Early in August, the Augusta Art Guild (in Kentucky) and the Ohio River Art Guild (Cincinnati area) selected a theme. Artists were invited to create a piece around the theme of sunflowers.

Now, I do not consider myself an artist by any means, but I thought that this would be an excellence chance to put etegami in the spotlight.

So, I spent time earlier in the month of August working on my piece. At the end, I went with three different sunflower scenes, two with appropriately selected quotes. If you look at the top panel, I reserved that for information about etegami since I figured the chances were slim that anyone would know what is was or what makes it etegami and not just a little picture.

All of the sunflower art will be on display for the next few weekends, but what I loved most was setting up.

My husband and I drove an hour out of town to get to the August Art Guild on Wednesday night and we were greeted with a big, bright room full of energy. It was full of talented artists and craftsmen! After everyone hung their pieces, each artist got to take just a moment to talk about what they brought, their inspiration and in my case, to explain what etegami is. It was a very special evening indeed.

You know, I never thought I’d participate in a community gallery show–it was never something that I felt I could do. After all, I didn’t go to art school, I am not an artist! I may design for a living but there’s a big difference between corporate identity and oils and canvas. If you happen to be in a city or town where there are local art guilds, sign up for their newsletter because getting involved in something like this is well worth the time and effort.

I want to show you some of what the other artists submitted:

Sue Ellen Gorman is pictured below. I love how happy and alive her piece looks. Not pictured is a sunflower she did on some boards. That was very textural and interesting.

The inspiration for the below was that she needed a new painting for her dining room. I would love to have that in my dining room. The painting was absolutely magnificent in person.

Ken Swinson is below. He is one of my favorite artists and how lucky am I that I know him? He did two monotypes which are below.

Toby Fried of FriedFired pottery is below. She did several plates with a sunflower motif. Wouldn’t you love to set a table with those?

And here is Lorraine Edmiston-Mulliken (with Marilyn Lustik). She did the six sunflower photographs behind her and the giant one in front. The giant one was printed on canvas! What a cool thing to do with a photograph!

I am down with the blue sunflowers and the purple cat. I wish you could see this painting in person. I give props to Besty Baltzer for presenting something other than yellow sunflowers!

And, one more for good measure. This was painted on black sandpaper I think–I might be wrong on that, but I love it.

Isn’t it a treat to see the artists with their art? That is what made it memorable for me, to see the creators talking about their creations.

So guys, what do you think of my etegami entry? Definitely stood out! ;)

It’s a little watercolor set.

This belongs to my husband and it’s something he picked up to accompany him on sketching trips. He’s by no means a committed watercolor artist–just one that enjoys the hobby, as are most of us.

My husband selected this for its compact size. He can easily tote around this set, a waterbrush and a Moleskine.

He really likes the little brush that’s included.

If you’re curious about Windsor & Newton, it’s my husband’s first choice. He certainly labored over his choice in this travel watercolor set and has been completely satisfied with it. Here’s a link to the Windsor & Newton website. This link will take you right to the page for this set.

I’m curious, do any of you dabble with watercolors? What are your preferences. The watercolors I use come in a tube and not in bricks, like this set.

What’s nice about this set is that you can purchase more paint bricks. My husband has plans to swap out a few colors in this set.

And for good measure, here’s a shot of some watercolor swatches in their pure form. These were made using the included brush.I love being able to paint on the go, and I love that my husband does this. Do you ever paint when you’re out and about?

There is one candle I’ve really taken to for this important task. It has two wicks, gives off just enough light and has a fragrance that is decidedly not artificial smelling.

And, this is, to date, the only candle my husband has expressed a liking for.

I’m going to share with you specifics on this candle because it really is outstanding. It’s made by a company called Cranberry Harbor Naturals. The candle in this post is Lavender and it uses the true essential oil of lavender. If you have smelled lavender candles before and not been impressed with the scent, it was probably fragrance oil (synthetic) instead of an essential oil. They smell different, believe me.

Lavender is used often in aromatherapy. It’s calming and can help you sleep and wind down. I find it’s the perfect compliment to a stack of unanswered letters.

