The Art of the Handwritten Note

I’ve always loved to send and receive handwritten snail mail. The following anecdote might mean I’m a hoarder, but I save every single note and card I receive. Literally every single one. I might not be alone because a friend and I were just joking about doing this and someday giving our papers to a university library. One of my alma maters will take them, right?

I have letters my mom sent me at summer camp, postcards from Europe and from the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and Christmas cards from loved ones who have passed on.

The type of mail I send most these days is definitely thank you cards. Writing letters to my friends who live in other states is something I consider all the time and never do. Maybe someday? I love to read historical letters and journals (later in the series, a historical journal plays a big role!) and love the scenes in period dramas with ladies at their writing desks and attending to their correspondence.

I currently use a Sheaffer Prelude pen, which was given to me years ago for college graduation by a sweet neighbor. It’s a ballpoint, though, and my writer’s cramp only gets worse with age. I’m eyeing a fountain pen, although am not sure whether I want to splurge or save there.

As far as actual stationery goes, a lot of the cards I send are on my daughter’s behalf. As one of a very few children in our family, she tends to have a lot of thank yous to send out! We’re still at the stage where I write the note and she signs her name, although she’s getting close to being able to pen them herself. For her, I love these sweet notecards from Dogwood Hill with the matching envelopes.

Dogwood Hill is a favorite shop for paper goods. I’ve used their Christmas cards, gift tags and wrapping paper for years.

For my husband, I designed some cards with Canva Pro and had them professionally printed. I have a paid subscription to Canva mostly for the book series, but it has come in very handy for personal use, too. They have a large library of card templates. I’ve made place cards to match my tablescapes, and there are also a tremendous number of kids’ worksheets for all levels/subjects.

For me, I like these notecards from Papier, although I’m planning to make the jump to engraved stationery. This is my favorite, although maybe not a practical price at the rate I go through cards. I also frequently consider grabbing a box of linen paper to encourage myself to write all those letters I mentioned above.

Do you ever hand write letters to friends?