So what’s your plan? Cards or no cards- for this holiday season? What have you decided? Holiday greetings are all about connecting with people the old fashioned way with snail mail. It could be in the form of a photo card, a commercial greeting card, a handmade craft card, or a family’s annual newsletter. This piece […]
Postcards to Voters
Tony McMullin of Marietta, Georgia- began his “Postcards to Voters” campaign back in March 2017 in support of Jon Ossoff. Undeterred by Ossoff’s loss, Tony mobilized for the 2018 midterms. Remarkably, his efforts have blossomed into a national postcard writing army of 40,000! Instead of being paralyzed by fear or unsure of how an […]
Unique Holiday Cards
With the holidays quickly approaching, I want to share with you two lovely card designs that have crossed my path. Designed by Ray Barber, they feature his exquisite typography. Both cards offer a one word greeting when folded, then open up to display a glorious message inside. Without a doubt, these are frame-worthy keepsakes. […]
2018 Graceful Envelope Winners
Whatever the Weather… As a former letter carrier, I can talk from experience about the daily challenges the weather poses. During the course of a single day, a kaleidoscope of possibilities can occur with rain, chill, humidity, varying degrees of sunlight, heat, and wind. Snow, hail, sleet, and ice feature big during Winter months when […]
9 billion phone checks a day*
Ever wonder how much time you spend checking your phone on a daily basis? And how much does that all add up to in hours and minutes? In a recent survey of 8,000 people, the “Average daily screentime usage” was 3 hours. Most people spend between 1-4 hours on their phones. If you spend a […]
Writing History
On the surface, writing by hand in a diary is a solitary experience…jotting down whatever is noteworthy from the day. If the entries are dated, a timeline emerges with days, weeks, seasons unfolding into a record of one’s personal living history. Upon closer inspection, a diary is more than a collection of musings, it is […]
Pen to Paper, 1st visit
I had not imagined how intimate it would be to read the handwritten letters of 60+ artists. Many names were familiar to me from my art school background. Those who where new, quickly became familiar through the personality of their handwriting. There is something so immediate and personal about handwritten letters. Pen to Paper is […]
Who invented the mailbox?
Black inventors have made considerable contributions to many things we take for granted today. Consider for example, the blue mail box. “In 1891, anyone interested in mailing a letter would have to make the long trip to the post office. In order to make mailing a letter more convenient, Philip B. Downing designed a metal box with […]
Pen to Paper
Pen to Paper: Artists’ Handwritten Letters from the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Artists I am thrilled to tell you of this upcoming exhibit showcasing the personal handwritten letters of a group of American Artists. Some are well known and others are members of the Lyme Art Colony. Talk about the Art of Letter Writing: here […]
Under 91 Project
September 28, 2016 Calligraphy literally means beautiful writing. What is displayed in the exquisite penmanship and design of The Graceful Envelopes is what is “traditional” calligraphy. Yet graffiti can also be calligraphic. Yes, much of it can be a statement of angst and protest. However, many street artists are extremely creative, talented draftsmen. How they […]