Tag: letter writing

Stories in Letters

Bernice Connell 1 Comment

“Dear Bern,

It’s Friday night and I’ve started my second glass of wine. Tom is watching some no-brainer tv so I thought I’d settle in and write to you.”

Thus, began an especially long letter received from a close friend in 1988. The letter flowed like our conversations, covering everything going on in our lives. At that time, when we lived far apart, receiving a letter was the next best thing to having a visit. In this letter, she shared news of the kids, workplace struggles, my sister’s upcoming wedding, her softball team’s calamitous night out and so much more. There was even a little sketch of a hooked rug she was working on. It was a lot of fun to read it so many years later.

I tucked this letter and several others she’d written, into my friend’s Christmas package, returning them to her. 

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Writing Gift

Bernice Connell Leave a comment

My inspired artist friend; a lover of all things creative, recently sent me a calligraphy set. She is working hard to preserve the wonderful but dwindling art of letter writing.  For a couple of years now she’s been perfecting calligraphy-style handwriting and trying to inspire me to do the same. Cards and notes from her are little works of art, often including water colour touches, photographic watermark images and envelops closed with personalized wax seals.

A beautiful, decorative box held everything to get me started; three fountain pens: each with a different sized nib, instructions for basic strokes and common scripts, lined practice sheets and even a tiny pointed sable brush for filling in large letters.

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