Monday, December 31, 2012

Snail Mail, Vintage Post, ... and Thou

(pen work by Charles Dana Gibson)

For the past decade rekindled interest in fountain pens has been steadily growing. People who have grown weary of the high speed, never stopping - never pausing, race toward the Future that is the 21st century pace of things just might be robbing them of something: the experience of the beauty and wonder of the Here and Now, the experience of Life.

if you can't think of enough to say, a favorite verse,  

... a sketch, or an inspirational quote may be just the thing



Some artists who have felt a disconnect with the impersonal digital word of the machine have found limitations in the world of pixel-based images and have renewed their acquaintance with old, almost forgotten, friends -- pens, pencils, and paper.

you can't put a ribbon around a bundle of emails 
(I also bought my wife a large, decorated German tin for her cards & letters) 

Some who have recently renewed their acquaintance with fountain pens -- not being satisfied to merely collect them as relics of another time, or as commodities -- have discovered that they can be invaluable allies in Slow Living -- a philosophy that grew out of the Slow Food movement in Europe that builds on the premise that we can do less and experience more (very much like the Arts and Crafts Movement's emphasis of Quality over Quantity). Snail mail has made a comeback and devotees are once again taking pen in hand to reconnect with friends, relatives, and (through groups like the Fountain Pen Network) with new pen pals in faraway places. Concerned you can't think of enough to fill a letter? Start out with postcards; they're fast and easy. Groups like Postcrossing will be happy to match you up with postcard pen pals from around the world (free of charge).

Russia, Poland, Thailand, Australia, Croatia, the Philippines, Argentina, 
Indonesia, the UK -- less than two months worth of postal globetrotting (fun!)

And another interesting phenomena has arisen; A) someone discovered that (at least in the United States) unused postage stamps never expire, and B) there are enough vintage postage stamps on the market that they can actually be had for a reasonable price (sometimes for little more than their original face value).

vintage stamps can be found in various sizes, colors and themes 


these sets, and others, are available from Etsy vendors, such as Verde Studio



a hand-written letter like this in my mailbox wins hands down over my digital inbox anytime

So, if you have a fountain pen (or maybe even a dip pen) with an expressive, nice-writing nib -- And if you have the skill to address the envelope in a fine Spenserian or Copperplate hand -- why not indulge yourself in some pen-friendly stationary, dust off your old address book, sit down and write to that best friend from high school or college you haven't seen in years. (Or your mom -- when is the last time you wrote your mom?) Add a few reasonably priced vintage stamps. Seal the envelope with sealing wax and your old signet ring. (There are even new polymer sealing waxes that are "postal proof".) And let Ben Franklin's postal service do the rest. The results could very well be magical!


this year I even took time to renew the acquaintance of ol' Saint Nick
(everyone likes to receive a hand-written letter!)

Postscript, if vintage stamps aren't available in your area and those available on Etsy are a bit too pricy, just visit your local post office. They're certain to have a selection of new and commemorative stamps (my current favorites are Miles Davis, Edith Piaf, and -- my wife's favorite -- a very dashing Gregory Peck) for you to choose from.

_____________________________________________________



Giveaway #4:
You say your handwriting is atrocious? You say you were born in the 90s and have no idea how snail mail works? Well, that sounds like an excuse for another grand prize giveaway to me! This time our lucky winner will receive a copy of  Diane Maurer-Mathison's beautifully illustrated how-to book, The Handcrafted Letter. So, sign up by clicking the blue "join this site" button on the right (if you haven't already done so), and leave a comment including the words "Handcrafted Letter" below between now and Friday, 11 January. The winner will be selected at random and notified via personal message on Saturday, 12 January. And the results will be posted here Sunday, 13 January.

not quite new, but gently used

Giveaway #5:
You say you'd love to send hand-written letters to friends and relatives but you don't have a fountain pen? You say your discretionary funds are too depleted to indulge yourself? Well, Santa just may have left a little something under my tree with your name on it! In the spirit of the Santa Season I've got a Burmese Ruby red Noodler's Ahab that will be forwarded to one lucky would-be penman (or woman). So, to enter the drawing be sure to join this site (see instructions for Giveaway #4 above) and leave a brief comment about why you would like to win this pen. Dates are the same as for Giveaway #4.

Please note: participants are welcome to leave a separate comment for each of the giveaway prizes, but a separate winner will be selected for each prize.

Good luck!

Parting words (a little visual reminder from the cast, and director, of one of my favorite feel-good films that not so long ago everyone wrote beautifully...)

