Keep calm and carry on…to the post office

January 2, 2009 in Uncategorized

We don't write letters much anymore, or send things with handwriting on them, do we? We need to. Molecules need to be shipped around the world sometimes, not just ones and zeros from our happy laptops. We need to leave the imprint of our pen on paper sometimes, like a pentimento of sentiment, of love, of thanks. Not to mention the fact that we need to use those fabulous Eames postage stamps that look like art because they are.

In this last post-holiday weekend, here are some Life is a Verb postcards (PDF) for you to print out, write a note on, and mail mail mail much to the delight of your sweet Aunt Gertrude McFuzz who never gets any correspondence except promotional flyers from Joe's Dairy Bar and Merry Maids and the errant Levenger's Catalog that makes her laugh at the very idea of spending $200 on a notepad.

How did these free postcards come into being?

An artist named Dippylulu sent me an email a few days ago, offering to create a free series of four postcards for 37days readers, a way of giving back, she said. She created them in the manner of a British war poster I really love from 1939: "Keep Calm and Carry On."

Her PDF document will provide you with four designs to print onto hard stock paper and use as postcards for all those holiday thank you notes you need to write. Just cut between them on the dotted line. I hope you will love them as much as I do.

Dippylulu holds degrees in graphic design and typography from the London College of Printing and Norwich School of Art. For almost 20 years she has been art editing for book publishers in London, UK.

Since 2004 she has been living in Central Vermont where the endless winters have driven her into making offbeat creations that are fun and functional. To see more of her products visit www.dippylulu.com.

May we all reclaim our artist selves in 2009. And in the process, let us celebrate those among us who are working artists in 2009, shall we? Visit her, support her, say thanks to her.

My thanks to Dippylulu for this lovely gift to us all.

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

10 comments to " Keep calm and carry on…to the post office "


Vasilly

January 3, 2009 AT 12:08AM

One of my resolutions this year is to write more handwritten letters. Thanks, Patti!

Beth Patterson

January 3, 2009 AT 12:01PM

VERY cool! I went immediately to Dippylulu’s (I’m so bummed, that’s a name I would carry proudly…)etsy site, but couldn’t figure out how to send her an email, thanking her. Can you post an easier way to do that?

Meanwhile, I’m printing little postcards…
THANKS, Patti!

Also glad you’ve connected with my friend Jodi who recently moved from Bend to Asheville. Take good care of her, ok?

Happiest of new years–

Amanda

January 3, 2009 AT 12:01PM

These are great! Thanks!

creativevoyage

January 3, 2009 AT 12:01PM

oh these are wonderful ! I wish I had a colour printer ! Please everybody send more post ! Its so lovely to recieve. I send a lot I write everyday nearly to my grandma in Australia and keep up a fairly regular stream of postcards to friends. I’m doing my best to keep the Royal Mail in profit. I often slip flat things into my mail ie lollies, flatish chocolates, to give added joy.

Barbara D.

January 3, 2009 AT 12:01PM

Hi Patti –
I worked on my “goals for the new year” while we were on our road trip to Texas for Christmas. The first item on it is to write more “real” letters/cards. Fun to see that others also plan to increase their enjoyment of life by that way of reaching out.

Joy

January 3, 2009 AT 5:52PM

Wonderful! =) Thanks for sharing and helping to create more smiles in our world!
Here’s to 2009 and our best year ever!

Marilyn

January 3, 2009 AT 5:52PM

What a wonderful gift to you and your 37 Days and LIAV community. There’s still nothing quite like getting snail mail…and I returned to sending holiday cards this year after an absence of years for that reason.

Amy

January 4, 2009 AT 11:32AM

Every. Single. Day. I get pizza coupons in the mail. My son picked up my mail for me while I was out of town recently. When I finally got around to going through my pile of papers and mail, I saw one pizza postcard addressed to “Pizza Lover”. Off to the side, in my son’s handwritting, was scrawled, “Is this a legal name change?” Now I laugh every time I get a pizza coupon in the mail. Funny kid.

Cindy

January 4, 2009 AT 12:09PM

These days most of us send e-card. They are not the same as the REAL card where one can touch, look at the time and date post-marked, the location of the post-office, count how many DAYS it takes for the card to arrive, marvel at how FAST these days for the post to travel from the sender to you — especially IF it came from far, far, far away.

I am a daily user of the inter-net. I love the speed that it offers me. BUT once a year, or perhaps twice (with birthday), I enjoy taking the trouble AND the expense, to send friends and family a card. I think it is such a small bother to make someone happy, just the same joy I experienced each time I opened an envelope and found a greeting card. A greeting card or a post card, from anyone, bring sweet memories.

Let’s do that every year and bring some joy to someone that is dear to us. Especially the elderly, and those that live alone.

Once a year.

Kelly Warren

January 5, 2009 AT 3:22PM

fabulous! i do actually still write and mail letters…though my handwriting has gotten so bad that i have to “write” them on the computer, print them out, and then add a little handwritten note to them before mailing. does that count?