t follow the crowd. I have a good sense of humour, but you need to appreciate sarcasm. I’m not fussed about the length and regularity of

l a t e s t

Name: Lisa lisaluvsfbs@aol.com Age: 45 Country: usa My name is Lisa and i am 45 years old USA mother to two (ages 12 & 18) lisaluvsfbs@aol. com. I am Native American/ German/Irish lady. I love making friends with ladies all over the world. I enjoy photography, swapping fbs, phone calls, Name : Sandra Walker music, family, God, learning southernrosebelle@ about other cultures. I am yahoo.com especially looking for Middle Age : 59 Country : USA Eastern ladies to correspond Ad : hobbies: collects with, I traveled to the Middle postcards and foreign coins. East in 2007 and loved the Loves to read. Likes to cook. people I met there. I am not Married, 2 sons (grown-NO looking to push religion, just

is Blink182. My favorite actor is Jim Carey and my favorite actress is Olivia Newton-John.

My favorite movies are Ace Ventura, Despicable Me, and Karate Kid. My favorite TV shows are the Price is Right, Minute to Win It, American Idol, America’s Funniest home videos, America’s got talent, Dancing with the stars, and So you think you can dance. My favorite animal is the frog. My favorite cartoon characters are Spongebob Sqaurepants, Scooby Doo, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, and Family Guy. My Favorite Super Hero is Batman. I have Cerebral Palsy and participate in Special Olympics. My favorite special Olympics events are bowling, basketball, and cycling.

t h e

60

Name : Katka Louzilova EMAIL: katerina174@post.cz Age : 34 Country : Czech Republic Ad: Hi, my name is Katka, I am 34, have 2 children, living in Prague. I love to write and recive letters , I would love to find penpals from all over the world. My hobbies include reading, cooking, travelling.

make friendships.Would love read fantasy, and right know to hear from other moms I’m stuck on vampires. I love anywhere. the music groups: HIM, 3oh!3 and The Rasmus. Write me a Name: Danette mail if your interested =) D.Danette.L@gmail.com Age: 51 Country: USA Name: Michele Cimons Ad: Hello, I am 51 years old, 4 micgci126@yahoo.com children & 5 grandchildren. I Age: 51 have more furry children than Country: USA I can count, I rescue, spay/ Ad : My name is Michele. I’m neuter and find good-loving 51 years old. I live in New homes for strays and homeless York in the USA. My interests animals. Many decide to stay are cats, animals, listening to with me :) I am an artist music, watching tv, reading, who loves to read, sew, knit, movies, Disney, soap operas, crochet, paint, sculpt. I love crafts, internet, Facebook, the outdoors. I enjoy movies, penpalling, fill in puzzles, music, the supernatural, the word search puzzles, jigsaw sea, swimming, walking and puzzles, nature, flowers, more. I love letter writing, walking, postcards, stickers, though sometimes there may Hello Kitty, and much more. If not be tons to say. anyone is interested in being penpals. Please email me Name: Sandra at: micgci126@yahoo.com. penpals4me@live.se Thanks I hope to hear from Age: 21 someone soon. Michele Country: Sweden Ad : Hello everybody! My Name: Josh Cowan name is Sandra, I’m 21 years jcowan1023@gmail.com old and live in Sweden. I’m Age: 31 searching for penpals from all Country: USA over the world, in around my Ad : My favorite color is green. own age! But especially from: My favorite food is seafood Denmark, New Zealand and and sushi. My favorite drink is Germany. And UK London and root beer. My favorite sport is in West Chester and Forks. But basketball and I play basketball of course anyone can contact through Special Olympics. I me if they’re interested :) I love music and my favorite love to read and write. When it singer is Weird Al Yankovic comes to books I almost only and my favorite music group

c h e c k

Name : Nelda Dunlap rosepetunia69@gmail.com Age : 42 Country : USA Ad : Hello all my new friends.

Are you looking for a devoted snail mail penpal? One who will not stop writing after a couple of letters or who only writes twice year? A penpal to talk with about everything from the sublime to the ridiculous?

A penpal who enjoys stuffing letters, decorating envies and getting something in the mail besides bills? Then look no further! For the low price of postage, you can have all this in the form of a long letter life long snail mail pal who loves - loves, I say! - who loves the written word in all its guts and glory. I’m 41 with two

grandchildren or daughtersin-law.Wants pen pals who like to write more than a paragraph.

NO religious stuff please (I have my own religion). I have 3 dogs. Much more but will tell when you write.

i t ?

Name : Tonya Cassell tazzymania2001@gmail. com Age : 36 Country : United States Ad: I love photography, pen paling, and collecting celebrity autographs. I collect celebrity autographs, Christmas village pieces, china dolls, stuffed animals, and crystal figurines

grown children in college and an ornery old hubby I’ve had for 21 years. We have 1 black cat who’s 13 years old and a loveable crab apple.

I enjoy so many things I can’t begin to list them but here a few of the highlights: Kawaii, penpalling, family, animals, ancient history, Regency romances, Dr. Who, AGT, sticker, Facebook, sci-fi, writing... I collect Kawaii, Hello Kitty, stickers, s/p shakers, pens, postcards, FBs, LBs, SBs. I swap postcards, FBs, LBS, SBs and take all excess. I’m looking for ladies only 30-50 from anywhere, especially UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Japan, Scotland. As always, no men (happily married), cons, Africa/ Ghana (I’m no fool and I don’t have money to spare so forget it).

Please put penpals and this site name in the subject line so I don’t think you’re spam and delete you.

I look forward to hearing from all my new friends. Nelda Dunlap 316 W. Tyler Av Charleston, Illinois 61920 USA.

l i k e

hook, reading, gardening, cooking, crossword puzzles ,jigsaw puzzles and collecting postcards. Want worldwide penpals.

a t n e w s l a t e s t t h e c h e c k

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

i t ?

a t

l i k e

Name : Nicole EMAIL: nml2@aol.com Age : 41 Country : USA Ad : Hi I am Nicole I am looking for pen-pals that will keep writing. My hobbies are pen palling, swapping, collecting.

I swap stickers,goodiebags and I like to swap themed packages. Please no prisoners.

USA only please.

n e w s

Name : Barb ks.sunflower1956@gmail. com Age : 55 Country : USA Ad : Hi Everyone - I am 55, married, disabled, stepmom to one and gma to 4. We live on 4 acres and have 2 horses and 3 dogs - these are my babies!! I would like penpals of any age, LADIES ONLY. Letter

purchased a house so I’ll be settled at my current address for years to come (meaning you won’t have to worry about me up and moving). I’m looking for long-term penpals who will write regularly and send more lengthly snailmail letters. If you’re a swapper, I’ll swap anything. I haven’t done much before but I suppose it would be fun! :) If you would like to be penpals, please send me a message and let me know if you would like me to write the first letter or if you’ll do so.

l a t e s t

Name : missy EMAIL: shortymiss_17512@yahoo. com Age : 36 Country : usa Ad : i have a pen pal newsletter called dfu,its been around since 96 & comes out every 3 months,it has a lot to read,samples are $3 or $6 yr email me if intersted.

penpals cause they are most talkative regular writers (males are also welcome, of course). I look only for penpals around my age. I would find someone who thinks that a penpal is not only a letter writer but a real friend.

Send me a short email Name : Tatjana introduction but I will not tatjana_203tp@hotmail.com reply to telegraphic letters: i Age : 28 love to get long and chatty Country : Germany letters! I can speak english and Ad : Hello, my name is Tatjana french. I could sound terribly and I’m 28 years old. I’m looking offensive, but please, only for new penpals around my good handwritten or typed age (only female) from all letters: i’m done to take an over the world. I like reading, effort everytime i read a letter... music, traveling, of course sorry!! writing letters and many more. Looking forward to hear from I am interested in learning you soon! about different countries and cultures, because I think it Name : Alysia is very exciting to learn how EMAIL: different things can be in weealydee@hotmail.com other countries. Feel free to Age : 23 write me, I’m looking forward Country : Canada to your message. You can write Ad : I’m 23 years old, from in German, English or French.

Canada, and I have a 5 year old son. I am divorced, as well Name : Alessandro as newly single after my last alohatucano@katamail. serious relationship, and am com definitely not looking to see Age : 32 anyone for a long time. Eugh, Country : Italy men *sigh*...but I’ll write Ad : I’m a 32 years old italian to both males and females, guy looking for snail mail just no prisoners please! I penpals world wide. I’m not have many, many interests looking for romance or sex: but I especially love reading I’m gay and engaged with my and writing. I currently work boyfriend, but i prefer female from home and I have just

t h e

62

Name : Jose Antonio Zamarco zamarco65@yahoo.it Age : 46 Country : Brazil Ad : Hello! My name is Jose Antonio and I’m a 46 years old man from Brazil. I’m looking for some new penpals mainly from North America, Europe and Japan aged from 30 to 50 years old. I’ll answer to both men and women, sex or race really doesn’t matter to me.

My interests are mainly reading, swimming, biking, travelling, music and movies.

I work in the health area and I’m a true and positive person.

I look to meet people to build a long lasting friendship through writting letters.

If you would like to write with me then please send me an email telling something about you and I’ll send you my postal address. Bye

Name : naaser EMAIL: veer_786_n@yahoo.com Age : 34 Country : bangladesh Ad : HELLO ! I am looking for foreign friends . Will you be friends with me ? Can we start writing letters to each other ? I am looking forward to your letter . See you later. my hobbies r music, movie, traveling, shopping, friendship & etc etc

size does not matter, long or short, either way. Some of my interests/hobbies are reading, cross stitch, facebook, tv, movies, old cemeteries, old castles, movies about Camelot and that era, cooking and more. I will answer all.

c h e c k

Name : André Mota EMAIL: andrevf@live.com Age : 17 Country : Brazil

Hi there! My name is André, I’m a 17 years old boy from Brazil. I’m looking for openminded people around my age to talk about everyday life, movies, hobbies, culture, travels... Anything, really! If you’d like to be penpals with me, don’t hesitate to contact me. Snailmail only, and I’m not looking for relationships or anything, just friendship :D Thanks!

i t ?

letters as long as you write, we all have a life and sometimes things get in the way.

I love getting home from work and finding letters from my pals, it makes such a nice change from the usual junk mail and bills. Likes/Loves--Thunderstorms, Animals, Climbing trees, Watching the sunset, Looking at old photos, Tattoos Long showers, Nag champa, curling up with a book, New shoe smell, Walking barefoot, Mountains, Cuddles, Purple, Kisses, Pre-Raphaelites, Autumn, Museums, Summer rain, Stone Circles, Crystals, Stickes, Cute penpal paper , Hello Kitty, Kuromi, Tinkerbell, Faeries, Dragons, Unicorns, Mermaids, Fantasy art, Chocolate, Vodka, Playing my music LOUD, spending time with my friends, days out as a family, Facebook, Netmums, Shiney things, Music, reading, Ebay, Charity shops and more! I’m looking for fellow eccentrics, chocoholics and bookworms Any age, anywhere but Ladies only please :) Uk ladies only for snail mail, all other countries e pals Thank you for reading xx

l i k e

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

PenPal & Swappers Ads

Name : Faisal Cheema faisalcheema44@gmail.com Age : 33 Country : Pakistan Ad: I collect stamps, postcards, FDCs, phonecards and coins.

