I have to be honest.......I have not been inspired lately. I suppose there are only so many things one can write about when it comes to letter writing. I have not given up all hope yet but do need to slow down and get myself creating and writing interesting posts. I noticed I lost a follower. A sign that perhaps, the lost one checked back one too many times and found nothing new and decided to hit the road.
I am attempting to start a Pal-Sac chapter here in the Ottawa valley but still looking for an appropriate place to host it. I have been writing many letters this week in gratitude to all of those who made my birthday an extra special one. I will be mailing out about 20 letters Tuesday morning.
Found this great posting from 2009 on The Art of Manliness blog. Email the link to the men in your life to perhaps nudge them towards writing you a letter.
TLWR's one year blogiversary is coming up in June. Maybe time for a great giveaway.......
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Neglected But Not Deserted
I am aware of my lack of attention lately to The Letter Writing Revolution. As I completed Julie's 40's Project, took on a new position as a columnist at our local newspaper and became very busy with work and my home life, I have placed TLWR at the bottom of my priority list.
Ideally, I would post 2-3x per week. This keeps the blog interesting and prevents it from becoming stagnant. Is it do-able? It certainly is as I managed to do that for the first few months of offering my thoughts on letter writing. In a matter of weeks, TLWR will be celebrating it's 1st blogiversary. Hard to believe that almost an entire year has passed since I started out on this blogging journey to encourage the masses to write letters.
My kitchen table is a disaster right now as I get caught up on various letter writing projects. I have the "Must Reply Now" pile and the "Letters to Write But Not Urgent" pile and this week, I have been working on writing Thank You Letters as opposed to thank you cards to my friends who helped me celebrate my 40th birthday and to those who sent gifts/cards/letters. Receiving the Letters for a Birthday was so heart warming and spirit lifting, that I thought I would return the feeling and write a letter back to each one. This is proving to take some time and my "free" time is limited. I hope to finish them all today. That is my goal anyway.
I wonder how many letters continue to get written. Has the enthusiasm worn off? Is the novelty of letter writing a thing of the past? Do you continue to write letters?
Ideally, I would post 2-3x per week. This keeps the blog interesting and prevents it from becoming stagnant. Is it do-able? It certainly is as I managed to do that for the first few months of offering my thoughts on letter writing. In a matter of weeks, TLWR will be celebrating it's 1st blogiversary. Hard to believe that almost an entire year has passed since I started out on this blogging journey to encourage the masses to write letters.
My kitchen table is a disaster right now as I get caught up on various letter writing projects. I have the "Must Reply Now" pile and the "Letters to Write But Not Urgent" pile and this week, I have been working on writing Thank You Letters as opposed to thank you cards to my friends who helped me celebrate my 40th birthday and to those who sent gifts/cards/letters. Receiving the Letters for a Birthday was so heart warming and spirit lifting, that I thought I would return the feeling and write a letter back to each one. This is proving to take some time and my "free" time is limited. I hope to finish them all today. That is my goal anyway.
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| A corner of my kitchen table. |
I wonder how many letters continue to get written. Has the enthusiasm worn off? Is the novelty of letter writing a thing of the past? Do you continue to write letters?
Monday, April 4, 2011
Letters for a Birthday
I am turning 40 in a couple of days. I had thought about having a big bash but opted for an intimate dinner party with some dear friends this past weekend. In lieu of gifts, my sister suggested to the guests that they each write me a letter~ a letter that would be handwritten and that would describe our roles in one another's lives, favourite memories and birthday wishes. The morning after, I settled on the couch with a mug of coffee and opened each letter. It was such a wonderful way to start the day and probably the most special and loving gifts I have ever received.
I was asked a few years ago to write a letter to a friend who was turning 40. Her husband secretly emailed many of her friends and colleagues and asked us all to write her a letter to be opened on her big day. I participated in this and thought it to be a wonderful idea!
We do not think to share our inner most thoughts about those we care about and admire until well, they are no longer able to hear them. Heartfelt thoughts and memories are often shared to a room full of grieving friends and family members at the funeral of one we once loved. A birthday can be a perfect opportunity to give the gift of a letter to a friend or family member. Don't be shy! It will be greatly appreciated and probably one of the most unique gifts the recipient receives.
