Tips for Putting Vintage Stamps on Envelopes

A friend of mine who is currently living in Austria just had a baby and wanted to send out about 100 baby announcements. I offered to help her out by putting the stamps on the envelopes and mailing them from within the US. As someone who doesn’t adhere stamps to envelopes in this quantity very often, I learned a few things, and I’m here to share them with you. Hope this helps!

  1. It takes longer than you think. It took about four one hour sessions between stuffing envelopes, adding return address labels, separating stamps and gluing stamps on. For reference we had five stamps per envelope for the announcements we were mailing domestically. The envelopes were pre-addressed, but that would have definitely added on to the time component

  2. Stock up on Glue and Scrap Paper. I went through 6 glue sticks through the process, and that included gluing the envelopes shut and gluing the stamps onto the envelopes. I also went through about 1/2 of my scrap paper while gluing the backs of the stamps so I could flip them and adhere them.

  3. Glue Fingers is a real thing. The reason I would have to take breaks while doing this and broke it into multiple sessions was that my fingers would get gummed up with glue stick residue. It’s pretty hard to get off your fingers, but scrubbing with soap and water does the trick.

  4. Get your TV show / Podcast / Music ready. I had a great time zipping through season one of The Morning Show while I separated and adhered all of the stamps. I set it up on my computer at my desk so I could work on a flat surface.

Adhering stamps to envelopes is not a service I offer my clients, though I know many stationers that do. If you’re interested in adding vintage postage to your baby announcements, thank you notes, wedding invitations, please email me.

Classic Movie Monsters, 1997

Classic Movie Monsters, 1997

  • Dracula - After starring in the role on Broadway, Bela Lugosi played the same character in the 1931 movie.

  • Frankenstein - This 1931 film is considered the first horror film with sound. Boris Karloff played the title character so well that it established him as a horror icon.

  • The Mummy - This ancient Egyptian come to life was also played by Boris Karloff.

  • Phantom of the Opera - The starring role in this 1925 silent film was played by Lon Chaney, who was born to deaf-mute parents and was a master of pantomime.

  • The Wolf Man - This 1941 film starred Lon Chaney, Jr., son of the famous actor who played The Phantom of the Opera 16 years earlier.


Looking for more Halloween stamps?
Check out my full Halloween postage sets here.

Dogs, 1984

Have you ever seen such cool paintings of dogs? This series, in which all four designs were issued together on the same sheet as se-tenants, highlights classic and beloved breeds with art by Roy Anderson. These stamps commemorate the 100th anniversary of the American Kennel Club, though that anniversary is now 137 years.

See these stamps in my shop here.

Swallowtail Butterflies, 1977

The past few springs I have gone above and beyond to add pollinator friendly plants to my yard, and it has paid off tremendously. This year we have two swallowtail butterflies that come every day for a snack. They are large and lovely and every day, they let my toddlers get a couple inches closer.

This 1977 Swallowtail Butterfly postage stamp was issued in a block of four with three other designs, each depicting a butterfly native to the United States. See all the butterflies here.

Famous Works of Art: Hokusai, 1974

Each of the eight stamps in this 1974 set depicts an artwork capturing the theme of reading and writing letters. USPS typically prints stamps with art by Americans, but for these, they searched worldwide for artworks to feature. After all, this set honors 100 years of the Universal Postal Union, the international postal governing body.

The art in this stamp comes from a larger work painted in 1810 by Katsushika Hokusai (you may know his famous image of a wave). Five Beautiful Womendepicts a vertical stack of women in a variety of different elegant robes, which denote various stations in life and occupations. The image for this stamp comes from the very bottom. This work is in the collection of the Seattle Asian Art Museum and they have a great short video about it.

See the full series here.

Katsushika Hokusai, Five Beautiful Women, 1810. Ink on silk, 18 x 71 inches. Image from the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

Katsushika Hokusai, Five Beautiful Women, 1810. Ink on silk, 18 x 71 inches. Image from the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

On August 29, the Forever Stamp Price Will Increase

USPS announced their proposal for a major overhaul of pricing and services over the next ten years in an effort to stay financially afloat. A big component of the plan is a slight price increase for letters and forever stamps. Forever stamps will automatically jump to this new price, so no need to worry about your forever stamps at home. If you buy a sheet of forever stamps on August 28, they will be 55c each, but if you buy a sheet on August 29, they will cost 58c apiece.

