Tuesday 27 November 2012

WOYWW 182 Keeping my fingers crossed it's .2

Here is a shot of my scary desk. Why am I showing you? Because it is  WOYWW Wednesday...the day we unveil the current state of our desks and reveal what we have been working on. To see more desks go  Julia's, and be sure to leave her some bloggy hugs for starting all of this for us.


As you can see,  I am still trying to get my Xmas cards finished up. The Dec 3rd international mailing date is fast approaching so I am trying to finish up the overseas cards.

I've been trying to create a card that can be posted overseas for regular international postage. The card over to the front left of my desk s is my first prototype, so I will take it to the post office tomorrow for the big test...it must slide through a thin little .2  slot in an acrylic ruler.
Of course you can't buy your own tester ruler...You have to drive up there, waste their time (and yours) only to go home and tear some elements from your card and start over.

I don't understand why you can't buy one of these postage "testers". Whenever I ask if they are available for purchase, I get a blank look. When I try to explain if I had my own, it would save me from wasting my time (and theirs) running up there to check on the width...they  just look at me as if  I am from Mars!
Now I do try to be frugal. Regular overseas postage is $1.80 and if possible I would like my card to fit this standard postage.  If if means 2 trips up there, so be it. So this is what I have come up with so far.

Yes, I know that this card is similar to the blue and kraft poinsettia card in my last post. That one had foam pop up dots between the poinsettia layers. Now I do know that 4 layers of pop dots will not make it through the infamous acrylic slot. So this time I put my love of Tim Horton's coffee to the test. I have 4 layers of Tim's coffee sleeves, rubbed with Stampin' Up green and red chalks. There is just a very thin glue dot circle between each layer. Oh gosh, I guess  the leaf makes a fifth layer. I think the layers might make it through but the center of the flower may have to be pried off and replaced with a new one made from a snippet of thinner kraft card stock. Another option would be to pry off the two poinsettia leaves and just leave the thin, fine cut, green leaves.

Wish me luck!


34 comments:

Sandi McLean said...

Oh, oh I know exactly how you feel about that darned slot!!! I had quite a grumpy mail mistress who I know hated me and all my mailing of different sized this and thats! I am quite sure she was inventing postal rules LOL Your desk looks a bit messier than usual...more like mine! I also posted before seeing Julia's post go up..LOL Hugs,

Anita Scroggins said...

your desk is way better looking than my desk right now! Hope you had a great holiday!

SandeeNC said...

Your right though, I wish I had my "tester" too, I am going to ask my PO next time I go and see if I can measure it and maybe make one of my own. waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)

Pia S said...

Compared to mine your desk is so clean and tidy! But I see that you have lots going on there :)

Kyla said...

Oh I know, I am in the UK and have family in south America and NZ and friends in USA and across Europe! Thin cards are a must at this time of year!

Thanks for visiting my desk already

Kyla #16

MiniOwner said...

Oh they are so arrogant with their envelope slots, aren't they? Just like the supermarket assistants who hold your notes up to the light to check they aren't forged. Do they do that in America? Anyway, you look like you are very busy. Happy Wednesday. :o)
Sue x (MiniOwner@41)

Sunshine Girl said...

Oooh hope it fits! Can you not cut your own .2 aperture out of a piece of sturdy card to test it at home? Thanks for sharing - Sunshine Girl #25

Helen said...

I agree, we need a depth gauge at home for our post! Hope you find the solution to your cards. Helen, 8

Jules said...

Hi Mo

Oh to have a craft desk that size!! Mind you I think I would still end up working in a tiny little section of it!! LOL!!!

Hope you get your international Christmas cards finished .. .. and they go through the "magic slot" OK!!!

Love Jules xx

BJ said...

Thanks for visiting me this week. I don't believe we have the depth measure for international postage just inland postage, here in the UK. I have a cardboard version of the measuring device which a crafty friend sent me yonks ago as her business had some spare. Don't know if you can buy them here either but YES they ought to sell them I agree. BJ#7

Sandy said...

Oh they just weigh our mail here, not really on the width of it.. Your card is lovely.. Love those flowers.. Sandy :) #31

Annie said...

You are right about the posting slot!!!
Hugs,
A x #42
ps I'm hoping you will 'like' us and share us with your friends. [check out my blog for more info]

Erika said...

I must have a very nice PO lady as she gave me one of her cardboard testers for my cards so I can check before going to the shop.
Have fun making your Christmas cards Mo, I've yet to design mine!
Happy WOYWW, hugs Erika.

Barbara said...

It's good to see that your work space has been getting some activity. I wish I could say the same.
Good luck with the post office today. I hope your cards slide through with no problems.

MvM-design said...

Hello,

A quick visit. Busy desk!
Have a great Wednesday.