I am working on a project to collect POSTCARDS of UNESCO World Heritage Sites 63

PenPal & Swappers Ads

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t a t n e w s l a t e s t t h e

Name : Cindy Country : Belgium Age : 27 Date of Birth : October 10th, 1983 bellega@gmail.com I’m a 27 year old female from Belgium. I’m looking for some sincere snail mail penpals (preferably from outside Europe!) aged 2235 (females only). I can write in English or in French. I don’t care about your religion or the color of your skin, but I have Name: Jessica Obando no love or money to offer, I Age: 35 am only looking for long-term Country: Peru friendship! I really prefer neat, jessica_obandoe@yahoo. handwritten letters though. com My interests include Message: I am Peruvian penpalling, shopping, female looking for penpals painting, languages, movies, and swappers from all Asia, books, fashion, kawaii, over the world, no men, no animals, videogames, flowers, Name : Trisha B. prisoners. I enjoy reading, Africa, photography, cooking, Email : TStevens918@ swimming, dancing, fashion, Italy, internet, travelling, friendshipXpress.net cooking, decoration, fantasy & sci-fi, Starbucks, Age : 31 travelling, going to nice postcards, nature, chocolate, Country : USA restaurants, writing and islands, Snoopy, Paris, world Ad : Hello everyone. My receiving letters, facebook, heritage, history, music name is Trish and I am

a t

c h e c k

Name: S.P. Country: Philippines Age: 28 (29 soon) pinkspaces@gmail. com Ad: Hello! I am SP, 28 years old turning 29. I am looking for pen pals all over the world. I like music, makeup, accessories, glitters, colors, cute things, nail polish, photos, scrapbooks, stationery, stamps, stickers, key chain and postcards.

I love to collect and exchange/swap also. I hope to find friends here that will not stop writing after a few letters. I like to have friends who is 28 to 30 years old, male or female that will write letter in his/her own handwriting. Thank you.

Twitter: ht t p : / / t w i t te r. co m / pinkspaces Blog: http://intopinkspaces.blogspot. com/

n e w s

i t ?

(various styles) and much more! Please mail me if interested. Thank you!

l a t e s t

l i k e

surfing on internet, I collect sanrio, diddl, kawaii, strawberry shortcake, carebears, snoopy, disney, postcards, souvenirs, etc. I love to watch: CSI, CSI:Miami, CSI:New York, NCIS, Bones, Castle, Criminal Minds, Law&Order:SVU. I hope to hear from you all.

t h e

64

with an understanding that the morning is mine to do with as I please, sightseeing, concerts, festivals – all that embraces life – You are more than welcome to write.

I need a good friend, and I would like to share the ups and downs and twists and turns of life with you, so when you decide that you would like to know more of the behind-the-scenes details of my life, I will be here waiting to greet you, hopeful that we can grow as friends, getting to know each other, and sharing the companionship and joy of it all – Until then, have a wonderful time – may all you touch shine as brightly as the sun – Best wishes, Always, Rob

c h e c k

Name Robert Age: 35 Country: USA exemplartemplar@gmail. com Hi! I hope this letter finds you well and that your life is

faithful to the end – genuinely supportive and considerate to their needs, understanding, trustworthy, and protective, with a sincere ear and a soft shoulder. As a person, I am true to my morals and convictions. I am righteous, passionate and respectful – I attempt to be easy-going, laid-back, and patient, though life isn’t always that simple. I am I try to maintain a positive and hopeful outlook on life - always looking for the bright side of things. I believe in many things, but none so much as love, karma, and the power of a smile that is warm and genuine.

Some of my interests include music, movies, photography, and writing, laughing and enjoying life, spending time with family and friend. I enjoy the rush of adrenaline from sudden, unexpected yet exciting, events, the warmth of the sun and the feeling of love, belonging, and togetherness involved in the gathering of family and friends, the spiritual connection made while learning of the cultures, traditions, mythologies, and religions of my ancestors, the sense of adventure while travelling with friends, the pleasure of waking from a peaceful sleep and then rolling over back into it once again,

i t ?

Name: Irene Age: 24 years old Country: Italy irycoggi96@libero.it My name’s Irene, 24 y o I live in Milano and I study veterinary medicine there. I love animals and i have two rabbits a turtle and a dog. My interests are running (marathons and mountain running races) traveling, of course penpalling, language learning, decoupage, internet surfing, mountain hiking and climbing, reading and practicing belly dance. I speak Italian English, Dutch (hope to improve it), a bit of French German and Spanish and would love to learn Chinese Russian and Japanese.

My address is: Irene Coggi via chiarelli 8 20151 Milano Italy

blessed with lots of family, friends, love and laughter. I’m looking for someone who’s willing to take the time to get to know me for who I truly am, someone with an understanding ear, someone who is kind and thoughtful, who can understand that life can be unbearably sad yet extraordinarily fantastic, someone who can laugh at the silly, absurd complexities of life, and someone who is honest, loyal, and kind – willing to share their stories, interests, thoughts, opinions and ideas.

I’m 6’2”, 190 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes.– I’m healthy and fit, always doing what I can to stay in shape.

I’m well educated, though I haven’t allowed any of it to go to my head! I have three college degrees, with areas of study ranging from Accounting to Computer Applications. I have a desire to succeed in life, in everything I do, and I have the motivation to chase my dreams. Every day, I strive to find within myself a better man than I was the day before. I like to believe that I have a down-to-earth sense of humor, knowing that sometimes the realities of life ask that we take things seriously. I am honest, caring, and loyal to my friends –

l i k e

from all countries. You can see my collection at http:// unesco-postcards.blogspot. com I can swap postcards and other stuff from PAKISTAN. Best Regards!

65

PenPal & Swappers Ads

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t a t n e w s l a t e s t t h e c h e c k

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

i t ?

a t

l i k e

n e w s

Name : susanna EMAIL HER AT: star_susanna@hotmail. com Age : 36 Country : italy Ad : Hello :-) I am Susanna, 36 years old, married and with a daughter(21 mounth

l a t e s t

Name : premraj kumar kubuprem@gmail.com Age : 39 Country : india Ad : i like to get new penpals from all over the world..my hobbies travelling, reading, writing, books, yoga, ayurveda...

Name : Ashwin Ramesh ashwinramesh007@ rocketmail.com Age : 19 Country : INDIA Ad : I am an animal lover, Painter, Photographer (product, fashion, nature &wildlife), Philatelist cum Numismatist.....

Bird-watching, Wildlife conservation, Herpetology, Ornithology, Ichthyology, Photography, cartooning, Gymnastics are some of the things I am obsessed with. I do have special interest in Modern arts as-well as impression art, animals & wild-life, Clay modelling, Sufi music(with néy), Archaeology, Music n Movies, cooking, Snailmailing, and sports like Boxing, cricket, soccer, pool, chess, Black jack etc....n yeah ,I live my life for the people who love me......n I hang around with them...24X7....

I love to have penpals who are real, open, Caring and Transparent(just like me). I

am here for a long-lasting little-miss-dany@ friendship. Penpals who hotmail.com quit after 2 or 3 mails are Age : 20 not welcome. I love to have Country : Australia healthy talks on almost all Ad : ANY EXCESS please pass subjects. I befriend people on to me =] of all age, Sex, country, Religion etc. In fact I am Name : Mariesomeone with a secular Antoinette Pelser heart. Everybody up there I EMAIL: am the perfect dude you’ve apelser@wol.co.za been looking for. I promise Age : 35 that I’ll not make you regret Country: South Africa your experience with me ;-). Ad : I enjoy getting letters in my postbox. So if you Name : Naoko also enjoy writing letters, daichki@yahoo.com why not write to me. I’m Age : 37 35 and live in South Africa.

Country : Japan My hobbies include: scrap Ad : Hello from Tokyo! I am booking, beading, reading, female and am looking for writing (poetry, stories and someone who just cares for letters), crocheting, knitting, a few penpals but not many baking, cooking, listening penpals. I do not have many to music, playing PC games penpals and just would like (hidden object of mystery to cherish close friendship games) and lots more. E-mail through the letters, me and I will send you my including emails sometimes. address. Just remeber: I’m :) My hobbies and interests looking for snail mail pals, are music, movies, dogs, FB NO ROMANCE. swapping, foreign language, Korean TV dramas and Name : Brenda Cooley music, South Korea, Spain EMAIL HER AT: and good books. I only wish Bcooley1981@yahoo.com to write with someone who Age : 30 have something in common Country : USA with me. Hablo espanol Ad : Hi everyone. I am from tambien. the USA. I am looking for life long friends and long Name : Danyvonne lettered ones at that. I love Rutherford to write currently working

t h e

66

Name : Felicia M. Ciaudelli mrschopchop@verizon. net Age : 47 Country : USA Ad : I love reading, music, fashion, crafts, opera, doing word search puzzles, watching old movies, collecting Nancy Drew, Dana Girls, Trixie Belden, Cherry Ames and Vicki Barr books some of my favorite tv shows are NCIS, Prison Break, Hell’s Kitchen, Breakout Kings, Law & Order: SVU, History Detectives, Cold Case, MASH, Alias, ANTM and lots more!!!

old), I am a teacher too. I like nature, walking in mountain, biking, books, doing photos, postcards, shopping with friends...I am missing some good friends(only women).

I speak Italian, English and French. Write me soon! :-)

c h e c k

Name : paulino damiano paulinomugendi@yahoo. com Age : 33 Country : kenya Ad : place your ad, include hobbies and interests My name is Paul Damiano from Kenya and i am very much interested in meeting penpals from all over the world and learn more about their culture, languages and Name : Melike Gül way of life. i love nature and turkspice@gmail.com here in Kenya i promote Age : 30 tree planting activities with Country : TURKEY school children, farmers Ad : hello everyone, I have and community at large. been penpalling since my My hobbies include: nature, 13 and nowadays mainly photography, traveling, social swapping and writing to LLPs. work, music, languages, I live in Istanbul and look for camping and cycling. please

write to me and i will answer all letters.

i t ?

sincere Long Letter Pals and swappers internationally.I swap any kind of bags and HQ fbs, nice&neat fbs or regular fbs.I love collecting anything on hello kitty and diddl. I like sketching designs, cooking, travelling, facebook and novels. I’d love to receive letters from mainly from Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, and other Europeans especially. Pls kindly specify your desire in your letter.Happy to answer all swappers and penpals gladly.

l i k e

31 year old mom to 3. My interests are writing to my pen-pals, making friendbooks and anything else that has to do with pen-palling.