This particular candle is their 18oz. Whisper Jar. It uses organic wax and pthalate-free cotton wicks (I have asthma issues and this candle did not bother me at all). The estimated burn time on their website is 65-80 hours and mine has burned at least that much and I still have about an inch left to go.

As you can see in the photos, I’ve really used this candle before writing this post.

The lavender scent gently fills the room–I’m impressed with the scent throw. Sometimes it’s harder to get a good scent throw with essential oils vs. fragrance oils, but somehow they do it.

I have also used this candle to melt my sealing wax. I am able to just lay my sealing wax melter across the top. Because it has two wicks, it melts quicker. You can see some of my sealing wax that dripped on the edge of the candle. ;)

Here’s their website: http://www.cranberryharborcandles.com/first_2.html

So there you have it, my favorite letter-writing candle.

I’m curious, do any of you ‘set the mood’ when you write letters? I would love to hear about it.

Also, don’t forget to take my short little survey on Simplicity Embellished. Here’s the link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22B2UDT3WWH

It’s also responsible for considerable improvement in my own personal health over the years since I began my practice in 2007. And it’s responsible for the 10″ overall that went packing in January 2010.

Yoga is something I’m going to be writing about more frequently here on Simplicity Embellished. The photo in this post is of yours truly last weekend on the shore of Lake Erie. ;)

I want to share with you a simple yoga routine I do at times when I need to realign and reground. When I do this routine–I breathe! In deeply, out deeply. In deeply, out deeply. I focus only on my breath. Breathing in and breathing out. No lists, no appointments. No ‘what am I going to make for dinner.’ No ‘I need to switch the laundry over.’ These few minutes are just about you and your breath.

1. Sun Salutation A
2. Sun Salutation B
3. Forward Fold (4-6 minutes)
4. Slowly enter Yogi Squat (3-4 minutes)
5. Crow
6. Plank {modify: lift left arm, right leg – hold  lift right arm, left leg-hold  Keep abs tight!} Repeat 2-4 times.
7. Chataranga Dandasana (hold!)
8. Lay on your belly and do bumble bee breath on the left, then the right.
9. Roll over onto your back, hug knees into chest
10. Sometimes I’ll do a shoulder stand here, but you can leave it out.
11. Boat Pose (hold!)
12. Return to sitting, spread your legs out in a ‘v’. Fold forward into a stretch over the right leg, then the center, then the left, then back to center. Hold each stretch 30 seconds to 1 minute or so. Slowly switch between each of the stretches.
13. Seated spinal twist on left side, right side
14. savasana

And sometimes, I just pop up from my desk chair and do a standing forward fold for a few minutes. Refreshing!

Need to look up yoga poses? Yoga Journal has a great dictionary with photos here.

Thanks for sitting back during SE’s downtime. If you are reading in a RSS reader, you likely saw a change in the way the feed looks too. Come over to the main website to see all the new changes!

First, I did a redesign to emphasize the photography more. I feel strongly that content should come first in a design and many of you commented that you really valued the photography.

Second, I worked to make navigation easier. Hopefully, you can find the posts you want when you want them. I’ll be adding in more navigation tools soon.

Third, I want to better communicate with you about upcoming posts. If you look over on the left sidebar, you’ll see a list of what’s coming. Instead of using a notebook, I’m going to use that little widget to keep track of upcoming posts. I thought you all might enjoy that feature as it lets you see what’s on the horizon.

Fourth, if you have any suggestions yourselves about anything, please leave a comment at the end of this post.

Fifth, the update isn’t 100% complete. You might notice some issues with images over the next couple of weeks and some tweaks and shifts here and there.

Many of you have already taken this survey, I’d love it if you’d take a second to complete it if you haven’t already. Your feedback is important to me. Here it is: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22B2UDT3WWH

Here is our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Simplicity-Embellished/151071245742

Here is our Sunday Tea email newsletter signup:

This post is all about baby envelope templates. These are business card sized envelopes. I’m comparing:

Kuretake’s Baby Envelope Template

and

The Paper Sources Baby Envelope Template

I purchased mine from each of the links above several months ago.

So first, I picked a few sheets of paper. These papers are pretty thick and embellished with a variety of things; glitter, metallic paint, embossing. My favorite paper for making envelopes comes from old books or packs of origami paper.

