Preparing for a Month of Letters

Letters sent last year during the Month of Letters

In February I'll be participating in the Month of Letters challenge again by sending one letter or postcard in the mail every day the mail runs.

I love writing letters and receiving them. I write about things I wouldn't in emails. Not secrets, but moments instead of summaries. Better details, and sentiments that would sound corny in electronic form. 

Three ways I'm preparing for this year's Month of Letters:

1) Hoarding Vintage Postcards

I suppose fifteen or so postcards isn't really a hoard, but that's how it felt when I bought them from my local second-hand store. I love these postcards. A few were written on and mailed by the original owner, but most of them are blank.

I've started a Pinterest page, and I'm going to scan and pin the postcards as I mail them. I want to keep a copy of the images for myself for inspiration, but these postcards are too cool to stay in my card box.

2) Hand-Coloring Participant Stickers

The Month of Letters website has a template of participant stickers. I don't have a color printer at home, but I love the idea of having a special stamp for letters sent during certain times of the year. So I printed out a sheet of the stickers on regular paper, cut them out, and am hand coloring them with colored pencils. I love the vintage feel this gives the stamps. 

3) Freshening Up My Stamp Collection 

One of my favorite steps in the letter writing process is decorating the envelope. I will take any excuse to use an ink stamp, and envelopes are the perfect opportunity. I'm kind of a stamp minimalist, though. One to two stamps per envelope is just right.

I've got two lovely new stamp pads - one with black ink and one with a fetching light blue.

February's almost here, and I'm ready to write some letters. Would you like one? Leave me a note and I'll send you a postcard or letter this coming month.