I also love to find activities to do with my kids, ages 8, 7, and 4. I would really like to find other mommies who have children around those ages to write to. My son, who is 8 and my eldest daughter who is 7 get excited when I get letters and packages in the mail from my pen-pals.

They always ask if one day, they will be able to have their own pen-pals. My sister and I also have a web-page that we have put together and are trying to build up for penpals. If you have anything you would like to add to it or have any ideas, we would be most happy to consider anything you put forward. www.FriendshipXpress.net Thank you for your time and look forward to hearing from you. NPW~NSW~W/W Excess Welcome I Pre-Make FB’s.

67

PenPal & Swappers Ads

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t a t n e w s l a t e s t t h e

a t

c h e c k

n e w s

i t ?

l a t e s t

l i k e

on? Is there anything else you’re looking for? Here is a list of things I love to collect: 1- Stickers 2- Stationery 3Madonna 4- Gerard Butler 5- Matt Passmore (actor from the tv show “The Glades”) 6- Buttons (sewing) 7- Seed beads 8- Cross-stitch patterns, magazines, books and kits 9- “The Outsiders” (movie from 1983 starring C.Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon and Ralph Macchio) 10-Jigsaw puzzles (100-300 pieces) 11-Pink 12-Pictures of women with nice short hairstyles 13-F.B.s & Label Bags 14-Insence 15-Scented candles 16-Burned cd(s) of your favourite songs 17-Nice Soaps 18-Decorative bobby pins 19-Zach Galifianakis (comedian with big beard – super funny!) 20-Ribbon (any kind, colour, size) 21-Paper / cardstock (any colour, plain or patterned - pieces must be AT LEAST 5 x 5”) 22-Fabric (any colour, plain or patterned - pieces must be AT LEAST 6” x 12”) Please send me an E-mail with your Wish List, if you would like to make a trade with me. Hope to hear from you soon!

t h e

Ad : My name is Farid, I’m an Algerian, I’m looking for pen pals from all over the world to exchange ideas and to know what and how people in other parts of the world are living, because I adore knowing about other ways of life, cultures, and traditions, so I am very interested in *Name : Jennifer communicating via snail mail jmobandoe@yahoo.com with anybody, I don’t mind if Age : 35 you are a male or a female, Country : Peru and age doesn’t matter. I love Ad : I am looking for female Pen paling, Sports, Reading, swappers I would l can send Writing, TV (reality shows, stamps, postcards, kawaii documentarie­s, news), stuff, fb’s in return I would Animals, Geography, History, like kawaii stuff (sanrio, Nature, Cultures, Traditions, san-x, crux, kamio).

Languages, Books, Religions, Postcards, Stamps,,,. My address is: Farid Anoune Name : SHELLON loveshellon@yahoo.

La Pharmacie Anoune Rue com 05 juillet,Merouana 05300 Age : 39 Batna, ALGERIA Country : Guyana Ad : Hi everyone my interest Name : here is to make long lasting Elizabeth Overduin friends. My hobbies are lisaoverduin@ cooking reading pen paling hotmail.com and meeting friends.i have Age : 41 lots more hobbies but will Country : CANADA mention in my letters to any Ad : Hello from CANADA! one that would write me.

I am looking for swappers from all around the world. I Name : Farid Anoune am especially interested in farid.anoune1@ people who like to collect yahoo.com magazine pictures and Age : 31 articles on celebrities. Which Country : Algeria celebrities do you collect

c h e c k

68

shopping. I collect most anything with cupcakes on them.movies, mini mouse mugs. I enjoy swapping cute stickers and stationary and small gifts. I can’t send out packages outside USA due to postage. Please no prisoners.

i t ?

Name : Sanny sandra.ohnhold@web.de Age : 23 Country : Germany Ad : Hi everybody, my name is Sanny (or Sandra) and I am looking for long letter pals(I don’t mind your age, your gender or where you’re from). I love my pets, letters and postcards, reading, my friends and so much more.

If you are interested please write me a mail and I will

answer you asap. I’m waiting letters and won’t stop writing after few weeks/ for you. months. I’m a talkative and open-minded person. I love Name: Jessica writing long letters and Age: 27 put small somethings into waite.jessica3@gmail. the envelope. I have lots of com Country: South Africa hobbies, so I’ll list just some Ad: Hi my name is jessica and of them: books, musicals, im 27 years old.i have light languages, history, fantasy, culture and swapping . I’m a brown hair and blue eyes.i like to bake,play pc and huge bookworm and I spend watch tv.u can write to most of my time writing me at miss j.waite suite reviews. I also enjoy watching 84,private bag x27,kempton TV shows like “Supernatural”, “Glee”, “Bones” and “Criminal park,1620,south africa.

Minds”. I collect and swap: letters, cards, letter sets, Name-Kevin stamps, stationery, stickers, Age-18 bookmarks, photos and Country-India kevindesai777@yahoo.co.in drawings. I’m especially Ad: Hello friends... I am Kevin looking for pen-friends from from India and i love to make USA, Canada and Spain, but new friends.. I also love any country is welcome, collecting stamps, coins and except for Africa/Ghana. I’m banknotes.. So feel free to sorry but I had enough of bad experience with them. contact me.

If you’re interested, feel free to write! I have just one, July 2011 ADs: small request – put the word penpals into the subject line of the message. Thank you!

Name : Barbara himilika@yahoo.com Name : Nicole Banta Age : 22 beleive77@aol.com Country : Poland Ad : Hello everyone! My Age : 41 name’s Barbara and I’m Country : USA a student from Poland. Ad : Hi. My hobbies and I’m looking for a devoted interests. Are pen paling, swapping, pen-friend who loves long collecting,

l i k e

on writing a novel. I love science fiction and anything to do with King Arthur. I am disabled and a home maker.

I love all kinds of music, TV, and films. Was a major film buff in college. My hobbies are jewelry making, scrap booking, journaling, crochet, and macrame. Those are.

Orally my winter activities as I am trying to lose the last fifty pounds. Already successfully lost 115 pounds yays. In summer I enjoy walking my two pugs. Biking, hiking, swimming, chatting with people in my iPad, cycling, fishing, and more you will find I am a most open person. I also enjoy swapping anything that will fit in an envie and will do larger swaps when requested.

Happy pen palling.

69

70

PenPalling Connections:

l i k e i t ? c h e c k i t ? c h e c k t h e l i k e

70

PenPal Directory and Newsletter Hi! I am Tracy. I sell stationery address and stickers. I also have a penpal Directory and a newsletter. Take a look at my links if interestered. My new thing is making a catalog of all my designs: http://tracyscreationsstationary.shutterfly.com/ http://addresslabels4sale.shutterfly.com/ For more information contact: Tracy Sanders, tracylynnsanders38@yahoo.com

THE CAULDRON BUBBLES http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Cauldron_Bubbles/ Pagan, Witchcraft, Wicca and mysticism with aromatherapy, herbology and a few other things thrown into the um… cauldron for good measure!!

www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

WWFBDO (or Worldwide Friendship Booklets and Decos Only) http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/WWFBDO Friendship books, Decos, Label bags, and that genre of swapping

a t

LITTLE ANGEL RAOKs http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Little_Angels_ RAOKs/ We fulfil flaked swaps, wishes and Random Acts of Kindness.

n e w s

RECYCLING IS FUN http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Recycling_is_Fun/

LONG LETTER EPISTLERS http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Long_ Letter_Epistelers/ Penpal group for LONG letters and occasional swaps.

l a t e s t

PGMT (or Postcard Pals Groups Management Training) http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/PGMT Learn to be a moderator or manager of yahoo groups.

UK_PandS_Official Group (UK Penpallers and Swappers) http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/UK_PandS_ Official_Group/ This group is for UK based penpallers and swappers to swap within the UK only!

t h e

MULTICULTURAL SWAP SHOP http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ MultiCultural_SwapShop Swap or get rid of stuff you don’t want. Sell handmade stuff.

PURE POSTCARD PALS http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pure_ Postcard_Pals/ Swaps of Postcards only.

R-E-C-I-P-E-S (or Recipes Eating Cooking Ingredients People and Extraordinary Sites) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/R-E-C-I-P-E-S Like CRAFTS above but for recipes, organised by occasions, type of ingredient etc.

c h e c k

LIVE FOR LIFE http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Live_for_Life Info on health issues, links to articles and recipes for diet specific illnesses and weightloss.

POSTCARD PALS http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/PostcardPals Despite the name we swap “anything which can legally be sent thru the mail”!

Pen Pal Book C/O Kimberly Garigin 3726 Green Pond Rd Gray Court, SC 29645 One issue is $12 black or $18 color.

Subscription for 4 issues is $20 black or $25 color. Its like buying two and getting two FREE. Comes out Jan. Apr. Jul. & Oct. I take Cash, checks & Money orders in my name. It is non-profit!! Pen Pal ads to be put in is FREE starting with Jan 2011. Business ads r 5 cents per word/symbols & count your name & address. Add $2 more for Canada or $4 more for Over seas. I use quick print to see the darker print its $4 per issue or $16 for 4 issues. No Inmates!!!

For more information contact: Kimberly at vandine69@yahoo.com

i t ?

L-I-N-K-S (or Links In No Kind (of) System) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/L-I-N-K-S As for CRAFTS above but non-specific links (i.e. not recipes or crafts), organised by type.

Hints and tips on throwing out less and reusing things.

l i k e

t h e l a t e s t n e w s a t www . s a n d b o o k . n e t l a t e s t n e w s a t www . s a n d b o o k . n e t

C-R-A-F-T-S (or Crafts R A Fantastic Time Stealer) http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/C-R-A-F-T-S A craft link ‘bucket’ with links organised by craft and sub-categories of Holidays or item.

Do you run a business? Would you like to generate more interest and income for your business? If so, Glass Completely Empty Productions is looking for you! Once the pen-palling film is finished we're going to take it on the road for a global tour. We're looking for pen-pals who run businesses to join us by running stalls at the exhibition. It doesn't matter if your business isn't letter writing related, we want to invite everyone to take part!

If you'd like to take part, please email Rae with the nature of your business and she'll put you on the list: rae@glasscompletelyempty.co.uk

Midsummer celebrations in Sweden H 74

ave you already prepared your baggage? We have an appointment today to start a new trip through Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background. We are stopping at the Scandinavian Peninsula in northern

Europe, in a country bathed by the Baltic Sea. 15% of its territory lies north of the Arctic Circle and more than 50% of its land area is covered with forests. It’s the land of Pippi Longstocking, Nils Holgerssons, Ingrid Bergman, Greta Garbo, Björn Borg, ABBA or Roxette... Then it is not difficult to guess we are visiting Sweden today!

Penpalling & Letters: www.penpallingandletters.blogspot.com Find PenPalling & Letters on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/penpallingandletters Midsummer Hello Sandra and welcome to Penpalling & Letters! Thanks for your visit and sharing knowledge from your country with all the readers!

Would you like to tell us a bit about you and the place you live?

