Looking forward, looking back -that’s Janus. January is named after Janus, the Roman god with two faces, each looking in the opposite direction. He heralds new beginnings. What a perfect symbol for a new year and some fresh starts. We’ve done plenty of looking back. So, what’s ahead? How are those resolutions going? Laurie Santos, […]
Having a Pen Pal is Healthy for You
Dear Reader, There IS a letter writing resurgence happening as a result of the global pandemic. Here’s a great article written by a 20-something. Mr. Salama is taking a break from the screens and is finding comfort by reaching out to friends with handwritten letters. He says he’ll keep writing as long as someone writes […]
Pat Yourself on the Back
25 Years of Graceful Envelopes
At last, here’s some “eye candy”- the 2019 Graceful Envelope Contest Winners with their Put Your Stamp On It masterpieces. There is no question, The Graceful Envelope Contest elevates “mail art” to museum quality levels. Every year, since 1994, the Washington Calligraphers’ Guild and the National Association of Letter Carriers team up to sponsor the […]
footsteps towards the Victory
Veterans’ Day 2019 In honor of Veterans’ Day, I’d like to share this old postcard with you. A friend sent this French postcard which depicts the WWI Allied Forces. The young maid appears to be telling a surviving soldier of the path towards victory that ended the war in 1918. The writing on the back […]
The Write Way makes the news
Randall Beach: A passionate letter writer spreads the word By Randall Beach Sep. 28, 2019 (Reprinted courtesy of The New Haven Register) When Carol Christmas was a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, she noticed she was delivering fewer and fewer real letters. She also noted that on those rare occasions when she did […]
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. […]
Royal thanks and 21st century courtesy
Much is known about the beautiful and tragic life of Princess Diana, as she lived in the Royal “fish tank.” Yet of all the things we do know of this young woman, perhaps many of us are unaware of her great fondness for letter writing. Diana Spencer was trained at an early age to write […]
Mr. Boddington to the Rescue!
Teaching kids to hand-write letters the old-fashioned way, might sound like a step backward to some, but there are plenty of good reasons to encourage this effort. Let me count the ways… Within these last few years many published scientific studies have emerged warning us of the downside of our highly technological lifestyle. Aside from their […]
“Whatever the Weather”
Now that the holidays are winding down, perhaps you might try your hand at The Graceful Envelope Contest…”Whatever the Weather,” the 2018 theme might spark an idea. View the complete rules and check out many inspiring winners from previous years at http://www.calligraphersguild.org/ Deadline is March 26, 2018