DIY Lettermate

Damnit. I just typed a bunch of shit out and it disappeared. Thank you for a quality mobile app WW!!!! Anyway, I said I wish I could at least copy the link, but the app won't let me even do that anymore.

Ian and I made our own address thingy using Photoshop and just mass print it onto envelopes. Hopefully you can see it in the pic I attached....

I just used a ruler. Because I'm old school like that haha.

Thanks for the tip! I wish I thought of that when addressing Christmas cards earlier this week!

One day I'll figure out photoshop and buy more ink for our printer lol!

@Wolf I oddly enough cannot find my ruler or I would have done that!

I just really really wanted a lettermate because it seemed so cool... then I started using an index card and realized I could make my own "lettermate". Figured it might help someone who is working on envelopes and is uniquely envelope-addressing-challenged such as myself

@Elizabeth: I was working on my Christmas cards when I read your post. I am cutting my index card out now. Be back with a report in a few!

@lovin' life I hope it helps! I had to make the cuts a little wider. They're not perfectly straight but it's a nice guideline I'm horrible about addressing in a straight line or uniform width lol and this was so useful... I went "why didn't I do this when I was addressing my wedding invites!".

Here's a photo of the index cards, the pencil lines, and spacing. I know this is super simple, but it helped me so maybe it'll help others...

Also, I can show off my address stamp with the VW bus! Love it

@Elizabeth: It works great! I was using a ruler, but being left handed made it very difficult to keep the lines straight. The index card solved that! I have some of that sticky stuff that pulls off clean, so I stuck a bit of that on each corner of my index card, centered it over the envelope and pressed it down. I used a gummy eraser and that worked well also. I now love you!

Forgot this! I used an exacto knife and a ruler to cut my lines. That worked well. Lines are actually pretty straight.

Awww yay! That's awesome! I'm so glad it worked for you as well.

I'm also left handed! The struggles are real

So real! And nobody knows that but us left handed people. Also have been meaning to tell you, I love your VW. I had a '66 for years. BIL wrecked it a few years ago.

OH! I knew I liked you for a reason! That's what David's is I love it! It's a lifestyle and really changes how you look at the world.

Also, bus hunch is a thing! lol

I really miss it! Bought it new and had it almost 40 years. The memories! Mine was dark green and a creamy white.

WOW! Sounds gorgeous!! I want to see pictures! You understand how it's not JUST a vehicle... it's a lifestyle and an adventure all rolled into one. I'm still learning; I am passionate about them but David does all the mechanical and body work on our buses... but he promises that my bus will make a mechanic out of me yet We're part of full moon bus club (look them up! They have a forum and a very active FB page). It's so much fun! You should come to a campout with FMBC! You don't have to have a bus to be bus lover

What happened to it after it was wrecked? How bad was the wreck (hope your BIL was okay because they're not the safest!)? I'm so sorry that happened. I can only imagine how devastating that was! Slo Bus was David's first car and was a daily driver until we parked it in July (we were hoping to not have engine issues for the wedding... but of course we did and it wasn't at the wedding ...). His "new" truck is a 1992 is the newest car he's ever owned lol.

If I ever learn how to post pictures, I will hunt for a few. I am sure I have one somewhere. Driving a VW is an adventure! And fun. I have heard of that club several times. I will look them up. I managed to learn a few mechanical skills for my VW over the years. I am sure you will also. I am proud to say that I once made a fan belt from a pair of pantyhose! It held for the mile or two I had to drive to get to a gas station. I consider that one of my finest moments in life! lol

It was totaled. My BIL had a few bruises and several broken ribs, but otherwise he was okay. He got caught in a crosswind and rolled Wally (my VW) several times. There was not one piece that could be salvaged. I cried for days. I got a van after that. At first. I felt like I was speeding all the time! Lol. I am so sorry you could not have Slo Bus at your wedding. What a bummer!

I made my own guide by drawing lines on a note card with a sharpie. I then put the note card inside the envelope so that I could see the lines through the envelope. It helped me with spacing and keeping the lines straight.

I also did not want to spend the money for a lettermate and didn't think it would work with my handwriting anyways. Alot of my cursive isn't written the tradition way and won't fit within that little box. So, I took apart am old lamp & made it to where I basically have a light bulb at the end of a powercord. I bought a smaller bulb at the 99¢ store along with a clear storage box and lid that's big enough to hold the bulb inside with the lid on and write on top of. I did have to make a slot for the cord. Then I took a sheet of card stock and drew straight lines on it and laminated it but, you don't really need to. I slide the lined card inside of the envelope that I'm addressing, make sure it's flush with the bottom inside of the envelope. Then, place it on top of the box with bulb inside & then you can see the lines through the envelope and write straight without a plastic thing keeping you from going outside of a box. Its fantastic! I use it every year for holiday cards.