Hello everybody! As you know my name is Sandra. I live in the County Värmland, about 250 kilometres

PenPalling and Letters is a blog dedicated to correspondence.

You can find many interesting articles there together with polls, so feel free to voice out your opinion.

There is also a section with interesting links that you can follow and learn more about the wonderful hobby of penpalling!

75

albums with them. I am a postcrosser and I got to know about it trough my pals on Facebook.

I also love anything to do with letter-writing: stationery, stickers, pens... I always write with my Pilot Frixion ball-pen, though.

I collect Hello Kitty stuff and anything else my pals like to send me!

postcards last year as I would love to do scrapbooking west of Sweden capital, Stockholm. In December, 2007 we bought a cute house out in the forest, in a little village called Bjurtjärn.

The village is from the 17th century. There are no shopping areas around here, mostly houses and forest.

Nature would be the most important thing to see here, I guess.

We are about 1201 inhabitants, and the 76

when I was a kid. At first, I started writing to Swedish pals I found in magazines, then I continued to get pals trough IYSInternational Youth Service. I am still in touch with my longestlasting penpal trough Would you like e-mail and now she is on Facebook, too. We to tell us about don’t write letters to your experiences in the world of each other anymore, though. At about the letters, Sandra?

I started penpalling age of 16 I stopped biggest working place is the school. Many of us work in surrounding cities, like Karlskoga, Kristinehamn or Storfors. They are all located about 20 kilometres far from Bjurtjärn.

penpalling because other stuff caught my attention. As we moved out here and I had kids, evenings got quite boring, especially since I don’t watch tv. I searched for a hobby, remembered penpalling, and through Facebook and Interpals I got quite a few which I have been writing to for some years now!

I also started collecting

Are you looking for penpals at the moment?

I’m always on the look out for penpals whom I can find a real click to.

Unfortunately, my muscle problem (fibromyalgia) makes it harder and harder for me to keep on writing. Most of my pals accept it, though, and are very

understanding about my late replies! :) Anyhow the click with pals is important because I want friends whom I eventually might meet for real. I like talking about anything in my letters, family problems, happiness, what makes them scared or sad... I love long letters and I can go on and on... page after page! ;) Sharing our lives is a important thing for me!

And now Sandra is ready to tell us about Midsummer celebrations in Sweden!

As most of you know, Sweden is a country in the north of Europe which has short summers and where the Sun hardly sets during this season. During “Midsummer” many people begin their five-week annual holiday.

The European Midsummer related

holidays are of pre-Christian origin. It is particularly important in northern Europe, for example:Sweden,Norway,Denmark,Finland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. But they can also be found in Ireland, parts of Britain, France and Italy. The Swedes seem to celebrate midsummer more intensely than other countries.

Originally, when the Vikings ravaged in Scandinavia and many other places, midsummer was a fertility rite. The maypole was a phallic symbol, which was supposed to fertilize Mother Nature in hope that the harvest would be good later during the year.

Although midsummer is originally a pagan holiday, in Christianity it is associated with the nativity of John the Baptist.

Formerly, Midsummer in Sweden was celebrated on the 23rd-24th, June, but since 78

1953 the celebration has been moved to the Friday and Saturday between the 19th and 26th, June, with the main celebrations taking place during Friday.

Midsummer night has always been the night when magic happens, the nature was filled with hidden powers. Especially the dew was considered magical and was used to heal sickness and all kinds of wounds. You could also add some to the dough when baking and the

bread would be bigger and much tastier.

Perhaps we should try!

Birch trees, which also were said to be powerful, could be used as a bandage and if you put some night leaves in your bath it eased the pain.

This is also the magical night when elves come out to dance and if you look hard, perhaps you could also see a troll between the trees!

When I was younger, and as many other Swedish girls, I believed in magic during this night. It is said that if you are all alone and don’t speak a word to anyone, pick seven to nine different flowers and put them under your pillow, you will dream of your future husband.Around Sweden many people begin their Midsummer Eve picking flowers and making wreaths to place on the maypole. When this is done the maypole is raised in an open spot with folk music

and many are dressed in national costumes and costumes specific for different counties. We, the strict Swedes, then dance around the pole singing old songs and just being silly for one day. You can also see many girls wearing wreaths in their hair and as for me and my daughter, we’ll be doing the same.

Family and friends get together during Midsummer Eve to eat pickled herring, the first fresh potatoes for the season, sour cream, crisp bread and for drinks we serve snaps (Vodka). Fresh strawberries are also important as a dessert.

Thanks for participating in Penpalling & Letters, Sandra!

I enjoyed very much reading about the celebrations of Midsummer in Sweden and your customs and traditions during these days! Whenever you feel like participating again you are welcome here!

If you are interested in reading more articles featuring characteristics of our homelands don’t forget to check: Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background.

I am always looking for people who would like to take part in this section of the Blog: Travelling around the World. If you would like to write about any aspects of your homeland don’t hesitate to contact me at: penpallingandletters[at] gmail[dot]com and we will work on it!

79

download at www.sandbook.net 80

July `1st

Canada Day

By Paula Milburn

Canada being divided, in the process, into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, anada Day (French: 1867. Canada became a Fête du Canada), kingdom in its own right formerly Dominon that date, but the ion Day (French: Le Jour British Parliament kept de la Confédération), is Commemoration Canada's national day, a Frequently referred to limited rights of political federal statutory holiday as "Cana da's birthday", control over the new celebrating the anniver- particularly in the popular country that were shed sary of the July 1, 1867, press, the occasion by stages over the years enactment of the British marks the joining of the until the last vestiges North America Act (today British North American were surrendered in 1982 called the Constitution colonies of Nova Scotia, when the Constitution Act, 1867), which united New Brunswick, and Act patriated the two British colonies and the Province of Canada Canadian constitution. a province of the British into a federation of four Under the federal Empire into a single coun- provinces (the Province of Holidays Act, Canada

C

82

try within the empire called Canada. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as internationally.

Day is observed on July 1 unless that date falls on a Sunday, in which case July 2 is the statutory holiday, although celebratory events generally take place on July 1 even though it is not the legal holiday. If it falls on a Saturday, the following Monday is generally also a day off for those businesses ordinarily closed on Saturdays.

History On June 20, 1868, Governor General the 83

O Canada!

Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise, The True North strong and free!

From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. Ô Canada!

Terre de nos aïeux, Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

Car ton bras sait porter l’épée, Il sait porter la croix!

Ton histoire est une épopée Des plus brillants exploits.

Et ta valeur, de foi trempée, Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

84

Viscount Monck issued a royal proclamation asking for Canadians to "celebrate the anniversary of the confederation."

However, the holiday was not established statutorily until 1879, when it was designated as Dominion Day, in reference to the designation of the country as a Dominion in the British North America Act. The holiday was initially not dominant in the national calendar; up to the early 20th century, Canadians thought

themselves to be primarily British, being thus less interested in celebrating distinctly Canadian forms of patriotism.

No official celebrations were therefore held until 1917—the golden anniversary of Confederation—and then none again for a further decade.

In 1946, Philéas Côté, a Quebec member of the House of Commons, introduced a private member's bill to rename Dominion Day as Canada

Day. His bill was passed quickly by the House of Commons but was stalled by the Senate, which returned the bill to the Commons with the recommendation that the holiday be renamed The National Holiday of Canada, an amendment that effectively killed the bill.

Beginning in 1958, the Canadian government began to orchestrate Dominion Day celebrations, usually consisting of Trooping

the Colour ceremonies on Parliament Hill in the afternoon and evening, followed by a mass band concert and fireworks display.

Canada's centennial in 1967 is often seen as an important milestone in the history of Canadian patriotism, and in Canada's maturing as a distinct, independent country, after which Dominion Day became more popular with average Canadians. Into the late 1960s, nationally televised, multi-cultural 85

concerts held in Ottawa were added, and the fĂŞte became known as Festival Canada; after 1980 the Canadian government began to promote the celebrating of Dominion Day beyond the national capital, giving grants and aid to cities across the country to help fund local activities.

With only twelve Members of Parliament present, eight less than a quorum, the private 86

member's bill that proposed to change the name to Canada Day was passed in the House of Commons in five minutes, without debate.

With the granting of Royal Assent, the name was officially changed to Canada Day on October 27, 1982, a move largely inspired by the adoption of the Canada Act, earlier in the year. Although the proposal caused some controversy, many

Canadians had already been informally referring to the holiday as Canada Day for a number of years before the official name change occurred.

Columnist Andrew Cohen called Canada Day a term of "crushing banality" and criticized the change from Dominion Day as being "a renunciation of the past [and] a misreading of history, laden with political correctness and historical ignorance." For

Cohen, the change is an example of systemic denial of Canadian history by the Canadian government.

As the anniversary of Confederation, Dominion Day, and later Canada Day, was the date set for a number of important events, such as the first national radio network hookup by the Canadian National Railway (1927), the inauguration of the CBC's cross-country

television broadcast (1958), the flooding of the Saint Lawrence Seaway (1958), the first colour television transmission in Canada (1966), the inauguration of the Order of Canada (1967), and the establishment of "O Canada" as the country's national anthem (1980).

Other events fell on the same day coincidentally, such as the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916—shortly after which Newfoundland recognized July 1 as Memorial Day 88

outdoor public events, such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free musical concerts, as well as citizenship ceremonies for new citizens. There is no standard mode of celebration for Canada Day; professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford Jennifer Welsh said of this: "Canada Day, like Activities Most communities across the country, is endlessly There the country will host decentralized. organized celebrations doesn't seem to be a for Canada Day, usually central recipe for how to commemorate the Newfoundland Regiment's heavy losses during the battle[—and the enactment of the Chinese Immigration Act in 1923—leading Chinese - Canadians to refer to July 1 as Humiliation Day and boycott Dominion Day celebrations until the act was repealed in 1947.

to celebrate it—chalk it up to the nature of the federation." However, the locus of the celebrations is the national capital, Ottawa, Ontario, where large concerts, presided over by the governor general, are held on Parliament Hill, as well as other parks around the city and in Hull, Quebec.

The sovereign may also be in attendance at Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa; Queen Elizabeth II was present in 1990, 1992, 1997, and 2010, when more

than 100,000 people attended the ceremonies on Parliament Hill. The Queen also helped celebrate Canada's 100th anniversary on July 1, 1967. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William and Lady Katherine) are expected to be present on Canada Day, 2011.

Given the federal nature of the holiday, celebrating CanadaDaycanbeacause of friction in the province of Quebec, where the holiday is overshadowed

by Quebec's National Holiday, on June 24.For example, the federal government funds events at the Old Port of Montreal—an area run by a federal Crown corporation—while the parade is a grassroots effort that has been met with pressure to cease, even from federal officials.

The nature of the event has also been met with criticism from English Canadians, such as Ottawa Citizen columnist David Warren, who said in 2007: "The Canada of the government-funded paper flag-waving and painted faces—the 'new' Canada that is celebrated each year on what is now called 'Canada Day'—has nothing controversially Canadian about it. You could wave a different

flag, and choose another face paint, and nothing would be lost."