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| Reading one of several letters I received for my 40th birthday! |
I was asked a few years ago to write a letter to a friend who was turning 40. Her husband secretly emailed many of her friends and colleagues and asked us all to write her a letter to be opened on her big day. I participated in this and thought it to be a wonderful idea!
We do not think to share our inner most thoughts about those we care about and admire until well, they are no longer able to hear them. Heartfelt thoughts and memories are often shared to a room full of grieving friends and family members at the funeral of one we once loved. A birthday can be a perfect opportunity to give the gift of a letter to a friend or family member. Don't be shy! It will be greatly appreciated and probably one of the most unique gifts the recipient receives.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Letters on a Wedding Day
Many people are planning weddings this time of year especially if their wedding is scheduled to take place in the summer months. My own brother is planning a wedding and we are all eagerly anticipating June 18th when we will gain a new member to our family......officially.
I wanted to post about a really cool idea that I have only seen one time at one wedding. If you or someone you know is getting married in the coming months, you may want to consider incorporating this letter writing twist to your festivities.
My sister, Stephanie, and my brother-in-law, Robin, were married at an outdoor ceremony on the property of a beautiful log cabin in the Ottawa valley in August 2004.
After the marriage took place, there was a sit down dinner under a tent followed by live bluegrass music. We danced in our bare feet as the sun shone down upon us. The bride and groom requested that each one of us spend a few moments at a table that had been set up off to the side of the dancing. There was paper and pens, pencil crayons and markers. There were also pre-labeled envelopes with titles such as: Christmas 2005, Valentine's Day 2010, 10th Anniversary, 25th Anniversary, St. Patty's Day 2009, Easter 2005, etc. There were a lot of them and we were instructed to write a letter to the couple on their wedding day and then choose an envelope, insert the letter and seal it. The envelope was then placed in the basket for safe keeping.
Everyone took part......young children drew pictures of the day's events and some of the older guests wrote words of wisdom and tips for a happy marriage. Some of the guests have since passed on and those children are quickly growing up. I love this idea and wish I had done it for my own wedding.
My sister and her husband have had seven years of events where a letter written on their wedding day by one of their guests has been read. And they tell me they still have several to read in the coming years.
I wanted to post about a really cool idea that I have only seen one time at one wedding. If you or someone you know is getting married in the coming months, you may want to consider incorporating this letter writing twist to your festivities.
My sister, Stephanie, and my brother-in-law, Robin, were married at an outdoor ceremony on the property of a beautiful log cabin in the Ottawa valley in August 2004.
After the marriage took place, there was a sit down dinner under a tent followed by live bluegrass music. We danced in our bare feet as the sun shone down upon us. The bride and groom requested that each one of us spend a few moments at a table that had been set up off to the side of the dancing. There was paper and pens, pencil crayons and markers. There were also pre-labeled envelopes with titles such as: Christmas 2005, Valentine's Day 2010, 10th Anniversary, 25th Anniversary, St. Patty's Day 2009, Easter 2005, etc. There were a lot of them and we were instructed to write a letter to the couple on their wedding day and then choose an envelope, insert the letter and seal it. The envelope was then placed in the basket for safe keeping.
Everyone took part......young children drew pictures of the day's events and some of the older guests wrote words of wisdom and tips for a happy marriage. Some of the guests have since passed on and those children are quickly growing up. I love this idea and wish I had done it for my own wedding.
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Lost Arts on CTV-Ottawa News
CTV-Ottawa (especially Joanne Schnurr) did an excellent job on Part One of The Lost Arts special series. The Letter Writing Revolution and Cooking at Home with your Kids were featured this evening. If you missed it or you are not in the CTV-Ottawa viewing region, you can see the clip here if you scroll down beneath the CTV News Video Player to Reviving The Lost Arts of Cooking and Letter-Writing.
There is also a photo gallery (with captions)of some of the letters my grandparents wrote to one another in the early part of their courtship and marriage. You can read the actual letters here or read more about TLWR and my grandparents treasured letters here.