Thanks visiting my blog
Hugs Marleen #4

Laura said...

Maybe you could make your own tester slot..?
Still love looking at all the pots and jars at the back of your desk :)
Happy Wednesday,
Laura
73

Lisa Rukin Swift said...

I'm convinced postal workers have it out for us crafty people. LOL! Looks like you're having fun!

Anonymous said...

What a pain trying to work all that out Mo. I need to get my international cards sorted soon too, I've opted to make a lot of single layer cards this year, although I've never had any problems with posting size, I just don't want them to arrive damaged.

Hugs
Brenda 94

Darnell said...

I do wish you good luck with getting it right, Maureen! And thanks for the tip on the December 3rd date! I had no idea it was that early. Yikes, more to do quickly!!

Have a great week! Happy WOYWWing! Darnell #54

okienurse said...

Great looking desk and awesome projects going on! I know what you mean about the pop dots going through the acrylic slot! Last year they actually stood there and put each one of my 120 cards through it before approving the postage! grrr....Thanks for visiting my desk and leaving such a nice comment. Have a great week! Vickie #3

Unknown said...

Hi ya, sorry I've not been over in ages - am just getting busier heading up into Christmas and that means less craft time and even less computer time!

I do love your desk you know, even if it does look a tad busy! Would love those little glass jars.

We changed postal charges in the UK a little while ago as well, so now we have to measure and weigh our post too. Though we do have an acrylic measuring thing-a-ma-jig that you can check sizes on. Your post people sound a bit mean not letting you have something to use at home.

Will try and get by more often, but cheerio for now.

Sarah

PS - Luckily Emily loves to read - she will read anything: books, road signs, TV captions, instruction leaflets - anything at all!!

Sunshine HoneyBee said...

The Admin of Mark's Finest Papers was having computer problems. She indicated that the challenges would run for 2 weeks due to her having computer problems. Then the challenge for Simple Salutations ended & was closed. Was told that she would update the challenge soon. I emailed her today that the challenge still indicates the former challenge; not updated with new. So, to answer your question I'm not sure why the challenges are not updated since I know they are holding the blog hop and she has blog posts for Mon 11/26 & Tues 11/27 and I've not checked today Wed 11/28.
Melissa
"Sunshine HoneyBee"

Apryl said...

Good luck with the cards and thanks for stopping by to spy my desk :)

#17. Apryl

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi there Maureen, ah some lovely crafty fun going on here.. have fun wit the card s and we ave things to measures our s by - you get the m for free at our PO - maybe they need to get their act together .. you know you could make your own?? maybe?? in amongst everything else! :D
Thanks so much for popping over and thanks for sharing ~ happy WOYWW! Shaz in Oz. x #1

Mary Jo said...

Missing WOYWW! :)

MiniOwner said...

Just popped back to say thank you for visiting today and to answer your question about the teeny envelopes. No die, I sort of made it up.
Sue x

Jennifer Shaw said...

I love seeing creation in process! Your desk looks so organized with so much at your finger tips! Hope you do the December Daily! I love the idea of a smaller album but figured I would use what I had on hand. Maybe next year I'll go smaller? Good luck with the album! :)

Tracy said...

I love your creative desk :)
I went to the post office with a piece of chipboard and traced the mailing ruler ;)
Then I cut around the slot with a exacto knife and now I have my own ;)

Hettie said...

Oops. I guess I have to get a shifty on to get my overseas cards posted!
xx

Nan G said...

I'm late making my round thru WOYWW. Card looks great from here. I cajoled my postal worker into ,asking ma a copy of the envelope size guide. Us post width measured is part of their scale. Darn! Good luck.Nan 114

Elizabeth said...

We now have the same issue with postage here in the UK but we can get our own measure thingy thereby saving at least that one trip. Like you, I'm now having to think twice about embellishments on cards - thin is good :) Late, I know, sigh, but I've been too busy cuddling my new great-grandchild, grin :) Hope you have a good weekend. Elizabeth x #67

505whimsygirl said...

Your desk looks very nice and organized (and deep!). With that size of desk I'd lots of pushing/piling room!

I was hoping to have things posted this weekend too but that's just not going to happen. Oh well. Maybe I should send out Happy New Year cards instead..... yep, that would buy me some time!


Hugs,
Kay #108

Brenda said...

Wow, your desk looks pretty darn good for having projects going on!

Christa said...

We can buy those measuring things, Mo, I have one, right from Canada Post. My sister bought it for me a few years ago. Go to a real post office, like not one of those contracted out ones in the drug stores and ask for it or maybe check their website. Because I know you can buy them. Well you could, maybe they weren't big sellers and they discontinued selling them. By the way, mine is blue just like what they use.
C xo