Monday, November 7, 2011

Day #7: Sending Love Through the Mail (& giveaway!)

card photo

To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere 
without moving anything but your heart. 
-Phyllis Theroux

Today I sent a text to my best friend forever.  I thanked her for being my bff and told her this card is on its way.  I really love writing letters the old fashioned way and I just don't do it enough.  I think as I continue practicing slowing down, I am going to make more space in my life for letter writing.  Email is awesome, yet it's so quick and fast and can be so consuming, much like our daily lives and culture.  There is something quite special about making a cup of tea and sitting down quietly to write your thoughts and send them through the mail.  I like it a lot, actually.

Another thing I really like is giving away awesome, beautiful, hand-made art.  Lori Portka is an artist and blogger I connected with recently and I can't say enough wonderful things about her art and her awesome spirit.  Her tagline pretty much says it all, "Spreading Happiness Through Art." 

Surrounded By Love

Lori has graciously offered to share a lovely 8 x 10  print, "Surrounded By Love" to one lucky winner!  Simply leave a comment below to enter.  (I'll announce a winner on Wednesday.)  And make sure to stop by Lori's inspiring blog.

Your Personal Reflection:  When is the last time you wrote an old fashioned letter? Take some time this week to surround someone in your life with love.

21 comments:

  1. Ah this is awesome! I love ART and I love getting REAL mail! Such a lost art. I've tried to send some real letters to my virtual running friends when they have a big race coming up. In fact, my mom, also an amazing artist, made a line of cards just for runners/athletes so that I could send them cards and art at the same time. :) Always excited for find more art blogs. Thanks for sharing Lori's. I'll pass it on to my mom too. Thanks for your great blog Shannon!

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  2. I love sending mailart. I would love to receive some, but I know that this would require others to take time out of their busy schedules and sometimes that's just too much to ask - so instead, I send it - and hope that it brightens someone else's day as much as it would mine.

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  3. I've greatly enjoyed Lori's work. I found her work a while back and plan to put some of her cards up in my blooming studio.
    I also wrote a letter this week to a college friend that always bring a smile to my heart.

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  4. I love this! I've been looking for art to put in my son's playroom. I've been reading some Montessori books and they recommend hanging beauiful art at children's eye level.

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  5. What a really cool piece! I love the colors, the subject, and the message!

    On sending real mail, once I had a boyfriend who would stack post cards together and tape them around the edges, so when I got 1 postcard, it was really a series...very fun, especially when he sent them from Mexico.

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  6. Decided to actually "write out" Christmas cards this year. Usually just do the snapfish or big box store photo cards. Just last night I thought as I was signing our names to yet another hand written note, how nice it would be to receive a hand written letter from someone and was happy to be putting that energy out there this year. Thanks for the wonderful blog Shannon!

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  7. Oh so funny! My son and I just wrote letters to my Mom last week! I use to write letters every week and loved it. I loved shopping for pretty stationary and just the right cards to connect with the person receiving the letter. Then came the computer and email and while I am the first to praise it's wonderful traits, it does take away a lot too. I have a letter from my grandmother who passed away thirty years ago and I treasure it. It is in her handwriting and means more to me than if it was sent from a computer. I will be making an effort to rebuild the habit of handwritten letters.
    xx

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  8. I wrote a letter to my niece and brother today and yesterday, and enclosed a few pictures that I thought each would enjoy. There are more people I'm planning on thanking this week and sending pictures to.

    The 30 Days of Giving Thanks challenge has been very inspirational for me. Being so intentional about thankfulness and sharing the impact that others have had on my life has been such a highlight of this month.

    Combining the letter writing as well as blogging about the individual whom I'm thanking would not have happened without this challenge. Thank you for hosting this, Shannon!

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  9. Oh I love Lori's art! I love writing & sending letters but I definitely don't do it enough.

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  10. WE sent homemade cards for grandparents' day in September. That feels like a long time ago already.

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  11. What a beautiful painting and such a beautiful sentiment!! I would just pass out to win one of Lori's paintings!!!

    Cat cathrynanne1952@aol.com

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  12. What a beautiful piece! Thanks for sharing.

    I stopped by the store last night and bought some really pretty stationery so that I might sit down with a cup of tea tonight and write a few letters. Can't wait!

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  13. Oh what a beautiful painting ;) The happiness from it is truly bursting!
    And I don't do hand written letters - but in birthday cards sometimes I go over board with my wishes ;)

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  14. I write letters so infrequently now that when I do try, my handwriting is so sloppy! And my hand gets sore. How lame is that? My mom, however, writes several hand-written letters a day. She sits down every morning and writes letters of cheer, thanks, sympathy, thinking of you, and just because. She is 87. I figure if she can do it, I can do it. I love the quote at the top of your post! And I LOVE love love the painting! So full of color and whimsy and love.

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  15. An old-fashioned letter... that was before Isaak was born, so over three years ago... I have had amazing 'pen pals', real handwritten friends throughout my life! And I wish I had time to get back into that. Maybe some day :)

    Had to smile at you texting your friend about the letter :)

    Lori's art is so beautiful, colourful and happy, thanks for re-acquainting me with her!

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  16. Thanks for the chance to win this lovely painting! I love writing cards to my friends. Best of all, I love to hear about their surprise and delight upon receiving something "the old fashioned way". :-)

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  17. So cool to hear so many of you do write hand-written letters. I'm excited to do more. And Maureen - your mom is an inspiration! A winner for this give-away will be announced tomorrow. Thanks to each of you for your comments.

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  18. So cool! I am just about to write a letter, this is just great! The feeling of paper, the red flag on the mailbox, the ink!

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  19. I'm a big fan of real mail. I've been writing my oma in Germany a letter every month for YEARS. I also periodically (less now thanks to 2 kids under 25 months) send my friends letters too. Something about getting a real letter in the mail makes you feel cared about and special!

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  20. What a pretty piece! I hopped over to your blog from Artsyville. Your profile pic just drew me in! I'm a long time letter writer and still write long letters to some of my closest friends today. Getting something "real" in the mail, as opposed to junk mail or bills, is just the best thing ever!

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  21. Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments about my artwork. My heart is full! xoxo

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Thanks for sharing!