The revolution is growing!
I'll be updating the blog momentarily!
There is also a photo gallery (with captions)of some of the letters my grandparents wrote to one another in the early part of their courtship and marriage. You can read the actual letters here or read more about TLWR and my grandparents treasured letters here.
The revolution is growing!
I'll be updating the blog momentarily!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Latest Stationery Gems
Before I share my two recent stationery discoveries, I want to send out a big thank you to Angel of Pal-Sac for sending me a selection of stationery and writing goodies and another big shout out to TLWR follower, Linda in Nova Scotia, for sending me some assorted stationery as well. Both happened to arrive on the same day. I have some letters to write and will happily dip into this new stash!
After receiving a comment on a recent post from Kaitlyn of isavirtue I checked out her blog and shopping site on Etsy and immediately fell in love with her gorgeous homemade stationery. I also discovered that Kaitlyn and I have a lot in common:
Now, my next new favourite is the complete opposite of Kaitlyn's gorgeous creations. Last summer I received a letter from Stephanie G. and she happily described that the paper that she wrote her words upon (and that I was holding in my hands) was made from elephant poo. What? Did she just say, "Elephant poo?" Yes, folks, there is even writing paper made from the dung of Sri Lankan elephants. Recently, I learned that a local shop carries many products made from the elephant poo......journals, notebooks, writing paper, envelopes and more. I visited Earth Rocks yesterday in Eganville, Ontario and bought this gorgeous writing set.
The carrying case is made from the paper as well and covered with material from a Sri Lankan Princess' dress. I just think this writing paper is the coolest. No trees were harmed in the production of this paper! You can visit Earth Rock's store if you live in the Ottawa Valley or you can order the elephant writing sets online from their website for only $15. Earth Rocks also carries several lines of earth friendly cleaning products, laundry soaps, teas, cosmetic lines, men's products, jewelery, personal items, candles/incense, cloth diapers and swimming bottoms and other earth-respectful items. I think these writing paper sets (which, by the way, are hard to find these days) would make an inexpensive gift to your letter writing friends.
These are just two of my latest finds. If you like them ,too, then take a gander over to isavirtue and Earth Rocks and see what else they have to offer. Let me know about your favourite stationery that you have discovered.
After receiving a comment on a recent post from Kaitlyn of isavirtue I checked out her blog and shopping site on Etsy and immediately fell in love with her gorgeous homemade stationery. I also discovered that Kaitlyn and I have a lot in common:
- she lives in Victoria, BC and I spent 5 years there
- she works for a well known BC artist whom I also know. I used to work for an art publishing company that published his work into art cards.
- she has worked in many art galleries in Victoria as did I
- she is a big fan of letter writing and well.......
- and she came upon TLWR when she ran into a woman who is a friend of mine from years ago
Now, my next new favourite is the complete opposite of Kaitlyn's gorgeous creations. Last summer I received a letter from Stephanie G. and she happily described that the paper that she wrote her words upon (and that I was holding in my hands) was made from elephant poo. What? Did she just say, "Elephant poo?" Yes, folks, there is even writing paper made from the dung of Sri Lankan elephants. Recently, I learned that a local shop carries many products made from the elephant poo......journals, notebooks, writing paper, envelopes and more. I visited Earth Rocks yesterday in Eganville, Ontario and bought this gorgeous writing set.
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| Elephant poo paper and a smashing carrying case! |
These are just two of my latest finds. If you like them ,too, then take a gander over to isavirtue and Earth Rocks and see what else they have to offer. Let me know about your favourite stationery that you have discovered.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Letters To Read On The Plane
I took my first plane ride when I was 19 years old. My older sister had invited me to travel with her and a friend to Europe. We planned to leave in early November and spend three months backpacking across the British Isles and western Europe. I had never flown before and was starting to feel really anxious about the whole thing. My sweet father decided to give me a test flight before departing for Amsterdam. He bought two return tickets from Ottawa to Toronto. We flew to Toronto and landed within an hour from take-off, had a beer in the airport lounge and then flew back to Ottawa a couple of hours later. It did the trick! I LOVED flying and felt so incredibly privileged for the opportunity to see the world from the sky.