It’s important to know this if you use vintage postage stamps, especially if you are mailing out large invitations. Example: A 2oz letter with a wax seal is currently 95c to mail, but on August 29 it will cost 98c.

Rate changes in a nutshell…

  • 1oz letter rate will change from 55c to 58c.

  • Additional ounce stays the same (20c), so the rate for a 2oz letter will be 78c

  • Postcards will go from 36c to 40c

  • International letters increase from $1.20 to $1.30

Read the USPS press release here.

The stamps pictured above are my current favorites from USPS, featuring art by Emilio Sanchez.

1988 Georgia Statehood

In the late 1980s, USPS issued a set of stamps celebrating the 200th anniversary of the 13 states that signed the constitution. They were released in the order in which representatives from each state signed. These, from 1988, celebrate 200 years of Georgia’s official statehood.

The Beautiful old live oaks dripped with spanish moss are a signature scene in the coastal southern regions of our country. I can’t help but think of Savannah, GA when I see this stamp!

Shop this stamp here.

1978 Morris Township Schoolhouse

Here in North Carolina, a variation of school has been going on all summer. I know this acutely because our house backs up to an elementary school playground and we can hear children laughing, screaming and playing. It's a sound I cherish because we hardly heard it at all last year while school was closed. To me it is the sound of everything being right in the world! This summer school is in session through Friday, so these are my last days of that merry noise until school starts again. I had to honor that by sharing this stamp with you.

Morris Township Schoolhouse is a part of the Americana Series. From 1975-1981, USPS issued 35 stamps of the same size and same basic design, each capturing a piece of American culture or history. While they are a celebration of America and were issued during the Bicentennial, they are not officially Bicentennial stamps. With a couple of exceptions, they were themed in groups of four, with each group being printed on the same paper and having text that lines up to make a frame. This particular stamp is part of the Pioneer quadruplet (pictured below).

However, as thoughtful, fun and downright cool this series is, not everyone loved it. Arago, the Smithsonian Philatelic site, says "Surprisingly, the series was not popular with the public and was the shortest-lived definitive series of the twentieth century."

The Morris Township Schoolhouse, depicted on this stamp, hosted students in Devil's Lake, North Dakota, from 1894-1960 and still serves as a town hall today.

Find these stamps here.

FOREVER Ferns!

It’s hard to believe, but my vintage postage shop has been open for almost five years and I’ve never once had these FOREVER stamp Ferns in stock! I’m delighted to announce they are finally here. These self-adhesive stamps are 1” tall and come in five designs, showcasing a few of the many ferns found in nature. They are so perfect for wedding invitations as well as reheregulare ole correspondence.

Find them here.

1971 USPS Emblem Postage


This stamp was issued on July 1, 1971, almost 50 years ago exactly! It commemorates the big change of the postal system from U.S. Post Office to the U.S. Postal Service. These stamps are small (1" high) with the perfect vintage design and font. Issued in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., over 16 million were printed and released to the public.

See them here.

Recent Collaborations with Ink & Press Co.

I have loved the relationships I have built in the wedding community, and I get to work with the BEST stationers out there. Mikyla with Ink & Press Co. is such a delight and always creates beautiful custom and semi-custom suites. I was overjoyed when she sent me these three images of sets we have worked on together recently. I hope you like them as well!

You can see the Ink & Press Co. site here, and be sure you’re following her on instagram.

If you’re interested in wedding postage, send me a note!

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How Much Will It Cost to Mail My Invitation?

Figuring out how much postage to put on your invitation or mail can be tricky since we are used to teh Forever stamp always covering the cost. Vintage postage is worth it, because it’s cool and beautiful, but does require a bit of extra math. Here’s a cheat sheet to figure out how much you need.

