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