For thousands of years, letter writing has been the primary form of communication. In fact, I recently read that George Washington wrote over 40,000 letters in his lifetime, many of which were written while he was in office. Sadly, the personal letter has turned into an email in which to say hello, thank you or come for dinner. The joy of letter writing is becoming a lost art and that walk to the mail box is producing less and less excitement when all that awaits us is junk mail and bills. I have decided with the vast assortment of writing materials available, we have no excuses NOT to take the time to sit down and compose a letter to a dear friend or loved one. First thing to do is create an atmosphere that is quiet, peaceful and cozy. . . . .
This desk is over 100 years old. It belonged to my grandmother.
I sat at this desk as a child and played school. I had my crayons in the
small drawer to the right and they stayed there all of the time. When I
would spend the night with my Grandma and Aunt, my crayons were
always waiting for me. Then one day, this desk became mine. . .
This desk sits in a cozy corner up in the loft and I have
recently gathered a lot of my writing materials into one place.
A cozy lamp, a tray filled with great stationery, a brass container
full of birthday cards, thank you note cards, old books,( but of course),
a picture of my mom and me, a candle, fresh flowers and stamps.
No excuse here for not having all of the accoutremonts necessary for
sharing thoughts with a special friend in the absense of a computer!!!
I have put a few pens into a flower vase which works well
and looks attractive . . .
The oval crystal and silver box on the silver tray is a find from
France that was under dust and piles of old papers. The silver top
was black as was the little tray beneath, polished it looks
wonderful. It used to be used for pates. Today I use it for my
stamps and paper clips and I love how perfectly it works on my desk.
Tonight, I lit a candle, drank a cup of tea and wrote my daughter
a letter. . . . . it was quiet and the ambiance perfect. Thoughts
came easily and I couldn't have enjoyed more, putting my pen to
paper and sharing thoughts that would be mailed in
the morning. Have you seen the new Chinese New Year stamps?
They are beautiful in shades of powder blue and coral with touches
of soft yellow. . . .and yes, that coral envelope matched the
stamp beautifully . . . . ok, I guess that is just my design
sense kicking in . . . but it did look pretty.
The cubbies of this desk are half the fun. . . they are packed full of note cards
letter press stationery and fun seals for the back of an envelope.
This chubby little blue bird sits on the upper part of the desk.
He holds dear memories for me. In preparation for the Christmas
holidays when I owned the store, my mom admired him .
She and my dad helped mark product as it was shipped and made
Christmas a little easier that year. . . . .I wanted to pay them
for their help and they wouldn't take a penny. Christmas morning they
each opened one of these birds that I had attached a hundred dollar
bill to the underside. SURPRISE!! I think we sold over 100 of
these little guys.
Fresh flowers, and a letter to
be answered. . .
It truly was a joy sitting here tonight with pen in hand, classical
music, a cup of tea. All was quiet and serene in this little
corner of my world. . . . . I encourage you to try it and help
me to revive the lost art of letter writing. When you have a little
space with a hard surface, pretty note cards or stationery, a cozy
atmosphere in which to write, you too will be encouraged
to take the time. . . . . . . no searching for writing materials
and no excuses to answer letters (and they will come!) Who knows
someday, if I had your address, you might go to your mailbox
and find a letter from me!
SOME OF MY RECENT FAVS:
New from crane's
Poor photo but oh so charming this french thank you note, by
cheree berry
One of my very favorite note cards from a company
called local wisdom
This is another design from cheree berry . Great white card stock,
lining of envelope to match the engraved printing oxox on the card. I think
some of her designs are the best I have seen in awhile. Even the edges
are painted on these cards.
The new stamps that were just released to celebrate the
Chinese New Year. . . so colorful. These stamps are
referred to as Commemorative Stamps.
Ashley's in Clarendon Hills (suburb of Chicago) will not disappoint!
She has selected for her customers some of the most beautiful invitations,
announcements and personalized stationery for adults as will as children.
Her staff is friendly (ask for Denise) and always ready to assist you with your writing needs.
Wedding invitation offerings are plentiful and always so beautifully
done. Save the date, shower invitations, books on wedding etiquette await the bride.
Sample books are numerous for your custom selections as you finalize
your special day. This staff is so ready to ease your concerns and make
wonderful suggestions when you are sometimes so overwhelmed.
Ashley's also carry
Vera Bradley accessories and Lilly Pulitzer stationery, books, calendars
and desk accessories, as well the stationery line of Kate Spade.
Great gift ideas and decorative accessories for the home complete
what you may find at Ashley's.
If you wish to visit, in order to get your little corner of the world ready
for writing, they can be found at:
ASHLEY'S Custom Stationery & More
22 S. Prospect Ave.
Clarendon Hills, Illinois 60514
630-794-0804
If you happen to be in the neighborhood at lunch time, just walk across the
street to REDD HERRING ~ great food and open for lunch! (and of course
dinner too!)