1oz letter - $0.55

Additional Ounce - $0.20

Non-Machineable fee (ie wax seal or square envelope) - $0.20

Thicker than 1/4” - becomes a package. Check with local PO for the rate.

Here are some examples of what this looks like:

  • 2oz invitation with a wax seal - $0.95

  • 1oz square envelope - $0.75

  • 1oz invitation with a wax seal - $0.75

  • 3oz square envelope - $1.15

My #1 rule is that if you are in any doubt whatsoever, always check with your local postal clerk. Take a fully compiled invitation suite to them and have them weigh it and look at it. They are specialists and they are also the gatekeepers!

USPS changes rates about once per year, so always check the sites for latest updates.

Questions? Email me gracie @ enfieldpost.com

Pennsylvania Toleware Stamps from 1979

USPS released a series of 11 different sheets of folk art stamps between 1977 and 1995. Featuring an array of distinctly American art, the topics range from native american pottery to duck decoys to lace, but the bright red Pennsylvania Toleware have always been a favorite of mine. Printed in 1979 and released in Lancaster, PA, these stamps feature four different designs of toleware, which is hand painted metal containers often found in kitchens. The Pennsylvania Dutch became famous for their toleware creations and are still painting the same way they have for 3 centuries.

See the stamps in this set here.

USPS Proposed Rate Changes

USPS announced their proposal for a major overhaul of pricing and services over the next ten years in an effort to stay financially afloat. Read the USPS press release here.

Rate changes in a nutshell…

  • 1oz letter rate will change from 55c to 58c

  • Additional ounce stays the same (20c), so the rate for a 2oz letter will be 78c

  • Postcards will go from 36c to 40c

  • International letters increase from $1.20 to $1.30

But that’s not all! USPS will also eliminate the pre-funding of health benefits for retirees, integrating their healthcare with medicare. Additionally, they are widening their promised windows of delivery so that they can hit a 95% “on time” target. They are proposing to change post office hours and consolidate post offices as well.

It’s a lot! However, USPS has seen a 28% decrease in letters over the past 10 years. The democrats are proposing alternative bills, however, that would be less detrimental. Stay tuned! This is a nail biter.

4.5c White House from 1938

These dark gray beauties from 1938 come from a series called The Presidential Issue, nicknames “the Prexies” by collectors. In that year, the post office issued a definitive stamp of the 29 presidents in office between 1789 and 1938. Each was given a different color and denomination, and half cents were given to the three stamps that did not depict a president: Benjamin Franklin, Martha Washington and this stamp of the White House.

Shop the white house stamps here.

A New Curated Set!

Happy to announce a new curated set is in my shop. It is a collection of five stamps in five designs meant to be placed as a set to achieve the standard postal rate for a 1 oz letter. When placed together, one of each of the stamps will total $0.55. This item contains enough postage to mail ONE Letter.

Name: Wheatland
Year: 1956
Value: $0.03
Scott#: 1081

Name: Edgar Lee Masters
Year: 1970
Face Value: $0.06
Scott#: 1405

Name: Alaska, State Birds and Flowers Series
Year: 1982
Value: $0.20
Scott#: 1984

Name: Progress in Electronics
Year: 1973
Face Value: $0.06
Scott#: 1500

Name: Yellow Lady's Slipper, Orchids
Year: 1984
Scott#: 2077
Face Value: $0.20

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Wedding Postage in Warm Colors

I put together a set of postage for an Ink & Press Co. bride recently that was full of warm colors and made me think of summer. It was a delight to get to use the 2011 herb stamps, and because they are so special, I built the rest of this set around those. It was also my first time using the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (41c) stamp in a set, which was interesting (don’t you love the fawn in the background?). You can find all of these stamps as singles on my site.

Interested in wedding postage? send me an email gracie @ enfieldpost.com

29c Herbs from 2011

I’m delighted to be offering this set of herb stamps from 2011. They were issued in New York, NY as a postcard stamp, as the postcard rate in 2011 was 29 cents. These sweet stamps are absolutely beautiful and a rather small stamp with a hefty face value. I love these for spring mail!

The five herbs represented are: Oregano, Lavender, Sage, Foxglove and Flax.

Find them here.

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