Canada Day also coincides with Quebec's traditional Moving Day, when many fixed-lease apartment rental terms expire. The bill changing the province's moving day from May 1 to July 1 was introduced by a federalist member of the Quebec National Assembly, Jérôme Choquette, in order not to affect children still in school in the month of May. International celebrations Canadian expatriates will organize Canada Day activities in their local area on or near the date of the holiday.

For instance, since 2006, annual Canada Day celebrations have been held at Trafalgar Square—the location of Canada House—in London; organized by the Canadian community in the United Kingdom and the Canadian High Commission, the event features Canadian performers and a demonstration of street hockey, amongst other activities. Annual

celebrations also take place in Hong Kong, entitled Canada D'eh and held on June 30 at Lan Kwai Fong, where an estimated attendance of 12,000 was reported in 2008; in Afghanistan, where members of the Canadian Forces mark the holiday at their base and in Mexico, at the American Legion in Chapala and the Canadian Club in Ajijic.

Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, have, since the 1950s, celebrated both Dominion or Canada

Day and the United States' Independence Day with the International Freedom Festival. A massive fireworks display over the Detroit River, the strait separating the two cities, is held annually with hundreds of thousands of spectators attending.

A similar event occurs at the Friendship Festival, a joint celebration between Fort Erie, Ontario, and neighbouring Buffalo, New York, of Canada Day and Independence Day. 89

S

JULY fourth Independence Day 90

t r i c t l y speaking, as a Brit, I shouldn’t be writing this article, after all, it is independence from Great Britain that Americans are celebrating, but I’m all for keeping the peace and this is my tribute not only to a great nation, but to all my American friends.

Independence Day is the national holiday of the United States of America commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

At the time of the signing the US consisted of 13 colonies under the rule of England’s King George III. There was growing unrest in the colonies concerning the taxes that had to be paid to England. This was commonly referred to as “Taxation without Representation” as the colonists did not have any representation in the English Parliament and had no say in what went on. As the

unrest grew in the colonies, King George sent extra troops to help control any rebellion. In 1774 the 13 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia Pennsylvania to form the First Continental Congress. The delegates were unhappy with England, but were not yet ready to declare war.

In April 1775 as the King’s troops advanced on Concord Massachusetts Paul Revere would sound the alarm that “The British are coming, the British are coming” as he rode his horse through the late night streets.

The battle of Concord and its “shot heard round the world” would mark the unofficial beginning of the colonies war for Independence.

The following May the colonies again sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress. For almost a year the congress tried to work out its differences with England, again without formally declaring war.

By June 1776 their efforts had become hopeless and a committee was

formed to compose a formal declaration of independence.

Headed by Thomas Jefferson, the committee included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman.

Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the first draft which was presented to the congress on June 28. After various changes a vote was taken late in the afternoon of July 4th.

Of the 13 colonies, 9 voted in favour of the Declaration, 2 Pennsylvania and South Carolina voted No, Delaware undecided and New York abstained.

To make it official John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. It is said that John Hancock signed his name“with a great flourish” so “King George can read that without spectacles!.”

The following day copies of the Declaration were distributed. The first newspaper to print the Declaration was the Pennsylvania Evening Post on July

6, 1776. On July 8th the Declaration had its first public reading in Philadelphia’s Independence Square.

Twice that day the Declaration was read to cheering crowds and pealing church bells. Even the bell in Independence Hall was rung. The “Province Bell” would later be renamed “Liberty Bell” after its inscription Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof And although the signing of the Declaration was not completed until August, the 4th of July has been accepted as the official anniversary of United States independence.

The first Independence Day celebration took place the following year July 4 1777. By the early 1800s the traditions of parades, picnics, and fireworks were established as the way to celebrate America’s birthday. And although fireworks have been banned in most places because of their danger, most towns and cities usually have big firework displays for all to see and enjoy.

91

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

By Paula Milburn Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion

A home and a country should leave us no more?

Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep’s pollution.

O’er the ramparts we watched, No refuge could save the were so gallantly streaming? hireling and slave And the rockets’ red glare, the From the terror of flight, or the bombs bursting in air, gloom of the grave: Gave proof through the night And the star-spangled banner that our flag was still there. in triumph doth wave O say, does that star-spangled O’er the land of the free and banner yet wave the home of the brave.

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand On the shore, dimly seen Between their loved homes through the mists of the deep, and the war’s desolation!

Where the foe’s haughty host Blest with victory and peace, in dread silence reposes, may the heaven-rescued land What is that which the breeze, Praise the Power that hath o’er the towering steep, made and preserved us a As it fitfully blows, now nation. conceals, now discloses?

Then conquer we must, for our Now it catches the gleam of cause it is just, the morning’s first beam, And this be our motto: “In God In full glory reflected now is our trust.” shines on the stream: And the star-spangled banner ‘Tis the star-spangled banner! forever shall wave O long may it wave O’er the land of the free and O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave! the home of the brave.

92

peace, love, unity, respect 94

by Rach Gee

by Rach Gee Peace, Love, Unity, Respect.

When a certain song rotated onto my playlist, I was reminded of this phrase from the acid house music scene.

It was coined in the mid-1980's when the words Peace, Love and Unity were often used in visuals during parties. It wasn't until an outburst

by DJ Frankie Bones in retaliation to a fight that Respect was added to the mantra. The four words have very solid definitions within the music scene.

Peace Hostility typically serves no purpose other than to defend an ego that is lacking inner peace.

It is a common belief among the rave culture that violence is never the answer.

Love Acts and feelings of goodwill towards all others. The exchange of gestures such as hugging can be seen in immense amounts at any rave; this being a way of "spreading the love."

Unity We are all united in the human condition.

96

Respect A person must show regard for the feelings of others through their actions and inaction, and one must have respect for oneself.

this phrase in mind, a subliminal reminder to all who heard it: Love each other, and do so unconditionally. Forgive and be forgiven. Bring peace and calm to a stormy world.

With the song thundering Yet, these four, small words through my headphones, are also ones which we I could feel the sheer can live our own lives amount of love that the by. They are especially song carried. It felt as if it valuable to the penhad been created with palling community which,

like the various sub genres of music, is a tiny, tight knit fellowship in itself. We are many different people from many walks of life who, through the medium of letters, come together and share our lives. It's a wonderful past time and, for the most part, we do remember those four, essential words.

But, as with everything,

there are times we don't.

There are times when we feel sick, when we feel low, when we feel alone in a world that is far greater than we can fathom. And that's when our friends step into the light to help us through whatever is happening in our lives.

We are very blessed to be a part of this beautiful little world, to be able to share and help, and all it 97

costs us is a stamp. How many other people can say that? How many other people can say that they drop a letter into the post box and receive the same amount of love that they've sent out?

How awesome is our little world because of that?!

We write our letters with love, we are generally peaceful, we are united through our love of letters and respect each other because of 98

our unity.

How about if you're not feeling this mantra? How do you find that point of peace and love in your life once more? How do you reclaim it?

it anywhere. Find a quiet place and sit comfortably.

You can sit on a chair, with your legs crossed or any other position you find comfortable. Try not to do it lying down because meditation is not about falling asleep! You can do it with your eyes open or closed, focusing on an object or just staring at the wall. Whatever is comfortable and works for you.

Meditation is a good way to recentre yourself. You • Begin by breathing don't need any fancy evenly in through your equipment and you can do nose and out through your

all about what works for and makes you feel • Count the breaths until you comfortable. you reach 7. mouth.

• Relax.

• Let

A simple meditation technique comes your breathing from Ananda become even (don't force Sangha: it) and let your mind clear.

Hong-Sau Technique of • You may want to say a Concentration simple mantra or prayer Now wait for the next while you meditate. There breath to come in of its are plenty to be found own accord. When it online. does, mentally say Hong (rhymes with song). This There is no set time lengths time, don’t hold the breath, for meditating. You can but exhale naturally. As meditate with or without you do, mentally say Sau music or special CD's. It's (rhymes with saw).

99

Hong-Sau is an ancient Sanskrit mantra (a mantra is a word, syllable, or group of syllables, which can convey spiritual power when pronounced correctly, often with repetition). It means “I am He” or “I am Spirit.” Try to feel that your breath itself is silently making the sounds of Hong and Sau. Make no attempt to control your breath.

Simply observe it as it flows in and out naturally.

In the beginning you may be mostly aware of the physical manifestation of the breathing process as your diaphragm and chest expand and contract.

As your breath grows 100

calmer, however, try to become aware of its flow in the nostrils, then gradually transfer your awareness higher and higher in the nasal passages.

With the eyes closed, turn your gaze upward to the point midway between the eyebrows within your forehead.

Concentrate there. This is the seat of spiritual consciousness in the body, also called the spiritual eye, or Christ Center. In time, try to feel the flow of the breath near the spiritual eye within your forehead.

Keep your gaze steady at the point between the eyebrows throughout your practice. Don’t

you give out darkness and hatred it will be returned to you. And there is no greater gift than reaching out to a friend and saying, I am here for you. I will not leave. Speak your mind and I shall listen.

You are a beacon of love for all who pass through your mailbox. What you do and say will forever leave a lasting impact on those you keep in touch What do you do if your penpal is in with. Spread the love, keep the peace, unite with distress?

Remember that what you your pen and respect one put out into the world will another! come back to you. If you Peace and love to you all! give out kindness and Keep smiling and keep love, it will be returned to writing! you. The same goes for Ananda Sangha the other side of the coin; if http://www.ananda.org/ allow your eyes to follow the movement of the breath. If you find that your mind has wandered, gently bring it back to an awareness of the breath and the mantra.

Finish your practice of Hong-Sau by inhaling once through the nose, then exhaling three times through the mouth.

101

Lammas

by Rach Gee

The Wheel of the Year is a Pagan term for the annual cycle of the Earth’s seasons. In all, there are eight festivals.

The Wheel of the Year is a Pagan term for the winter. annual cycle of the Earth's seasons. In all, there are eight festivals. They are: There are many things fun things to around Lammas. Here are just a few suggestions.

1.Samhain 2.Midwinter (Winter Solstice) 3.Imbolc 4.Ostara (Vernal Equinox) 5.Beltane 6.Midsummer (Summer Solstice) 7.Lammas 8.Mabon (Autumnal Equinox)

M

idsummer, the longest day of the year, has come and gone. Now we approach Lammas on August 1st. Lammas, also known as Lughnasadh or Loaf Day, is the first of three harvest festivals and celebrates the first harvest and the reaping of the grain. The following two harvest festivals are the Autumn Equinox (Mabon) and Samhain (more commonly called Halloween). Lammas makes it sound as if summer is over, but it is far from finished!

On this day, it was customary to bring the church a freshly baked loaf of bread. The priest blessed the bread and it was then shared out among the congregation. In England, it was tradition for tenants to present their landlords with freshly cut wheat. These days, people may bake a loaf of bread in the shape of their chosen deity and symbolically sacrifice it along with prayers and rituals before eating it.

