Here is an interesting article about a teacher who writes seven or eight letters routinely every day. The news story describes her writing habits and her philosophy of letter writing. What a faithful and fascinating pen pal!

http://www.freep.com/article/20081130/TWIST01/811300357/1025/rss05

Tags: interesting, letter writing, letters, Link, News

I love handmade stuff, so I love to support artists and craftsman trying to make a living creating beautiful things.

Thus, here is list of 5 sweet gifts under $10 for people who love letters and letter writing. It’s a cheap and easy way to give gifts on a budget!

Tags: Crafts, gifts, products, recommended, shopping

Turkey day is over. Button up those pants and let’s get to work! Were you invited to any parties or any dinners? If so, this is your friendly nag reminder to write a thank you note! Not enough people write thank you notes these days and they are so important.

You should read this great article called The Secret of My Success. It’s about how the simple act of writing a thank you note can change your life. Seriously.

If this year you were an invitER instead of the invitEE, you can still feel free to write notes to all your guests to thank them for coming. How classy and thoughtful is that?

Tags: Etiquette, thank you notes, thanksgiving

Every year the Washington Calligrapher’s Guild administers a contest sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers called “The Graceful Envelope”. I always love looking at the winners every year. I am green with “envie”. Ha.

Anyway, go check out the 2008 winners when you get a chance!

Tags: calligraphy, contest, envelope, mail art

Sometimes people say they don’t write letters because they feel they have nothing interesting to say. I completely understand and have often felt the same way. I am the mother of two boys, have a busy life and much of it is filled with routine minutiae that some days even I don’t want to know about it let alone… well, why would anyone else want to read about my day??

Then I have to take a deep breath and remind myself of a trick that works very well and I’ll share it with you if you promise to try it out. Promise?

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: assignment, letter writing, letters, Practice, quick note, writing

A couple of days ago I posted a writing prompt to encourage you to send cards for Thanksgiving. While our time is almost up for Thanksgiving, it’s still not too late!

I went out searching to find something really fun and creative to hopefully inspire you. Below is a link to a great autumn-themed pop-up card that looks pretty easy to make.

Thrifty Fun’s Thanksgiving Card

Enjoy!

Tags: card, craft, letter writing, letters, Link, thanksgiving

One of my favorite letters of all time is the letter from Abraham Lincoln to Mrs. Bixby, the mother of five sons who were in the Civil War. You might know this letter from a scene from the movie Saving Private Ryan and handled in such a moving way in the film.

Recently, a copy of the letter was discovered in the archives of a Texas museum and is in the process of being appraised and authenticated. If you want to know more, you can read the whole news story at AOL News. You can read the text of the letter below.

Let’s get back to writing letters like this! How shall we start?

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.

Dear Madam,–

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

Tags: abraham lincoln, bixby, civil war, history, letter writing, letters, News

While I was out blog-surfing I ran across this great book review of an epistolary novel titled Clarissa.

Stefanie does a great job of describing the letter writing of the book but also goes into great detail about letter writing of the era. I hope you will take the time to head over there for a minute and read her great review of this book.

Also, look down through some of the comments at the bottom… there are lots of passionate letter lovers over there!

Do you have a great epistolary novel you can recommend? I’d love to add some to the bookstore!

Tags: book, book review, clarissa, letter writing, letters, Link

When I find something good, you’re always the first to know!

Today I ran across the Love Letter Lane blog which is all about… can you guess?  Love letters! Allow this web site to inspire you to say something sweet or kind or romantic or sexy or tender or all of the above!

Be out of the ordinary, spill your devotion onto paper and see what happens.

Many happy returns! (And don’t forget to tell me how it turned out!)

Tags: letter writing, letters, Link, love letter

The holidays are a natural time for written communication.  We send holiday greeting cards, give cards with our seasonal gifts, send invitations and thank you notes.  It’s a snail mail bonanza!

During a quiet moment, sit down with pen and paper and make a list of everyone you are thankful for in your life.  If the list is too large, feel free to pare it down to something that doesn’t feel overwhelming.  Remember, this is supposed to be fun (not feel like a chore or obligation)!

Every day between now and the end of the month, choose a new person or two from the list.  Write them an open and heartfelt letter telling them all the ways you are thankful that they are in your life.  Or you might express gratitude for some impact they have made in your life in the past.

What a wonderful surprise for family and friends to come home and find a real treat of a personal letter in their mailbox!

Post here and let me know how it goes!

Tags: creative, holiday, idea, letter writing, letters, writing prompt