(...and everyone carried a fountain pen)



30 comments:

  1. In for a penny, in for a pound, that Handcrafted Letter book looks lovely. I do still use snail mail, although certainly not as often as I used to. Right now I am still working on the hand written Christmas Cards. :-) Thanks for helping us to stay connected.

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  2. and these Christmas Cards would be done by now if I was using that snazzy red racing pen. :-)

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  3. That red pen looks amazing and I think it may have my name on it. Look very close and see if it says "Ileana" or "Ily," my nickname. If so, put me on your list. I always pass the calligraphy section at Michael's and check out those intimidating fancy pens when I'm out and I just think it'd be silly to own one since I have NO IDEA how to use it. Is there a YouTube video for dummies on how to use a fountain pen?? LOL

    Seriously, please enter my name. You never know, right? Funny, I just added you to FB after seeing your amazing artwork and now I find a very inspirational blog by you as well. Must mean it will be a good year for me. :)

    Btw, it's funny, a while back (on a previous blog) I wrote a long post about the handwritten letter and how rewarding it is to write in longhand to a faraway friend and how amazing it is to receive one (among bills and junk mail)...especially when there's art on the envelope. I didn't think about the stamps, but now you have me wanting to visit my local post office to see what they have.

    I almost forgot to write, Handcrafted Letter, because yes, I would like to be entered for the book as well.

    Happy New Year, new artist friend! All the best to you and your wife and loved ones!

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    1. Yes Ileana, there is an amazing number of calligraphy videos available currently on YouTube -- some of them absolutely delightful to watch. And, of course, if your local library has an older collection you'll probably find books on Copperplate or Spencerian penmanship that have been sitting on the shelves for years (which, for us, simply means "no waiting list").

      And a very Happy New Year to you too!

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  4. I used to pen pal with people ll over the world, it was such an enriching experience! I'm glad to hear hand crafted letters and snail mail are making a come-back. It would be wonderful to win The Handcrafted Letter!

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  5. What a great post, Earnest. I felt my heart slowing its break-neck pace while reading it. As a former stamp collector I shudder a bit over the notion of using older stamps for postage but handcrafted letters...you bet. Love to get 'em; love to write them. I've added the Handcrafted Letter book to my wishlist but I'd love to win one.

    Cheers --- Larry Marshall

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    1. Hi Larry! I use to collect stamps too and was initially hesitant about using un-canceled vintage stamps. But it seems that the post office printed too many stamps during the snail mail decline and, after a visit to some of the dealers on Etsy, I was amazed at the volume of more recent vintage stamps (entire sheets) that are available.

      Cheers!

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  6. The red Ahab pen would make my penmanship soo much better and I happen to have some lonely Noodlers ink just waiting for a pen!

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  7. Dear Earnest,

    Reading this post makes me feel like a window's been opened in a stuffy room. Just seeing the words, "Slow Living" (which I had never heard of) and "Slow Food movement" (which I had), made my tense shoulder muscles relax and my breath deepen.

    I am an artist and a writer. I know how to write a letter. But I need a good pen to write (and draw) with. I am disabled with a painful chronic illness that has robbed me of my capacity to afford luxuries like beautiful pens and ink. And, though it might be an especially slow process for me and my very sore hands I want to practice slow living, slow writing, slow drawing. I feel it will help me in my healing, physical, emotional, and spiritual.

    Thank you for this lovely idea. I love your Blog! And I hope you enjoy your New Year celebrations.

    Warmly,
    Serena

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  8. The Handcrafted Letter looks fabulous...would love to be entered in the drawing. However, I've been trying to decide on my first good fountain pen for some time and would love the chance to try this one out.

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    1. Hi theailurophile,

      Just a reminder: if you post another comment (just for the book), you can have a shot at both. (And don't forget to click the blue "Join this site" subscribe button in the right side bar.)

      Good luck!

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  9. I keep hearing such wonderful things about the Ahab pen, not just for writing but for drawing, I'd love to be able to try it out!

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  10. Earnest, I remember being fascinated with pen and paper in my teens. I adored writing letters to family members overseas. My Dad had given me a fountain pen which I loved but I think it stopped working and, being only young, I thought it was broken and unfixable. I remember it had a bladder that I had to squeeze to suck up the ink from the bottle. I still miss that fountain pen. In recent years, I rekindled my love of handwritten letters and one of my art friends and I started regular communication by snail mail. We both get so excited to see a letter in our mail boxes from the other. As we tend to get quite chatty in our letters as write them in diary form spanning over several days, it's the highlight of my day to sit down with a cuppa and 'spend time with my friend' via her handwritten letter. My friend is a fountain pen fanatic and I would dearly love to be able to write letters back to her with my very own fountain pen...perhaps a nice Burmese Ruby red Noodler's Ahab? :)

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  11. 'The Handcrafted Letter' book sounds like an absolute must-have so, on seeing it in your post, I raced on over to Fishpond at break-neck speed. Fishpond is the book site I order my books through but alas, they say the book is unavailable, much to my disappointment. :( Needless to say, I would like to go into the draw for this also.