Our departure date (Nov. 7th 1990) arrived and my sister and I (with a friend) boarded a KLM flight to Amsterdam. Once we were settled into our seats and had soared high up into the sky, my sister and I eagerly opened the handwritten letters given to us by our parents to be read on the plane. Little did we know that this small gesture would become a family tradition.
After that trip, every flight I took whether it be from Victoria to Ottawa or Ottawa to Victoria when I was living away from home, my boyfriend (and eventually husband) and family members would always slip a note into my bag "to read on the plane." I also wrote letters to my sister, Stephanie, when she flew to France for a student exchange as a teenager and again when she flew to Belfast, Ireland to attend a year of university. I have written letters for my husband when he flew to Ottawa from Victoria to start a new job and when he flew to Toronto on business. I wrote letters for my dad to read on the plane when he has travelled to Nepal, Africa and New Zealand and countless other places.
This morning, my niece Sarah, who is 12 years old, boarded a plane for her very first big trip away from home. She is travelling to Arizona and Nevada for a week and a bit with my parents. When she was only six weeks old, my dad gave her a book called, "I See Something Grand" which he had picked up during a trip to the Grand Canyon. She was his first grandchild and inside the book, he wrote her a note promising to take her to see the Grand Canyon when she 12 years old or so. And now he is.
My letter to read on the plane was lengthy and talked about the excitement of visiting new places and talking with the locals and trying out new food and seeing new sights. I told her about her mother's travelling bug and how her mother had travelled to Europe, Asia and Australia before she settled down to have children. I told her that she may get bitten by the travel bug after this trip. I enclosed a photo of her mom and I in 1990 on our first big trip away from home. My younger sister, Stephanie, as well as Sarah's mom, also wrote her letters to read on the plane.
This family tradition of writing letters to be read on the plane is one that is now continuing into the next generation. It is never too late to start a tradition like this one. If your spouse travels a lot with business, start writing him or her a note (long or short) that (s)he has to wait on opening until (s)he is high in the sky.
Although I don't get the opportunity to travel much anymore, I know that when I do, I still look forward to these little messages of farewell and bon voyage!
Our departure date (Nov. 7th 1990) arrived and my sister and I (with a friend) boarded a KLM flight to Amsterdam. Once we were settled into our seats and had soared high up into the sky, my sister and I eagerly opened the handwritten letters given to us by our parents to be read on the plane. Little did we know that this small gesture would become a family tradition.
After that trip, every flight I took whether it be from Victoria to Ottawa or Ottawa to Victoria when I was living away from home, my boyfriend (and eventually husband) and family members would always slip a note into my bag "to read on the plane." I also wrote letters to my sister, Stephanie, when she flew to France for a student exchange as a teenager and again when she flew to Belfast, Ireland to attend a year of university. I have written letters for my husband when he flew to Ottawa from Victoria to start a new job and when he flew to Toronto on business. I wrote letters for my dad to read on the plane when he has travelled to Nepal, Africa and New Zealand and countless other places.
This morning, my niece Sarah, who is 12 years old, boarded a plane for her very first big trip away from home. She is travelling to Arizona and Nevada for a week and a bit with my parents. When she was only six weeks old, my dad gave her a book called, "I See Something Grand" which he had picked up during a trip to the Grand Canyon. She was his first grandchild and inside the book, he wrote her a note promising to take her to see the Grand Canyon when she 12 years old or so. And now he is.
My letter to read on the plane was lengthy and talked about the excitement of visiting new places and talking with the locals and trying out new food and seeing new sights. I told her about her mother's travelling bug and how her mother had travelled to Europe, Asia and Australia before she settled down to have children. I told her that she may get bitten by the travel bug after this trip. I enclosed a photo of her mom and I in 1990 on our first big trip away from home. My younger sister, Stephanie, as well as Sarah's mom, also wrote her letters to read on the plane.
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| My sister and I in Galway Bay (1990) on our way to the Aran Islands, Ireland |
Although I don't get the opportunity to travel much anymore, I know that when I do, I still look forward to these little messages of farewell and bon voyage!
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