I absolutely love any excuse to write letters to my friends. Letter writing is one way I practise self-care, as the activity is extremely therapeutic.
Before I begin, I clear out my desk, put on a cheesy romantic movie (my go to is: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) and lay my stationary out. I often use the following pens: double ended brush, flair, and gel. I always have a ruler on my desk to make sure my writing doesn’t end up to crooked. I love hand making cards, but those often take a lot of time so sometimes I will use my Mom’s Cricut machine or I’ll just use pre-made cards.
I recommend being vulnerable when writing letters. My letter writing formula is simple, I make a “love sandwich.” I start by checking in, and describing how the recipient has positively impacted my life and why that person is important to me. I reference an inside joke, or something that I know will make the reader laugh. Then I follow this up by giving a few compliments.
When I first began letter writing they were pretty bland, and so I turned to Pinterest for some inspiration. I started a whole board and called it “Letters.” I learned alot from Pinterest. I began mimicking some letter styles, but after a while I got the hang of it and began experimenting more and coming up with my own ideas. I have compiled a list of a few of my favorite ways to jazz letters up, so that you don’t have to go down a pinterest rabbit hole.
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Calligraphy: Writing the recipients names in fancy calligraphy letters makes the cards look put together, and like you put a lot of effort.
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Washi Tape: I love using washi tape to decorate the envelope. I love using a variety of sizes and patterns of strips of tape. Tip: Instead of sealing the envelope with regular, clear tape, use a fun patterned washi tape.
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Stickers: Add stickers to make the envelope more themed/ personal. When preparing Valentines cards, I add various types of heart stickers. Inserting new stickers inside the envelopes as a little gift for the recipients is also a great idea!
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Stamps: If you don’t have any stickers, you can also use seasonal stamps! I only have black stamp ink, so I like to use either the thin end of the brush pen or flair pens to outline the stamps on the paper as a way to add color.
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Drawings: If you prefer to make the decorations a bit more personal, you can draw on the envelope instead.I’m not the best drawer, so I stick to drawing small hearts and stars, but if you are artistic, go crazy!
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Envelopes: Play around with the color of your envelope. You don’t have to stick to white envelopes if you don’t want to. I know of people who paint their envelopes.
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Confetti: I love adding confetti inside an envelope, it makes for a really fun surprise. You can buy seasonal confetti, or make your own by cutting color paper.
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Wax Seal: For the finishing touch, use a wax seal & stamp. I was pretty intimidated to try this, but it’s actually really easy and fun.
These are just a few of my favorite ways to make the letters I write stand out. Have fun trying all of these out! Make sure to have fun, and remind those you write letters to how much you love them.