Lammas is a time of excitement. All around us, the world is thriving. Fresh food is growing and the sun shines. There is a feeling of adventure in the air as we prepare for the coming feasts and 102

• Bake fresh bread or cakes and take them to people in your community. You may not know these people, or they may have just moved into your street.

3 Minute Bread Recipe (From cooksunited.co.uk) This can be made with or without the seeds Ingredients 500g spelt flour or whole wheat flour, or a mixture of both 1 packet(s) dry yeast 450ml warm water 50g sun flower seeds (or other seeds) 50g sesame 50g linseed 2 tsp salt 2 tbsp fruit vinegar Method Dissolve the yeast in warm water.

Mix together the flour, seeds, salt and vinegar.

Add the yeast water and mix well. Do not knead and do not leave it to rise.

Fill everything into a loaf pan and put it in the cold oven. Turn on the oven and set it at 200°C. Bake for 1 hour. Take it out of the loaf pan and bake it for another 10 minutes if necessary.

If you want your crust a bit softer, wet a kitchen towel and cover the bread with it right after it comes out of the oven. Leave it like that for about 15 minutes.

• If you grow fruit in your garden, you may want to 103

make jams with them.

• You could donate foods, either home grown or brought, to the local church harvest festival. These foods are then donated to the needy and soup kitchens.

• Create a charmed Lammas necklace. Take a strong nylon string and thread fresh fruits, nuts (shelled), corn and liquorice pieces onto it. It is tradition to exchange them with loved ones and to eat it while the other person is wearing it!

• Create a Lammas altar. Lammas is a time to give thanks for all that we have and you may choose to build a small altar in a corner of your garden, or other place where plants thrive. It could even be a part of your window box if you have one! Colours associated with Lammas include red, gold, orange and yellow. You could choose to decorate your altar with some of your plants. Or make a corn doll. Or you could place small pieces of bread on your altar. You could also light and place candle on your altar while saying thank you for having food and water.

You may also want to include a small glass or goblet of wine of cider on your altar. You may want to say a small prayer of your choosing. This short prayer says thank you for the coming harvest.

Prayer for the Grain

Fields of gold, waves of grain, the summer comes to a close.

The harvest is ready, ripe for threshing, as the sun fades into autumn.

Flour will be milled, bread will be baked, and we shall eat for another winter.

There are many ideas out there, all you have to do is take a look on Google. There are far more websites and ideas than I can list! Go and create something special for Lammas and, if you do, be sure to tell Sandbook. Do you celebrate any special days? If you do, take photos and tell us all about it. Until then, I wish you all a happy harvest and hope that the fruits of your labour are beautiful!

105

SAMANTHA’S THOUGHTS

106

By Samantha Stroy This month is special to me. My wedding anniversary is July 4th (2004) of 7 years and also The United States Independence Day. We got married in Reno, Nevada at a small Cherokee Native American wedding chapel. It was different than the normal wedding chapel ndence there. We had to say a Cherokee Indepe the when prayer followed by our vowels, Day, tion of Independence exchanging of the rings and Declara ent to make us “The the kiss afterwards. As my docum of the free.” It was signed father walked me down the land ny of our president’s and aisle, the back door slammed by ma important people open and then shut. Somehow other t time. Every I felt the presence of my Uncle at tha since I was a Thommy and Robert thought year the 4th of it was also the presence of his child has always mom and dad that had passed July BBQ’s, on many year before then. After meant fireworks, the wedding, we went and sat beer, and n on top of this hilltop where we vacatio time ng stayed at my dad’s and watched spendi our families the fireworks from three with friends. Anyways, directions. It was magical and and of my favorite something I will never forget. one y’s I get to share it as my He still gives me butterflies but holida rsary too. I am proud to don’t know it. Now, three kids annive my anniversary with such later we are still a family and share nderful holiday. are still together as a family. a wo do you spend the 4th of Who would have thought that How (even if it is not a holiday since we were kids having our July r country)? Most of it is happily ever after. The kind you in you ed by lots of fireworks, only read about in books and follow patriotic music, and dancing watch in movies. ing on where you live.

The 4th of July is also the USA depend

Our colors are Red, White and Blue.

We are T h e Land Of The Free.

What is your favorite thing to send with your letters? How long are your letters usually? What book are you reading right now? As always you can follow up with my questions on my Facebook or my blog and the information is at the bottom.

I have been working on my book review blog that I share with a friend of Although, I mine, Stephanie Fatta, also know n as have to admit Beauty Brite. For anyone who would that this year the like to follow me on GoodReads majority of the people find me at www .goodreads.com/ in this country is celebrating the xoxoxow ithlove If there is anyone capture and death of Osama Bin intereste d in swapping with me, I’m Ladin, as he killed a half a million or looking for notebook’s, lettersets, pens, more people in our country key-chains, deco s, slams, fb’s, stickers, September 11, 2001. etc. I am also looking for some Whatever the reason long letter kawaii/sanri o penpal/ why the people swappers. in this country It’s super hot here and nice outside. celebrate this A very nice week to get back into my holiday, I celebrate writing and find some long letter it for love and giving kawaii penpals. If ytou r interested my heart away to a get in contact with me.

Happy July! cute little blonde haired, Love Always, blue eyed boy I fell in love with Samantha Stroy in 1997. We have had many up’s Itsapenp alworld@gmail.com and down’s but we make it work http://its apenpalworld.blogspot. together. com/ My writing has suffered once again. www.face book.com/angelbaby916 No motivation, depression sinking http://be eskneesreviews. in. It’s hard sometimes. blogspot.com/ In August we will be going to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, which used to be called Marine World, USA in Vallejo, California when I was a kid.

107

The Trials and Experiences as a Mother of a Child with ADHD.

I am very honored to be able to share my experiences as a mother of a teenage son who is diagnosed with adhd. My hope is to help and be of comfort to other parents who are dealing with this experience as well.

So, let me begin by introducing myself and my son. My name

ADHD At t e n t i o n D e f i c i t Hyperactivity Disorder

by Kristy Ortman [kristy.ortman@hotmail.com] 108

is Kristy and I am 32 yrs old and a mother of three children Trenton 13(July 5) and Aaron age 7, and Courtney age 3(4yrs in August). Trenton my oldest son was diagnosed with adhd.

His Clinical Disorder is that he has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined type. Which means that he can be hyper but also Alot of Trentons behavior is disruptive and he also is manipulative.

Psychosocial & Environment Problems.

Trenton lives with me his Mother (his father and I have not been together since I was a few wks pregnant with Trenton. Trenton goes to his father’s on occasion but, through the years they have had a rocky relationship. As far as Trenton and I go, we are extremely close as I was pretty much a kid myself at the age of 19 when I gave birth to him. The downfall

about our relationship is that Trenton when he doesn’t get his own way will argue with me and make me feel bad or guilty. Often he will "try" to use black-mail with me. Or, he often manipulates both his father and I. He is very good at being what I call a "player". What I mean by this, is that when he doesn't get his own way with me or his father he will go to another source - his grandparents; or he will use his father and I against each other. He

will tell exaggerated lies or half true stories (that are believable) to make his father and I turn against each other.

This is what Trenton does to gain favor.

Problems related to the Social Environment : Trenton has a history of fighting among his peers both physical and verbal. He has difficulty with anger

outbursts which are often unpredictable.

Educational Problems Had a history of poor academic performance and disruptive behavior in

the classroom. Retained a grade early.

Trenton was prescribed Concerta 15 mg by our family physician who monitor his medication.

List of Past strenghts and behaviors that were of concern in the past.

My son will be attending junior high school this upcoming school year.

He will be attending a high school in a school district that is about 30-40 min away. The school district that we have in our home town does not unfortunately have a learning support system. Trenton requires small classroom settings and person who sits with Trenton in the classroom and keeps him focused if need be and supports him. My son is very active and enjoys playing outside activities. Those activities he enjoys are basketball and swimming mainly.

Inside activities are computer, drawing and video games. He is polite, helpful and interacts well with younger children, especially his siblings. He also is very good with adults as well. And I get compliments on him

and his manners all of the time. They would never guess Trenton behaved otherwise. And most do not believe me when I tell them some things.

My son eats and sleeps well. At school he rarely ever did his schoolwork, often staring into space. He has difficulty remembering things. He has difficulty working independently. He was often noncompliant by actively ignoring directives and rules. In the classroom he was very disruptive making noises and remarks that were not appropriate.

He was labeled as the typical "class clown" as a way to get attention directed on himself.

Tended to be impulsive.

Very rarely achieved a passing grade in school.

At home Trenton would lie and not take ownership when it was clear to me that he was in the wrong for things and it was made known to him. He would often complain of headaches.

very well in school and behavior! He has been on Concerta since about December 2010.

And little by little he has made the progress.

Getting Trenton focused was the main concern and although it has been a process it has definitely done wonders. My Trenton even finally made the A/B honor roll this last marking pd for the first time ever! I am so proud of him! As for his behavior he still tests me at times but, its less now and even still he doesn’t persist nor fight battles with me. My son has even made me cry and at times make me feel like a bad mother.

His words sometimes were as sharp as a knife. I knew he did not mean those things and later would say after he calmed down that he was sorry and did not mean the things he said or did. But, you know, I really would think his behavior was my fault. I also attend Nowadays. monthly meetings with Trenton began taking his counselor as well the Concerta and on my own. It is to talk also attends weekly with her about Trenton counseling sessions about his behaviors that are about 45 mins and it really helps me long. He has progressed as well. I have grown

a lot from the sessions and even though his counselor is meant for him she talks with me and guides me and I feel better about myself and apparently it shows to her as well as she has told me. I was always never one for my child to be on Medication but, I have been for years struggling and ignoring the school "thinking" it was just him and everything would get better I guess by magic. Now even with just the small dosage I have my son completely back. It is not a magic pill it just keeps him focused. He also is not in a "zombilike" state all day long neither. He can still act up at times but, it’s much more easier and less stressful. The main thing is my son feels this and knows this and is proud of his self as well. Which makes me happy!

happy to do so for "The Sandbook" Adhd has affected a lot in our life but, I didn’t know that if I would have just researched a little more with someone who personally had a child diagnosed with adhd that I would have seek and received for my son the Medical help he needed and we would not be doing this so late. I read about the different medications out there but, reading them is truly not the same as hearing a true story spoken by a mother who has a child dealing with adhd. If you read my story and there is anything you would like to know about or further I welcome you to write me and also, please feel free to leave me any of your personal stories about your child/children that have Adhd . Believe me, I have been through soo many episodes that Thank you for letting I can further discuss me share my Story. this topic for sure!

I hope that I helped E-mail your questions, someone with my thoughts or personal personal story about stories at Kristy. my son with adhd. o r t m a n @ h o t m a i l .

That is probably the com. main reason I wanted I look forward to hearing to write this and was from you!

111

Welcome everybody to a new interview belonging to “The person behind the letter-writer”.

