Crafting Thank-you Notes

I put a plastic tablecloth on the dining room table, then laid out all my rubber stamps, embossing powders, stamp pads, cleaners, note cards, postage stamps, and pens. 

Nikki and I had set a date to write gratitude notes. 

She even offered to bake something. 

This is what is left of it. It was yum—a blueberry tart.

I put a little Elephant Revival on Spotify in the kitchen 

 I also re-ordered another copy of this charming and inspiring book because damn if I could find my old copy.

 I thought we might look through it for inspiration. It’s the first book that made me consider the importance of writing thank-you notes. 

This book is a gem.

If you’re like me and always want to write thank-you notes but resist actually doing it because you never know how to word them to express how you really feel (without writing a whole frickin’ novel), this is your book. 

In two or three sentences, John Kralik’s simple way of expressing what made him grateful will become your thank-you note template.  His redemption story is also heartwarming— but not in that treacly, nauseating way so many “uplifting” stories are.

The whole idea for doing this was born on a walk. One day Nikki and I got on the subject of crafts, and I said I hated doing crafts. Popsicle sticks, glue guns, pipe cleaners, ugh. No.

But then I remembered a time in my past when I was into rubber stamps. I told her I still had a box of them in my basement. I even had a hot gun and embossing powder. I remember it being fun.

So I suggested that Nikki and I  get together someday, write gratitude notes, and play with my rubber stamp collection.

And that’s how this day came to be. We pulled out our calendars and planned it because it will not get done if it’s not on the calendar.

Here we are:

This was my idea of a great craft because, in the end, I did something my best self, my aspirational self, always wanted to do but never actually did. 

The only thing that made me sad was that I didn’t have mailing addresses for so many people. I have emails but not physical addresses. I need to start to remedy that.

The other sad thing was that all the stamping and embossing cut down on production. I made only three cards. But the crafting and play aspect incentivized me to overcome my resistance— not to mention the stellar company. Now I know that I just have to take out my stamps.

I think I would like to make a habit of doing this. Have a party at regular intervals (maybe quarterly?) where many people get together, play with rubber stamps and write gratitude notes. We could do it in the yoga lounge. 

I like this idea very much.

What do you think? If you lived near me, would you come?