Have a favorite lighthouse photo you'd like to see on a real postage stamp? Go to www.photos.stamps.com and have your own special stamps printed.

Jenifer -- this would be a good bonus item you could offer for your wedding clients.

Stamps of the engaged couple for their wedding announcements. Stamps of the married couple for their thank you notes.

They ain't cheap - about 2x postage rate when you buy 60 or so. But from what I've heard, NOTHING about a wedding is cheap.

Is this something that is US Postal Service is allowing and/or sponsoring? I see they are an approved vendor. It seems like it would be too easy to make fradulent stamps. Nifty idea with a great niche market.

Yes Jen,

The "Make Your Own Stamp" process appears legit. A friend of mine had one made with a picture of his two year old daughter. His wife has used the stanps consistently for a couple of weeks with no problems whatsoever. She even took some to the Post Office and was told that they were OK.

Of course, the picture must be in good taste and also must be non-offensive.

Bob

Jen,

The photos for the stamps are supposed to be checked also for copyrighted items. It states in the rules that the image must not be someone else's and that you have all rights to it.

The stamp comes with a bar code type number that is read by the Post Office's machines- very similar to the labels you can print at home and mail things with- or a postal meter.

I like John's idea of using a photo of the married couple on the invitations, thank you notes, etc.

There was an article about how some people had gotten through the system photos of Gov McGreevy with his alleged "paramour" among other questionable photos. I'll have to try and do a search for it.

Dennis

Jen,

I found a link that might be of interest to you.

Your Own Stamps

Everything seems to be OK with the Post Office. They still make money.

Bob

Cool idea. And since I am almost out of Lighthouse Stamps, maybe I will do a few. Now which lighthouse? I have so many favorites.

I saw on the news last night that the postal service is having second thoughts about this -- may have already shut it down.

Check out the website. They have stated that "their test market analysis" is complete and the USPO will be conducting it's "review" and deciding within 90 days if it will be continued. I was reading a "Dear Abby" column the other day and someone had written in that an ex-husband had ordered these stamps with the ex-wife's name and address and had it put on the stamps and then subscribed her to a ton of magazine subscriptions and junk mail. What a nasty thing to do. Things like that incident may be one of many reasons they are shutting it down...

Darn! What am I going to tell my "fuzzy son"? His Christmas picture was going to be on a stamp this year and now it isn't going to happen.

Bob