Below you’ll see my Paper Source Baby Envelope Template. I like this one better because of the rounded corners, the slits in the center for adding a crease for folding and because I like the plastic a little better.

And down below is the Kuretake Envelope Template. I like this because it has 4 different Baby Envelope sizes. I used the largest size for this post.

Plus, I like how the Paper Source template lists the size. This is perfect for a business card.

So, trace your envelope on the reverse of the paper.

The Kuretake template has little gaps which really is not an issue.

And voila! Now, I did not score these with my bone folder because you can’t really do that with the Kuretake template and I wanted an apples to apples comparison.

See how the Kuretake envelope template has sharp corners?

Aside from the rounded corners and the Paper Source template having a slightly larger flap, they’re basically the same.

And the folded up envelopes in all their glory.

I use Lick’n'Stick (also purchased from The Paper Source) to seal them up and to add adhesive to the flap you lick to seal. Great stuff.

Here’s a close up look at the difference between the envelope flaps. The Paper Source envelope has a slightly larger flap and rounded corners.

And here are some mini envelopes I made from the Paper Source template out of origami paper and paper from an old book. I also cut business card sized paper for an insert. (If you’ve written me a letter, you might have gotten one of these enclosed in my response!)

So, I’d pick The Paper Source template I think. I like the rounded corners better. I like that I can score the folds.

HOWEVER! The Kuretake envelope template gives you options for 4 different mini envelope sizes. Cost wise, the Kuretake template is $5.50 from Jet Pens and from The Paper Source it’s $9.50, except it also includes paper so I’d say they’re actually about the same price.

Now, you can also pull apart an envelope y0u’ve got laying around and just use that as a template, but using the plastic makes it so much faster to trace it out.

What do you think? Do any of you have either of these templates?

This new basil growing on the side of the house. Look how green and fresh it is.

Then I took a step back and realized why that basil was planted exactly where it was.

Drip……Drip……Drip……Drip……Drip

Put those air conditioners to use!

I’ve recently taken up an interest myself.  And this is what I started out with.

This is a really fun set and at less than $15 it’s a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to delve into calligraphy but doesn’t really want to make a big purchase. Mine came from an art supply store here in Cincinnati (Plaza Art Supplies).

This kit came with three calligraphy nibs. They’re attached to a pen base (each with a different color) so you just screw those on and off as you switch between nib sizes. The kit also came with 4 ink cartridges (blue, black, green, red) and a simple ‘how-to’ guide.

Here’s a look at the pen body. It’s black plastic, has a good weight and has a rubber finger grip.

And, it just wouldn’t be a Sheaffer without the white dot!

And I wanted to show you that there’s a big ‘window’ in the side of the pen. This shows you full-on the ink cartridge inside and let’s you see how much juice you’ve got left.

And now for an up close and personal look at the calligraphy nibs:

I like that the nibs are color coded.

I don’t like that I have pen parts floating around, but since there’s just one pen body and three nibs, well, that’s how it is.

They all write really well and smoothly and I haven’t had any issues with snagging, skipping, splashing or otherwise.

And for those of you searching for more details, I included a few shots from the box.

I know most seasoned calligraphy profressionals suggest starting with Speedball stuff. But I decided not to go that route. I had a conversation with a true calligraphy master and he told me that one out of every five or six Speedball nibs he buys are bad and have to be thrown away. As a beginner, I can’t tell the difference between them! So, I went with Sheaffer and I’m very happy I did.

Anthropologie is a store featuring clothing and housewares. If you haven’t been in one, you should absolutely stop in. You can learn a lot about merchandising and take a peek at something exceptional in the retail industry. Anthropologie sets the standard (in my opinion) for shopping experiences. And, if you can give your client an experience rather than just a, let’s say, visit; well the difference is long lasting and permanent.

Each year at the beginning of July (my birthday month) Anthropologie sends me something special. And all their other clients who have birthdays in July.

I was really excited about this year’s.

They sent a birthday candle necklace.

I get all kinds of promotional advertising from lots of stores and restaurants. Pizza coupons, Macy’s $10 off Star Rewards coupons; all the things that go along with forking over your email address and mailing address when you sign up for a loyalty card.

