Hand Lettered Envelopes | featuring Tiny Prints

I loooove sending mail, and I especially love sending mail when it contains our Christmas Cards! This year we ordered our Christmas Cards from Tiny Prints and I could not be more in love with how they turned out. They have a cute gold foil trim and I think it's the perfect detail. 

As I'm sure many of you will be sending out your Christmas Cards, I wanted to share some fun ways to hand-letter your envelopes!

Option one is done in watercolor! This is more of a classic Christmas look with green and red colors. I love the little touches of color that the garland design adds to the envelope. I think this would also be really pretty with gold paint on a red envelope!

Option two is more of a minimalist look with both watercolor and pen. I think this design is closest to what I would normally do for our personal cards. I love the simplicity of it!

Option three is even more minimalist and done with a sharpie pen, so anyone can do it! I think this is by far the easiest design, and if you have a lot of cards to mail out, it's perfect for saving time! 

Option four is probably my favorite! I used a gold Sharpie pen to create the branches on the sides and watercolor for the design in the middle. I love all things gold, so this trim was perfection to me! I also loved how well it matched the Gold Foil on our Christmas Card. 

Option five is another watercolor option, but with a fun pop of color! I used a deep red, but it would be fun to use different colors for each person, based on their personality! I loved how these came out - how special would you feel if this was in your mailbox!?

Tiny Prints offers the option of having your return address printed on the back of the envelope, which is just perfect for using up the whole front of the envelope for design! We also got our fun personalized postage here, and opted for the tree pattern for the lining of our envelopes.

I hope these ideas inspire you to hand-letter your envelopes! I'd love to see what you come up with - if you share on social media tag me @pienthesky! 

Happy Lettering!
Mel

This post is in partnership with Tiny Prints.

A YEAR OF GRATITUDE :: PT2

Lately I've been spending a lot of time thinking about the people that God has placed in my life. While some have only been in my life for a few months, others I have known for years. As I get older I understand more, the importance of recognizing seasons in my life. I believe there are seasonal friends - those who you need in your life for a specific moment, but aren't necessarily there for the long haul. Then there are those who become family, who stick with you through thick and thin, who know every bit about you and love you all the same. I realize that both groups should be honored and appreciated to the fullest. A simple thank you can go such a long way. An encouraging word can be bring life, to an otherwise dead situation. A reminder of appreciation can bring hope to someone's heart. You have the power to make a difference in someone's life, with your thoughts, with your words, and with your actions. Here's to making sure the people in our lives know that they are valued!

 

xo. mel

 

FOOTNOTE :: you can read more about my year of gratitude here. I would love to here how this experience has been for you so far; feel free to leave a comment below or email me with your stories!

 

A YEAR OF GRATITUDE

I've been reading the book Make it Happen by Laura Casey, and I have been loving every bit of it! One of the focuses is on intentions. This word "intention" has stuck with me over these last few months. I want to be intentional with my days- the things I do, the activities I give time and energy to, the relationships I pursue, etc. Moreover, I want to create a meaningful presence. If I were to pack up my bags and leave this state, drop off social media and cut all relationship ties... would anyone notice? Would people miss me? Would I have impacted their lives enough for them to care? eeesh! I didn't mean for that to be a dark thought (sorry), just one of introspection. I just want to enrich the lives of those around me. 

One of the initiatives I'm taking this year is to show my gratitude towards those I love; who have impacted (or are still impacting) my life. I've decided to start writing handwritten cards of thanks. It's a simple expression, but if you've ever received a handwritten note, then you understand the weight of its sentiment. So, in an effort to show more gratitude, I want to challenge you to a Year of Gratitude! What does this entail? Well let me tell you! Every week, you will choose one person. For that week, expend a little more energy to make them feel special and loved - whether it's a shoutout on Instagram, posting an old photo of the two of you, or a special birthday wish on Facebook, remind them that they're still on your radar. Then, at the end of the week, sit down and write them a letter. Maybe it's someone you've looked up to, or someone who has always supported your dreams, maybe it's someone who has been a great friend, or someone who may not know how much they mean to you. Whoever it is, show gratitude to their existence in your life. This will not only build them up and speak life into them, but I assure you, it'll make you feel pretty great too!

I thought it would be really great to show you some possible ideas for hand lettering your envelopes as you get ready to send them out! I found the sweetest stationary sets in the Tiny Prints personalized gifts section! I loved that I could personalize the stationary and make them my own! Another fun bonus is that each card has a really pretty pattern on the back - I love how they turned out!

 

O P T I O N  O N E // Bold (with address)

This option is so much fun because it's such a statement piece! How exciting would it be to find this envelope shining in your pile of bills, newsletters and catalogs?! You can create this fun banner in multiple ways - just have fun with it!

This stationary is called Fresh Fancy, and it's actually a part of a really sweet birthday collection. I think it's meant for a child, but the balloon reminded me of the balloons we had at our wedding, so I went for it; too perfect to pass up! This card would be perfect to express thanks, congratulations or gratitude!

O P T I O N  T W O // Simple (with address)

I like this option for a more simplified and sophisticated look. This lettering took much less time and I think it can be accomplished by someone at any level!

This stationary is called On the Breeze and I think it's even prettier in person! I love the trim, and the fact that I got to personalize it was an added bonus. My favorite part is still the fun pattern on the back and this one is especially perfect because it's gold! This card would be perfect for sharing a sentiment that requires more explanation, since there's much more blank space to write what's on your heart!

O P T I O N  T H R E E // Classic (no address)

This option is better suited for someone who lives close to home, that you could hand deliver your letter to. A large majority of those I have written letters to, have been women in my workplace and church, so this is a great option for me! I do have family and friends who live out of state though, so the options above are obviously better suited for them. I like this option because you can have as much fun as you want with your lettering! Get creative and use up as much space as you want!

This stationary is called Dazzling Pattern, in Red Lantern. I decided to personalize this one with one of my favorite scripture verses, "God is within her, she will not fail." This is such an empowering verse, so I think it would be great for a letter about encouragement or thankfulness!

 

I had so much fun working on my first batch of gratitude letters! Sometimes we assume that people just know how much they mean to us, but even if they do, it sure is nice to be reminded! I know that the women (or men) that you send these cards to, will feel loved, cherished and empowered to continue being who they are!

When it comes to hand-lettering your envelopes, get creative! You can use different color pens, watercolors, or an assortment of different colored envelopes! Have fun with it and let your personality shine through! If you decide to participate in the Year of Gratitude, let me know! You can leave a link below in the comments or use the hashtag #yearofgratitude when posting to Instagram or Twitter. Love y'all so much! Have a wonderful weekend!

xo. mel