A Happy World Post Day it was!

So here's how the set up looked finally: (With a lot of help from Manpreet and Nehmat :D )

The drill:

For newbies

Map to the closest postbox, courtesy Vinnie. Thanks to this, a lot of people realized how close and how simple it all was. :)

Turned out to be a pretty efficient display for the little space and the many postcards that there were !

The rather popular Bollywood series!

Among the toughest of choices life has to offer.. Which postcard must I send?

So, the question was how to make the procrastinators and the non-writers write a post card and send it.

With badey bhaai saheb's help, I finally came up with a strategy efficient enough to help me sell off all my postcards and have half or almost three quarters of them written.

So the deal was that the postcard and the stamp together cost you only 20 rupees, but while buying it, you pay me 30 per card and only when you come back with a written card do I give you a free stamp and your 10 rupees back! Worked amazingly well!! And for all those who ran off with the postcard after paying 30, well, I made a little profit on those! So, either the objective or the profit ;)

And then they were back to pick from some amazingly beautiful stamps

So many postcards, so many happy people and so much love! :D

The preparation

The day before began with some posters, superimposed in the iconic postcard template.

And then how I caught hold of everyone in the studio to do their bit for my venture!

Followed by a couple of hours in the workshop to build some efficient postcard stands. The question was how to display 148 different designs of cards along with their copies without creating uncontrollable crowd chaos! A simple thermocol solution. :)

And then to bring some colour into it..

Along with some other guidelines for the newcomers!

With the help of dear roomies.. Camera shy volunteers that they are!

Look at that pile!

Monday morning: Operation Cut the damn thing!

The official sorters!

Waited all morning, and then a little while,
But all so worth it; see the height of that pile!

That's how tall it is! :D

Hot out of the printer!



Hot prints for many a letter,

Sunday Morning, can it get any better?

 

 



I know you already love it, but,
Trust me, they'll be better when cut!

 



Tomorrow morning: Cutting lab.

Post cards and Postcards, on World Post Day

So, coming Wednesday is World Post day (9th of October), and with all the joy that the postal system has given me, I thought the least I can do is to burden it with a few hundred more letters! So, for starters, I've got some 6-700 creative, sensitive, crazy people at my disposal at NID. But how do I get them to write? To post?

3 weeks back I printed a bunch of postcards and gifted a few to some friends. Among them, Krishna was very enthusiastic and quickly got her sisters' addresses to write to them. Two postcards. Then she made a few queries regarding where one needs to go to post, where one can get stamps and so on. I clarified those. She needed six stamps to post two postcards abroad. I knew going all the way to Relief Road to the GPO to get nice stamps was out of the question, so we struck a deal; I'd give her four stamps out of my collection in exchange for a really nice purple pen she had (come on, don't judge me! It writes really well on postcards!!). Two stamps still remained. (Mind you, I only gave her four hoping she'd make a trip to the post office, less than a kilometre away from college, to get the other two) She asked the others if anyone would give her company till there, and then the chapter temporarily shut.

Three days back, I had some work and had to go to Ellis Bridge Post Office next to college. So I asked her before going and, since it wasn't too much trouble, I picked up stamps for her.

And then remained the last bit; of posting the card. 40? Or is it 45? That's how many steps it takes to go to the post box from the college gate. So I presumed that won't be difficult. But the next thing I know, I was going to go across the road to grab a bite and Krishna says, "Can you please drop this by the post box?"

In the end, I provided the card, bought the stamp AND posted it! (And felt stupid, not to forget!!)

So I figured there needs to be a greater motivation for people to make an effort. And what might that be?

Okay... It's not a fool proof plan, but here's how it goes.

I've managed to collect some of the most amazing art pieces, illustrations and photographs from some of the most talented people sitting here at NID. Along with that I added a trip to the GPO to get a whole bunch of pretty stamps (And by a whole bunch I mean just a little over 700!).

So the deal is that while these amazing, irresistible post cards lie before you, you cannot just buy them for keeping; the deal is to buy a crazy post card with a beautiful stamp and promise to write it to someone (I know, I know, sounds cheeky when I use that word!).


Either way, the question is, can I make a bunch of NIDians walk across the road to the post box? Three days to find out!


For all you guys reading, get your addresses together, because I'm gonna do everything to make sure you don't get that card unless you're writing to someone!!


And just as we part, don't be heart broken. Remember, stamps are meant to be stamped and postcards are meant to be posted. If you fall in love with either, click a photo and get over it! But do send it across and make someone smile. Trust me, it's gonna be one amazing smile!
 

Is it just a phase, or have I gone crazy?

..So then there were post cards, 153 of them, hot out of the printer, cut in the cutting lab and bundled up into beautiful, huge piles.

(The front and back for printing)

..Not to forget acknowledgements both behind the post card and in hand :)

Thanks to the digital technology, when almost no one gets the time to get the unlimited lot of photos printed, every one who contributed photos to my postcard cause (!) got on their toes to see how pretty their photographs looked in print; the colours, the touch!

Krishna immediately called her sister up to get her address to write to her. Swarna and Yuhina wanted to write to their cousins. Shipra also asked for one, to write to 'someone'! And then there were queries: "How much does it cost to post to America?", "Where do you get stamps?", "Where do you post the letter?", "Who's coming with me to the post office?" Really, it all sounded so cute!! Yes, I felt like I was spreading the love!! Last time it was crochet, and Swati, Krishna and Shipra all got to doing it, making themselves Wacom covers and hard disk covers and what not; and this time, postcards. Unlike the others in class with their long lasting affairs, I'm the one who keeps falling in love over and over again; the kind of love I love to share!! :D

Right after this, I happened to have a weekend programme, and it gave me a day in Delhi; and if it's Delhi, the GPO has to come in the picture. Oh, they have the most beautiful collection of stamps in their philately! So I added to my collection, and then, of course, it didn't stop there.

Yes, it's not; it's merely for safekeeping! :D

So, I managed to make myself a safekeeping book for my stamps, just until I let go of them into the whole wide world!! :D (Basically that month old brown envelope housing them was beginning to tear, so I had to resort to this!)

(The much awaited '100 years of Indian Cinema' collection, finally in my hands! :D )

..With a lot of verbal contribution from dear brother!

..And some jugaadu binding!!

So my day went well, really well! What are you gonna do to make yourself smile today? :D



Postal Frenzy

Do you know where stamps look best?
No, not in that stamp collection book..

..But on their way to their receivers. :D


I've recently been introduced to the philately department of a GPO (courtesy Tarundeep, a fellow stamp lover), and I've completely fallen in love with the beautiful stamps and post cards that they give shelter to. So the combination of my old love for letter writing with these stamps along with a postcard sending website that I came across (postcrossing.com) is pure bliss.

So, there's been a lot of shopping off late, and digging out old post cards that I had lying around, like this really cute one from my college fest 2 years back.

And then there's some level of personalization when I'm in the mood for it..

But the most deadly combination, which I easily fall in love with, is a pretty colour of envelope with a classy stamp!

Not the best quality of photos, but you get the idea!

So, the day you think of someone you haven't spoken to in a while, don't call them. They can live without talking to you a few more nights. Instead, send them a letter and see how special it makes them feel.