Dear Penpal

Parker & Judit
  • 4.8 (8)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Dear Penpal is your guide to the world of letter writing and penpal connections. Hosted by Judit and Parker, each episode brings you practical tips, listener stories, and conversations with penpal enthusiasts. From finding your first penpal to creating tracking systems and building lasting friendships through the mail, we cover it all. Whether you're brand new to penpalling or a seasoned correspondent, this podcast is for you. Join our community of letter lovers and discover the joy of snail mail.

  1. 5d ago

    Episode 35: Martina Calvi, the Queen of Junk Journaling 💌✂️

    Episode 35: Martina Calvi, the Queen of Junk Journaling 💌✂️ This week we somehow got Martina Calvi on Dear Penpal (!!), and this one is for every junk journal, stationery and snail mail girlie. Martina takes us all the way back to the journal she started at eight years old, through sharing her pages online and realizing people actually cared about this wonderfully scrappy way of saving memories. We also finally ask whether she knows people call her the queen of junk journaling. Spoiler: she does. 😂 We talk about the viral post that led to a DM from her future editor and eventually her first book deal, what publishing is actually like, building Martina’s Tiny Store from one sticker sheet, why her first sticker book wildly exceeded expectations, and the reality behind creative collaborations, including a little collaboration tea. And obviously we get into The Art of Snail Mail, Martina’s lifelong penpal history, why slower communication can sometimes be better communication, and the crafty community that has now become much bigger than she ever imagined. Basically: junk journals, penpals, publishing secrets, Tiny Store, collabs, tiny scraps of paper, and the woman responsible for a lot of us becoming sentimental little raccoons. 💌 FIND MARTINA 🎀Instagram: @martinamartianMartina Calvi’s links, books & socialsShop Martina’s Tiny Store Linktree FIND DEAR PENPAL 💌Instagram: @dearpenpalpodcastEmail: dearpenpalpodcast@gmail.com SEND US MAIL 📮Dear PenpalPO Box 411061San Francisco, CA 94141 Happy penpalling!

  2. Sep 28

    Episode 34: Building a Colorful Empire with Alex Mason

    This week Parker is joined by Australian artist Alex Mason, whose bright, textured florals have made their way onto everything from surfboards and bedding to phone cases, stationery and swimwear. 🌸🎨 Alex takes us behind the scenes of art licensing, how it works, what artists actually get paid, and why she’s now turning down licensing deals to build her own products instead. She also shares the messy side of that world, including discovering a new range using her artwork in stores that she hadn’t approved or been paid for. We also get into manufacturing samples gone horribly wrong, her upcoming clothing line, the floral surfboards that unexpectedly went viral, Bindi Irwin casually buying one of her paintings, celebrities sliding into the DMs, and the truly mysterious phenomenon of brides asking small businesses for free stuff. 😂 Basically: color, flowers, business chaos, big creative risks, and Alex’s plan to build her own very pink, very recognizable empire. FIND ALEX 🌸Instagram: @artbyalexmasonShop + artwork: artbyalexmason.comLinks: linktr.ee/artbyalexmason FIND DEAR PENPAL 💌Instagram: @dearpenpalpodcastEmail: dearpenpalpodcast@gmail.com SEND US MAIL 💌Dear PenpalPO Box 411061San Francisco, CA 94141 Happy penpalling!

  3. Sep 20

    Episode 33: Birthday Hauls, Pen Show Regrets & 8 Unanswered Letters

    It’s our last Parker + Judit duo episode of the year, so naturally we have a LOT to catch up on. Judit is back with a belated birthday stationery haul, a fancy new fountain pen, red shimmer ink on the way, and a casual little pile of eight penpal letters waiting for replies. Parker finally got her Martina Calvi sticker book in the mail, and we’re already plotting a Paper Source trip for the Martina Calvi freebies because obviously. We also revisit the pen show and admit that we were somehow too intimidated to actually touch the fancy pens, got tired way too fast, and didn’t even make it through the whole show. Judit shows off her three Hobonichi journals, gives her thoughts on the episode she missed, and we get into listener mail, the possibility of doing a live show, and all the little stationery things currently taking over our lives. Plus, a tiny reminder from us to actually take a little time for yourself during the day, even when there are eight letters staring at you from the desk. Basically: birthday goodies, penpal guilt, pretty paper, tired girl behavior, and a whole lot of catching up. 💌✨ want to write Judit a birthday note?! or just send us cute snail mail? write to us at: PO Box 411061, San Francisco, CA 94141

  4. Sep 13

    Episode 32: Shell Flower from Teenage Junk Journals to an Iconic Pouch

    This week Parker is joined by Elle from Shell Flower, who originally got our attention by asking who she needed to bribe with stickers to get on the podcast, which is, frankly, the correct strategy. We talk about Elle rediscovering her teenage journals filled with candy wrappers, menus, scraps and little memories, and how that eventually helped lead her back to creating and building Shell Flower. We also get into the making of her now-iconic journal pouch, taking the risk of ordering hundreds before knowing if anyone would actually want one, and growing a creative brand by trusting her own taste instead of chasing every trend. Plus: Sydney’s junk journal scene, leopard print, sticker hoarding, creative community, small-business chaos, and Parker’s many questions about why a small creative brand hires a PR firm and what PR actually does behind the scenes. Basically: junk journals, very good stickers, girl gangs, creative risks and the business behind all the cute stuff. ✂️💌✨ FIND SHELL FLOWER 🐚🌸Instagram: @shellflowerstoreShop: shellflowerstore.com FIND DEAR PENPAL 💌Instagram: @dearpenpalpodcastEmail: dearpenpalpodcast@gmail.com SEND US MAIL 💌Dear PenpalPO Box 411061San Francisco, CA 94141 Happy penpalling!

