Postage Gets Personal

People can now create their own real U.S. postage.

(NAPSI)-The next great American to be featured on a postage stamp could be you - or a family member, friend or virtually anyone else you know.

That's because people can now create their own customized, usable U.S. postage. The postage, called YourStamps, can be a great way to send out mailings for the holidays, a wedding, birthday or anniversary. Whether you include a photo of yourself, a child or even a particularly photogenic pet, the postage can help personalize most any message.

YourStamps are real U.S. postage that feature your own digital photos or artwork and your words. You can create the customized postage at Fujifilm's http:// www.YourStamps.com website, and pick up your finished postage at a local store or have them mailed to you.

Here are some creative ways to use YourStamps:

+ Great Gifts - What grandparent wouldn't love a set of stamps featuring his or her favorite grandkids? And you certainly don't need to mail YourStamps - they can also be framed to create a personal piece of art. In addition, YourStamps can be used in scrapbooks and other crafts.

+ Get Down To Business- Businesses can use Your- Stamps to announce new products, promote special offers or services, or showcase their logo. Fund-raisers can use the customized postage to raise awareness of their message. Any graphic or promotional message (within the bounds of good taste and U.S.P.S. content restrictions) can be placed front and center on Your- Stamps. Plus, the postage is larger than standard-sized postage stamps, so your message is more likely to draw attention.

Stamp 101 Stamps have been used to celebrate special events and

Personal

people since a British school teacher, Rowland Hill, first invented lick-and-stick stamps back in 1837. Hill got knighted for his efforts, and Great Britain released the first postage stamp in 1840. The U.S.A. began producing its own stamps in 1847, featuring portraits of Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.

Stamps quickly became valued as tiny works of art, and citizens clamored to have particular subjects honored on postage. The U.S. filters these suggestions through The Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee. The dozen members of the committee review about 50,000 postage proposals a year; only 35 or so of these ideas actually become stamps.