I think you’ll agree with me that most direct mail advertising is digitally printed and on glossy paper.

That’s a standard look and feel for this kind of advertising.

So, when you can bring in texture (you can see the texture of the paper above) you are clearly differentiating yourself.

If my eyes were closed I could easily tell that Anthropologie’s mailing was different than the birthday mailer I got from another local boutique.

And, as far as cost goes, I feel pretty comfortable with an assesment that they had a better response rate than just sending out a glossy postcard.

For you retailers out there reading (I know many of you are boutique owners) it’s going to be more effective to send something nicer to your top 10% of customers than something cheaper to 100%.

Focus on your most loyal customers.

So anyway, I wanted to show this because it’s remarkable. And I think if you consider your own business you can learn a lesson from Anthropologie.

Give your customers an experience.

SIDE NOTE: I also wrote about last year’s on my personal blog. If you want to see what they did last year, here is the link.

It belonged to my mom when she was 12 or 13. Apparently, it was all the rage to seal your letters with some red sealing wax and send them off when she was a kid.

What’s funny is where she found this.

She told me it was stashed in one of the drawers in the bathroom. No idea how it got there, or for how long its been there either.

It’s funny that a treasure like this moved with my Mom from her childhood home, to her first apartment, to her second, to my parent’s first apartment together, then their first house and now where they live today.

I used this seal last night on a couple letters that went out this morning and it gave me goosebumps. I love knowing that the last time it was in commission was when my Mom was younger than I am now.

Well, I thought I’d share this little story with you. Do any of you have unique stories behind your seals?

It would!

Odd introductory sentences aside, I’d like to introduce you to my latest hobby and interest; etegami.

Etegami is a very traditional Japanese form of art. It’s so traditional that many true etegami artists would probably never consider anything I ever produced as true etegami. You’ve got to be Japanese for that to happen.

Etegami is Japanese for picture letter. E means picture and tegami means letter. Pretty simple.

I discovered an etegami blog a year or 18 months ago and since then, I’ve been searching for etegami supplies here in the US. These things are hard to come by, that’s for sure.

And by the way, that blog I mentioned up above is run by Debbie and you can find her blog here. She introduced me to this lovely art form and maybe after you peruse her site you’ll find what I found.

Because I’m located in Cincinnati, Ohio, finding etegami materials took many, many months. I asked around and inquired at a bunch of paper stores, specialty websites and with other bloggers. The biggest issue I found was trying to find the right kind of paper. See, etegami paper is called Washi in Japan. Here, Washi paper means origami paper. Needless to say, there’s a translation issue.

I eventually found some help from a native of Japan who told me a key word I’m looking for is ‘hondashi’ with regards to finding the right paper.

I finally located the right etegami paper from Jet Pens. I have ordered three times from Jet Pens so far and they’ve had absolutely wonderful, fast service. I have no problem recommending them to any of my readers. Here is a link to the paper: http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/products_id/4723

Anyway, I wanted to share with you my first etegami. I made this for my husband for his birthday and he was really excited to receive it. I used the paper I linked to above along with a Kuretaki Tegami Brush Pen (also available from Jet Pens) and some watercolors for the color. Not true traditional etegami but it’s as good as I can get here in Cincinnati for now.

The main reason I ordered this is because I thought it might be a good tool for use in my etegami endeavors. Etegami is a traditional Japanese art form that has captured my heart. I’ve spent more than 11 months trying to locate the right kind of paper here in the US for etegami and was only successful last week thanks to Jet Pens. Here’s a link to my favorite etegami website so you can get a feel for what it is.

This pen is slithery-smooth to write with and lets me achieve the desired effect when I had a go at an etegami of my own. The ink came out swiftly and is super saturated.

The name says it’s refillable, but I have no idea how. There’s also virtually no information on the Jet Pens website and I wasn’t able to locate any on the internet after a quick search either.

My husband uses this pen to sketch little doodles and drawings and it produces a neat effect thanks to the brush tip. It’s so much fun to write/draw with.

