Dear Everyone ~

Your handwriting is a part of you.
It is a kind of placeholder for you.
If you write less often by hand than you used to,
your handwriting may strike you as rusty,
scrawly, or generally ungraceful.
You may not love how your handwriting looks,
but the recipients of your occasional notes, cards, envelopes,
or any scrap, shard or snippet ... associate it with you.
They don't critique your writing—they experience
a moment of familiarity and even anticipation.

Now that the gift-giving season is upon us,
it's time to enjoy putting your handwriting on paper.
You do not need to agonize, or to buy an expensive pen,
or even to practice. Here are stylish ways
to enhance your communiqués for the holidays.

* * *

Initials, writ large on a small envelope, always seem personal.
You may find it relaxing, and even amusing, to embellish them.

Writing on washi tape is a "double glammy." It's unexpected.
And, used as a closure, washi tape is so smooth & easy to undo.

Frame your message in a washi tape border.
You can color coordinate to your envelope or package.
And you can reposition if your tape goes askew.

Sharpen your coloured pencils.
Colouring in a tag or label can make it festive,
playful, and personal. If you have a favourite doodle
(a star, a flower, a squiggle),
try adding it as part of your signature.

If you are personally (as differentiated from electronically)
enveloping someone with a seasonal sentiment or winter wish,
a generous sprinkling or sparkling of your very own handwriting
will make it that much more memorable.

With a penchant,

Bari