Dear Everyone ~
Alyson Kuhn, a.k.a. My Postal Muse, has assembled a display in the lobby of her local library, titled A Plenitude of Gratitude. Thank-you notes from Alyson’s personal collection were her inspiration for the display. In addition to providing visual delight, Alyson hopes to encourage thanking, ideally via post. In fact, one of the panels in the display is Alyson’s big expression of thanks to the Monterey Post Office (just around the corner from the Monterey Public Library) for taking such excellent & appreciative care of her outgoing post.
The focal point of another panel is Alyson’s Tips for Thank-you Note Delight, a list of seven points. Alyson recently gave a “guided tour” of her display, and I have rather randomly curated selections from my own archive to correspond to her talking points.
1.
From George in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.
We have been penpals since 2016, but have yet to meet. George consistently dates his letters at the upper left or upper right of his missives, always in the same style: month – date – year. Since learning of my hotel stationery collection, he writes to me regularly on examples from his own collection. (This notecard, with its delightful engraved illustration of a fountain pen, is from the late 1990s, from the charming Fish & Webster collection.)
2.
Even though my name is unusual, I never receive mail with it misspelled. It occurs to me that it could be misspelled Barry or Berry…and, frankly, I would love to receive an envelope with berry stamps instead of my name! Kuhnversely, Alyson frequently receives variations on her first name, and comments that she could do an entire display of them!
3.
From Constance in Machesney Park, Illinois.
Constance is an avid correspondent. She met Alyson in the steamy summer of 1995, at a workshop Alyson was teaching about…hand-folding envelopes. Constance sent me this postcard during National Letter Writing Month. She often pens her postcards on the vertical, and in this case, she’s also signed her name on the vertical, well above the postal barcode. Alyson and I can spot our outgoing/upcoming mail from Constance on her almost daily IG, which is extremely fun.
4.
From Brian in Hyde Park, Illinois.
Brian’s envelope is a paragon of colour-coordinating your stamps with the address. In this instance, he has lavishly overfranked, using five Woodstock stamps. Receiving a communiqué from Brian is the next best thing to having tea together.
4 bis.
Christina in Providence, Rhode Island.
This hand-folded envelope is haute postal couture. The Oscar de la Renta stamp at the waistline is positioned like a swatch. My pleated address completes the ensemble.
5.
From Emery in Manhattan, New York.
Her message overflows into the address section, and her initials (EK) are almost like closing punctuation. Her decorative washi tape decorative border also serves to minimize the postal barcode.
6.
From Alyson in Monterey, California.
Alyson always has a multitude of custom return address stamps. Occasionally, on a large envelope, she positions two at opposite ends of the flap, like buttons.
7.
One of the many things I am grateful for, today and every day, is that I'm always behind with my thank-you missives!
Wishing Everyone a lovely & delicious Thanksgiving!
With heaps of gratitude, Bari
