| "What cannot letters inspire? They have | | | | to your envelopes, ready for stamping with |
| souls; they can speak; they have in them all | | | | your favorite seal. Watch for beautifully |
| that force which expresses the transports of | | | | packaged gift enclosure cards, writing |
| the heart; they have all the fire of our | | | | papers, and cards. Keep a birthday and |
| passions." Letter from Heloise to Abelard | | | | anniversary journal near this stash so that |
| (from Gift of a Letter by Alexandra | | | | you will better remember all-important dates |
| Stoddard)Just returning from the National | | | | of those in your circle of love.3) Collect |
| Stationery Show in New York | | | | pretty storage containers. Beautiful options |
| | | | abound! Be they beribboned baskets or |
| City, I was struck by the energetic "forward | | | | miniature suitcases or papered boxes: all |
| motion" of the | | | | present wonderful options for holding all of |
| | | | these fine papers and accoutrements. Display |
| thousands of vendors still enthusiastic | | | | them in full view so that you will remain |
| about the power of the | | | | inspired to delve into them frequently, |
| | | | pulling out your favorites and sending them |
| hand-written note. Artists proudly displayed | | | | for all different occasions.4) Commit to |
| their watercolors on letterhead, invitations | | | | catching up on written correspondence one day |
| and place cards; sales reps extolled the | | | | a week. I confess to being hopelessly |
| creative spark of polka-dotted and beribboned | | | | behind...but I also admit to always trying to |
| stationery; and entrepreneurs remained full | | | | do better. Can you become convicted to |
| of hope that the power of the hand-written | | | | writing at least one personal letter on your |
| word might overtake the power of email. They | | | | "correspondence day"? With pen in |
| all came out in full-force and crowded the | | | | hand--filled with a beautifully colored ink |
| aisles of the Javits Center in downtown | | | | (hot pink? lime green? bright blue? |
| Manhattan for the four-day event.I walked for | | | | purple?)--write a note of thanks or a note of |
| six straight hours, on a personal mission to | | | | condolence; respond to an upcoming social |
| nail | | | | event; or simply transpose your children's |
| | | | activity calendar into your Filofax. Try to |
| down a packaging supplier for a new product | | | | stay on top of these things as they have a |
| I'll be launching | | | | way of quickly getting out of control, |
| | | | leaving you feeling guilty for being |
| this fall. Perusing the aisles and booths of | | | | hopelessly late, as well as feeling |
| the largest national trade show for the | | | | dreadfully irresponsible for missing |
| stationery and paper goods market, I came | | | | important deadlines.5) Contribute to a |
| away with a few creative strategies for | | | | letter-writing renaissance. Email has its |
| ROCKET MOMS everywhere:1) Elevate your | | | | |
| deskwork from boring to brilliant. Many of | | | | purpose, to be sure. Few of us could live |
| the near-daily tasks we are required to | | | | without it. Yet who |
| perform at our kitchen desks | | | | |
| | | | could argue that a hand-written letter has |
| involve mundane and repetitive routines: | | | | significance beyond |
| paying bills; | | | | |
| | | | what any words electronically transmitted |
| reconciling the checkbook; dealing with | | | | could possibly convey? |
| medical statements | | | | |
| | | | It is the hand-written notes which I |
| (ugh!); RSVP-ing to social invitations; and | | | | especially cherish |
| writing quick notes | | | | |
| | | | and save. I keep a file into which each and |
| to teachers, carpool moms, coaches, etc. | | | | every one of them |
| This stuff can bog you | | | | |
| | | | falls. Email may, in the end, prevail, but I |
| down...especially if you are a fun, sanguine | | | | am hopeful that, |
| personality type who holds general disdain | | | | |
| for all things administrative. Take heart! | | | | like the thousands of vendors with whom I |
| There are literally thousands of colorful, | | | | came in touch today in |
| creative papers on the market today, giving | | | | |
| you a myriad of options from which to choose. | | | | New York, the hand-written letter will |
| Run to your nearest stationer to elevate this | | | | remain a most valued gift |
| arena to one of artistic brilliance. One of | | | | |
| the simplest strategies for ROCKET MOMS is | | | | from the heart.Carolina Fernandez earned an |
| transform the mundane, everyday realities of | | | | M.B.A. and worked at IBM and as a stockbroker |
| motherhood into highly creative endeavors. | | | | at Merrill Lynch before coming home to work |
| This area is no exception. Choose beautifully | | | | as a wife and mother of four. She totally |
| designed papers to respond to invitations; | | | | re-invented herself along the way. Strong |
| convert favorite photos to stamps (check out | | | | convictions were born about the role of the |
| invest in a wonderful seal as well as some | | | | arts in child development; homeschooling for |
| colorful sealing waxes...and you will find | | | | ten years provided fertile soil for devising |
| yourself thoroughly enjoying the previously | | | | creative parenting strategies. These are |
| dreary, dull task of paperwork. Make yourself | | | | played out in ROCKET MOM! 7 Strategies To |
| a cup of organic coffee, turn on the stereo | | | | Blast You Into Brilliance. It is available on |
| and deal with this everyday reality with an | | | | Amazon.com, in bookstores everywhere, or by |
| artistic twist.2) Start a stationery | | | | calling 888-476-2493. She writes extensively |
| wardrobe. Keep your eyes peeled for gorgeous | | | | for a variety of parenting resources and |
| papers, envelopes, stamps, seals, waxes, and | | | | teaches other moms via parenting classes and |
| labels. Have you seen the newest way of | | | | radio and TV interviews. Please visit to |
| delivering sealing wax? It comes in "glue | | | | subscribe to her free ezine and get a weekly |
| stick" form, ready to load into your low heat | | | | shot of inspiration. |
| glue gun. It evenly distributes the hot wax | | | | |