Santa Monica Artist Designs First Ever Scratch & Sniff Stamp

SANTA MONICA, CA – Local Santa Monica artist Margaret Berg designed the U.S. Postal Service’s first ever scratch-and-sniff stamps. The stamps, which feature whimsical watercolor illustrations of frozen treats, will be debuted on June 20 in Austin, TX, but can be preordered at this link soon for delivery shortly after their June issue date.

This booklet of 20 stamps include 10 different designs, each featuring two different treats. The words “FOREVER” and “USA” appear along the bottom of each stamp, according to the USPS. When scratched, the stamps all emit the same scent, which postal service officials describe as "the sweet scent of summer" – hints about the scents have ranged from fruits like orange and watermelon, to chocolate and root beer.

Berg was born and raised in South Africa, and moved to Santa Monica in 2000 to attend Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, according to her PI Creative Art profile. She's now fulfilling a lifelong dream of working in a creative industry as an illustrator and designer by bringing her illustration collections to a range of products including greeting cards, stationery, giftware, drinkware, and more, the profile said. To read more about Berg and to see more of her work, click here. (For more California news, sign up for real-time news alerts and free morning newsletters from your local California Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

For those wanting to watch the unveiling of the stamps, the Postal Service will stream the dedication ceremony live on Facebook.

Image via U.S. Postal Service