Washi Tape Cards and Lovely Pen Friends Letters

I have expanded my washi tape collection and needed a few cards I could use for the Month of Letters challenge, so I whipped these up the other day.

They are just so easy to make - a little washi tape, my favorite hello die, and a bit of card stock and voila - done!

I have been receiving lots of fun letters from current pen friends and new ones, as well. I don’t usually post things that I’ve received but these were too wonderful not to share.

I won’t post any names, but if you read my blog you know who you are :-)

First is a fabulous watercolor and calligraphy card from a calligrapher pen friend. I love this! It almost makes me want to get my watercolors out and play. Of course, there would be stamps instead of calligraphy on anything I made - I admire anyone who can write this beautifully.

This card came from an overseas pen friend. The card is beautiful and inside were the little Eiffel Tower post it flags! They are so cute!

Last but never, ever least is this wonderful package from a sweet pen friend in Oregon. Her envelopes are always decorated so beautifully and they make me smile even before I open them.

This little dimensional sticker was on the outside and survived the trip intact!

Inside was this booklet letter, complete with a pretty satin bow. It’s awesome!

I love going to my mailbox - well, sending my husband to the mailbox - and finding letters. They are beginning to outnumber the junk mail!

Month of Letters 2014 has begun!

I am well aware that this blog has been sadly neglected and for that I apologize. My plan was to photograph and review pens, paper, ink, etc., but it just hasn't happened for a while. One reason is that I haven't gotten very much new stuff to review, or if I have gotten a new pen someone way more popular and more widely read has just reviewed it, so what's the point? Ok, maybe that's more of an excuse than an actual reason.

Anyway, I plan to participate in the Month of Letters challenge again this year. Last year I connected with a lot of new pen friends, some of which have turned into ongoing postal - and personal - relationships and some fell by the wayside, but it's all good. It's a bit like dating, in a way. You exchange a few letters and things seem to be clicking, but after a while you run out of things to say and find that you didn't have as much in common as you thought. Or life gets in the way and  people get busy. That's ok, it's just the way it works, I think. I enjoyed every single letter I received and I hope mine were well received, too.

Over the past year I have acquired some lovely pens, made a LOT of envelopes, created some of my own stationery, jumped on the washi tape bandwagon (quick and easy way to decorate envelopes and stationery), discovered a lot about fountain pens and their quirks, and even bought 2 whole bottles of ink. T W O! Woohoo! It's a commitment, and one not to be taken lightly,  mind you. I buy a sample vial from Goulet Pens to test it out or, in the case of the 2 bottles I purchased, a friend will use a particular ink in a letter and having seen it in person rather than on a computer screen, I must have it!

If I have any readers left (thanks for hanging in there!) that are not already involved with the Month of Letters, click the link above or the image on the right sidebar for more information on this wonderful project. InCoWriMo gets a lot of publicity and it's a wonderful idea, but MoL is definitely worth investigating if you are in the market for some new pen friends.

Happy Month of Letters, everyone!