Looking for an easy way to spread a little extra joy?!

Sending letters to friends and family is such a great way to show that you care - especially right now during the pandemic, when many people are feeling more isolated and lonely than usual.

I've put together a list of 5 of my favorite creative (and quick!) ways to make your messages and envelopes stand out for maximum smile-inducing impact! Each of the examples below only took me a few minutes to do, so there's no need to spend a lot of time trying to create the "perfect" work of envelope art.

Who doesn't love getting something fun in the mail?! These days our mailboxes are mostly filled with bills, junk mail, or ads...so let's take this opportunity to spread some much-needed cheer by sending a surprise card, note, or little gift to someone that's been on your mind. Whether they live near or far, they're sure to appreciate receiving a little bit of snail mail!

Ready for the best part? There's no need to purchase any special supplies! These tips use items that you likely already have around your home. So sit back, relax, grab a pen and paper, and read on for tips on sprucing up your letters!

5 Ideas For Easy Snail Mail Fun:

#1. Add A Creative Doodle (Or Two)

Use your imagination and add a few fun little doodles to your blank envelope!

• Looking for a more intentional-looking "formal" doodle? Lightly draw a shape like a heart or a rectangle in pencil around where you're planning to write the recipient's address. Then draw over it using a fine point sharpie or a dark pen. Add leaves, flowers, swirls, or other doodles to your shape to create a whimsical border around the recipient's address.

• Is wild more your style? Draw a row of flowers sprouting out from the bottom of the envelope or add some vines, a funny cartoon, or an abstract shape to 1 corner of your envelope. You can even add doodles around the opening of the envelope on the back. The sky's the limit - just make sure your addresses are still readable on the front of the envelope...after all, you still want your snail mail to be delivered to the right address without any confusion!

• Write their address in a flowy, wavy style - no need to write the entire address on straight lines! Use your creativity to add a little creative spark to your writing style.

Shop this photo: Sunny greeting card by Sunny Day Design

Shop this photo: All That & Dim Sum greeting card by Sunny Day Designs

 Shop this photo: Many Thanks greeting card by Sunny Day Designs

#2. Use Watercolor or Acrylic Paint

Just a few colorful brushstrokes can add a lot of style!

• Brush watercolor, gouache, or acrylic paint onto the front of your envelope. Let the paint dry completely. Then write the recipient's address over the top using either a dark/black ink pen, a white-out pen, or a white/black paint pen (the goal is to make sure the writing is still easy to read). This painted effect is easy, but has maximum impact!

• Paint small flowers, leaves, or geometric shapes onto your envelope! When dry, you can even go over them with black ink or sharpie to add extra details or texture to your design!

 Shop this photo: Sympathy Sunset greeting card by Sunny Day Designs

#3. Embellish Envelopes With Washi Tape (Or Jazzed-up Masking Tape) 

Stick on some style using patterned washi tape!

• Bust out that colorful and cute washi tape that you've been saving for a special project! If you're not familiar with washi tape, it's a thinner (and more colorful!) version of masking tape that first became popular in Japan and has quickly spread around the world! Washi tape has become so popular that it is now widely available in many colors and patterns and can be purchased at any craft store, in addition to Target, Wal-Mart, etc.

• Washi tape can be easily repositioned and it adds a lovely pop of color/pattern to a plain white envelope! Don't have washi tape? Use masking tape and draw your own pattern onto it with a colorful sharpie, white out, or paint pens!

• Try adding strips of a few different printed washi tapes to one side of your envelope, layer strips of wash tape under your postage stamps, or use the washi tape as a border around the opening to your envelope on the back. Wherever you decide to put it, it's sure to brighten up an ordinary white envelope!

#4. Turn A Paper Map Or A Spare Piece of Wrapping Paper Into An Envelope

Use what you have lying around and create a one-of-a-kind envelope!

• Remember before GPS when we used to use maps on road trips or to get around town? Do you have some of them lying around your home collecting dust? Repurpose them in a creative way by turning those maps into decorative envelopes!

• Maps not your style? Don't fret - You can also use wrapping paper, newspapers, comic book pages, and so much more to create envelopes. The sky's the limit! In fact, this is the perfect project for leftover wrapping paper scraps!

• Download our simple, A6-sized DIY envelope printable template (HERE) to create unique envelopes that are sure to dazzle anyone who sees them! Once you've finished folding and glueing or taping your envelope, we suggest adding white labels or taping white paper rectangles to the front where you plan to write the recipient's address and your return address. This will make it easy for the post office to read the address to ensure that it arrives where it's supposed to!

Shop this photo: Far Apart But Close In Heart greeting card by Sunny Day Designs 

#5. Put The Focus On Fun Postage Stamps

Add a mix of colorful stamps to your envelope to boost the fun factor! 

• Sure, using online postage or purchasing postage at the post office counter is the easiest way to go...but adding your own mix of colorful stamps to the front of your envelope will really add a lot of unexpected joy and will make your envelope feel instantly more special!

• For a personal touch, try to pick a combination of stamps that tells a story about you and your interests. For example, the U.S. post office frequently releases stamps in designs that span a wide variety of categories - science, flowers, travel, political topics, states, fine art, famous people, etc. Search the USPS website's shop for stamps with themes or topics that you love - then purchase an assortment to for use on your letters!

• Don't limit yourself to current or newly-released postage stamps! There are a wide variety of fun, quirky, and colorful vintage stamps available to purchase from stamp collectors and sellers on Etsy and other websites! Search online for postage stamps that represent your favorite topics and themes and then use those to add a joyful touch to your snail mail envelopes!

Shop this photo: COVID Congrats greeting card by Sunny Day Designs

BONUS: Want to include an extra special surprise in your snail mail that won't add a ton of extra postage? Here are just a few creative ideas of things you can add to your envelopes: 

Extra Fun Items To Add To Your Letters:

• Pressed Flowers or Leaves
• Confetti
• Sequins
• Packet of Seeds
• Stickers
• Temporary Tattoos
• Photos
• Balloons (especially cute with a birthday card!)
• Tea Bags
• Little Drawings
• Gift Cards/Coupons
• Bookmarks

Shop this photo: Just Peachy vinyl sticker & Snail Mail vinyl sticker - both by Sunny Day Designs

Hopefully these tips inspired you to jazz up your envelopes, letters, and packages. Now, go forth and spread some snail mail fun to your friends and family! Trust me, they'll love it, and sending them an unexpected letter will brighten up your mood too!  : )