Penpalling & Letters today’s guest is Clava! Clava will tell us about her experiences in the world of letters and will introduce us to her handmade creations through this interview!

Meeting Clava and her handmade work The handmade works that my pal Clava does: http://penpallingandletters.blogspot. com/2011/07/meeting-clava-and-her-handmade-work.html 112

Hello Clava! Welcome to Penpalling & Letters! It is a pleasure you are visiting us today! We are looking forward to know more about your experiences in the world of letters and your personal abilities! Would you like to present yourself?

Hello everybody! My name is Claudia but most of my friends call me Clava, which is the Russian short of my name. I am 32 years old and I am living in Germany’s capital, Berlin. I am married to a Russian for a year now.

I have been writing letters since I was about nine years old. I started writing to a German girl back then. Surprisingly, we are still in touch, only on Facebook, though, but in touch. I also used to be a member of IYS-International Youth Ser-

Penpalling & Letters: www.penpallingandletters.blogspot.com Find PenPalling & Letters on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/penpallingandletters PenPalling and Letters is a blog dedicated to correspondence. You can find many interesting articles there together with polls, so feel free to voice out your opinion. There is also a section with interesting links that you can follow and learn more about the wonderful hobby of penpalling!

vice and have been penpalling with people from all over the world ever since.

Being into letters means that I always try to write my letters on beautiful paper and like to decorate it with stickers and other cute stuff. Even if I am not into Postcrossing myself, I like to receive postcards from where my pals live, just to 114

get an idea about their hometown or country. I also swap FBs although not heavily.

With some of my pals I swap stickers or stationery every once in a while. I like collecting single sheets of unused letter paper as well but only beautiful ones, of course!

Clava, could you tell us what do

you like to create? Which abilities in the world of arts & crafts you have?

A friend asked me to be the Godmother of her son. I looked around in the babystores and thought there is almost only Lately I am into quilt- dull stuff for boys, and ing and patchwork so much nice stuff for sewing. I like to do cre- girls. I really couldn’t ative things in general, find anything I liked, though, like playing so I decided to make piano, writing novels... a present on my own and sew a baby blanHow did everyket for him. So, this thing start? was the first blanket I

sewed and I realized it is a lot of fun. Since then I have sewed nearly every day!

Which kind of materials do you use?

I usually use cotton fabrics as they are the best for sewing. Other materials like silk or similar ones would be too expensive and also difficult to work with.

How and where do you inspire yourself to create these wonderful blankets?

I usually see the fabrics and then get an idea of what to do with it. For pillows or patchwork samplers, I create patterns on my own. Since I have started patchwork sewing, I see patchwork-patterns everywhere... Lately we have been to a museum and I was really fascinated by the beautiful wooden floor they had there...

I thought I could use the same pattern for a patchwork blanket, 116

which would give an optical illusion.

Do you build a pattern in your head before getting started or do you work on the item “improvising”, just as inspiration comes?

I need to build the pattern in my head before, as otherwise it wouldn’t suit when sewing. It is important to calculate everything in detail before in order to cut everything in the exactly same size. Otherwise, the pattern wouldn’t work out well. I usually draw the pattern on paper before and write down the exact calculations. One millimeter too much or too less could already spoil it, so it is important to plan it exactly.

For how long have you been into handmade stuff?

Oh, I have been making stuff on my own very often. It is not the first time I make presents on my own. I have

also made other stuff before, like cards, calendars or bookmarks for example. And when I was younger, I sewed teddy bears and doll clothes for my younger sisters.

How much time do you invest in every item until you finish it?

It is hard to say. It depends on the size and the pattern. When the blanket is small and the pattern not so complicated, I can do it in a few hours. When the pattern is complicated or the blanket is bigger, it might take longer.

Do you present your creations in an online website where it is possible to check them, Clava?

Unluckily, I don’t really have an own homepage, yet but I am working on that.

So far I have just published my photos on Facebook.

Do you have a favourite item/de-

sign yourself?

Well, I guess the first blanket for my Godchild will remain as a special one, eventhough I think I could do it more perfect now.

Would you create a design upon request and wishes of a customer?

Of course! If someone has special imaginations about patterns, colours and so on, I can do everything as the customer wants.

I could also add the name of the baby, for example, if wished! No problem about it!

Could you explain us what do we have to do in order to purchase one of your blankets?

Well, I am not really a professional with it, yet. But if someone is interested in buying a blanket, I would send it with a registered letter, so it cannot be lost. It should be Euro-countries for now,

though, as my bank does not cooperate with countries which use another currency. I lot of extra-money would be left to the bank, then, and I don’t really want this.

The prizes depend

on the pattern, fabric and size of a blanket but, in average, would be something between 30 and 50 Euros.

Thanks a lot for participating

in The person behind the letter-writer, Clava! It was a pleasure to work together with you and present to the readers this fantastic

handmade work of yours! You know you are always welcome to Penpalling & Letters whenever you wish to visit us again!

117

I

n this series I intend to (briefly) visit each area of the UK working from North to South. If popular I will continue with other countries and work our way around the world. Even if Saltaire, West Yorkshire

THE WORLD TRAVEL WORLD HERITAGE World Heritage (UNESCO) sites play an important part in not only historical and geographical senses, but also for postcard traders it’s a ‘niche’which a lot of us try to get at least one postcard from each place.

118

By Paula Milburn joelspinklioness@googlemail.com

Saltaire, West Yorkshire, is a complete, well-preserved industrial village.It became a World Heritage site in 2001.

Saltaire is close to Shipley and just to the north of the centre of Bradford. Its textile mills, public buildings and workers' housing are built to high architectural standards and because the town plan survives intact, one gets a vivid impression of Victorian philanthropic paternalism.

Mill owner and philanthropist Sir Titus Salt built his village in the 19th century for the spiritual, physical and moral welfare of the workers in his woolen mills. His great mill complex is the main feature of Saltaire and houses a gallery containing the largest collection of art in Europe by Bradford artist David Hockney. It was converted to a gallery by Jonathan Silver.

The village was founded

by Sir Titus Salt in 1853.

His woolen mill business had been in Bradford, and he moved to this rural site to give his workers better conditions. He built not only houses, but supplied a park, a hospital, washhouses with running water, a library, a reading room, a concert hall, billiard room. When he died in 1876, he was buried in a Mausoleum beside the Saltaire United Reformed Church.

Sir Titus Salt was a Victorian philanthropist who was able to control his workforce because they lived in his village. Trade Unions were banned, and he did not build a pub in the village.

When Sir Titus's son, inherited the village when his father died, and on his death Saltaire was bought by a partnership which included James Roberts from Haworth who had worked at the mill since

you don’t collect postcards, to travel the countries from the comfort of your own home without the need for passports or the high cost of travel tickets will be interesting I’m sure.... the age of twelve. Sir James Roberts lost his fortune when his investments in Russia were seized during the Russian Revolution.

The textile industry gradually declined, as it did everywhere in Britain , and by 1980's the Mill had become redundant.

Jonathan Silver purchased the Mill in 1987 as a semi derelict ruin. He proceeded to turn Salts Mill massive office space, shopping centre and the 1853 Hockney art galleries.

Over 1500 people are employed on the site by firms which include high-tech manufacturing companies like Pace Micro Technology and Filtronic Comtek plc.

Other buildings in the village have now been transformed into shops, restaurants and pubs (Sir Titus would never have allowed this). The old Institute holds the Victorian Reed Organ Museum.

United Reformed Church is a unique example of Italian religious architecture.

Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Masson Mill Cromford Mill

Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site runs for 15 miles down the Derwent River valley from Matlock Bath to Derby. It contains a series of 18th and 19th century historic cotton mills and the ancillary services that were needed to maintain the mills like river weirs, mill settlements and an historic transport network.

The area was a pioneer of the mechanically powered factory system within the textile industry in the 18th century. The mills were at the core of shaping the factory system today, and factories had their origins 119

in the mills at Cromford, where Richard Arkwright's inventions were integrated into industrial-scale production.

Why these developments should have happened in the Derwent Valley, rather than in any one of many other locations with a reasonable water supply, has a number of answers.

Arkwright looked at a number of factors when setting up his mills • Arkwright was the man making the decision, as 120

he held the patents for his ground breaking new machines • A reliable source of water • Availability of child labour in and around Cromford, where the lead mining industry offered little employment for the employment of young children.

• Near the hosiery centres of Derby and Nottingham where he expected to sell his yarn.

• Close to his financial sponsors - Samuel Need from Nottingham and Jedediah Strutt from Derby • Arkwright’s patents lapsed after 1785. By 1788 there were 208 Arkwright-type mills were in existence in Great Britain and there were four mills in France and extensions were added five in Germany. in the 20th century.

The mill chimney was Places of erected in 1900 by the particular note famous mill architects include: Stott and Sons, who also built the engine Masson Mill house. Masson Mill was Masson Mill built in built on the Derwent 1783, and in continuous because it offered use until 1991. The mills an impressive power are constructed of brick source. Masson Mill on a gritstone base. has now been restored the original mill was 21 and houses a working bay 5 storey building textile museum and an which was extended adjoining retail village. around 1835. More

Cromford Mill Sir Richard Arkwright's Cromford Mill was the world's first waterpowered cotton spinning mill. Building commenced in 1771.

The mills at Cromford with their use of machinery power, a large workforce and factory village became models for similar schemes worldwide.

Problems with the water supply about 1840 put limitations

on textile production and the buildings were put to other uses. These included a brewery, laundries, cheese warehousing and finally, in 1922, the production of colour pigments for paints and dyes. In 1979 the Colour Company abandoned the site, leaving many of the buildings heavily contaminated with lead chromate.

The Arkwright Society, a small local charity, 121

bought the Cromford Mills to rescue them.

Already restored are the original form of the mill water courses, the yard and the walls and wheelpit of the second mill of 1776. The three largest buildings are yet to be restored.

Willersley Castle Built for Richard Arkwright though never lived in by him, the house provides extensive views of the 122

Derwent Valley and retains many original features.

St Mary's church in Cromford. St Mary's church is Cromford's parish church.

It was built for Richard Arkwright in 1797.

Substantially altered in 1858. It has an collection of mural decorations by Alfred Hemmings in 1897 and a memorial to Mrs Arkwright by Chantrey on the north wall of the nave. The

church contains the North Street, the first family vaults which are of Arkwright's workers bricked up in the chapel. housing in Cromford.

Cromford Cromford was the village Arkwright created for his workforce and which remained in the Arkwright family ownership until the 1920s. It remains as it was today, with the Market Place (1790), the Greyhound Hotel (1778) , the Arkwright stores (1780's). Also

Cromford Canal Cromford Canal was built in the 1790's and ran 23km from Cromford to the Erewash Canal at Langley Mill. Cromford Canal Wharf contains, a warehouse (1794), a warehouse (1824), the Counting House (part 1794 part late 19th century) and canal cottages (1796) built

for the Cromford Canal Company.

