The Art of Letterwriting

I've always been a fan of handwriting, fonts, and word design.  I love books and prints and artistically displayed quotes.  Since elementary school, most of my doodles were letters shaped in different ways, copying other people's handwriting and forming new ways to display my print or cursive. 

I've also always been a fan of card making and writing.  How exciting is it to get a piece of mail that isn't a bill or advertisement?! I love connecting with people through the mail and knowing they smiled a little bit when they opened a handmade card.  Sometimes, it can mean the difference between a horrible and awesome day.

Recently, I opened an Etsy shop!  I make cards for fun and figured, why not sell them?  While I have yet to make a sale, I did get a chance to send out one of the cards to an old friend from college who I haven't seen in ages.  The correspondence we had was brilliant and when I got a card back from her, I was so excited.  It made me happy to know she was just as excited to get something from me.  I can't wait to send her another one.

So, here's to the art of letterwriting, to the look of pen on paper, not of Helvetica or Calibri or Times New Roman on a screen.  Here's to making random new friends who won't take your address and try to come murder you (let's face it, if they wanted to do that, they'd just Google you).  Here's to making someone smile, and getting a smile back yourself.

Email me at andi.looney@gmail.com and I'll send you a special card, just for you.  Let's revive an almost lost art, and help the post office make a few cents at the same time.

DIY: Jewelry Tree

I've told you of my yearning for a jewelry tree and also of its' exorbitant cost and absence from any of my wish-lists. Needless to say, when Liz got into DIY-ing so did I and I decided my project this week would be a jewelry tree.

Dudes, you might be bored by this topic BUT, if you are looking to impress a girl and you show up at her door with a handmade jewelry tree, you're probably gonna get some.  Or at least a hug.  Or some sort of food.  Or something.

Things you will need:

• base container (bottle, planter, something awesome)
• decorative rocks or marbles
• a tree branch (either from outside or a craft store
• glue or a glue gun
• optional:  spray paint
• also optional:  a glass of merlot

First, if you want to spray paint the bottom, go for it.  I did.  The color blackberry was on clearance, so my tree is blackberry.  Next, I scrounged around the park next door for a good branch with lots of little places to hang stuff.  I de-leafed the branches then spray painted the bark a little.  I just felt like all the sap and germs and bugs would be covered then.

After everything was dry I glued the branch into the base and placed the decorative rocks all around it.  If the branch breaks or I find another one, it can be easily replaced!!

And there is the finished project!!!!

 So simple and easy and cheap!!!!!  Instead of getting a $60 tree from Urban Outfitters, I spent less than $20 at Michael's craft store.  And, if I wanted to make another one, it would cost about $5!!!

Any ideas for next week's DIY?!?