PUG Pals!

 
I wanted to share with you something I have been working on recently. You may be aware I am a member of a website called Pinup Girl Style. This website it a social site from Pinup Girl Clothing in America. I have been an active member on here for a while and made some great friends around the world.

One of my friends from California in America had left the site for a while, when she came back she had said to me whilst she had been away she had bought me a few things she had seen that made her think of me and that she wanted to send them over to me. This was really sweet and thoughtful and it got me thinking what a lovely thing to think of a friend and buy them something that reminds you of them, that you know they would like and appreciate. We all know how we feel when we receive a gift; it’s exciting and makes you happy and smile. What’s even better than that is giving, to know that someone else’s smiles and happiness is all because of you is pretty great! I too wanted to send Desilu a package and it occurred to me that other people on the site may like this idea.

I decided to create a group on the site called PUG Pals (Pin Up Girl Pals for those unfamiliar with the term PUG – not like the dog!!). A group to connect with friends and in a similar way to pen pals have fun sending things, PUG Pals have more fun and we have enhanced and improved the basic idea of sending and receiving something from a new friend through the post. This group has flourished and now has 41 members. What’s great to see are people really getting involved in the whole idea of the group. There are new people to Pinup Girl Style that haven’t met people yet who are keen to send surprise gifts to potential new friends. There are people sending away gifts/care packs to people that may have already spoken with online or in person. It has really developed to be more than just a place to send care packs/gifts to friends…it’s so much more. For example if you have clothing or something of your own you don’t feel like selling but you know someone else would appreciate you could offer it out to people or surprise someone with it. If you are trying to get hold of something in another country, add a discussion on it and a Pal may well be able to help. If you’re looking to swap something again, pop a discussion up there! You could see if someone can post you some clothing from overseas along with any other bits you may be trying to get hold of. You could collect particular items and may want to see if someone can get hold of something for you. It can be a simple trade of something like, an English person likes US candy and US person likes English candy/sweets, so they make each other a parcel up and do a swap! I could just be a simple letter! Anything really! This has no end to how it can go!

To make the group more user friendly we created a page that works as an address book. This is where you enter your full address details so that the PUG Pal members can find your details and send you potential surprise packages. Also there may be times when you know something will be coming to you as it may have been discussed but the address book is there for easy access, especially with the fact we are all over the world, if you were to request an address from a friend you may be waiting for a response for some time due to the time difference. In addition to this we thought as there is an element of people trying to make new friends you may not know peoples likes and interests yet to know what to send. A page was created to combat this so that members can add their likes, hobbies, interests, clothing sizes, etc all in one place. Again this was for easy access, speed and to give you an insight into someone’s personality as from that info alone you may realise you have a lot in common and want to talk/get posting.

You have to of course take in to account postage costs, to mark packages as gifts, check the contents as some things you cannot send internationally, pack them well…all the obvious really.

I personally have sent x2 packages to America, California. I have really enjoyed collecting things to send to people. My spare room is slowly filling with boxes and envelopes to post! Below are the 2 packages I have received myself:

I had received a package from Desilu whom I have become friends with through Pinup Girl Style. She sent me a beautiful collection of items and a lovely hand written card with a personal message for me. I was sent a beautiful glass cupcake that you can lift the lid off. She very kindly sent me some Miss Jessie’s hair products to try and to cut a long story very short, she got my some full size products as well as samples (x1 went missing at the airport due to being packed incorrectly :(...) Also I am a stationery fiend and received a lovely pack of vintage style cards and little notebook that I love! Desilu is the first international investor of Appleton Bakery too which is pretty awesome! My American family and friend Jamie have taste tested my cakes, even Dita Von Teese had a box I hand delivered to her at her perfume launch last year however no one has actually invested except my pal Desilu!! You will also see some very cute summery cupcake cases I will make use of!! The US has some pretty awesome cases, cake tools, and oh my the sprinkles! I was super happy to see these in there!! A very cute pair of vintage white gloves that fit me great! Hopefully I haven't missed anything out. Excuse the picture quality, not the best photographer and on my phone at that! 

I also received a package from Aoife 24K, another friend made through here. You will see in the photo the white and floral background is the hair scarf sent to me. Now I have been looking for hair scarves for a long time! I love them!! Vintage is harder to come by here, even Dita Von Teese will tell you LA is where to go for Vintage, not England as much. It’s gorgeous and I've worn it a few times already! What made me giggle is Aoife also sent me little vintage white gloves! So awesome, and they really did fit....well...like a glove, perfectly! Now Aoife knows my HUGE vintage love and sent me x2 lovely broaches, a hair clip and some postcards that were wonderful. Also a bold and colourful card with a hand written personal message. 

 

 

These gifts were lovely. What’s so great is how right they were for me, spot on, we are really getting to know one another with this. Its funny how when shopping I can see something and think to myself how this would be perfect for someone I haven't met...and what they have done was certainly perfect for me!

A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE LADIES FOR THESE LOVELY GIFTS AND THE TIME AND EFFORT THEY HAVE BOTH SPENT COLLECTING THESE AND SENDING THEM TO ME. 

If this is of interest and you like the sound of this why not sign up to Pinup Girl Style yourself?! It’s a great way to meet new people. There are forums, groups to join, blog boards, discussions to get involved with, chat function. Also people share their own Pinup Girl Clothing reviews offer all kinds of advice and support. If pin up is your style then this is one hub for all your needs! Once signed up its easy to navigate your way around. If you want to join my group just head to the Groups section and search for PUG Pals and request to join. If you would like to add me as a friend on there simply search under members for Leanna Bruce.

xoxo