Recipe for a Letter

I was looking through some old cookbooks this morning. They were ones that I've collected over the years; you know the ones from various fundraisers. In the back of one from my dad's mom, Grandma Aggie, I found this cute recipe. This particular cookbook was from the First Lutheran Church Sunday School in Paxton, Illinois. The cover says, "Favorite Recipes from Our Best Cooks". It has a darling 1970's drawing on the front of a Holly Hobby-esque lady stirring something while her husband has his arms around her waits and is nuzzling her neck. The caption around this picture says, "Kissin' wears out...Cookin' don't!"

I digress, the recipe is what I wanted to share! Here it is:

Recipe for a Letter---contributed by Jessie Kirsche
Take equal parts of hope and laughter (heaping measurements) and after you have mixed, add faith to those. Then pepper just enough to please. Stir friendship (let it rise to double). Add prayers for those who are in trouble. Test your heart for warmth and soften. Close with love, and write one often.

How cute is that? It particularly touched me today because we don't really write letters much anymore. I suppose that I should say that email counts as a letter. But, really it does not. Email is so often just something that you have received from someone else and you forward it to others on your email list. Frequently there is no personal thought involved in email. Phone calls don't count, in my opinion, because they are often made or received in the midst of something else going on and lack focus. Don't get me wrong! I do love a good email with personal thoughts, news and good wishes; same goes for phone calls.

However, there is something in an old fashioned, hand-written letter that goes lacking in our day of super technology. A handwritten letter seems to indicate that the writer of it has taken a few moments aside from his or her otherwise busy life to think about the one to whom he writes. It takes some time for the writer to think of things to say that are meaningful and not just bits of news. At times the writer might have to pause to think more about the recipient in order to know what to write. The savvy writer will ask just enough questions to spur the recipient on to actually write back! All of that will result in the writer thinking much of the friend to whom he writes.

Which then means that when the letter is delivered and joyously found among the bills and junk mail, the recipient is overcome with satisfaction that there is something more interesting in the mail. Then, upon reading the letter (even if it is rather short!) the recipient feels very special.

What a treat, nay--gift!--you give when you write someone a letter! When was the last time you wrote a letter? Consider yourself challenged to write a letter to someone this week. (hint:my mail box is always game!)

Father's Day 2009

David and DJ went sailing on Father's Day. They had a great time!

Tagged Friends

Here is an older card...but I love it! I love the colors. Hope you are doing well today. It is super hot here today! So, I'm trying to be motivated to do more than laundry.

My Handiwork

These two journals were made for two very special ladies. I was "commissioned" to make them by special friends of theirs. I think they turned out quite nice! I made special packaging for Catherine too, but I didn't take a picture.

Shameless Self-promotion

Just a small commercial break here on my blog to shamelessly promote myself. You can click on the link over on the right handed side for "My Stampin' Up! Website". There you will find a calendar of all the fun classes that I have up my sleeve for the next few months. I hope you will join me at one or two, or all of them!

Secondly, if you are in need of a box of specially handmade for you cards, I'm your gal! I charge 35.00 for a box of 8 greeting cards. I'm happy to taylor make them just for you, or you can just say "surprise me", and I'll package a random assortment for your sending pleasure.

The Father's Day card that I featured this last week or two is just a smidge of what I can do for you. Let me know how I can help you tap your inner creative soul, or let me know how many and what kinds of cards you need.

I also do ultra fancy, personalized journals for 30.00.

I'll be posting some examples asap.

How to make the Coolest Ever Fathers' Day Card

Begin with a standard card, closed size is 5.5 x 4.25 inches. You should use a dark suit color...OR a color that will match the ribbon that you will be using to make the tie. (only limited by your creativity!)

inside the card mount a piece of white card stock, 5.25 x 4 inches; this is where you will write your dad a message

Use a straight edge and a stylus or bone folder to score, on the front of the card, a diagonal line which will become the "lapel" for the suit jacket.

at the score mark, fold to the left to make the "lapel"

now you can see the white inside of the card showing, this will be covered by the designer paper that you'll use for the "shirt" once you've made the "tie"

at the base of the "lapel" punch a tiny hole for a tiny brad "button"