I too am new in town. It's wonderful to find such a community of caring and sharing people on the web. The wealth of information, wisdom, and experience is priceless. Thank you to whomever run/police this site for keeping it nice and clean. Just some thoughts...A lot of the good advice in this thread and and in the "newby" threads aren't very clear in the Seed Exchange FAQ. When I first joined, I read the FAQs and searched for threads to find answers. That's hours of reading to get through some of those really long threads. (For instance, not sending the envelope inside an envelope isn't mentioned in the FAQ. I probably first read it here in Dec. '09) Anyway, I think I found the most clear instructions in the Winter Sowing FAQs... Also, Eileen mentioned the sender clear taping over labels. That might be a really good idea for those mailng to cold climates. Use freezer tape or cover the label. I recently received a BEAP with an all purpose office products type label on it on a -10F day. The edges were curled and it was hardly holding on. Cudos to the mail carrier for keeping the label with the package. DD

Here I go, raving about this woman's site again. I can't help it: when I find someone who sells a LOT of high-germination rare seeds for VERY little (and is a good person and great resource), I just want to broadcast. I guess that makes me a gardener. Anyway, Diane's site has little Glassine envelopes at $1 for 20. I'll post the link down below. I usually spend $5 for a hundred, and that lasts forever. I use them for the teeny seeds, and just plain coin-envelopes (a couple of sizes) for the larger ones. She's in the USA, which is a bit of a pain in that you have to wait a week or so. Hope this helps. Here is a link that might be useful: glassine seed envelopes

michael's. look at the bottom of the rows in the bead section and you'll find these perfect little plastic zipper bags about 1.5x3". like 200 to a box, and couple bucks for that whole box. not sure, but would be willing to bet that walmart may carry them, too and if they do they'd be cheaper. but with a 40% off coupon, which is just about every week in the sunday paper, you could get a box from the craft place for next to nothing. i love being able to see what and how much is in the packet at a glance. some folks cut little cards to put in them, some take the white labels or masking tape and put on them, and some write directly on them w/sharpie. i do a lot of the last, 'cause i'm lazy, but the labels and card stock work better and are easier to read and change if you reuse the envelope. if you save a lot of the same seed, i found it was easy enough to make a little label sized box in a design program so i could print a bunch of the same label, and not have to handwrite each one. you can even include a picture. for bigger seeds or larger amounts of seed, i save my old packets that have the self stick tabs, and just slap a label or masking tape over top of what was in there. along the same lines, i always save the little glassine envelopes for fine seed or tiny amounts after i've used up seed that came in them. just call me a pack rat!

Have you thought about trying a photo storage box. You can find these at most craft stores in either a mix of prints or in solid colors. The are like cardboard and so it does not have a air tight seal. But I do know for a fact that it fits a reg. size envelope not the bussiness sized envelope. Or maybe even a show box will work. But the photo boxes are a bit sturdier than a shoe box. Or maybe a clear rubbermaid shoebox if you want the air tight factor. The rubbermaid shoeboxes can be found at most walmarts. And you can bring in an empty envelope to see if it will fit. Paula