ENTERTAINING PAPER goods

Personalized Picture Stamps in Canada and the United States

customized stamps :: picture postage :: pictureitpostage :: zazzle

Finished up your invite or add a special touch to a thank you card with your own customized stamps. They are also appropriate to mark a special occasion, a kid birthday or something special happening in your life.

Where to buy?

The personalization process is the same whether you live in the USA or Canada. The difference is where you buy them. In Canada, you must use Picture Postage, a service from Canada Post in partnership with Canadian Bank Note.

In the United States, several companies own a vendor license from United States Postal Service to print customized postage. You can buy the stamps in the denomination that you need: postcard, envelop size and weight. Unfortunately, Canada Post offers only the customized stamp for the most current postage (standard letter under 30 grams).

How it works?

They all provide online a tool to design your postage using the same 3 steps. You first submit your own digital image. Then, you adjust your image into the stamp frame. Finally, you send your order.

In the United States, I like PictureItPostage by Endicia. There 2 main advantages are:

  • bigger stamp – your picture is 1 1/2″ x 1 3/16″. Stamp is 2 1/2″ x 1 9/16″
  • background colors – which I like a lot.

Zazzle is another company that I discovered through Perfect Bound, a cute blog by a girl who day dreams about living abroad, dark chocolate and being a magazine editor. Today, she paired wedding invitations with customized stamps. Check her post; she did an excellent pairing job.

The special features at Zazzle are:

  • you can write a small message text on top of your picture
  • three sizes of stamp
  • you can select pictures from the community gallery.

Canadian Way

The Canadian stamps look better in my opinion because they do not have a bar code. They look like regular stamp. But honestly, they are all pretty cool and can be as stylish as you design them. In Canada, you can buy a sheet of 40 stamps or a Keepsake Sheet of 20 stamps with a large image printed to keep as a souvenir.

Plan ahead and leave you plenty of time for delivery. These custom gifts make great gifts to new parents, grand parents or new homeowners.

>>> Sourcing:
Buy online: PictureItPostage – price: $18.95 USD for 20 large stamps
Buy online: Zazzle Custom Stamps – price: $16.95 USD for 20 medium stamps
Buy online: The Knot Wedding Postage Collection [Zazzle]
Buy online: Picture Postage – price: $24.95 for 20 stamps + a large keepsake image
Via: squared away [Perfect Bound]

  • Minnie
    May 20, 2008 at 14:28

    LOVE!!!! SOOO GREAT. Think that would be an amazing father’s day gift. Another site for great suggestions is http://www.someonespoilme.com/gifts/fathers-day/personalized-dad/

  • Laissezfaire
    May 20, 2008 at 23:41

    loove this. What a wonderful way to commemorate an event!