Dear ____ Cards
Dear Sapling Press,
Your cards made me laugh out loud.
Thank you for making something so clever.
Eliza
All the Ladies Like Whiskers (and Abe’s ‘Before’ Picture)
Everyone needs a signature look, right? Especially if you’re famous. Cleopatra had the eyeliner, Twiggy had the ‘do, Iris Apfel had those huge glasses, etc.
Know who else nailed this concept? Abraham Lincoln. When you think Abe, you think beard. Probably height too, maybe hat, but definitely beard.
As it turns out, he owes his famous beard to the advice of a little girl that he received via letter (and responded to). Check out that before pic above! What if he had looked like that all along?
And I’ve gotta say, that little girl was right, the ladies do like whiskers. I love some good scruff, myself.
From Letters of Note.
”When Norman Bedell returned home from a political fair late-1860, poster of clean-shaven Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln in hand, his 11-year-old daughter quickly took it upon herself to assist the future U.S. President with his campaign. Her plan – simply for Lincoln to grow a beard – was quickly set in motion by way of the following letter, in which Grace urged him to “let your whiskers grow”; before long, Lincoln replied. They met in the coming months, as the newly-hirsute President-elect travelled victoriously to Washington, D.C. by train.
“He climbed down and sat down with me on the edge of the station platform,” she recalled. “‘Gracie,’ he said, ‘look at my whiskers. I have been growing them for you.’ Then he kissed me. I never saw him again.”
Here are the transcripts of their letters (actual copy shown above, hers on the left, his on the right):
Aren’t you going to think about that every time you see an image of him now?
And how awesome was that little girl? So opinionated, articulate, and sassy! If the actual letter didn’t still exist I wouldn’t even believe it because she’s such a skillful letter writer! I love her!
And I love that he not only wrote back, but also took her advice!
Hello Handmade
Recently on Editor’s Chair
For more (tumblr-style) visual inspiration, click over to Editor’s Chair…
still replied to fan mail
The Yellow Umbrella Project
I love this concept. Here You Go, a Pittsburgh-based community project, hands out free yellow umbrellas to people caught in the rain. In exchange, the recipients are simply asked to pass along an act of kindness.
With the umbrella, they are given a pre-addressed, postage-paid, waterproof postcard on which to write what they did for someone and to drop it in the mail to Here You Go, who then posts them on their website.
What a lovely reminder and inspiration to do random kind things for others. Do you ever check out The Happiness Project? One thing Gretchen notes, in her findings on happiness, is the maxim, “Do good, feel good.” It really is true. My mom told me recently that she paid for the groceries for the man behind her at the store, and in addition to making that guy’s day, she felt simply buoyant all day and was inspired to keep up the random acts (not that she’s not already the kindest person ever).
I’ve read a few times that even if your motivation for doing something nice for someone else is selfish– to get the warm fuzzy feeling– it still does make you feel good, and it of course still brightens that person’s day as well– it’s a win-win. So why not!
Yes to All >> Ingredients for Good Style
LustList >> Calligraphy Return Address Stamp
Available here.
Via SwissMiss.
Google Maps + Snail Mail
Right now it’s just a concept, but if it happens, you could print these envelopes from Google Maps showing where you are and where your recipient is, and the route between you two. Pretty cute.