You’ll see in the next few photos I snapped some writing and line work. This was all done on a Strathmore #110 Cover Stock in Arctic White. I’m a big paper nerd so I’m pretty sure none of you will have this paper on hand. It’s a really solid paper and is very porous–you’ll see the ink didn’t bleed even as I slowly dragged the pen along the paper.

This brush pen makes your artistic skills improve immediately. ;)

Does anyone else have any information about this pen? If you do, please share it with me! (and the other readers!)

This pen is definitely not suited for normal writing, but I bet it’s a whiz at kanji.

So there you have it! My new toy and a fun little writing tool.

See you in the mail!

<3 Cole + Simplicity Embellished

Now, there’s not a way I know of to save lettuce, but basil-yes!

When I’ve got basil ready to go, I pick it all and rinse it off in the sink under cold water. Since my herbs are grown in containers on a covered porch, and I don’t use pesticides or chemicals, I only rinse.

After rinsing and shaking off, I place a couple leaves into the bottom of ice cube trays. Think about how you cook. Do you like to use a lot of basil? If you do, you might want to pack your cubes a little fuller. I vary how many leaves I put in each because we vary how much basil we use dish to dish.

Then, fill with water, press the leaves down as best you can and pop in the freezer. These will last you a long time and you’ll always have fresh basil for cooking, even in the dead of winter.

This is just one way to extend the home garden goodness, what are some tricks you use to extend the life of your harvest?

I needed something to double-check my postage estimating abilities; see, I’m someone who writes lengthy letters and someone who sticks little goodies inside as well. Most of the time, I only need a single stamp but I’m guilty of having letters returned to me with red letters declaring that there was not enough postage. I picked this up at Target (in the kitchen section; it’s a food scale) and figured while it might not be able to tell me with 100% accuracy how much something weighs, for my needs, it should do fine.

And you know what? I’m pleasantly surprised. Under the black scale part, there’s a nob that lets you set the red line wherever it needs to be and it comes with a plastic bin you can place on top as well. If you need to store it, it fits inside the bin and comes with a lid that locks too. I ‘tested’ this scale and it’s more than accurate for the needs of a letter-writer.

Here are some details taken off the box:

• 1 year warranty
• dishwasher safe, removable top container with clear lid
• 16 oz. capacity
• measures in 1/4 oz. increments

I’m glad I didn’t purchase a fancy scale and instead went with this one. This one is much smaller and requires no battery or power source, plus it’s nowhere near the $30 or $40 I was considering spending. However, I was searching for ‘postal scales’ which are really the same as kitchen scales when you think of it, just not as costly.

Like these:

See, first, I bake my tarts.

Then, I put a layer of something on the bottom. This could be a custard, marshmallow fluff or in today’s example, Nutella.

Once I layer the bottom, I decorate the top with lots of fresh fruit.

So summery. So choice. So pretty. So fabulous.

My second favorite size is about 4″ in diameter. This is large enough to cut into four pieces which is more than enough for nights when my husband and I share dinner with my parents. I always make fresh whipped cream to go alongside and it’s always divine.

The perfect summer dessert.

Here they are all plated up. My favorite ‘design’ for the little guys requires 5 blueberries, one raspberry and a strawberry slice. They look so pretty and patriotic.

My favorite tart recipe is from Mark Bittman’s How To Cook Everything. I have the iPhone app as well and it is absolutely worth the $3 price tag. It allows me to save recipes for the future and comes with a timer function which is useful.

Here are three tart tips:

• Butter your tart tins like there’s no tomorrow. Be generous.
• Don’t leave them in the oven too long–really pay attention as they’re baking.
• Don’t make the layer under the fruit too thick. Whether you are using Nutella or something else, a too-thick layer can overwhelm the tart. Remember, a big part of why people like tarts is because of the crust.

Yum!

Everything you’re about to see is being grown in containers on one of two porch gardens. If you think you can’t grow your own stuff in small spaces, let this prove you wrong!

Down below is some Chamomile. It grows super easily and germinates from seed in just a day or two. I started this about 2 weeks ago and it’s already pretty substantial. I use this in tea that I dry myself. (I also make tea from mint and roses that I grow.)

And below you’ll see some of my lettuce. One side of the planter gets more sun than the other, and you’ll see that difference in the following two photos.

