A Charming Handwritten Note

My "wardrobe" of stationery

I almost forgot how much I love a handwritten note - not only receiving them, but writing them, too.  As you can see above, I have a lovely selection of Crane stationery at my disposal - some engraved, some thermographed printed.  Obviously, I love red/pinks and greens.  I remember when I bought my first Crane engraving die, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  It came in a divine velvet bag and I treasure it. 

I used to copiously write notes, at least two or three a week, but I am very sad to say, that habit has dropped by the wayside in the last few years.  Well, that drought is about to end.  I pulled out my note cards this morning to write a thank you to a friend for a gift she gave me the other day and remembered....I remembered how beautiful my stationery was, I remembered how much thought I put into choosing all my stationery to really reflect me, I remembered how much I like the feel of good stationery in my hand, I remembered how I love to select just the right ink color to complement each pattern and color, and most of all,I remembered how much I like to write notes! 

I am so much better at putting my thoughts into words through a pen on paper - much better than actually speaking them.  I always try to make my notes very personal and creative.  I even have several books on how to write an interesting note to inspire me!  In the past, I even tried to keep a supply of stamps to color-match each of my stationery.  Since I hadn't written many notes lately, I didn't have any special stamps for the note I sent today and had to use a leftover Christmas stamp, but it did have green on it to match my envelope!

One of the things I most enjoyed when I joined the Junior League over 20 years ago, was all the captivating handwritten notes I received.  It was a joy to open the mailbox!  It was then I started buying gorgeous stationery in earnest.  I had always had stationery and had always written thank you notes.  Thankfully, I had been taught that skill at a young age.  At that time, my stationery had been of the Hallmark variety, very simple, though filled with heartfelt messages, and I had thought I had to buy a specific card for every occasion.  Once I had my Crane stationery, it was like having St. John in my closet.  With St. John, I know I always have something to wear no matter the occasion and with my Crane stationery, I always have the perfect card - for thank yous, for condolences, for get wells, for congratulations, for anything!    

One of my goals for 2012 is to get back to writing many, many more notes.  I enjoy writing them and people enjoy receiving them.  When I was shopping over the weekend, I came across a little book that I had heard of awhile ago called, A Simple Act of Gratitude - How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life.  It chronicles a man's journey of writing a thank you note every day of the year for one year.  I bought it and quickly read it.  It reinforced my desire and goal to return to my note writing ways and inspired me to get out my boxes of stationery and sit them on my desk, ready for a quick daily note writing session.

I am now primed to be my grand note writing self once again, and I couldn't be happier.  Next time you go to your mailbox, you might just find a note from me!