    Happy 2013 to you!

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  12. Serendipity? I think so. Here it is January 1 and one of my new years resolutions is to write daily using my fountain pen. I check my emails and here is Earnest with a similar sentiment regarding the joys of writing, particularly with a fountain pen! I love the idea of corresponding by snail mail and I will definately look up the links you have provided. I also love the idea of including small sketches to personalize your correspondence. thank you for such an inspiring post. I would love to be put in the draw for the wonderful book you are offering.

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  13. I have been writing letters for years. I totally agree with you about slowing down and experiencing life. I have been keeping a hand written journal for a year now and would love to try out the Ahab Flex fountain pen.
    I would also love to win "The Handcrafted Letter".
    Thank you for this give away!
    Cheers!

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  14. Earnest your posts are always inspiring and fresh. How lovely to be chosen winner of either pen or the book, Handcrafted Letter! Good luck to all. (I guess that's impossible though, ha ha!)

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  15. Earnest,
    My dad gave me my first fountain pen...the kind you pull out the metal piece to fill it. We were taught to write thank you notes and letters on a regular basis to my grandparents and relatives. I had a penpal from France when I was 14 and although I could hardly read her leters in French I adored the air mail paper and her penmanship. I am a penaholic and a snail mail freak. I just purchased my first Lamy studio fountain pen and I still write letters and use the wax seals. It is all so wonderful. Not only all of that but I am a collecter of books and would love to win "The Handcrafted Letter." I am going to check out the groups you mentioned immediately. Your blog is amazing! Thanks for the chance to win.

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    1. Thank you Darlene. FYI, you can still purchase onion skin (i.e., air mail) paper from several sources online and through Etsy. (One retailer even offers a pre-cut sheet that folds to form its own envelope -- pale blue, with chevrons along the edge and the blue "par avian" badge on the front.)

      Here's wishing you lots of happy snail mail in the New Year.

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  16. Hi Earnest,
    The pen...the pen...I need the pen! Hey, I had signed to follow your blog before I saw that was a requirement for the Giveaway. Look forward to visiting again. This was a great post. Love your penmanship in the Dear Santa letter. By the way, did Santa come through for you?

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  17. Dear Earnest,
    What an amazing giveaway! Thanks so much for doing it. I would be really keen on the Handcrafted Letter book. I do a lot of letter writing, and frequently think that I should draw my own paper and envelopes - each recipient getting an individual one-of-a-kind design letter. When I saw the book, I thought, "This is where I am going." I would not have heard of the book without your mentioning it on the blog. So even if I don't win it, I will sure be looking out for it now.
    Many thanks and Happy New Year.

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  18. Dear Earnest,

    Another wonderful post from you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I've not heard of the book before, but will be on a look out for it now. It seems to be what I've been looking for all this time, although I have previously only found calligraphy-type books. Please enter me for the draw of the book. Thank you and happy new year!

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  19. I love the postcards Earnest! And like the others...even if I don't win I thank you for all of your beautiful work you share with us! You never cease to amaze me!!
    Candy

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  20. Such a lovely, thoughtful and informative post Earnest :)

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  21. Just found you through Slow Family Living!

    Love the book, never read it, as I thoroughly enjoy hand writing letters and making cards and mailing them : )

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  22. Dear Earnest,
    I grew up writing "Handcrafted Letters" to my grandma in SoCal, pen pals, cousins, myself (I'm sure)...everyone. I distinctly remember a dilemma at one point early on, when I wasn't sure whether to spell "of" correctly or phonetically (uv, uve, oove..?). :)

    Anyway, this was a delightful blog post, as I still love writing and receiving real live letters. Thanks for it!

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  23. Post Script - I have a Noodler's Ahab on my wish list right now, but Santa must have missed it. I'm borrowing one from a fellow local sketcher, and will have to give it back. Thus, I would be delighted to win the red pen! :)

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  24. Ernest, thank-you again for another great prize-draw! That Burmese Ruby red Noodler's Ahab pen looks sharp. I would be interested in having the chance to draw/write with that pen - I like the fact that its already been broken in. Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year and great success with your blog in 2013

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  25. I am still a letter writer, there is nothing quite like a hand written letter, that's why I joined the Month of Letters Challenge 2013 which begins February. Its a chance to write even more letters

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  26. Wow, what a wonderfull blogpost! I have to get my hands on that book!

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