read
Each winter I find myself in an inevitable creative slump. I blame it mostly on the weather with the cold and cloudy days taking up the majority of the winter season. When this happens, I like to reach for my books that always seem to recharge my mind and give me that creative spark leading to better content and outfit creations.
Read MoreBlue Lace Dress c/o || Blue Embellished Shoes || Rose Floral Pen || Pink Polka Dot Pen || Hydrangea Stationary || Lighthouse Note Cards || The Art Of The Handwritten Note || Mint Arrow Clipboard || Gold Flower Earrings || Pink & Blue Co. Bracelet c/o ||
Good morning and a very happy Friday, friends! This is a post I have been wanting to do for quite some time now and I am beyond excited to finally have it for you today. I’ve been hand writing notes for as long as I can remember. I used to write very simple ones to my mom and dad when I was younger. I would write to my mom as often as I could once I no longer lived at home. Though she couldn’t write back, she loved to receive them. My dad would read them to her. I wrote to my grandmother quite a bit, to friends and family members, and of course I wrote many love letters over the years. Even with email and texting becoming the norm, my late husband and I would still hand write letters to one another. I would thank friends for having my late husband and I over to their homes or for any gifts received. I would write to simply catch up with family members.
I do realize that I’m talking about physically writing out a note on the very medium that makes note writing seem obsolete. Today’s world consists of instant everything. I believe for that very reason that writing and receiving a hand written note are all the more special and heartfelt. It is something that takes time and a good amount of thought put into it. There is no backspace key or delete button. Writing and sending a note shows the recipient you care about them and you took time out of your busy day to pen the letter. It has more meaning than an email or a phone call, and while those are perfectly fine ways to communicate, especially if a matter is urgent, there is still a personal feeling and indeed an art to writing a note by hand.
I personally like to set my writing area up before I sit down to compose my letter. I always have a cup of coffee or tea on hand to sip while thinking of the words that will eventually reach the page. The pen and paper you choose will set the mood for what you are about to write as well. I will admit that I am a sucker for pretty office sulies, especially pens and stationary. I’m inspired to write when I have a beautiful pen and card to write upon. The paper chosen can express to the reader a message before they even begin to read your letter. The size of the paper, the thickness, is it decorated or have initials on it, and the color all send a subtle message. Even the pen you choose will influence how you write and should make you feel confident when doing so. How the pen feels in your hand and appeals to your eye will make for the perfect combination.
The most common hand written note would be the thank you card. Also, when in doubt, always send one. It’s better to over thank than to not thank at all. Other occasions are love letters, condolences, thinking of you, congratulations, invitations, and a request.
In the very most basic form your note should include the following:
1. The location from where you are writing from
2. The date
3. Salutation (Dear, Hi, Hello!)
4. Text. Three sentences minimum will fill the front of a notecard nicely.
5. Windup Phrase (thank you again, looking forward to seeing you). This is a transition to the closing.
6. Closing (Cheers, Sincerely, Yours, Best, Affectionately). The closing words give the impression of a wave, handshake, hug, or kiss. “Best” and “Bye” are breezy and impersonal like a wave. “Sincerely” is impersonal and formal like a handshake. “Yours” and “truly yours” are personal and casual like a hug. “Affectionately” and “love” are very personal like a kiss.
7. Signature
I recently picked up The Art Of The Handwritten Note and devoured the book. It’s the perfect compliment to any writing desk and fantastic for someone who would like to start writing notes or write more frequently. It’s where I got some of the information here from. I highly recommend it!
Shop The Post:
xo, Amanda
There's nothing like curling up with a good book once the weather starts to cool. I always seem to gravitate towards mystery novels once Autumn hits and maybe that's due to the mystery that starts to fill the air with the days getting shorter, nights getting longer, and Halloween right around the corner. I love to snuggle under a blanket with a nice cup of tea and loose myself into an imaginary world. Without further ado, here is my Fall 2014 reading list.
Girl Three by Tracy March. This was recommended to me by my relative and with good reason. It's a murder mystery set in Washington D.C. with political agendas, romance, betrayal, and the unraveling of secrets. Seems like a page turner to me and one that I cannot wait to read. The author wrote the book in a condo that was owned by my relatives and one that I had to pleasure of actually staying in. Pretty cool if you ask me.
The Night Circus by Eric Morgenstern. A spell casting novel about a circus that magically appears out of thin air and brings with it all of the excitement and unique experiences a circus can offer. Behind the scenes, within the circus, a competition of imagination and will is going on, one that could destroy the circus, performers, and patron alike.
How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are by Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, Sophie Mas. A how to book by four French women on everything from how they dress, entertain, have fun, and attempt to behave themselves. I don't know about you, but anything Parisian gets my vote!
The Devil in the White City: A Saga of Magic and Murder at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson. A true story of how the Chicago Worlds Fair came to be and all that went on around it. An intertwining story of a serial murderer who used the 1893 fair to lure his victims to their death.
Station Eleven by Emily St. Jon Mandel. A spellbinding story about a group of nomad actors, a Hollywood star and his soon to be savior, set in the eerie days of civilizations collapse, roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. The story of a New York boy who survives a car accident that kills his mother. Tormented by her death, he clings to a painting that reminds him of her, and one that ultimately draws him into the underworld of art. As an adult, he owns an antique store, finds himself to be alienated and in love, and at the center of a dangerous circle.
What are some books you're currently reading or ones you're looking forward to?
I always have a beautiful vision of relaxing in the summer sun with a warm breeze blowing, the birds chirping, and a cool beverage in my one hand with a fascinating book in my other. Whether in my backyard, by the sea, or poolside, a summer read should give the opportunity to sit back and relax for a little while. I always find myself becoming busier during the warmer months, so knowing I can have a few moments to take a breather and become immersed into another world seems to good to resist.
Some books on my reading list are as follows:
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
Some days are just meant to be spent inside curled up under a warm blanket, drinking a cup of hot tea, and being transported into another world. On a day such as this, rainy and cold outside, a book becomes a fantastic device to envision a whole new outlook. Books let the imagination flourish and enhances the ability to create, to learn, and to be mindful of the beauty surrounding life.
I'm never very far from a good book, whether located on my night stand, kindle app, bookshelf, or coffee table, one can always be within my reach. Many of my favorite lean towards the category of biography. John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra to name a few, but I also devour books that can take me to an enchanted world that simply does not exist in the "real" world. Ideas of magical wizards, vampires, Gatsby-esque figures and fairy princess's bring out the dreamer within me. Also, a good mystery novel, such as Sherlock Holmes, always excites my adventurous and inquisitive side. Whatever your preference may be, I find it important to read as much as possible, to not only educate ones self, but to also keep the imagination alive.
Currently reading: Listening In: The Secret White House Recordings of John F. Kennedy
