Love Letters 2024 Exchange Sign Ups are Now Closed

[Erica McPhee]

Who doesn't love getting a Valentine?! It’s the best part of the new year … our annual Love Letters Exchange sign ups are now open.

[Sign ups are now closed.]

Sign Up Deadline: Mon, Jan 15, 2024
Post Mark: Feb 1, 2024

You must sign up via the form above. You should receive a confirmation email.

NOTE:

1. If you did not complete a past exchange you signed up for, you cannot participate.
2. If you will be busy and cannot meet your obligation, please do not sign up. It is not OK to think, "Life happens" and not fulfill your obligation. It is OK if circumstances require you to send your exchanges late, however, you will still not be able to participate in an exchange until yours are sent.
3. You must be a registered, activated member and you must have made at least one post, introductory or otherwise, in order to participate.

As always, the following guidelines apply:

1. Calligraphy should be used on both your exchange insert and envelope.
2. You will send a card to every member on your list (typically 7-9 members).
3. Must be related to the theme.
4. All skill levels welcome!
5. If you end up not being able to participate, please contact me ASAP. If you don't send your cards after the list has gone out, you will not be able to participate in the next exchange.
6. You must sign up before the deadline. No late sign ups.
7. HAVE FUN!

[handmadeletters]

Erica, do you mind letting me know if my sign up went through? I didn't get a confirmation email as usual. I'll sign up again, if not. THANK YOU!! <3

[Erica McPhee]

Yes, it went through. @handmadeletters   

[Erica McPhee]

Realized I forgot to put dates. LOL!

Sign Up Deadline: Mon, Jan 15, 2024
Post Mark: Feb 1, 2024

[Mark T]

Hiya,

Well, my exchanges have been sent, and at first, I thoroughly enjoyed the practise, but by the time it came to writing for sending - everything went,..... ermmm, lets say it all went '.... up'.
Sincere apologies to the recipients of my letters. My writing is diabolical. A lot worse than it was in practice I promise you.
No excuses,..... well, except for the nib I decided to use for the envelopes.
In practice I was trying to find the best nib which lifted my writing from novice to somebody who at least had an inkling of what they were attempting to do.
I tried out many of the nibs I have bought over the last months. Perry, Hinks', Blanzy's, Brandauer,.... through the alphabet to be fare, and decided upon using a Lenny 'Principal' ef.
The day came to send the letters off, so down to the writing.
What a chuffin nightmare. Honestly, my heart was somewhat cracking.
I couldn't reach the card properly to write, so I took the slope off the bed table..... not happening, so swapped the slope for the light box. Even soddin worse.
The nib, as explained to the recipient - I say nib, but it was more like a shovel. Digging into the paper and flaying ink all over the bloody place.
By this time, my head was shot through with anger. I utter the truth when I threatened to throw the light box across the bedroom.
My wife, bless her, stayed well away.
Anyway, again, sincere apologies. I will master this,..... it will just take longer than I was hoping. (one of several traits being I want to master everything 'yesterday').
If it is OK with the recipients, I will wait until my writing is somewhat better and then write again. Totally understandable if the 'threat' is refused.

It was fun, but it would have been better if the 'circumferences' were better.

Regards,
Mark.

[AnasaziWrites]

@Mark T
Hiya,

Well, my exchanges have been sent, and at first, I thoroughly enjoyed the practise, but by the time it came to writing for sending - everything went,..... ermmm, lets say it all went '.... up'.

Sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you.

Not to worry. The self imposed pressure is off.
Having a deadline to send these exchanges off is actually a great idea. It encourages one to put to bed a project and send it away in spite of the self assessment that it is not your best work or even "good" work. I've sent many exchanges off that I was not at all satisfied with. If I waited until I thought these were satisfactorily good work, I probably would have sent few if any. One tip I use to lessen any pressure to get these out is to impose upon myself an earlier deadline to send them out, say a day or three or even a week early. That way, you can relax more as you do it, knowing you have time to redo it if you want. Look forward to the next one with the belief it will be better assuming you practice and the desire to improve remains.
Give up the idea of "mastering" any script. I have yet to meet any calligrapher who would say they have "mastered" anything--there will always room for improvement no matter your skill level. Enjoy the improvement over time--it will come.
Troublesome nib? Put it aside. It may be the ink/paper/nib combination is not right. Don't fight on with it but rather take a minute to see if it works with different ink or paper and/or choose another nib of the same kind or a different nib altogether. When no combination works, then maybe you're just having a bad day. Put the pen aside for a few hours or a day, and then resume. If you still want to make progress in the interim, study some--an instruction book, an exemplar, or just cruise through other forms of inspiration here (say, look at the "now and then" thread) or elsewhere in books or on line.

In the end, obey the 7th guideline from our fearless leader--"Have Fun".

[Erica McPhee]

Excellent advice from @AnasaziWrites ! I will add this - try not to get discouraged. It is all part of the process. Honestly, when I do envelopes, I don’t even get into the groove until I am at about Envelope 10-15. Try to not be so hard on yourself. Always do one for yourself and then in a few weeks time, go back and look at it - I think you will be surprised at how good it looks. We are our own worst critic.

There is no way to improve without process and practice. Preparing the exchanges is way different than doing a sheet of words. It adds an element of pressure - which is both good and bad. Knowing others will see our work adds an extra dimension.

Sometimes I cut some practice paper to the size of the envelope so I can do a few dry runs. That way I am a bit warmed up when I go to the real envelope. It still shifts a bit of nerves on the actual envelope - but embrace it. Remember to relax, breath, and YES, HAVE FUN! 

[Mark T]

Thank you for the words Mike and Erica.
I have just come off of everybody's friend,..... Amazon, so expect to receive a card in the next 6 weeks or so. This time, with no pressure on (self-forced I admit) I will send proper copperplate writing and not rushed scribble this time.
The advice above sits really well with me, and I know what I am like - I'll take it on-board and learn from it.
Thanks again.

[tiffany.c.a]

I was stressed too and eventually relaxed about it (after Valentine’s Day passed). Finally did have some fun with it.
List 3 members, please forgive my lateness. All are ready to go and planning to mail them tomorrow.

[Mark T]

A huge thank you for the beautiful envelopes, messages, cards and secret folding thingymajigs.
The envelopes and all contents will be kept forever and a day. I was blown away by the beautiful writing and flourishing, as was my wife,......... and so was the postie who shouted his approval up the stairs.
I so wish I had started earlier with my cards. I will next time - and there will be a next time, and I promise it will be copperplate and not spider scribble that I write.
Thank you for organizing it, Erica.

Mark

[Erica McPhee]

No apologies necessary! All happy snail mail is well received. 

[TeresaS]

I have also received all of the snail mail…surprisingly 3 came together in one day.  All I can say is Wow Wow Wow!  They were all so unique and lovely and perfect.  It is so interesting to see how everyone interprets the theme.  I have always enjoyed and learned so much from these exchanges.  Motivation to keep pushing myself!  Thank you all so much!!!