Further along the canal can be found High Peak Junction, built in 1830 to provide a place to for transship the good between the canal and the railway. The warehouse dates from 1850. A short distance further along is the Leawood Pumphouse with it's 29m tall chimney (1849) and the Wigwell Aqueduct (1793) over the River

Mill Jedediah Strutt put up his first cotton mill John Smedley’s Mill in Belper in 1776. The John Smedley's Mill original North Mill was is at Lea Bridge, a completed in 1786, short distance from was destroyed by fire in Cromford.

Textiles 1803. It's replacement have been produced was built by his here for over 200 years son William Strutt. replacement and the John Smedley This company continues to mill included many produce some of the advanced features for fine knitwear. A factory its day - a fire proof shop is open daily. structure, warm air central heating and Strutts North breast shot water Derwent.

wheel.

The Belper North Mill The Belper North Mill is now the location of the Derwent Valley Visitor Centre. It contains exhibits showing the development of the factory in the 18th and 19th centuries. Examples of Hargreaves Spinning Jenny, Arkwrights Water Frame and Cromptons Mule can be seen there.

Belper. The town itself has many of the old mill 123

1952 and 1964, including the cruciform warehouse of 1793, the second of Strutt's fire proof buildings with brick arch floors, timber beams and iron pillars.

Milford What remains is used by Jedediah Strutt set small businesses and a up a water powered mill shop. See Milford cotton mill in Milford Darley Abbey. Darley and built housing for his Abbey has a large mill workforce. Some of the complex. The oldest housing still remains in parts date from 1789Hopping Hill but much 92, the rest all pre 1850. of the mill building was The Evans family built demolished between much of the housing, workers cottages, the nail maker's workshop on Joseph Street and the ancient St John's Chapel now Belper Heritage Centre.

124

which has now been restored. It was mostly 3 storeyed red brick building. The Evans family were the sole local employers and appear to have been relatively benevolent for the time.

Darley Park, borders the village, and was landscaped by William Evans and has attractive gardens going down to the River Derwent. The hall, built in 1727 and for 120 years was the home

of the Evans family, has now been demolished.

Derby Silk Mill Derby Silk Mill, built between 1717 and 1721, is now the Derby Industrial Museum. The museum has a special focus on Rolls Royce aero engine production and Derby's role as a centre for he railway industry since 1839.

Castles and Town Walls of

King Edward in Gwynedd, World Heritage Site

The castles of Beaumaris, Harlech, Caernarfon and Conwy are located in the former principality of Gwynedd, in North Wales. These castles are examples of the building of strategic castles by Edward I (1272–1307) and the military architecture of the time.

Edward I extended

and completed and completion a plan which he inherited from his father, Henry III. Edward I merely strengthened the strategically placed castles like Aberystwyth, Builth, Cardigan, Carmarthen and Montgomery. But it was North Wales that he saw as the greatest danger, and it was in North Wales that he concentrated his investment. All castles west of Chester had suffered from attack

by the Welsh. The king here not only repaired existing castles, but also built new, state of the art castles in strategic locations. The four great castles of North Wales that exist today, and are the World Heritage Site (Conwy, Harlech, Caernarfon & Beaumaris) were built by him from scratch.

Edward I's had had to embark on two expensive military campaigns against the Welsh.

After his first campaign in 1277, he pinned down the Welsh under Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in Snowdonia and on Anglesey.

Llywelyn's second uprising, in 1282, was also unsuccessful, and Edward wished to avoid a third campaign against the Welsh. The castles at Beaumaris, Harlech, Caernarfon and Conwy were his way of fulfilling his aim.

Each of the castles was integrated with a 125

Come check us out! http://www.etsy.com/shop/PuchiMo

town, so the town and castle were mutually reliant on each other for protection and trade. The towns were populated with English settlers, the Welsh permitted to enter the town during the day but not to trade or carry arms.

The castles were nearing 126

completion when the revolt of 1294-5 broke out. Their garrisons were reduced virtue of by the king's expedition to Gascony. Several, including Cardigan and Caernarfon, were besieged, but the English control of the sea allowed the castles to withstand

their sieges. During the winter the king's forces pushed into Gwynedd.

Caernarfon was relieved, and in the spring of 1295 work began on the last of Edward's castles, Beaumaris.

Edward was nearly bankrupted by the expense. Over 12 years of building, he spent a

total of around 10 times his annual income, on building castles and walled towns in Wales.

However the quality of the building - each town defended by its castle, and each castle supplied by sea - has left Wales with a legacy of medieval military architecture of international importance.

We are PuchiMo. Cute shop for snail-mail lovers !

You can find cute original stationery here.

Enjoy your penpal life with cute PuchiMo stationery. PuchiMo have letterhead, writing-paper , stickers , memo-pad for $2.50~

127

BIRTHDAY TWINS: JUNE CELEBRITY BIRTHDAY TWINS

By Rach Gee May is a month filled with amazing people. Take a look at the list below to see who shares your birthday. If you’d like to see who else shares your birthday, go to: www.famousbirthdays.com Have a very Happy May Birthday!

1st July 1977 – Liv Tyler (Actress and daughter of Stephen Tyler) 2nd July 1937 – Richard Petty (NASCAR driver) 3rd July 1937 – Tom Stoppard (Playwright) 4th July 1872 – Calvin Coolidge (30th US President) 5th July 1951 – Huey Lewis (Lead member of band Huey Lewis and The News) 6th July 1935 – Dalai Lama (Spiritual leader of Tibet) 7th July 1940 – Ringo Starr (Drummer of The Beatles) 8th July 1998 – Jaden Smith (Son of Will Smith) 9th July 1956 – Tom Hanks (Actor) 10th July 1856 – Nikola Tesla (Inventor of AC power) 11th July 1959 – Richie Sambora (Lead guitarist for Bon Jovi) 12th July 1948 – Richard Simmons (Fitness guru) 13th July 1942 – Harrison Ford (Actor) 14th July 1910 – William Hanna (Co-created “The Flintstones”) 15th July 1972 – Beth Stern (Animal rescue advocate and model) 16th July 1911 – Ginger Rogers (Actress and dancer) 17th July 1952 – Phoebe Snow (Singer) 18th July 1950 – Richard Branson (Entrepreneur) 19th July 1947 – Brian May (Lead guitarist for Queen) 20th July 1919 – Sir Edmund Hillary (Explorer) 21st July 1920 – Isaac Stern (Classic violinist) 22nd July 1964 – David Spade (Comedian) 23rd July 1965 – Slash (Guitarist for Guns N’ Roses) 24th July 1897 – Amelia Earhart (First woman to fly the Atlantic) 25th July 1973 – Tony Vincent (Broadway musical star) 26th July 1964 – Sandra Bullock (Actress) 27th July 1969 – Triple H (Professional wrestler) 28th July 1945 – Jim Davis (Creator of Garfield) 29th July 1968 – Julian McMahon (Actor) 30th July 1961 – Laurence Fishburne (Actor) 31st July 1965 – JK Rowling (Author) 128

Birthday Twins! What’s more cool than finding someone who shares the same birthday date with you?

No matter how far away you live from one another an instant connection is made. On one and the same day, you party together to celebrate Your own Special Day! The Team of Sandbook.Net would like to say a very Happy Birthday to: 5th July 1985, Erika Millares from Mexico

5th July 1984, Haidian Zi-Qaletaqa from Trinidad and Tobago 12th July 1979, Eshara Jan from Trinidad & Tobago 12th July 1980, Leann Francis from USA 12th July 1989, Georgia Mystrioti, Greece 16th July 1968, Cheryl from Canada 21st July 1989, Maria from Vigo (Spain) 22nd July 1947, Cecilia Wade-Doron from Anderson (CA, USA) 25th July 1975, Katharina Nöhring 27th July 1991, Kendra Cantrell from USA

27th July 1968, Julie Falkingham from Norwalk Connecticut USA. May you all have a wonderful day!

To join our birthday twin section, send us your birthday, name, country and email to our email: fun@sandbook.net To contact any of our Birthday Twins, log onto our website and look at the Birthday Twin Section.

129 129

NEXT ISSUE

SUBSCRIBE Is the next issue free?

Yes! So go ahead and tell all of your penpals and swappers about it. Promote the magazine so we can choose from various penpals and swappers ads. The more, the merrier!

How does the subscribe feature on the website work?

The “Subscribe” area on our website collects information such as your name/nickname and an email address. After filling out the form, we will send you a notification when the latest issue is released. Don’t forget to check your spam folder - our automatic system message may be stuck in there. When you find it, just click “not spam” and your notification will appear in your inbox next time.

How to place an ad in the magazine?

Go to www.sandbook.net and go to the Magazine section. Then simply click“Place an Ad” and you will have to fill out the form that loads on your computer screen. Please remember to give your actual/real email address, as it will be the only connect information that anyone can use to get back in touch with you.

products or services, you will need to get in touch with us (email us at magazine@sandbook. net ). These Ads are going to be reviewed and negotiated with the respective companies.

How to become a guest writer?

Get in touch with us via email and we will be happy to walk you through the process of getting your article published. We are seldom assigning topics to authors and we are always searching for new and interesting articles.

Please note that if someone else is working on the topic that you want to write about we are going to have to ask you to write about something else. We are doing that simply to ensure that we don’t have one and the same stories printed under variation of names. There is neither a deadline for the articles, nor a word count.Simply write and we are going to print the article in the issue that we are currently working on. The publication date is determined by our work load and the space available inside each issue.

What can I do to help with the magazine?

1) Promote us - tell your penpals and swappers about the magazine.

The published ads are in agreement with our 2) Give us feedback - by contacting us.

3) Become a guest writer -contact us with your policy: 1) we are not a dating site/community - write idea of an article. We need to make sure that the topic is still not taken by someone else. We don’t appropriate ads to have them published!

2) no inmates - we have kids that are members want to print out articles with similar content.

There is no word count for the articles! There in our community!

3) money requests - such ad will result in your are no deadlines for submitting them! The articles are going to be published in whatever ispermanent ban from our community. sue we are currently working on. If you decide to send any pictures with your article, you will need to have the rights to that image and the If you would like to place a commercial ad for image needs to be with a minimal resolution of 800x600.

I don’t see my Ad. Why?

Coming out: August 11, 2011

What is the policy on commercial Ads?

131

S CONTACT U ews! n t s e t a l e ed for th m r o f n i y t you sta a h ook t b e d r n u s a S e / k a m M net r.co k e o t t o i b w d t / n :/ a r: http /facebook.com/s agazine e t t i w T n o M :/ Follow us on Facebook: http ://on.fb.me/PenPal Friend us is Magazine: http roup g h N t B s S s / u e c s Di ://on.fb.m e/SBNpage p t t h : p u ook Gro : http://on.fb.m logspot.com b e c a F r u Join o k Page .sandbooknet.b o o b e c a F www Join our blog at: k.Net o Read our o B d n a e: www.S t i s b e w r ou Visit us on