This lettuce is called Black Seeded Simpson.

And one of the newest additions to my garden is the Luffa. Now, I started this from seed and I am about ready to move it down to the ground. This is not a container plant, but I wanted to share it with you nonetheless. The luffa produces those body sponges you can buy at the store….yes those things! This becomes a large vine and grows shiny green gourd-like vegetables. Come autumn, you peel the green skin off, rinse out all the seeds and voila! Luffa! A neat plant for sure.

Mint is down below. Makes excellent sun tea and dried, loose leaf tea too.

And below is an heirloom variety of Morning Glory. This is called President Tyler and you’ll see the bloom is all wrapped up. I took this photo in the afternoon (they bloom in the mornings). Isn’t it lovely?

And down below are my tomato plants! We have 4 varieties on our porches this year and they are thriving in our containers.

What you’re seeing down below is the very first ripening tomato of the season! This guy should be ready later this week for munching.

Below are my Romano tomatoes. I started those from seed about 3 weeks ago. Starting tomatoes in late June produces a faster-growing plant. The other plants you saw above I started in February and they grow much more slowly due to cooler temperatures and less intense sun.

So, there’s where I am with my garden this year. I’m on my second round of lettuce (harvested the first batch in early June) and my second round of basil, arugula, and sage (not pictured).

Container gardening is easy. Here’s some simple tips for you if you’re interested in trying it out.

If you get full sun, at least 4-6 hours a day, on a porch or windowsill, here are my no-fail recommendations for you:

• lettuce (Black Seeded Simpson)
• tomato (Romano or Cherry)
• basil

These are three easy-to-use vegetables and herbs and great plants to start out with.

Come late summer, we’ll be planting onions, parsnips and more autumn-loving veggies.

Expect another update in a month or two!

What makes a letter extra special?

For me, I love to see a person’s culture reflected in the letter in some way. You’ll see above a very teeny tiny paper crane. That was one of two included in this letter. The correspondent is Japanese.

She included a little note on a gorgeous piece of bunny notepaper. The bunny is about the size of the palm of my hand. I would love to have a little notepad like this. You can very clearly see in the photo the quality of the paper too.

And! (Yes, there’s more!) She included one of her wedding announcements. How beautiful. This is just a section from the front. It reminds me a tiny bit of etegami but this is much more beautiful.

She also made a copy of one of the pages from a letter-related magazine she subscribes to. Look at all these letter-writing gadgets from Japan! I am loving the postal scales.

And, there was a letter included as well, of course! All of that in just one envelope.

So, this is an extra special letter and it’s an example of how to pull this off without using calligraphy or fancy inks.

There’s SO MUCH you can do with a letter, and so much you can do that is inexpensive or free. I hope this letter inspires some of you letter writing enthusiasts looking for some ideas.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you not to be excited about your birthday! It’s a day to celebrate and you have the right to do whatever you want with that day.

This year, I’m going to do a couple things for my Simplicity Embellished readers to celebrate.

1. First, I’m going to list 5 of my favorite posts I’ve written and published here on Simplicity Embellished. A question I often get in my letters is “What is your favorite post?” and now, I’m telling you! Let me know if any are your favorites too!

2. I am going to have a marathon letter-writing day on the morning of my birthday BUT there’s a catch! If you’d like an extra special letter from me written to you on my birthday, please leave your name and address in the comments. If you don’t want to leave your address down below, send me an email using the link on the left.

So, with that said, here are 5 of my favorite posts:

My Favorite Earrings

Diamine Ink in All Kinds of Colors

How to Hollow Out a Book

My Recipe for Sugar Plums

Why I Write Letters

And a bonus: Why You Sometimes Never Hear Back From a Pen Pal

What do I want for my birthday? Well, you can see some of the things I’m lusting after at my Amazon wishlist and my Jetpens wishlist. I *LOVE* to see people’s wishlists–if you have one, share it with me! It’s how I find new things I want! ;)

So with all that said, I hope to write some of you letters on my birthday!

Cheers!

The stationery above is some recent cat stationery I found in the basement. I smeared out what I wrote because, like I’ve said before, letters are secrets! And if I told you, I wouldn’t be a very good secret-keeper, now would I?

