S: With Love From Loveland

In 1946 Loveland, Colorado began a valentine remailing program wherein mail routed through Loveland would receive a specially designed cachet handstamped by a volunteer at the post office. The cachet, which is a four-line verse and image, is created each year by local artists who compete for the honor of having their design chosen and stamped on more than 160,000 pieces of mail delivered throughout the world. This swap is for anyone who would like to receive one of these souvenir pieces.

Make a valentine-themed postcard for one partner using any technique that appeals to you. Please use sturdy materials that will withstand mailing.

Address the postcard to your partner. Write your name and the name of the swap on the PC leaving room for the handstamped cachet.

If you live in the United States, apply enough postage to the card to cover the normal cost of delivery to your partner. It's best to have this checked for accuracy at your post office. The postage rate increase will apply to this swap because the card will be sent through Loveland in February. Mail your postcard in a stamped first-class envelope addressed to:

Postmaster - Attention Valentines

446 E. 29th Street

Loveland, CO 80538-9998

In February, the volunteers at the post office will remove your card from the envelope, handstamp the cachet, and mail it naked to its final destination.

Since your postcard does not need to be profile based, you can begin working on it immediately, if you wish.

If a swap mailed from outside of the United States fails to reach my address in time to meet the due date established by the Loveland post office, I will send a card to be handstamped for your partner and forward your piece from here when it arrives. The postmaster assures me, however, that allowing two weeks for international mail is ample time. We shall see. :-)

You can read more about the 2013 Sweetheart City Valentine Program here.