  5. Sep 6

    Episode 31: Fancy Letter Paper, Penpal Confessions & a Music Rabbit Hole

    Parker is running low on letter paper, which turns into a discussion about where to buy the good stuff, and why anything monogrammed instantly feels fancier. Judit shares her latest fountain pen want, Parker has a penpal confession, and Judit updates us on messaging some ghosted penpals. We also talk about sending postcards instead of full letters sometimes, Parker’s postcard hoarding, the traveling sticker card we did with listeners, and listener mail from the UK. We also discuss the San Francisco Pen Show, recorded before we went, so yes, it has already happened, plus why Dear Penpal is not becoming a video podcast unless Netflix or Hulu comes calling. Somehow we also end up debating how to say “riso,” talking about current music playlists, USPS PO Box paperwork, and Parker wanting more markers. SEND US MAIL 💌Dear PenpalPO Box 411061San Francisco, CA 94141 Instagram: @dearpenpalpodcast Happy penpalling!

  6. Aug 30

    Episode 30: Journal the Day Away with Haeshah Davis

    This week Parker is joined by Haeshah Davis of @PlanninginHD to talk about journaling without the pressure to make every page perfect. We get into journal therapy, finding a journaling style that actually works for you, fountain pens and ink obsessions, using the stationery you’ve been saving, and why so many of us are craving analog hobbies again. Haeshah also tells us how her Postcard Pal Exchange grew to hundreds of people sending happy mail around the world, plus creative workshops, stationery rabbit holes, expensive fountain pens, and the very important art of buying two sticker sheets so you can use one and hoard the other. Consider this your official permission to mess up the notebook, use the good stickers, and send the postcard. 💌 CONNECT WITH DEAR PENPAL 💌 Instagram: @dearpenpalpodcast Email: dearpenpalpodcast@gmail.com Podcast: Dear Penpal on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Podcasts Send us mail: Dear Penpal PO Box 411061 San Francisco, CA 94141 FIND HAESHAH ✨ Instagram: @planninginhd Links + resources: linktr.ee/PlanninginHD Happy penpalling!

  7. Aug 23

    Episode 29: How Do You Actually Make a Product? with Menmin Made

    This week we’re talking with Paulina Hoong, the artist and founder behind Menmin Made, about turning creative ideas into real products. Parker is currently trying to figure out manufacturing for her sticker book, so she had LOTS of questions: How do you find a manufacturer? What happens when a sample is wrong? How much back-and-forth is normal? And what happens when an entire order goes sideways? We also talk about Paulina’s Menmin Multi Bag, selling 10,000 tote bags, craft fair chaos, and growing a creative business. Find us 💌Instagram: @dearpenpalpodcastSend us mail:Dear PenpalPO Box 411061San Francisco, CA 94141 Find Paulina ✨Instagram: @menminmadeShop: menminmade.com Happy penpalling!

  8. Aug 16

    Episode 28: Button Makers, Sticker Books & The Vegas Postcard Betrayal

    the internet said 10,000 postcards. there were maybe twelve. 😭💌 This week Parker got a button maker and has been making the most chaotic sticker and washi collage buttons, reached out to two publishers about making her own sticker book and we are manifesting a response, did her first DTIYS on her new iPad and is getting back into her creative zone, and her camera roll is basically entirely Dear Penpal content at this point. Meanwhile Judit went to Vegas looking for a shop that claimed to have 10,000 postcards and found a sad dusty little stand. She also went to Outside Lands which has gone so eco friendly there was zero junk to be found. We also have a brand new PO Box and we are announcing a future activation idea that we are officially claiming right now, you heard it here first. CONNECT WITH US: Instagram: @dearpenpalpodcastEmail: dearpenpalpodcast@gmail.comNEW PO Box: PO Box 411061, San Francisco, CA 94141 #DearPenpalPodcast #SnailMail #Penpals #ButtonMaker #StickerBook #JunkJournal #Stationery #LetterWriting #PostcardsFromEverywhere #PenpalLife

See All (35)

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Dear Penpal is your guide to the world of letter writing and penpal connections. Hosted by Judit and Parker, each episode brings you practical tips, listener stories, and conversations with penpal enthusiasts. From finding your first penpal to creating tracking systems and building lasting friendships through the mail, we cover it all. Whether you're brand new to penpalling or a seasoned correspondent, this podcast is for you. Join our community of letter lovers and discover the joy of snail mail.

Information

  • Creator
    Parker & Judit
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Parker & Judit
  • Show Website
    Dear Penpal

You Might Also Like