Here’s why I write letters, and some of these reasons may match up with your own personal reasons too:

I Feel Challenged.
I’m very fortunate that my life stays pretty busy and writing letters forces me to carve in real downtime. Time where my only task at hand is to write out a thoughtful response.
Sometimes, I am actually ‘challenged’ by the letters I receive. Conversations can turn somewhat heated when the topic turns to politics or religion and I relish the chance to draft a succinct, straightforward response that summarizes my viewpoints. Letter writing, at least when you get past the first few introductory letters with a correspondent, is something that can (and should!) offer up a challenge of some kind.

It Forces Me To Reflect and Consider.
As I mentioned above, I’m sometimes ‘challenged’ by my correspondents to back up a belief that I have. It’s actually such a welcome thing; how often in life does anyone really care why you believe what you believe? Not so often. When you are writing a letter by hand, and when you are trying to really say something meaningful, you absolutely have to think ahead before you touch pen to paper. Each word should be selected with care and thoughts should be succinct, yet powerful.
Letter writing requires me to reflect on new things I’ve never been exposed to. That’s why in many of my letters I ask people to describe in great detail places they’ve been (and I haven’t) or things they do (and I don’t.) I, in many ways, live through the letters my correspondents write to me. I learn about new places and things through the eyes of another person, a person that I know only through their handwriting.

It Requires Me To Fully Understand My Stances On Things.
Backing up what you believe sometimes results in major realizations. And sometimes, admitting that to a pen pal is a lot easier than admitting it to yourself.

I Enjoy It.
Sometimes, I write my letters in a local tea house. Other times, I am sitting on the living room floor using the coffee table late at night. Wherever I am though, I am relaxed.
Plus, no matter how many letters or postcards I get, there’s always a piercing thrill when you open up your mailbox and find a letter inside. I don’t think any of my other hobbies have the ‘highs and lows’ that letter writing brings.

I Can Put My Treasured Pens, Inks And Papers To Use.
Writing out post-it notes and tapping in calendar info into my iPhone is purely utilitarian. But writing a letter by hand is like dressing for your wedding day. You carefully select your stationery (should I use my monogrammed? Or my Crane? Or my Moleskine paper?), and then select an ink and a pen. Do I want to use my Lamy? Am I feeling like using an extra fine nib or a medium? Should I use my favorite ink (Diamine Damson!) or an ink to complement the season? For non-fountain pen enthusiasts, you still select a pen for the task at hand and it’s really no different.
Oh, but the icing on the cake? The recipient will appreciate it!

My Circle Of Friends Is Not Just Wider, But Like I Have A Whole Extra Road That Others Don’t.
I feel like everyone has different ‘friend nets.’ You have a net you cast out that contains all the friends you know ‘in real life;’ co-workers, neighbors, friends from college, family, etc. You might have a ‘blogger net’ if you blog and regularly communicate with people online.
I feel like I have one of the rarest nets of all, a ‘letter writing net.’ So few people have one of those, and I feel as though I’ve got a great ‘catch.’ ;)

I Have Many People With Whom I Can Share Secrets And Deep Thoughts Instead Of Just One Or Two.
As adults, you naturally become more selective with people in your ‘inner circle.’ For most people, that inner circle is maybe only your spouse. For a letter-writer, it often includes their dearest correspondents. There’s an unwritten code among avid letter writers; you keep the secrets you are told and you protect them.
Writing out deep, sometimes maybe even dark thoughts can be so therapeutic for many writers. But to share that with someone you will likely never meet; and that will not truly not judge you; even more so.

I Get To Work On My Handwriting.
I was always a ‘B’ student in elementary school in handwriting, and I never understood why I could never score an ‘A’. I realize now that I just needed to slow down.
Nowadays, I have to slow my hand down in order to come out with soft, flowing strokes and swashes. I’ve started working on different styles of handwriting; uncial, Spencerian….the list goes on.
One of the biggest rewards of spending time on your penmanship is the comments you receive; people notice fairly decent handwriting nowadays because it’s something that’s not really appreciated anymore!

What about you? Why do you write letters? Or, why do you want to write letters if you aren’t already? And if you aren’t, send me a letter!