I have this mint green, precarious cardboard-ey IKEA box that is filled with expensive stationary. It sits beside my desk, unopened. Unused. And yet every time I’m in a paper store or on vacation I can’t stop myself from purchasing some Garance Doré, Karen Adams, Vergé de France, Tokyomilk cards – and don’t even get me started on Papyrus.
And it’s like I’m saving them for the day Kim K really breaks the Internet and I desperately need to send a letter to the Pope, because who else would be worthy of hand-painted $20/sheet notepaper? And when I do have the rare occasion where it’s someone’s birthday, anniversary or need to send a thank you letter, I can’t bear to part with it. My stationary dilemma goes something like this: Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.
I’ll only use my really really good stuff if I have a surplus. Like, right now I’ve got two packs of Karen Adams tropical mini cards so if you’re nice to me, you’ll probably be receiving one of those soon. But it’s only cuz I’ve got like 8 more cards left. Once in a while I’ll pop a Vergé de France in the mail. But it’s way too expensive for me to replenish at the moment so I’m hoarding it for Bergoglio.
But, as much as I love giving and receiving a handwritten note, it’s so superfluous and off-beat these days. Like, I had the grand idea of sending all my friends and family postcards from Hawaii last summer – but some of them didn’t receive it until after I was already back and I assured most of them via iMessage that no, I did not have a yeast infection as I suspected. I mean, isn’t that what you write on postcards? With such little space, you gotta skip the niceties and go right for the health issues and financial woes: “Hey girl, Hawaii is beautiful. Might have yeast infection. Broke AF. Hugs and Kisses, xo J”
So it goes. Shy of writing letters to myself à la Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean, there is no reason to use any of this pretty stationary other than to do flat-lays (is that two words?). I mean, all the other bloggers are doing it. That’s why we buy paper now, why we purchase marble-printed journals and ball until we fall in the card section at Indigo. So we can take pictures of it beside our shoes and fur pompoms. Right?
Or maybe I should start a blogger chain letter or get a pen pal. Or maybe just send Alex away to Australia for 5 months just so we can go all Dr. Zhivago and send each other sweet love letters once a month hoping that the other is still alive when it reaches them. I mean he’s in Dubai right now and we are currently iMessaging just like we normally do when he’s back home, down the hall in the bathroom and I gotta let him know dinner is ready. There’s no more romance in text messages, no yearning over Snapchat, heck he even sent me video updates while he was flying over the Atlantic Ocean. The definition of absence in the old adage, is changing.
We have more contact with our friends, instantaneous, too, now more than ever and yet we feel like we see each other less and less. Who needs to meet for dinner when I can already see what the past two weeks of your life was like via your Facebook feed. I mean, I can get updated on 20 people in my social circle in a one-hour round robin on Snapchat before bed. Do you know how many dinners that would take? It’s streamlined socializing – and yet we’ve never felt more isolated.
Our cards go unwritten (not that I’m complaining he he he). Our homes, un-dinner-partied. And sometimes our beds are just screening rooms. Do me a favour. Do something out of the ordinary. Call a friend. Write a letter to your parents. Invite 10 people over for dinner on Friday night. Send me a postcard about your candida. Put pen to that very expensive card stock and give Canada Post a raison d’être beyond delivering your Amazon.ca order in 5 business days or less. I’ve got these Margaret Atwood stamps burning a hole in my desk drawer. So lemme ask you, baby, what’s your postal code?
Absolutely lovedddd this. I’m a stationary lover. I have pretty letter paper saved up and gone unwritten. Pretty sure the roses on them are browning by now. I’m writing this from Vancity and I almost feel like we should exchange a postcard or two. Send it to the Fairmont Vancouver, Room 673. Haha but seriously, your blog post is on point. As usual. You rock.
Ahahahaha omg I had to remove the first few pages from the notepad depicted as the sun stained it another colour, too! LOL. Omg we are the worst. Seriously – how long are you there for. Snail mail takes at least a week, no? It will probably go to the next guest and they’ll be like, huh? LOL Thanks for reading and stopping by xoxo
glad you didn’t have that yeast infection yo ;)
You and me both.
My penmanship is atrocious. So bad I actually type letters, explain why they are typed instead of handwritten, and sign my name for a bit of personalization. Lol. I wish I could have a pricey paper habit :( Now, to do something out of the ordinary!
Happy to inspire you! Also, that sounds very mysterious. A typed letter. Very Agatha Christie, no?
Now I know what to get you for Christmas!!!!!!!
A letter?
Now I know what to get you for Christmas sweetie!!!
I just sent my mom and my grandma each a letter on the leftover gold paper from my wedding thank-yous and you’d have thought I told them I was pregnant- they were so excited/grateful/catatonic. But if that’s all it takes, I mean… I’m just glad I didn’t have to have a baby, you know?
HA! Priceless. I love it. Oh man, please let me know what their reactions are when you do have a baby (if that’s your plan in life ya know) cuz something tells me I’ll be hearing about it on CP24. xoxoxo Thanks for dropping in!
Got to your blog by way of your fashion instagram!
Your comments about written letters v. social media made me think of this older article:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/306868/
For me one of the takeaways is that the method of communication can inform degree of richness in content.
Thanks for stopping by and reading! I’m going to head to The Atlantic now and read the article you linked. Sounds very interesting! Content and media are inextricably bound. Remember a fellow Canadian once said, “the media is the message…”
L4C 0B8. Make sure to include a return address, because I have PLENTY of Kate Spade stationary (and other pretty Indigo card sets) that could really get some use. I may need to purchase some stamps though.
I was laughing so hard reading this that I had to read it aloud to the bf so he wouldn’t think I’m crazy for laughing while staring at my screen.
Have you seen that Kate Spade party planning book at Indigo? it has a pink cover with white letters. Every time I see it I think “I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE (mostly in my photos)” and then stop myself, because let’s be honest, I’m never going to actually try a single recipe or host a single party.
Love how you put your postal code in the comment. High Five! I have seen the Kate Spade stuff and usually end up buying it for friends because I, too, cannot justify the purchase as a personal expense. I long for the days of handwritten invitations and party hosting and all that Barefoot Contessa-ness. sometimes I feel like quitting my job and just becoming a professional lady of the house. How 1920s of me.
Thanks for stopping by and reading and commenting! xoxoxoxo J